Automation

On the Floor

Toyota Goes All-In on Humanoid Robots 

A massive investment in humanoid robots with an ambitious timeline.

This episode of On the Floor is brought to you by Mouser. To learn more, visit mouser.com.

It’s no secret that humanoid robots are the hottest segment in the automation world, and that’s not surprising. Machines that look and feel like people are a natural for environments where people live and work next to robots, but industrial automation is different. Special purpose machines can be optimized for specific tasks, and lights out factories can be designed to eliminate humans entirely from the assembly process.

Toyota, however, feels that humanoids offer several advantages, and they’re backing up the theory with a massive investment in the technology, on an aggressive timeline. To achieve these goals, the company will buy commercial robots and use in-house machines to integrate robots with humans in assembly operations. 

Written by

James Anderton

Jim Anderton is the Director of Content for ENGINEERING.com. Mr. Anderton was formerly editor of Canadian Metalworking Magazine and has contributed to a wide range of print and on-line publications, including Design Engineering, Canadian Plastics, Service Station and Garage Management, Autovision, and the National Post. He also brings prior industry experience in quality and part design for a Tier One automotive supplier.