Coming to a Factory Near You Soon?
Is it possible that Isaac Asimov's vision of an anthropomorphic 'Three Laws Safe' robotic future is coming another step closer at BMW's automotive assembly plant at Spartanburg, SC?
BMW Group is exploring the use of humanoid robots in production for the first time. During a trial run lasting several weeks, the latest humanoid robot 'Figure 02' from California company Figure successfully inserted sheet metal parts into specific fixtures, which were then assembled as part of the chassis - production steps that require the robot to be particularly dexterous.
R. Daneel Olivaw: "If you want me to do that 24/7/365 without bathroom breaks, then I want benefits and an oil bath."
“The developments in the field of robotics are very promising. With an early test operation, we are now determining possible applications for humanoid robots in production. We want to accompany this technology from development to industrialization,” says Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management for Production at BMW AG.
Always on the lookout for new technologies for its future-facing 'iFACTORY', BMW says "efficiency, digitalization and sustainability are central to realization of this vision. During the trial run, the BMW Group gained valuable knowledge of what requirements must be met in order to be able to integrate so-called multi-purpose robots in an existing production system."
"This includes how humanoid robots communicate with the system under real conditions," says Brett Adcock, founder and CEO of Figure. “We are excited to unveil 'Figure 02', our second-generation humanoid robot, which recently completed successful testing at the BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. 'Figure 02' has significant technical advancements, which enable the robot to perform a wide range of complex tasks fully autonomously.”