Safety and collaborative robots a focus for RIA this fall

May 28, 2015
This fall, the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) will host two major robotics events focusing on robot safety and collaborative robots.      

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) will host two major robotics events focusing on robot safety and collaborative robots in Pittsburg, PA, USA this fall.

From October 12-14, North America’s robotics trade group will host the 27thNational Robot Safety Conference, the world’s leading event for industrial robot safety and compliance. The event will provide in-depth coverage of the latest ANSI/RIA R15.06 -2012 Robot Safety Standard and risk assessment issues as well as functional safety, safety circuit design, and a look at various applications. The conference also includes a tabletop exhibit featuring leading companies specializing in industrial robot safety.

"Safety is priority one for the robotics industry," said Jeff Burnstein, President of RIA. "This annual conference provides essential training on issues related to safeguarding all types of robot applications."

Following this, the RIA will host the International Collaborative Robots Workshop on October 15. Force-limited robots—which are referred to by some in the industry as "collaborative robots"–are robots that are designed to work alongside humans in manufacturing environments. These robots employ torque sensors and vision systems to allow them to work closely with humans, without harming them. By combining the cognitive abilities of human operators and the potential of robotic automation, these robots will increase the productivity of automated manufacturing processes.

Robots such as these are one of the hottest topics in the industry today, and this event will explore advancements in the field with a global view on collaborative robot technology, applications, safety implications, and human impacts.

"We’ve had very strong interest at our previous International Collaborative Robots Workshops from major user companies who want to learn how this new class of robot can help them become stronger global competitors," Burnstein said. "We’ll feature presentations from top experts in the field as well as a look at many of the leading collaborative robotics products."

Both events will be held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and discounts are available for people looking to attend both workshops.

View more information on the RIA events.

Pictured: Workerbot3 from pi4_robotics

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About the Author

James Carroll

Former VSD Editor James Carroll joined the team 2013.  Carroll covered machine vision and imaging from numerous angles, including application stories, industry news, market updates, and new products. In addition to writing and editing articles, Carroll managed the Innovators Awards program and webcasts.

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