Robotics Growth Helps Fund New Research

A confluence of factors ranging from labor shortages and reshoring to greater demand for mass customization have led to a surge in the adoption of robotic technologies, with particularly high growth being seen for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and collaborative robots (cobots). AMRs have become increasingly popular in assembly and packaging operations where human labor is often lacking. In these cases, robotic arms or other peripheral devices attached to the tops of mobile carts can assist in loading and unloading goods from production lines. Likewise, cobots have proven popular for machine tending applications in the high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) space. Often, companies in the HMLV space are contract manufacturers who produce parts and components for larger industrial players, such as automotive manufacturers. As more of these large companies return to the U.S., HMLV manufacturers have seen a corresponding uptick in business, for which they do not always have the labor capacity to service.