World’s 10 Most Innovative Robotics Companies 2021: Edition 2 April2021

EDITOR’S DESK

Whatseemedtorestwithsci-fifilms havetodaybecomeaco-habitantat workplacesdoingaconsiderable numberoftasksbeyondwhatwecouldever decipher.Welcometotheageofrobotics!

Untilacenturyback,noonemusthaveimagined thatamachinecouldreplacetasksperformedby humanbeingsinthewildestoftheirdreams.Thisis thecenturyofrobotics.Thewayroboticsciencehas andisevolvingwitheachpassingdayisstill difficulttocomprehend.

Butthefactis,itishappening–andmuchtothe respiteofhumanbeings,assistedinpractically mostofthetaskswithefficiencyandaccuracy Circa1954.GeorgeDevolbuiltthefirst commercialprogrammablerobot,Unimate.

However,JosephEngelberger,anengineer,is knownastheFatherofRobotics.Heisknownto havelicensedtheoriginalpatentofDevol.Unimate wassoldtoGeneralMotorsin1961.Thisrobot liftedpiecesofhotmetalfromdiecasting machines.Sincethen,theroboticsindustryhas navigatedalongway

Roboticsandautomationhavetransformedthe operationsofmanyindustriesandarepenetratingmore sectorstomakethetasksofhumanseasierandquicker Fromtheautoindustrytoothermanufacturingindustries, healthcare,andfood,improvedtechnologiesinrobotics arecreatingripplesintheindustry.From non-complicatedtaskstothemostcomplexoneslike surgery,onthebattlefield,andupinspace,robotsare performingthetaskswithlittlehumanintervention.And theevolutionwillbeunstoppableforyearstocome.

Emergingtechnologieshavepavedthewayfor manufacturingsmallerandcheaperrobotsascompared totheirfirstgeneration.Passionateinnovatorsinthe roboticbusinessareusingdisruptivetechnologiesfor fasterbusinessandgreaterflexibility.

Industry4.0willbeplayingavitalroleintheyearsto come.Robotmanufacturershavealreadystartedto developandcommercializenewmodelsofrobotsto meettherisingdemands.

Overtheyears,robotsareexpectedtotakeovera numberoftasksattheworkplaces.Thedemandfor cloudroboticsisalsoontherise,andmanufacturing companieshavetheirhandsfulltomeetthemultifarious demands.

Robotsofferhighlevelsofprecisionandwillbevery usefulindigitalmanufacturing.Manufacturersare comingupwithexcitingsolutionsandinnovations everydaytoimprovetheefficiencyofrobots.

We,atInsightsSuccess,tappedsomeoftheseinnovative roboticmanufacturersprovidingsolutionsinourlatest edition– World’s 10 Most Innovative Robotics Companies Wehopethiseditionsatisfiesyourquestfor roboticsolutionsasyouflipthroughthepagesofthis interestingedition.

Sumita Sarkar

AMYRobotics RoboticsCustomization forABetterFuture

AV&R DisruptingtheRobotics Industrythrough

Solutions

FerRobotics

Robotics withaSenseofPerfection

Robotics

Technology istheWayForward

10 OBOTICS

BriefCompanyName

AISoyRobotics aisoy.com

Management

DiegoSánchez CEO

AmyRoboticsCo.Ltd. amyrobotics.com

AV&R avr-global.com

LiFangyou FounderandCEO

AisoyisanindustryleadingroboticsandAIcompanycreatingstate-ofthe-artemotionalrobotstorevolutionizehuman-centricentertainment, careandwellnessbyenhancingqualityoflifeforindividualsand families.

AmyRoboticsisaninnovativetechnologycompanyfocusingon researchanddevelopmentofservicerobotsthatenhancequalityof lifewithrobotictechnologies,productsandservices.

BridgeRobotics bridgerobotics.com ElephantRobotics elephantrobotics.com

EZ-Robot ez-robot.com

Jean-FrancoisDupont CEO TiagoCosta CEO JoeySong CEO

AV&Roffersroboticfinishingmachines,andautomatedvisual inspectiontomanufacturersofgasturbineengineparts,for bothaircraftenginesandpowergeneration,andtoprosthesis manufacturers.

BridgeRoboticsareexpertsinroboticssoftwareforfleet management,creatingpowerfulandintuitivesolutionstohelpyou trulyunderstandandgettheverybestfromyourautonomous mobilerobots.

ElephantRoboticsisatechnologycompanyfocusedonthe design,developmentandproductionofrobotsandautomation equipment.

EZ-Robotsupportsteachingandinspireslifelonglearning throughpracticalapplications.

FoldiMate foldimate.com

DjSures CEO MichaelHaas VP

FerRoboticsistheleaderinsensitiveroboticend-of-arm toolingwiththepatentedrealforcecontrol.

FoldiMate,theroboticlaundryfolder,willeasilyfoldyour clothesintoneatpiles,readytoputaway. GalRozov CEO

ForwardXRobotics,Inc. Compaforwardx.com

FerRobotics ferrobotics.com VenusConcept Incvenusconcept.com

NicolasChee CEO

ForwardXisaglobaltechnologydeveloperfocusedthe ArtificialIntelligenceanditssuccessfulapplicationto intelligentrobotics.

DomenicSerafino ChiefExecutiveOfficer andDirector

VenusConceptInc.isaleaderintheglobalmedicalaesthetic market,pairingbest-in-classtechnologywithourindustryuniquesubscriptionmodel.

Robotics Customization for A Better Future

Humanevolutionhasspedthroughmanyages, conjoiningwithtechnologicaladvancement.The electricityevolutioninthelate1800sledto MichaelFaradayandJosephHenryinventingaprimitive electricmotor.

