Robotics Trends: Market Growth, New Sectors & What It Means for Technicians

Experts estimate that the global robotics market, which is currently worth nearly USD $32 billion, will be worth a whopping USD $190.8 billion by 2035. There is a lot of untapped potential, and Canadian tech companies are leading the way in developing new applications for multiple industries. Read on to discover the impact robotics is having and will yet have on the healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics industries, among others.

Robotics in Healthcare

There are many applications for robotics in healthcare. Robots can already clean and disinfect public areas and dispense medications. They can perform routine tasks to help senior citizens in hospitals and assisted living facilities. Hospitals around the world have tested robots that can help surgeons perform complex surgeries, but with smaller incisions than a human would be able to make, thus speeding up patient recovery time and reducing the likelihood of infections.

Robotics companies have also created robots that can help diagnose patients in the emergency room, as well as a small, swallowable robot gastroenterologists can use to perform remote endoscopies. Other applications include the creation of a humanized robot to help medical students practice diagnostic skills and patient interactions, and robots that can help stroke and brain injury patients with physical rehabilitation. Exoskeletal robots have also begun emerging to increase opportunities for patients with mobility issues.

The main barrier to widespread implementation of robotics in healthcare is not the robotics industry's inability to use cutting-edge technology to meet current needs but rather regulatory issues and, in some cases, patient willingness to interact with a robot rather than a live human. However, as robots become increasingly competent and commonplace, their use will likely expand from a few large hospitals in large cities to hospitals, clinics, telemedicine practices, and assisted living facilities around the world.

Robotics in Logistics and Manufacturing

Robots can already pick and pack products. They can weld, sand, and conduct surface finishing on products. They can navigate entire warehouses on their own, thanks to sensors that detect and maneuver around shelves, machinery, and other blockages. Robotic arms can assemble vehicles and other complex products.

New technology in the field is expanding the use and applications of robots in manufacturing and logistics by enabling robots to handle a greater number of products, including fragile items such as fresh eggs. Other advances have expanded programming options to enable a single robot to perform different tasks as needed. This lowers costs for industries that can now use a single robot or a small number of robots to handle jobs that would have required multiple robots or multiple robots and human workers.

Those who fear that robots will take the place of human workers are right to some extent. A study on the use of robotics from 1990 to 2007 found that, on average, every robot added to a manufacturing plant replaced over three human workers. Additional replacements aren't out of the question, as robotic companies make progress on programmable robots that can adapt to changing circumstances and handle a range of challenging situations with only minimal oversight. At the same time, the greater adoption of robots in the manufacturing and logistics industries doesn't necessarily have to push out human workers in these fields. To the contrary, by handling dangerous, repetitive jobs, robots enable companies to free up workers to handle strategic, high-value projects.

What Skills Will a Robotics Technician Need?

While robotics has much to offer people of all ages and walks of life, a skilled workforce is a must if the robotics industry in Canada is to reach its full potential. A moderate risk of a labour shortage in this field could make it difficult for robot manufacturers and developers to create new applications or improve existing ones.

Robotics Technicians will need an array of skills to work with robots in any industry. These skills include:

• A thorough understanding of how robots are used in various industries
• An understanding of AI and how it is used in the robotics industry
• The ability to program (or reprogram) robots to perform a range of tasks
• Ability to use diagnostic tools to conduct preventive maintenance
• Troubleshooting capabilities to determine what is wrong with a malfunctioning robot and what is the best way to fix the problem
• Willingness to continue learning. Robotics technology is continually changing, which means that anyone working in the industry must be willing to keep up with new tools, technologies, and developments.
• Good communication skills. This may seem ironic since Robotics Technicians work with machinery rather than people. However, as robots become increasingly complex, technicians will need to be able to communicate with specialists ranging from software developers to data scientists in order to program, maintain, and repair robots.

Robotics is a cutting-edge field. It's an exciting career with multiple job opportunities in a range of industries. What's more, it's never been easier to earn a Robotics Technician certificate. Get in touch with our Robotics Technician program by calling 1-888-553-5333 for more information or to start the sign-up process.