Module 5: Robotics
Understanding the integration of AI with physical automation
Executive Summary
- Robotics fuses AI with physical automation—from warehouse bots to surgical systems.
- Key capabilities: perception, planning, and control across varying levels of autonomy.
- ROI stems from safety, precision, and round-the-clock productivity but requires change management for human–robot collaboration.
Key Concepts
Robotics combines physical automation with AI decision-making. Types include autonomous mobile robots, robotic arms, drones, and collaborative robots (cobots).
Key capabilities include:
- Perception: Using sensors to understand the environment
- Planning: Determining optimal actions and paths
- Control: Executing movements with precision
Levels of autonomy range from remote-operated to fully autonomous systems, with many business applications falling somewhere in between with human oversight.
Interactive Charts
This timeline shows the evolution of robotics in business from industrial robots to collaborative systems.
This simulation demonstrates how robots plan optimal paths to navigate around obstacles.
Control a simulated robotic arm by adjusting the joint angles to see how it moves.
Real-World Examples
Manufacturing
- Robotic welding and assembly in automotive production
- Collaborative robots working alongside humans for precision tasks
- Quality control using vision-enabled robots
Logistics
- Autonomous warehouse robots for inventory management
- Automated guided vehicles for material transport
- Last-mile delivery drones and robots
Healthcare
- Surgical robots for minimally invasive procedures
- Medication delivery robots in hospitals
- Rehabilitation robots for physical therapy
Agriculture
- Precision sprayers for targeted application of fertilizers
- Autonomous harvesters for crop collection
- Drones for field monitoring and crop analysis
Discussion Prompts
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What physical task in your organization could be automated with robotics?
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How would your team adapt to working alongside robots? What training would be needed?
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How would you calculate ROI for robotic implementation in your business context?
Prompts for Real-World Use
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Robotics Exploration: Visit a robotic lab or take a virtual tour to see automation in action.
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Hands-on Experience: Try a robotics kit or drone to simulate automation principles.
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Process Audit: Create a task audit and identify automation opportunities in your workflow.
Call to Action
Select a single process to explore for robotic automation. Form a working group to research feasibility and outline next steps.