In1946,theinventionofthefirstgenerationofcomputers broughtthenewageofinformationwhichhasbeenpredominatingeveryaspectofourlives;samewillbethecase withrobotics.

Whilethe age of robots wasonlyatermoffiction,the worldsawenoughproofofrobotsandandroidsworking togetherwithdoctors,nursesandpatientsatmedical centers.Forexample,thesquadofrobotsservedasfirst-line defendersagainsttransmittingCOVID-19infectionata medicalcenterinRwanda.

WhereasatShenzhenThirdPeople'sHospital,inChina, robotstookovertherepetitivetaskssuchaspatienttriage, establishingsocialdistancingrulesdisinfectingtheareaso hospitalstaffcouldhavemoretimeinteractingwithpatients andevenenforcingthewearingoffacemasks.

WhenthesurgeofCOVID-19in2020forcedmany businessestoclose,roboticswereintegratedtobridgethe gapofpreservingresourcesandensuredataentry consistencyduringtimesofhighinfections/contagionrates. AMYRoboticsisonesuchprominentnameinAI innovationthathasbeenaddingcustomizedfunctionality, accessingInternetofEverythingdata,simplifyinguse, streamliningrobottoolsandrobotictechnology

InceptedbytheFounderandCEO,LiFangyouin2015, AMYRoboticswithhisteamofengineers,designers, programmers,manufacturers,developers,softwaretesters, marketersandinvestorshasspannedoverseveralniches fromBigDataAnalysisandHealthcaretosmarthome communitiesandvisitormanagementsystems,among others.

However,whatsetsthecompanyapartisitsmissionof creatingvalueforsocietythroughitscustomizedsolutions. Throughaconsortiumofopensourcerobotservice platforms,AMYRoboticsisknowntoprovideanattractive

designcriterialhome,administrative,enterprises,public arenas,andcommercialroboticssolutionsfordiverse world-classscenarios.

Innovativeinfluence

Thecompany'sexpertiseinthecommercialimplementation ofautonomousnavigationandhuman-computerinteraction hasprominentlyestablisheditselfinthehome,business, commercialretail,andmedicalmarket.Thesenewvertical marketshaveimplementedusesthatincludemobile technologiesandnetworktechnologies.

Furthermore,thecompany'sdistinctivefeaturessuchas precisevoiceandlisteningrecognition,autonomous navigation,multi-robotinterconnectionhaveallowedeasy tousesoftwareintegrationssecurelyallowsuserstobuild functions-on-demandhavemadeAMYRoboticssolutions widelyacceptableandaccessible.Thisveryspecial adaptivelyuseswellfrontedopensourcetechnologyto maximizeotherimportantfunctionssuchassterilization anddisinfectionfeatures. Nowwithitsowntechnology platformproductR&DfurtherstrengthenAMYRobotics leadintheageofrobotics.Productdevelopmentincludes anarrayofself-developedrobotsthatwillincludewide

rangesofsterilization,reductionofharmfulresidue, unmannedoperations,autonomouscharging,abilitiesto workinlargeareasandhavecapacityandcapabilitiesthat leadtocleanandsaferesults.

Multifunctionalroboticsapplications

Mostofushaveseenrobotsonlyinmoviesorhaveheard oftheircontributiontothehumanworldthroughnewsand scholarlyarticles.However,AMYRobotics,withits multifunctionalapplicationsandcustomizedrobotics solutions,isonamissiontoleadAIinnovationcloserto commonhouseholds.

Notonlythecompany'sself-developedroboticssolutions aredisruptingtheAIspacebutAMYRoboticsisalsosetto bringinnovationintotheheavy demandinghealthcare sector,sothatmassesofpeoplecouldreceivehigh-quality andaccuratemedicalcare.

Thecompanyalreadyhasamodelinplaceforsmartpatient monitoringanddatacollection,whichefficientlyworksto:

· Monitormultiplepatientssimultaneously

· Alertcaregiversofaccidents.

· Allowinformationsharingamongcaregivers.

· Retrievedatatoresolvebasicqueries.

· Assistmedicalstaff24/7toprovidebettermedicalcare.

Withthisinnovativeroboticmodel,AMYRoboticsis stronglymarchingtowardstheageofrobotics.AndLi Fangyouhassetthegoalsforhiscompanyalignedwiththe future. "With the speed, AI and Robotics field is evolving, we believe that in future, every family will have robots to control every household chore," saysLi.

Hefurtherexplainshisgoalofcreatingvalueforsociety throughroboticssolutions. "We are leading towards a future where every hospital will have robots assisting medical staff in patient examination and doing other services so you could enjoy better medical care, this is what we are working for.”

Travelingtheworldwithdiverseservices FromleadingtheAIspaceinChinatoextending collaborationinothercountriessuchasJapan,SouthKorea, Germany,andtheUSA,AMYRoboticshasbeenimpacting theworldofrobotics.

AMYRoboticshasbeendominatingthehomemarketin Chinathroughitseffectivehomemanagementsystems.In SouthKorea,youwillfindAMYroboticssolutions welcomingandassistingyouattheairports.Thecompany furthercollaborateswithbusinessesforwebdevelopment alsoprovidingagriculturalroboticsolutions.Thecompany hasfurtherinvestedinothernichecompaniesbasedinthe USAsuchasEvollve,HiBot,andAirware.s. Ifthatisn't enough,companiessuchasIntel,Enjoyor,LuhoulacJI&O, AlibabaGroup,HIA,HIKVISION,HUAWEI,China

UnicomandChinaMobileamongmanyotherallintertwine withcompany

Thecustomizedsolutionsthecompanyisofferingacross theglobeproveitstechnologicalexpertiseleadingtowards thecompany'sgoalofbuildingabetterfuture.

and theCreative Space Total Takeover?

