The democratization of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI)which has existed for years, changes manufacturing methods. So far, however, it was a complex and difficult tool to use.
To integrate AI into their processes, companies had to develop their own personalized libraries. This required specialized work and was a sometimes insurmountable challenge for small businesses.
Nowadays, however, more and more companies, especially in the field of vision systems, offer their own automatic learning algorithms. Companies therefore no longer need to develop their own code. They can use the tools provided by their providers for recognition of the code or barcode.
For entrepreneurs, it is progress that reduces risks and breaks down the barriers to the entrance. I think it’s a trend that will continue in 2025.
Robot as a service: a business model that is booming
THE Software as a service, or SaaS The model is today a dominant commercial model for software. In robotics, a similar model – robot as a service (RAAS) – is quickly evolving.
Until now, manufacturers have had to buy the systems they wanted to add to their production lines – at least most of the time. However, providers of robotic solutions are increasingly offering their customers the possibility of renting turnkey systems. These systems may not only include robots, but also software, sensors and maintenance services required to guarantee their optimal operation. Contracts can be spread over several years and billing can be monthly or depending on the number of hours of use.
Again, it is an option that reduces the risks for manufacturers. It is also a model that reduces initial costs, because it classifies robotics as an operating expenditure rather than investment expenditure.
Stay listening, because this is another tendency to look at during the coming year.
Increasingly autonomous robots
Mobile autonomous robots can perform a wide variety of tasks. They are very useful for transporting goods in warehouses, for example.
So far, most of them have used identification, detection and television systems (LIDAR) of the 2D laser (LIDAR). To move to the site, they have mapped the space in two dimensions. Their main problem, however, was that they tended to get lost in a dynamic environment with many changes. They could not find their way because their integrated cards no longer corresponded to their physical environment.
Today, we see more and more autonomous mobile robots guided by In AI 3D vision using Visual Slam technology (location and simultaneous cartography). This technology combines a vision of AI and 3D to allow robots to make intelligent decisions according to their environment, thus offering greater precision and robustness even in complex dynamic environments. Unlike old systems, the new ones allow robots to find their way more easily and to move more precision to better navigate their environment.
Collaborative robots or cobots also take off. Although this is not new technology, these robots are easier than ever to work.
In the past, a company buying such a robot had to program it themselves. Although easier to program than a standard industrial robot, qualified personnel and the time to configure everything was necessary.
At Advanced design & Manufacturing expo, I saw an increasing number of companies offering simplified and almost turnkey solutions. For example, a number of suppliers now offer complete systems for COBOT paletters with interfaces so easy to program that it is not worth developing your own system. These solutions facilitate integration and reduce the need for skilled labor. In particular, I saw puck robots that can be configured in two hours.
Overall, while the Cobots are not new, their integration time has plunged and will continue to improve in 2025.
Humanoid robots: always out of reach of SMEs
As for the humanoid robots, although there was not at the exhibition, they have been a hot topic lately, whether at the exhibition or more broadly in the advanced manufacturing community. Many major players in the sector, such as Tesla and Xiaomi, invest massively in this technology, and progress is rapid. For example, BMW recently announced that its fleet of humanoid robots had been updated, for 400%travel speed gains.
Although this type of news is exciting, such technology is always out of reach of the average SME. He still needs a lot of R&D to mature. Therefore, For 2025, It is a trend that I do not yet see on my radar.
Review this in 2026.
Next step
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