... conclusions are drawn. Findings This study shows that the automotive robotics sector is growing more rapidly than vehicle production volumes due to factors which include the move to vehicle electrification, the growing use of cobots, 3D printing, which is moving from specialist and low volume to high...

..., wherein an operator and a cobot engage separate workpieces independently for their individual manufacturing processes. The collaborative element is because of the co-presence of the operator and the cobot in the same workspace without a fence or guard. Simultaneous, wherein an operator...

... of sensing skins has been driven by safety applications in the emerging cobot sector, and a market is emerging for skins that can be retrofitted to conventional robots. Sensing skin research is widespread and covers a multitude of sensing principles, technologies, materials and signal processing schemes...

... to catalyse several new and emerging applications; the most important being in agile manufacturing, particularly when used with collaborative robots (cobots). Originality/value This paper provides details of recent developments and research into anthropomorphic hands and soft grippers and an insight...

... methods. Originality/value – This paper provides a timely review of the rapidly developing European collaborative robot industry. Barring ABB’s dual-arm YuMi, most cobots have a single-arm and also low payloads, typically less than 15 kg but offer a number of significant advantages over...