ArtificialIntelligenceisbecominganenormous partofourlives.Thereareapprehensionsthat theevolutionofAIwouldleadtotakingcontrol overtheplanet.Noneofusexpectedthatthissuper intelligenttechnologywouldreplacehumanbeings.It hasbecomeasintelligentasahuman.TheonlydifferencebetweenthehumanbrainandAIisthatthehuman hasthenervecells,whichdetectinformationandpassit tothebrain,whereasAIusesthecodinginvolvedinits softwaretowork like ahuman.

TheapplicationsofAIareincreasingrapidly.From doingsimpletaskslikecleaningthefloortoplaying chess,oneofthemostchallenginggames,AIhas becomeagamechanger

ItwasdifficultforeveryonetobelievethatAIcouldbe usedtoplaychess.Butin1997,IBM’sDeepBlue surprisedtheentireworldbydefeatingGarryKasparov, oneofthebestchessplayersofalltime.

Sincethen,AIisutilizedinalmosteveryfield,including thecreativespace.Ithasembeddedthepaintbrushes, colorpallets,pens,andothertoolsrequiredtopaintand

|

write.DoyouthinkAIwillbeabletoreplacehumansin artandliterature?

InvolvementofAIinArts

Canacomputerbeascreativeasahumanbrain? AIisacquiringspaceinthecreativeworldatahigh pace.DigitalartispossiblebecauseofAI.Manyartists havealsostartedusingAI-assistedtoolstocreatedigital versionsoftheirart.

Todate,thereisnomarketplaceforAI-assistedartworks. Buttheneedforgoodartcanbefulfilledbythesetools. Thetoolsprocessthousandsofimagesbeforecreating severalfinalcopies.Andtheselectionamongthefinal copiescanbemadebytheartists.

AI-assistedtoolsneedatleastoneimageforinputfrom theartisttoexploreandcreatethefinalimage.WillAIbe abletocreateart?

HerecomesthelimitationofAI-assistedtools.Thetools needaninputimageorasetofinstructionstoexplore thousandsofphotos.AssistingAIincreatingacom-

pletelyimaginaryimageisadifficulttasktodealwith. AIwillonlyworkaccordingtothedataencoded,which doesnotmakeitthinkcreativelylikeahumanbrain. ThestatementdoesnotmeanthatAIdoesnothavea futureintheartsorcreativespace.AIisimprovingyear byyearinthesetools,whichmaymeethumanexpectationsoneday.Thisprogressmightseemslow,butit wouldbeworthit.

AI&Literature:

IsAI’sinvolvementinliteratureathreattowriters?

TheinvolvementofAIinliteraturehasamazedpeopleas itcancreategoodcontentwithoutthehelpofahuman being.ButcanwerelyonAI-basedcontentcreator tools?

AI-basedtoolsworkonthedata,whichtheyaregiven whilecoding.Sometimes,humanstoogiveinputtoAI, andthenitcreatesreliablecontent.ButteachingAIall thegrammarrulesandexpectingittocreatea100 percentuniquecontentbecomesachallengeforanalysts.

Todate,theanalystshaveintroducedaround11,000 bookstoAI.Thesebooks,searchengines,andthedata youfeedintotheAItoolareusedasthesourcetocreate content.AItoolsaredata-drivenandleverageBigData technology.

AccordingtoasurveyconductedbyFutureofLife Institute’sAIImpacts,itispredictedthatAIwillbe writingthebest-expectedcontentby2050.AI-based toolslikeJarvis,Grammarly,Rytr,etc.,aregoodto createcontent.Buttheusercannotentirelyrelyonthem. Thereisaneedforahumantoreadthegeneratedcontent andedititaccordingtotheirrequirement.AIwillnot replacecontentwriters,butitcanmaketheirworkeasy.

AnalystsaretryingtheirbesttoinvolveAIinevery possiblefield.Itwillnottakecompletecontroloverthe world,butitmightdrivetheentireplanetinthefuture.

AImaynotbeascreativeasahumanbeing,butwemust appreciateitsachievementsineverysector.UtilizingAI appropriatelyistheresponsibilityofhumans.Wecan buildthefutureusingAI,butitcannotbuildorpredict

thefutureonitsown.So,aconjunctionbetweenAIand humanswillbethebestfit.

JoanneChensays,“AIisgoodatdescribingtheworldas itistodaywithallofitsbiases,butitdoesnotknowhow theworldshouldbe.”

AV&R

Disrupting Robotics Industry through Revolutionized Solutions

Therewasatimewhensomeoneaskingforyour 'phonenumber'wasconsideredthoughtless?

Peopledidn'thavepersonalphonesbackthen–justtelephonesthroughwhichonecouldbookacalland waitforthelinetoconnectandtoactualconversation.The wholeprocesscouldtakefrom2to3days.

Nowadays,connectingwithyourlovedonesoverphone callshasbeenamatterofseconds.Theevolutionofthe internethasopenednewwaysofvideocalling,social media,andmore.Andwhoknowssoon,sittinginour livingrooms,wewillbecommunicatingwithsmart devicestogetcertaintasksdone.Thefutureisalready here,andeachoneofushasareasontobeexcited.

Inthesamecontext,Jean-FrançoisDupont,theCEOof AV&Rbelievestechnologyisahumanpartnerwhen creatinginnovativesolutions.Throughthisbeliefandhis expertise,todayAV&Rhasestablisheditselfintherobotics industrywiththecompany'ssolutionsbeingoffered worldwide.

Readthefollowinginterviewtoknowaboutthegenesisof AV&Randhowthecompanyisworkingtomakerobotics technologymoreaccessibleandadoptivethroughits innovativesolutions.

BriefusabouttheoveralloperationsofAV&R.

