By 2025, robots could shave 25 percent off of factory labor costs in Japan, according to the consulting firm.
The dexterity of the 16 robots is in evidence when one of them lowers its arm, stopping just above a rectangular box. Eight suction pads stretch down, latch on and drop it on one of the three narrow conveyor belts. “Swish, swish, swish,” its sound blends in with the clacking belts.
Depending on the type, size and weight of an item, the machine alters which pads it uses, how fast it moves and where it puts the item. The robots can pick up to about 10,000 items per hour with almost perfect accuracy. By adjusting the timing of the conveyor belts, the whole system can mix different products and make orders for individual customers.
“It’s easy for women to work here,” says Arai, 27. “You don’t need to lift heavy things and the system is set up to keep you from making mistakes.”,,
“We want to bring down the cost of a robot to 100,000 yen per unit, but it still costs 500,000 or a million yen,” Kentaro Okamoto, who works on robot-related projects at the economy ministry. “We don’t have an infinite budget.”
... a tablet that displays the image of a resident. The tablet is linked to a camera in the resident’s room which detects their movements, and can alert helpers if assistance is needed. The 500,000 yen system has helped to halve the number of falls at the 10 facilities where it was installed...
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