Cobot: When Man and Machine Become One

Already adopted in over 30% of logistics warehouses for tasks such as sorting or material handling (source: Global Growth Insights), it appeals due to its ability to assist operators without replacing them, while adapting to complex environments like automotive, electronics, or pharmaceuticals.

Transitic invites you to take a closer look at what a cobot is and its possible fields of application.

01. What is a cobot?

A contraction of the words “robot” and “collaborative”, the cobot is designed to assist humans and work directly with them. It in no way supplants the human being, but rather provides him with safety, comfort and precision in his work, reducing the risk of injury at the same time.

Unlike traditional industrial robots, which are often isolated in secure areas, cobots safely operate in shared spaces alongside human operators. They are developed according to the ISO/TS 15066 standard, in effect since 2016, which sets safety requirements for human-robot interactions. This standard specifically requires:

• Contact detection through integrated sensors
• A limited movement speed near humans
• Automatic stop in case of obstacle or danger
• Operation without physical barriers

Thanks to technologies such as artificial intelligence, laser sensors, and 3D cameras, cobots can adapt their tasks in real time based on their environment.

And the results speak for themselves: according to a MIT study, human-cobot teamwork achieves an 85% increase in productivity compared to tasks performed solely by a human or an industrial robot.

02. A booming market

The global cobotics market is continuously growing and is expected to exceed 10 billion dollars by 2027, according to a study by Research and Markets.

In Europe, the countries best equipped with cobots are Germany, Italy, and France (source: IFR).

Cobots are now finding their place in a variety of industrial sectors, each leveraging their specific capabilities.

• The automotive industry is the primary user sector, thanks to standardized applications such as assembly, welding, and inspection.
  
• The electronics industry leverages the precision and flexibility of cobots to handle sensitive components with the utmost accuracy.
  
• The food industry uses them to automate repetitive tasks such as packaging and sorting, while meeting hygiene requirements.
  
• Logistics is rapidly adopting cobots to boost productivity in order picking, material handling, and palletizing.
  

03. The different types of industrial cobots

There are four main levels of interaction in cobotics, classified according to the robot’s degree of autonomy:

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