Anindustrialautomationleaderformorethan25years, AV&RisaCanadianroboticengineeringcompanywith70 employees.Itoffersautomation,vision,androbotics solutionsworldwide.Itsactivitiesareconcentratedinthe fieldsofaerospace,orthopaedics,andenergy.

AV&Rdesignshigh-techroboticsystemsthathavebeen developedspecificallyforcomplexpartssuchasgas turbinebladesorkneeimplants.Specifically,AV&Roffers roboticfinishing(profiling,polishing,deburring)and automatedvisualinspectionsystemstoaircraftengines, energyturbines,orimplantmanufacturers.

HowdidAV&Rcomeintoexistence?Whatwastheidea behinditsgenesis?

Originallyageneralautomationcompanybasedin Montreal,Quebec,AV&Rwasbornfromthedesireofits leaderstobecomeworldleadersandtoberecognizedas experts.Thankstoadevelopedknowledgeoftheaerospace industryandhigh-leveltechnologiesmeetingmarket expectations,inthe2000s,AV&Rspecializedinsurface finishingandinspectionforgasturbinepartssuchas blades.

WiththesupportofQuebec'sinvestingpartnerssuchas FondactionandFondsdesolidaritéFTQ,AV&Rhas designedroboticprofiling,polishing,deburring,and surfaceinspectionsystemsthathavehelpedaircraftengine manufacturersaroundtheworldachievethetechnological demandsofmanufacturingtheiraircraftparts.

Kindlyelaborateontheuniqueproductsorservicesof AV&R.

AV&R'smultidisciplinaryteamofelectrical,mechanical, androboticengineers,programmers,andvisionexperts hasbeenworkingsincedayonetodesigninnovative roboticsystemsthatmeettheexpectationsand requirementsofmanufacturers.

Yearslater,afterfilingseveralpatents,AV&Rdeveloped

unparalleledtechnologicalexpertise(profiling)dedicated totheaerospacemarket.Thisconstantdesiretoinnovate continuestoguideAV&R'sactions.Bycontinuingto investinresearchanddevelopment,andwiththesupport ofseveralinternationalpartners,thecompanyaimstooffer moreefficientroboticsystems.

AV&R'sfutureinnovationsinroboticsandvisionwillbe variedandmeettheneedsofindustry4.0andartificial intelligencetrends.Thankstorobotics,AV&Rforeseesits futureinleading-edgetechnologywiththecontinual developmentofexpertisetohelpmanufacturerstobecome moreproductive.

WhatmakesAV&Rstandoutfromtherestofits competition?

Sinceitscreation,AV&R'sambitionhasbeentoputpeople attheheartofitsactions.Thisvisiontranslatesintoa desiretodesignautomatedsystemsthatareeasytouse, safe,andeasytointegrateintoproductionplants.

Throughthedesignofsoftwareforthemanagementofits roboticsystems,AV&Rhasputinplacesolutionsallowing anyonetouseroboticswithoutpriorknowledgeof softwareprogramming,thusopeningthewaytothe humanizationofrobotics.

Whatkindofchallengeshasyourcompanyfacedinits initialdaysofestablishmentandwhatarethestruggles itisgoingthroughnow?

IntheearlyyearsofAV&R,thecompanyhadtofacethe competitionofgeneralistautomationcompaniesin Canada.Offeringitsproductstodifferentkindsof industries,itwasdifficulttostandaloneandofferunique solutions.Afterastrategicdecisionmadein2007,AV&R decidedtofocusitsresearchanddevelopmentofhigh-tech roboticsolutionstomeettheneedsoftheaerospaceniche market.Thankstothischange,thecompanywasableto focusondevelopingspecificexpertisewhichwasthekey toseparateitfromthecompetition.Thischangewasalso thefirststeptotheinternationalrecognitionofAV&R.

Kindlydescribethecurrentindustryscenarioofthe roboticsindustry.

Currently,theroboticsindustryisevolvingandgrowing rapidly.Moreandmoremanufacturersareinvestingin roboticsolutionstoimprovetheirproductivityand competitiveness.Severalcountriesareleadingtheway, suchasSouthKorea,Japan,andGermany Withthedrop ofrobotpricing,democratizationandaccesstothesehigh-

innovations in robotics and vision will be varied and meet the needs of industry

and artificial intelligence trends.

Jean-François Dupont CEO of AV&R

techsystemsarepossibleforsmallermanufacturers. However,somebarriersarestillpersistent.Manufacturers canmeetdifficultieswhenfindingtherightpartnerto implementrobotics.Roboticsystemscanbecomplexto useandnotflexibleenoughtomatchthemanufacturers' productions.Therefore,thenextstepforthe democratizationofroboticswillbeasimplificationofthe implementationprocess,andthedevelopmentofsolutions tohelpmanufacturersusesimplyandwithoutmuch trainingthosehigh-techsystems.

Whatadvicewouldyouliketogivetheyoung entrepreneursandstart-upsthatarewillingtoenter theroboticsindustry? Theroboticsindustryisinafulltransformationwhichis conducivetostart-ups.Theavailabilityofopen-source softwareplatformswilldriveinnovationatalowcost.The roboticsmarketwillexplodeinthecomingyearswiththe democratizationofroboticsandrobots.Therobotswill finallycomeoutoftheircagesandcollaboratedirectly withhumans.Thismarket,whichisnowunderdeveloped andsignificantlylargerthanthemanufacturingsector,isan opportunitynottobemissedforyoungentrepreneurs.Our adviceforyoungentrepreneursandstart-upsistothinkof robotsashumanpartnersandstartcreatingsolutionsin thatdirection.

Whatdoesthefutureholdforyourcompanyintermsof growth?

