Schaeffler awarded innovation in hardware award at the International Conference on Social Robotics 2021

2021-12-02 | Singapore

• Schaeffler's GraviKart robotic push trolly solution was awarded the innovation in hardware awards at the 13th International Conference on Social Robotics

Schaeffler, a global leading automotive and industrial supplier, was awarded the innovation in hardware award for its GraviKart robotic push trolly solution for the manufacturing industry.

The award, hosted by the International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR), brings together researchers and academics to present their robotic solutions and works to an international multidisciplinary R&D community and representatives from robotics and AI companies to create impactful solutions for the betterment of society.

“We are proud that GraviKart was recognized for its innovation and hardware and systems engineering. Winning this award demonstrates our continuous pursuit of developing more intelligent and innovative solutions to transform the future of work and industry processes,” Mr. Boon Siew Han, Director for the Schaeffler Hub for Advanced Research (SHARE) at NTU, said.

Smart functionalities for social manufacturing

Designed to infuse functionality with intelligent social behaviors, GraviKart, which features the ability to “listen” and “speak,” is part of Schaeffler’s efforts to reimagine traditional industrial manufacturing robots to support the factory floor workers with their tasks and increase their productivity.

Featuring intuitive user controls and feedback, the GraviKart is an easy-to-use intelligent pushcart that addresses issues that include strenuous pushing and pulling of goods, the presence of blind spots, and difficulty navigating tight spaces.

Built with sensitive haptic and speech recognition technology, the GraviKart understands human gestures and provides visual cues through its built-in LED lights interactively to maximize efficiency and bring greater collaboration between robots and humans.

Creating tomorrow’s technologies through collaboration

The GraviKart initiative is part of Schaeffler’s SHARE program, which comprises a global research network with leading universities worldwide. Focused on applied research in strategically important topics, the SHARE program’s on-campus concept provides a structured approach for a fast and thorough transfer of research output into the industry.

“At Schaeffler, we see robotics as a prominent area of growth in supporting the needs of everyday living and in spearheading the industry 4.0 revolution. By combining our unique expertise in industrial components and systems engineering and cooperating with our educational partners in the region, we look to advance the development of intelligent solutions to pave the way for manufacturing industries for the future,” Mr. Boon added.