What advances the development of industrial robots

Highly integrated embedded processors
What advances the development of industrial robots

2024-07-12

Source:

Texas Instruments | Translated by AI


2 min Reading Time

Highly integrated embedded processors contain a variety of different components. In addition, they are more energy efficient and generate less heat. These characteristics can advance the development of industrial robots.

Driven by advances in semiconductor technology and growing demand for ever smarter, safer, and more efficient systems, industrial robots have undergone impressive development over the past few years. Embedded processors based on SoC architectures (System-on-Chip), which include various components such as peripheral functions or accelerators, are a central element. As a result, industrial robots are better able to perform their tasks quickly, precisely, and reliably.

Embedded processors control the movements of the robot arms

Industrial robots are used for a wide variety of tasks, from simple assembly operations to complex manufacturing processes such as welding or painting.

Embedded processors control the movements of the robot arms and associated actuators, process data collected from various sensors, and make decisions based on feedback received from the environment. This gives the robots more precision, efficiency, and autonomy, which not only benefits productivity, but also reduces the need for human intervention in industrial processes.

Highly integrated embedded processors such as the AM68A, AM69A, TDA4VM, and TDA4VH-Q1 types from Texas Instruments (TI) typically include the CPU, memory, I/O interfaces, special hardware accelerators, and image processing processors, making them suitable for a broad range of tasks ranging from motion control, sensor data processing, communication to real-time decision making.

Highly integrated embedded processors generate less heat

Compared to discrete solutions, higher integrated embedded processors are more energy efficient and generate less heat, which is of great importance in industrial applications. If the computer block of a robot consumes less power, then either more energy is available to other important systems, or the overall system’s energy demand can be reduced to make the robot more energy efficient. In battery-operated robots, embedded processors with sophisticated power management features will also help to extend battery run times or battery life.

Finally, increased integration also simplifies the entire system design, and performance benefits from the fact that the individual components of a robot can be configured at a shorter distance, which reduces data transmission times as well as cabling effort. Cost and weight savings are the result.

Intelligent and autonomous robots

The more intelligent and autonomous robots become and the more reliably they can work with humans (keyword: cobot), the more highly integrated embedded processors will be used in industrial robots. Further development will focus on increasing the performance, energy efficiency and safety of embedded processors and integrating new technologies. In particular, artificial intelligence and machine learning will be incorporated into more and more robot control systems. Continuous innovation and development will ensure that highly integrated embedded processors will play a defining role in the future of industrial robots.

TI is a leading provider of highly integrated embedded processors for industrial robots. The portfolio includes a wide range of components that are specifically tailored to the high demands of industrial automation. In combination with open-source software from the TI Developer Zone and a large inventory of external hardware and software partners, these building blocks help to drive innovation and increase the proliferation of robots in the industrial sector by simplifying the design process.

This article was first published on our sister website ‘AT – Aktuelle Technik’ (Suisse Edition), Vogel Communications Group