AV&Risrecognizedinternationallyforitsexpertisein roboticsurfacefinishingandvisualinspectionforspecific andcomplexindustriessuchasaerospace.Butourvisionis tobringroboticstomoremanufacturersindifferent industries.Weareworkingondifferentprojectswith severalpartnerstoadaptourhigh-techsolutionsformany Weinnovateconstantlytodevelopthebestsolutionswhich meettheexactneedsofmanufacturers.

Abouttheleader

Jean-FrançoisDupontistheCEOandCo-founderof AV&R,anengineeringcompanyspecializinginrobotics. Sinceitsinceptionin1994,Jean-Françoishasheldvirtually everyrolewithinAV&Runtilbecomingpresidentofthe company.Heisanexperiencedentrepreneurwithmorethan 20yearsofexperienceinthefieldofroboticsandartificial vision.Hecompletedhistraininginautomatedproduction engineeringfromtheÉcoledeTechnologieSupérieure (ÉTS),aswellasacertificateinentrepreneurshipatthe MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT).

Jean-Françoisisconvincedthatwhatseparatessuccessful entrepreneursfromotherswhofailisperseverance.This beliefiswhathelpedhimbuildwhatAV&Ristoday–a leaderinroboticfinishingandautomatedsurface inspection,internationally.

Exhibiting excellence

"AV&R has offered an automated solution that keeps aviation's MRO space competitive, and their continuous innovations help further production and inspection techniques.

Since using the systems and software, our production output has increased while controlling quality. Their level of quality customer support and client collaboration is unbeatable! AV&R truly makes a humanizing robotic system."

"The robotic cells offer excellent technology. This brings us the necessary precision and reliability in grinding and polishing to ensure very high and consistent product quality."

– Sven Nieper, Managing Director at Leistritz

– Brooke Willin, Product Line Engineer a Propulsion Technologies International

FerRobotics

Innovative Robotics with a Sense of Perfection

hefirstcommercialrobotwas

Tbuiltin1954,whichwaslater soldtoGeneralMotorsin1961 wherethisdigitalprogrammablerobot wasusedtoliftpiecesofhotmetal fromdiecastingmachines.While commercialroboticshasbeeninthe pictureformorethanhalfacentury onlybigmanufacturingcompanies couldaffordtoinvestinresourcesand expertstooperaterobotsatfirst.

However,astimepassed,andas technologyadvancedtobecomemore flexible,moresmallandmid-size companiesadoptedroboticswithease. Attheforefrontofthisadoptionarethe researchinstitutesandcompaniesthat haveacceleratedtechnologicalgrowth. FerRoboticsInc.isonesuchcompany that,sinceitsinceptionin2006,has beenonamissiontodevelop lightweightflexibleroboticssolutions. Undertheexpertleadershipof MichaelHaas,theVicePresident FerRoboticshasbeenstriving ceaselesslytomeetthechallengesof flexibleroboticsintheautomotive, generalindustry,andaerospacesectors. Inthefollowinginterviewtoread aboutthegenesisofFerRobotics,what challengesthecompanyfacedinthe initialdays,anditsaspirationsfor futureendeavorsintheroboticsfield.

Tellusabouttheoveralloperations ofFerRobotics.

FerRoboticsCompliantRobot

Technologyisaworldleaderinthe developmentanddistributionof

flexibleandintuitiveroboticequipment (end-of-armtools/end-effectors)and cobotapplicationkits.

Astheleaderintechnology,ourclients andbusinesspartnerstrustinourtopqualityexpertiseandwell-founded experienceinflexibleautomation.Our patentedActiveCompliantTechnology offersversatilesolutions,makesrobots developasenseforperfection,and appliestoeverytaskconceivablein surfacetreatmentandcontact-sensitive handling.

HowdidFerRoboticscomeinto existence?Whatwastheideabehind itsgenesis?

Westartedin2006asaspin-offfrom Johannes-Kepler-UniversityLinz, Austria.Initialspark:Recurring inquiriesfromindustrytothe universityforflexibleandeconomical automationsolutions.Thisledtothe developmentofaflexiblelightweight robotROMOthatwasmeanttobea demorobotfortheindustry

TellusaboutFerRobotics’unique productsorservices. In2011welaunchedaworld innovationTheActiveContactFlange (ACF).Thiscross-industryautomation equipmentgivesrobotsafeelingof contactandclosesproblematic automationgaps.Stressfuland sensitivemanualworkcannowbe automated,inthatrobotsfeelwhat theyaredoing.

Followedbyhigh-endsolution packagesincludingelectrictools,the latestproductsareheadingtowards cobotswithourACF-Kit,where flexibilitycomesfirst.Furtheronthe carefreepackagesfordifferentareasof applicationsarebeingadded successively.Likeaspecially developedgrindingsystemforpostproductionprocessesofweldedseams, basedonthepatentedActive CompliantTechnology

WhatmakesFerRoboticsstandout fromtherestofitscompetition?

Wedevelopedanddefinedtheunique andpatentedcontact/forceprinciple (ACT)andarealwaysattheforefront andclosetoourcustomers.The knowledgeofsensitivesurface treatmentisofcrucialimportance whenitcomestofinalization.Our supportdirectlyatthepointwherethe partsaremadeleadsustowherewe arenow.It’sagoodfeelingtobe knownasthesolutionpartnertoact withwhenthingsaregettingtricky

Whatkindofchallengeshasyour companyfacedinitsinitialdaysof establishmentandwhatarethe strugglesitisgoingthroughnow?

Asaleaderinsensitiverobotics,we hadtocreateanewmarketinmaterial removalandfinishing.Therehavebeen solutionsoutwhichclaimedtobeable tofulfillmodernneedsoffinishing. Nevertheless,thiscreatedawrong pictureaboutwhatispossibleinthe marketandnoneofthesesolutions

Our customers strive to be the best in the world; therefore, the only logical option is to work with the market leader in their fields.

