In the next decade, robotic technology will disrupt industries across the globe. So how can businesses use robots to transform their business models, become more sustainable, and get ahead? Marga Hoek finds out
Just as artificial intelligence assists humans in intellectual tasks, exoskeleton robots help people do more physical tasks. The immense impact of this technology will be felt in business, right from the biggest conglomerate to small-scale start-up operations. Robots will undoubtedly enable a number of disruptive business models.
Here are two pioneering examples of how companies are using robots to change the world.
AMP Robotics – reimagining recycling
The big idea
AMP Robotics is using robotic technology to change the economics of recycling. It has created a business around the elimination of waste, where technology holds the promise of decoupling the world’s potential from environmental harm. The technology they build and deploy solves many of the central challenges of recycling – making it more efficient, cost-effective, scalable and sustainable.
What they say
‘We can identify… whether it’s a Coke or Pepsi can or a Starbucks cup so that people can help design their product for circularity… we’re building out our reporting capabilities and that, to them, is something that is of high interest.’
Matanya Horowitz, AMP Chief Executive
How they do it
For recyclers, the commercialisation of robots helps solve some of the industry’s problems, brought about by trade wars and low unemployment. AMP’s robotics technology – a combination of computer vision, machine learning and robotic automation – greatly improves efficiencies at their facilities. Robots, which can sort and pick twice as fast as people with higher degrees of accuracy, are installed at sorting lines for plastics, cartons, fibre and metals. Increasing revenue by capturing more high-value recyclables, AMP’s robots are emerging as the leading solution.
Because of the potential to deliver breakthrough recycling solutions, Sequoia Capital recently invested $16 million USD into company, which will be used to expand its manufacturing capacity and boost growth. AMP’s business has two separate revenue streams – robotics as a service offering and a direct sales option. With more than 70 systems installed across North America, Japan and Europe, AMP is increasing the value that can be extracted from recyclable material through superior separation, purity enhancement and identification of new end markets for reuse and recycling.
What’s next?
That combination of robotics, computer vision and machine learning has potential applications beyond the recycling industry as well, as automotive scrap and construction waste are other areas where there is interest in AMP’s software and hardware.
The benefits for the planet
The company is helping to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth: Helping provide a sustainable workforce for recycling jobs that have been chronically hard to fill.
- SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: Reimagining and actively modernizing the world’s recycling infrastructure.
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities: Creating healthier, inclusive communities that limit exposure to waste, advance environmental justice and promote preservation of natural resources and economic strength.
- SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production: Applying AI and robotics to economically recover commodities reclaimed as raw materials for the global supply chain
InMoov Robots for Good – Helping hospitalised children visit the outside world
The big idea
An open-sourced 3D Printed Human Size Robot.All the files from the InMoov robot are freely available online, which means you can join the project, download all the blueprints and customise the robot without interference of any company or organisation. This allows anyone to start building this robot. InMoov’s vision is that schools from all over the world will adopt this idea to teach children about technology and in doing so give back to the world.
What they say
‘In terms of open-source platforms, we don’t know what governments [or anyone else with resources to develop this technology] might be doing with AI – but we know what we are doing. Being able to use contributions from other people, sharing ideas and prototypes, makes it go so much faster. That’s why we need to have our own AI.’
Gael Langevin, French InMoov sculptor and designer
How they do it
Gael Langevin, a French sculptor and model-maker, developed a design for an open-source humanoid robot that anyone can make with their own 3D printer. Langevin named his robot InMoov. Started in January 2012 as the first open-Source prosthetic hand, InMoov has led to several other projects. Replicable on any home 3D printer, it is conceived as a development platform for universities, laboratories, hobbyists, and makers.
The simple concept is based on sharing and community and has the ability to be reproduced for countless projects throughout the world. Because all the files from the InMoov robot are freely available online, anyone has access to the project, can download all the blueprints and customize the robot without interference of any company or organization. This allows anyone to start building this robot and change the lives of children everywhere.
The Robots for Good project will allow hospitalised children to visit the outside world using a virtual reality and human size 3D printed robot they can control from their room. Files for InMoov can be downloaded in STL (STereoLithography) format from MakerBot’s Thingiverse design-sharing site.
What’s next?
The goal is for InMoov robots to be built all over the world; kids in London will be able to visit New York using InMoov’s body or student’s in Africa can take a walk through the streets of Paris and talk with local kids about their different cultures.
The Benefits for the planet
The company is helping to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 3 – Good Health & Wellbeing: Allowing young hospital patients to visit the outside world.
- SDG 4 – Quality Education: Built by kids in local schools in collaboration with local makers and makerspaces.
- SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: The open nature of the project allows anybody to use the files and blueprints to build this robot.
- SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production: The most parts of the InMoov robot can be 3D Printed which means it is possible for people all over the world to build this robot.
These are just two examples of the pioneering ways companies are using robotics to lead the way to a more sustainable future. The robotics market was valued at USD $39.72 billion USD in 2019 and is expected to grow at a rate of 25.38% (in terms of Reference to Compound annual growth rate (CAGR)) from 2020 to 2025. Over the next decade robotics will be a key way to transform business models to be more sustainable.
Marga Hoek is a global thought-leader on sustainable business, international speaker and the author of The Trillion Dollar Shift, a new book revealing the business opportunities provided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Trillion Dollar Shift is published by Routledge, in hardback and e-book. For more information go to www.margahoek.com
