2016 was such a great year for robotics. A lot of progresses were made in various fields, and more and more people have started to realize how robotics can improve work, education and life.
But, this is nothing compared to what will happen in 2017. This year, many ideas will be transformed into actions and real stuff !
Here’s 5 ways 2017 will be the year of robotics :
1. Cobots in industry
As we saw in a previous post, current industrial robots are way too expensive and non user-friendly. That was totally normal until a few years ago, when some new companies started to launch what is called a “cobot”.
Well, what if we tell you that cobots are just getting started ? You might or might not have heard of them, but this year you will definitely do. Check out this post to know more about cobots, and how they are going to revolutionize robotics.
2. Accessible robots for everyday life
Cobots are starting to change a lot of things in the industry. But what about small companies, schools, universities, and people’s home ? If you ever thought that robots for home are just a thing you see in movies, then be prepared for 2017.
At Niryo we want to be a part of this revolution. For us, accessible means two things : affordable and user friendly. That’s why we put all our efforts to meet those two requirements on our robot, Niryo One, which will be launched this year.
We also see some other people starting robotics companies for the people, which is great ! 2017 will be the year of accessible robots coming to everybody’s home.
3. Artificial intelligence will help robots stand out from the crowd
Artificial intelligence was one of the 2016 buzzwords. People and companies have started to discover what it is, and what they can do with it. After all the speeches, let’s start the work !
Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest trend for 2017. Robots as we know them (pieces of plastic or metal with some electronics components) will become more intelligent. They will start to “feel” their environment to adapt their behavior, and more important, they will start to learn from their mistakes.
Although there is still a lot of work to do on that, many progresses have already been made, and many applications will make robots stand out from the crowd this year.
4. Software and cloud services around robots
As robots start to do interesting things (that means, more than just vacuuming or mixing fruits) by being collaborative, accessible, and more popular, the need for applications to control those robots will rise in 2017.
We first have seen the rise of Internet, followed by web and mobile applications and services. 2017 is the year when robotics will meet cloud services. At Niryo we predict that many companies will be created around cloud software for robots. Some projects (ex: Robot Web Tools) already exist and start to have a bigger traction, leading to many business opportunities. We also will work toward this as we will provide mobile and web interfaces to control our robot.
By being connected to cloud services, robots will always be up to date with the latest software version. They will continuously evolve to be better products, even after being purchased. Tesla is doing exactly that, which makes their cars more competitive.
After all the Saas softwares, let’s begin the Raas : Robot as a Service !
5. Drone services
Drones are now so much appreciated, and are a perfect example of robots becoming accessible. In a few years, drones prices have fallen a lot, and have been used by companies, researchers, robotics hobbyist, and people for leisure time.
Now that the market starts to be full of drones for everyone and every use case, some companies start to think at a higher level : “What kind of service can we provide on top of drones to make people’s life easier and better ?” With this question in mind, they create new products, like drones that are used for movies, or for autonomous navigation.
Take the example of Amazon : they extend their service with drones, to provide a faster than ever delivery service !
Those 5 trends for 2017 show that robotics is just starting, and will become one of the next big things in years to come. And there are many more robotics application that will rise in 2017, we just listed 5 here.
You don’t need to take our word for it, just wait a few months and you will see what progresses will be done. Robotics is on the edge of a revolution, and this revolution will start in 2017.
Keep in touch for new blog posts ! This year we will often post new content about robotics news, tutorials, and the progresses made on Niryo One.
Stay tuned, and Happy New Robotics Year to all of you !