Michael Haas, Vice President FerRobotics INC

reallyscaled.Sometimesevenworse, theyleftanegativefeelingabout achievablequality,cycletime, repeatability,reliability,simplicity, processsafety,andfromthisresulting inthepossiblereturnofinvestment. Ourowner,RonaldNaderer’sfavorite quoteis "An idea only becomes innovative once it has succeeded in the market." InoriginalofJoseph Schumpeterandthisissomethingwe liveatFerRobotics.Notonlydoes FerRoboticsholdover70patentsin sensitiverobotics,butwealsoapply theminallindustries,fromAerospace, overautomotivetogeneralindustry applications.Withourcustomers,we havedeployedourideasworldwidein thousandsofdifferentapplicationsand innovatedthemarket.

Ourcustomersstrivetobethebestin theworld;therefore,theonlylogical optionistoworkwiththemarket leaderintheirfields.

Withthisrevolutionofthematerial removalandfinishingmarket,thereare stillsomeoldstigmataout.One,for example,istheuseofheavyspindles. Inthepast,withthedeployedforce controloptionavailableinthemarket, customer,andintegrationcompanies headtothisstrongandheavyspindle inordertocompensateforthelackof forcesensitivity Withasophisticated forcecontrol,providedfromour patentedActiveCompliantTechnology –ACT–weoftenneedafractionof thispower.

Thebestexamplecomingtomindisa customerwhorealizedafinishing application.Theirexperiencehas shown,theyneedanalmost10KW spindletonotstallingtheequipment. Wehelpedthemtorealizethedesired processwithalessthan300Wtool. Notonlycouldweimprovetheprocess andachievedqualityandrepeatability, butthetoolwasalsomuchcheaper,

morecompact,andenergyefficientas wellassavingmoneyontheabrasive consumableside.Justoneofthemany successstorieswecantelltogether withourcustomers.

Withtheseinnovations,ourcustomers broughtmaterialremovalandfinishing stoperationsinthe21 century

Whatisthecurrentindustry scenariooftheroboticsindustry? Theroboticsmarketisinadrastic change.Inthepast,wefoundrobotsin bigmanufacturingcompanies,with highlotsizesandexpertstooperate andspecthemout.Smallercompanies oftenneedtobemoreflexible,donot havetheresourcesandstafftooperate andspecapplications.Thiscreateda kindoffeartoendupwithan expensiverobotcell,whichwillnot paybackordelivertherequired results.

Thesedays,thisfearfromcomplicated robotsstartstodisappear.Newtools andwaystoworkwithrobots demystifythesetechnologiesand manufacturersbringthemmoreinto theirdailylife.Technologieslikeours, whoreallysimplifytheprocessand evennon-expertscanquicklyrealize applications,supportthismovement.

Nowadays,withCobotswehave robotsworkingnexttopeopleinstead oflockingthemaway.Thisinteraction andthesimplificationofusedrives moreandmorecompaniesinto automation.Withourintuitivetools andtheirplug-and-playcapability,no extraprogrammingskillsorsoftwareis needed.Therefore,weseecustomers developingfinishingprocesses, especiallyintheCobotarea,withina dayortwo.Thissimplificationinall areasofroboticswillmakerobotsa keyelementinmanufacturing companies,eventoverysmallsize companies.

Whatadvicewouldyouliketogive theyoungentrepreneursandstartupsthatarewillingtoenterthe roboticsindustry?

Beinnovative,donotletan‘anybody everdidthisbefore’holdyouback. Therearemanyareas,whichneeda newmindsetinsolvingproblems.

Whatdoesthefutureholdforyour companyintermsofgrowth?

Wefeelmostateasewherethereis roomforimprovement.AndIcantell youthereissomuchpotentialfor improvementoutthere.Wewilllaunch acoupleofnewproductsthisyearand can’twaittorevealthem.Cooperation withcompaniesisdefiningnew marketsandourUSofficeisaboutto hirenewexpertsinautomationand robotics.Whattosay:2021willbe great.Wanttoknowmore?Justfollow us.

Abouttheleader

Michaelhasasophisticatedtechnical backgroundinmechanicalengineering completedwithprofoundinternational salesskills.AsVicePresidentof FerRoboticsInc.,Michaelisleading theNorthAmericanoperations.With hisextraordinaryexpertise,hefully supportstheambitiousFerRobotics customernetworkintheautomotive, aerospace,andgeneralindustryonthe challengesofflexibleautomation. Since2015Michaelhasbeenthe FerRoboticsUSexpertinsensitive automation.Beforethat,heworkedas aleadingsalesexpertintheEuropean, middle,andFarEastmarkets.Michael islivinginChicagoandisaregular speakeratNorthAmericanevents.

Accountingbrilliance

"The ACF seamlessly offsets any potential variations or irregularities caused by robots. The new active ASK grinder head means seam quality can be vastly improved. This enables us to downsize from two to one automated grinding station. Furthermore, it is now possible to very delicately modify the force applied, almost in real-time. In doing so, we can half the contact force during the grinding process, resulting in increased service life for the grinding wheel. Collaborating to develop the system is extremely important to us when developing a new extraction hood, for example. This ensures that the grinding dust is completely siphoned away in a central system." –Mr.Komondi,PlasmatronLaserundRobotertechnik,AUDIAG

"The expertise exchange between FerRobotics and CRRC Times Wuxi will boost most innovative automated robot solutions to achieve best benefits for all Chinese production companies in the transportation industry, aerospace industry and windmill industry." –Mr. Yan,CRRCTimesWuxi

"Grinding the ski tips is a very complex task since it needs absolutely consistent contact force. Until now every model required an individual program, which caused considerable retooling efforts. Thanks to FerRobotics this has changed completely." –Mr.Buchsteiner, HeadofIndustrialOperationsSki,AmerSports

"The Active sensitive kit from FerRobotics delivers what it promises, exactly reproducible high quality and a reliable cost-effective process. The excellent customer support, as well as the quick response time, makes FerRobotics not just a supplier but a reliable partner for us." –Mr.Dubský,ŠKODAAUTOa.s.

