RIA completes research on hybrid sensor technology for material handling robots

Citation

(2008), "RIA completes research on hybrid sensor technology for material handling robots", Industrial Robot, Vol. 35 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2008.04935bab.010

RIA completes research on hybrid sensor technology for material handling robots

RIA completes research on hybrid sensor technology for material handling robots

A new study on hybrid sensor technology for material handling applications has just been published by Robotic Industries Association (RIA), and it is free to qualified members. Leading the initiative was the new markets committee, a group of RIA members dedicated to fostering and nurturing the use of robots in new markets (i.e. medical, service, fast food, etc.) and new applications.

What exactly is a hybrid sensor? A hybrid sensor is a technology that combines one or more sensing techniques in a synergistic manner to provide feedback to a robot or another device for the purpose of doing useful work. The data from the multiple sensors are combined in such a way that the resulting information is greater than when the sources are used individually, i.e. 1þ1¼3.

“This market study on hybrid sensors is a free service to RIA members,” said Donald A. Vincent, Executive Vice President, RIA. “Members helped shape and guide the study, and members can download the results for free from the members only section of Robotics Online.”

Research for this study involved surveying RIA's membership and focused on assessing the participants' organizational business type, the extent and usage of material handling operations and technologies in their organization, and the perceived potential value of hybrid sensor technology for material handling operations. Follow-up phone interviews with representative organizations were also performed to aid in the findings.

Dr John Wright, Associate Professor of Automation and Electronics Technologies at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, conducted the research and stated, “The market for the hybrid sensor in material handling applications appears to be strong.”

To learn more about how your fellow RIA member companies are using robotics and sensor technologies for their material handling applications and where they see the future for the use of hybrid sensor technology, please visit Members Only on Robotics Online. The report retails for $1,395 to non-members and is free to qualified members ($995 to non-qualified members). Contact Brian Huse for further information, please contact E-mail: bhuse@robotics.org