-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueTechnical Resources
Key industry organizations–all with knowledge sharing as a part of their mission–share their technical repositories in this issue of SMT007 Magazine. Where can you find information critical to your work? Odds are, right here.
The Path Ahead
What are you paying the most attention to as we enter 2025? Find out what we learned when we asked that question. Join us as we explore five main themes in the new year.
Soldering Technologies
Soldering is the heartbeat of assembly, and new developments are taking place to match the rest of the innovation in electronics. There are tried-and-true technologies for soldering. But new challenges in packaging, materials, and sustainability may be putting this key step in flux.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
The Smart Robot Revolution is Here
October 10, 2018 | Pratik Kirve, Allied AnalyticsEstimated reading time: 3 minutes

Science fiction writers may scratch their heads and invent something outstanding out of nowhere, but it is on paper only. It is only an imagination in which robots are behaving like humans and getting smarter day by day. However, the distance between imagination and reality has reduced considerably. Thanks to advanced technologies, robots are no longer just a robot operating on commands. They are getting smarter. Artificial intelligence (AI), data processing, and machine vision are some of the technologies turning the dream of robots being smarter into a reality.
"Robots are the next big thing,” said Gene Munster, co-founder of Loup Ventures. "You know it will be a big deal because the companies with the biggest balance sheets are entering the game."
Tech giants have geared up to launch smart robots for various applications in numerous industries. The Consumer Electronics Show this year in Las Vegas demonstrated the same. Not only big companies, but also small companies and researchers at universities have begun developing smarter robots to ease the work of humans and improve efficiency. From cleaning robots to farming robots, innovation has been the center of every effort taken for the development of smart machines.
Many governments have been encouraging the utilization of smart robots in various sectors. They have taken new initiatives to encourage the development of smart robotics. For instance, during a meeting with the Public Prosecution—a part of the Judicial Department in the United Arab Emirates—Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, highlighted the importance of implementing advanced technologies to bring improvement in government services, and lauded the efforts of the Public Prosecution to implement AI in the justice sector.
The AI strategy is under the UAE Centennial 2071 project, a comprehensive, long-term government plan that encompasses a national strategy to make UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2071. Among its objectives is the development of education, with a focus on advanced technology and engineering. In a statement, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, said the UAE seeks to be a major hub for developing AI techniques and associated legislation, adding that the country’s UAE Centennial 2071 is founded on a set of fundamentals, primarily artificial intelligence across the government and private sectors.
According to research firm Allied Market Research, the global smart robot market is expected to reach $17.56 billion by 2025, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.6% from 2018 to 2025. Developments in the automotive sector, use of robots in the agriculture sector, and government regulation are boosting the growth of the smart robot market.
Meanwhile, factors such as growth in industrial automation, advancement of robotics for the connected and digital world, and strong government funding for automation solutions, high manufacturing cost, insecure connections with robots, difficulty of reprogramming, regular maintenance, and software updates of the system are anticipated to either drive or hamper the market growth.
Growth in Industrial Automation
Several industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, automobile, and construction are rapidly adopting industrial automation solutions. This leads to the increase in adoption of smart robots due to their highly stable and accurate performance. The main reason for such adoption is to have better quality and safety in terms of injuries that arise from machineries. In the manufacturing and production line, smart robots are deliberately used to move materials and perform a variety of programmed tasks.
Around 40% of the robots are used for material handling applications in most industries. For instance, Komatsu, a general machine manufacturing company, has developed a multi-purpose drone and bulldozer automation system for the construction industry. This drone flies above a construction site and is used for monitoring delivery, inventory, and overall progress of the project. This trend is expected to significantly drive the smart robot market in the future.
To read the full article, which appeared in the September 2018 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Emerald Technologies Addresses New Tariff Imposed on Goods Originating from China
02/18/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesEmerald Technologies is closely monitoring the recent announcement of an additional 10% tariff on all goods originating from China. This tariff, effective February 4, 2025, will be applied in addition to existing tariffs on Chinese goods, such as those imposed under Section 301.
Murata Electronics Expands Global Footprint with New Factory Lease in India
02/17/2025 | MurataKYZEN to Showcase Stencil Cleaning Research Advancements at IPC APEX EXPO 2025
02/17/2025 | KYZEN'KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally friendly cleaning chemistries, will exhibit in Booth 642 at the upcoming 2025 IPC APEX EXPO, scheduled for March 18-20, 2025 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Celebrating 35 years of innovation and continuous improvement, KYZEN will spotlight its industry-leading research and solutions designed to advance electronics manufacturing processes.
A Fresh Perspective: Checking in With IPC Student Board Member Waad Tarman
02/17/2025 | Charlene Gunter du Plessis, IPC Education FoundationWaad Tarman is the current IPC Student Board Member and incoming president of the IPC Student Chapter at Auburn University. She has an impressive background as a second-year Ph.D. student and dedicated research assistant at Auburn University’s Electronics Manufacturing and Reliability Laboratory within the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department.
ASM Technologies Signs MoU with the Government of Karnataka
02/14/2025 | ASM TechnologiesAs part of the agreement ASM Technologies will acquire 10 acres of land from the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to set up a state-of-the-art design facility.