Communications of the ACM
Flexible Robots Make Their Own Decisions
Researchers Fredrik Danielsson (left) and Bo Svensson are developing flexible automation systems.
Credit: University West
University West researchers have developed an automation system in which machines and robots make their own decisions and adapt to external circumstances. University West scientist Bo Svensson notes that normally automated production lines continue to function as long as nothing goes wrong. However, "a single error somewhere makes everything stop," Svensson says.
In the University West system, each robot, conveyor, and machine is equipped with an agent that does not require signals from a master control system to act. "The agents know what neighbors they should communicate with and make small local decisions," says University West scientist Fredrik Danielsson.
An agent is triggered by what is happening next to it, and operators can insert a new part in the middle of the flow without disturbing the system. The operator gives P-SOP software instructions, in the form of a PowerPoint sketch, of how the system should work.
From University West
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