"With the innovative system package AOK the production capacity has been increased noticeably. This solution achieves time savings of 50% and delivers exactly reproducible quality." –Mr Wolf,MasterofMechanicalProduction,NeubacherMetalltechnikGmbH

IS A PROFITABLE BUSINESS MODEL FRANCHISING EXAMPLES THAT SHOW WHY

Franchisingisabusinessmodelthathasbeenaround fordecadesandcontinuestogrowinpopularity.It’s aprovensystemthatprovidesentrepreneurswith theopportunitytobuildtheirownbusinesswhilereceiving helpfromestablishedbrands.Franchisesarealsogreat becausetheyoffervariouslevelsofinvestmentandrisk tolerance,soanyonecanfindtherightfitforthem.

Thefast-foodindustrygenerates$200billioninannual revenuesworldwide.McDonald’shasmorethan34,000 outlets.In2018alone,therewereover1millionrestaurant closures.

Generally,abusinesstakesfewyearstoachievesuccess but,imaginethesatisfactionofnotgrindingforyearsand achievingahighlevelofprofits.

Buyingafranchiseofanestablishedbrandcangiveyoua jumpstart.Thereisalow-risklevelininvestingbecauseof thebrandvaluesetbythebusiness.Alreadytestedand appliedmarketingskillshelpyougrowthebusiness.Itis safetosaythatthereisnogoingbackuntilandunlessyou findoutthatitisasinkingboat.

Togiveyouabetterideaabouthowfranchisingcanbe beneficial,letusseeafewexamples.

1)McDonald’s

McDonald’sisindeedthemostfamousfoodjointwhich everyoneknowsabout.Funfact-morethan90%of McDonald’srestaurantsareownedandoperatedbytheir franchisees.Thatmeansoriginally,McDonald’sownsless than10%ofitsrestaurants.

2)MarriotInternational

Ahotelthatmakesyoufeelnolessthansuperior.Listening tothisnamejustbringsasparktooureyes.Itisahugedeal outthere.Imagineowninga7-starhotel!

Gettingbacktothepoint,MarriotInternationalisawellknownhotelthathasnumerousfranchisesalloverthe world.Foundedin1927,itisthebiggesthotelfranchisein theworldbythenumberofavailablerooms.

3)Century21

“Wedon’tsettle,andyoushouldn’teither.”Thislineishow Century21explainsitswork.Itisarealestatecompany, whichwasestablishedin1971,thatbelievesingivingtheir 121%anddefyingthemediocre.

Century21offerscompletetraining,supportpackages,and

a Business

guidanceforbusinessestofranchisees.Thefranchisor worksasasubsidiaryofRealogyGroupandRealogy Holdings.

4)Hertz

Itisacarrentalcompanythatisprovidingqualityrental carsformorethan90years.Itoperates10,200cooperate andfranchiseelocationsacrosstheworld.Operatingin morethan150countries,itisthesecond-largestrentalcar industrybylocationandfleetsize.

5)Kumon

NextonthelistisKumon,whichisaJapaneseeducational networkestablishedbymathematicsmentorToruKuman.It wasestablishedmorethan60yearsago.Thiscompany operatesmainlytowardsyoungstudentsandworkson Kumon’smethodofmathematicsandreading.Today, Kumonhasmorethan24,000franchisesoutsideoftheUS.

6)Subway

Subwayisoneofthefavoritefoodjointswherestudents liketochill.Itisconsideredassecondhighestadvertiser rightafterMcDonald’s.Itisalsooneofthefastest-growing franchisesallovertheworld.

7)KFC

KFCisthehuboftheworld’sfamouschickendishes. Franchisingin1952,itisoneofthosesuccessfulfoodjoints whereeverychickenlovergoes.Itsurelyisthebestoption ifyouarelookingtotakeoveranyfranchise.Itisinthe marketsince1930,inover118countries,andhasastrong chainof18,875restaurants.

8)Dunkin’

Dunkinisoneofthebiggestcoffeeanddoughnutshopsall overtheworld,withalmost13,000locationsacross42 countries.Allthe13,000storesareoperatedandfranchised; notasingleshopisanownedstore.

9)Carrefour

Foundedin1959,CarrefouristhelargestFrench supermarketchain.Itissituatedacross12,225locationsand isaveryfamousEuropeansupermarketfranchise.

10)CircleK

Whosaidstoreshopping?Wegotoneofthebestoptions forabusinessfranchiseforyou.CircleKisCanada’s largeststorechainspreadacross15,000locations, especiallyintheUSA,Europe,andCanada.Approximately 2,300storesarerunningunderthefranchisescheme.

Asofnow,thesetenamazingbusinessesmentionedabove arethebestchoicesifyouwishtoopenafranchiseandbe ontheprofitableside.

Wher e T echnology is the W a y F orw ar d

Whenyouheartheword robotics,youinstantly thinkofrobotsand artificialintelligence.Roboticsdeals withmakinguseofmachinesby designingandconstructingthemto functionwithsimilarabilitiesofa humanbeing.

Roboticsisextensivelybeingused overmanydifferentindustriestoday Thesemayvaryfromautomobile manufacturingtoconsumergoods manufacturingindustries.Roboticsis usedtoaidintheworkhumansdo,be itmusclepowerorwhereworkthe neededtobedonemaybeharmfulto humans.

