Goldman Sachs Predicts $38B Market for Humanoid Robots in Industrial Sector by 2035Mercedes-Benz Introduces Apollo Robot to Support Skilled Workers in Car Manufacturing. Credit: newatlas.com

The workforce is being joined by humanoid robots as they make their way into the industrial sector. Apptronik's Apollo bot, following in the footsteps of BMW's Figure 01 and Amazon's Digit, is now aiding skilled workers in building cars for Mercedes-Benz.

According to experts at Goldman Sachs, the global market for humanoid industrial robots is expected to reach a staggering US$38 billion by 2035. The appeal of these robots lies in their ability to perform tasks that are hazardous, unsanitary, and monotonous. In fact, analysts suggest that there may even be a demand for robots to take on high-risk tasks, such as nuclear reactor maintenance, which humans are unwilling to do.

However, Apollo is unlikely to encounter such dangers during its pilot program at Mercedes. The company announced on Friday that it is looking to use robotics to relieve its workers of mundane and repetitive tasks, as well as physically demanding workloads.

Jörg Burzer, from the Mercedes-Benz Group, explains that the company is exploring the potential of using robots to support its skilled workforce in manufacturing. This includes filling gaps in low-skill, repetitive, and physically demanding work, allowing highly skilled team members to focus on building top-of-the-line cars.

Apollo, developed by the University of Texas at Austin spin-out tech company, Apptronik, is the latest addition to a series of almost a dozen robot systems. The modular humanoid, introduced in August last year, stands at 5.67 ft (172.72 cm) tall and weighs 160 lb (73 kg). It is equipped with powerful arms and five-digit hands, able to lift loads of up to 55 lb (25 kg) and operate for up to 4 hours on a single battery pack.

The Apollo model being used by Mercedes features a redesigned face with LED eyes and a sensor array unibrow. The head now has a grille and the chest displays the Mercedes emblem instead of an OLED interface.

According to the Financial Times, the pilot program is taking place at a Mercedes manufacturing facility in Hungary, where there is a labor shortage in the auto industry. The company will be exploring different ways in which Apollo can assist on the production line, such as delivering components and inspecting parts while workers assemble the vehicles.

Apptronik CEO and co-founder, Jeff Cardenas, believes that Mercedes' use of robotics for low-skill, physically demanding tasks will set an example for other organizations to follow in the near future. The details of the pilot program, including its duration and the number of Apollo humanoids being used, have not been disclosed.

Source: newatlas.com
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