Arobotisdesignedinsuchawaythat itcananalyse,move,work,react,and respondinawaynotdissimilarto humans.Roboticshasmadeiteasier forpeopletoperformandgettasks doneinasimpler,efficient,and effectiveway.

Particularlyintimeslikethesewiththe coronaviruspandemicenteringthe worldintoastateofcrisis,roboticshas proventobequiteusefulandofgreat importance.Beitafasterwayto deliveressentialmedicalsuppliesor moreefficientlydonerecycling, companiesarenowgoingaboveand beyondtomakeroboticsmore innovativethanbefore.

Whileintensivelytakingonthetopic foroureditiontitled,World's10Most InnovativeRoboticsCompanies,2021,

wedidanexclusivewithForwardX Robotics,aleadingdeveloperof flexibleautomationheadquarteredin Beijing,China.

Inthefollowinginterview,Nicolas Chee,FounderandCEOofthe company,shareswithusindetailabout thecompany'sjourneyinthe AutomationandRoboticsIndustryand hisopinionsaboutthemarketthatthe companycaterstoalongwithhis insightsaboutthegrowthofthe industry

Belowarethehighlightsofthe interview:

Briefusabouttheoveralloperations ofyourcompany.

ForwardXRoboticsisaleading developerofflexibleautomation designedtoempowerindustrial facilitiesthroughreplacingcost-heavy materialhandlingsystems.Throughits autonomousmobilerobotsandfleet managementsoftware,ForwardXhelps productionandlogisticsoperations automatetediousphysicaltasks,such asorderfulfillmentandlineside delivery

ForwardXseparatesitselffromother roboticsprovidersthroughitsuseof ArtificialIntelligence(AI),specifically machinelearning,asitsrobotsare equippedwithperceptionand processingcapabilitiestomatcha humanworker.Usingcomputervision algorithmstosegment,detect,

recognize,andtrackobjectswithinits environment,aForwardXmobilerobot canmapandlocalizeitselfwith pinpointaccuracybeforemakinghighlevelnavigationdecisions.

BasedoutofBeijing,ForwardX Roboticshasaglobalpresencewith operationsinAPACandNorth America.Foundedin2016,ForwardX hasgrownfromadozendedicated scientistsworkingonaprototype,toa teamofover300,andhalfadozen officesscatteredacrosstheglobe.

Howdidyourcompanycomeinto existence?Whatwastheideabehind itsgenesis?

Foundedin2016,ForwardXRobotics wasstartedbyNicolasChee,aformer VPatOracleChinaandprevious championatABU'sRobocon.Itwas createdwithavisionofchangingthe waypeopleliveandwork.

Nicolassawtheworldasitisnow; millionsofblue-collarworkers spendingtheirvaluabletime completingtediousandsometimes dangerouslyphysicaltasks,people spendingtimeeverydayonchores insteadofenjoyingtimewithfamily. Hewantedtochangetheworldby removingthosetasksandwhatbetter waytoremovethemthanbyapplying

thelatestandgreatesttechnologiesto automatingthem.

Kindlyelaborateonyourcompany's uniqueproductsorservices.

ForwardXdevelopsaflexible automationplatform,consistingof autonomousmobilerobots(AMRs) andintelligentfleetmanagement software,forindustrialsupplychain facilities.

Asthenextgenerationofmaterial handling,ForwardX'splatformcanbe usedtoautomatelabor-intensive workflowsinthesupplychainwhich helpscompaniesreducecostsand increaseefficiency.

ForwardXstands outasacompany dedicatedto technical excellenceand providingvalue foritscurrentand futurecustomers. “

Nicolas Chee Founder and CEO

“

A bout the leader

NicolasChee:Withabachelor's andmaster'seducationin integratedcircuitsfrom BeihangUniversity,Nicolashas aneyeforengineeringand roboticswhichismadeevident withhiswinatABU'sRobocon 2003,aninternationalrobotics competitionforuniversity students.

Aftergraduating,Nicolas moveddirectlyintoaproject managementandbusiness consultingpositionatSAP,a giantinenterprisesoftware, wherehequicklylearnedthe insandoutsofenterprise operationsandappliedhis technicalexpertisetorealworldcases.

Pickingupmultiplecorporate accoladesatSAP,Nicolas chosetostartanewchapterat OracleChina,whereheheaded upitsregionalsoftware-as-aservice(SaaS)products.

Spending6yearsatOracle, Nicolasstoodoutasahigh achieverashewonaslewof accolades,suchasGlobalTop 100Performer,ChinaTop10 Talent,andGlobalPresident ClubMember.

Atthispoint,Nicolasbegana newjourney,founding ForwardXRoboticsinApril2016. Outsideofwork,Nicolaslives anactivelifestylewithalove foroutdoors,adventure,and sport.

Unlikeotherautomationsolutionson themarket,ForwardXproductsrequire verylittleset-upandinfrastructurein ordertogettoworkandthat'swhat makesForwardXtheflexible alternative.Usingthelatestperception technology,ForwardXroboticsadapt instantlytochangesintheenvironment andprovidestheguaranteesofsafety thatmakethemsuitablefor collaborativework.

Whatmakesyourcompanystand outfromtherestofitscompetition?

ForwardXstandsoutasacompany dedicatedtotechnicalexcellenceand providingvalueforitscurrentand futurecustomers.

Astheonlymobileroboticsdeveloper withavision-firstapproach,ForwardX providesthemostreliableandaccurate performanceintheindustry.Using computervisionalgorithmstoenhance mapping,positioning,andlocalization, ForwardXrobotsprovidebest-in-class uptimeavailability,whichcontributes toahigherdegreeofautonomy.

Furthermore,ForwardXprovidesthe largestrangeofautonomousmobile robotsintheindustry.Withover20 modelstofitawiderangeof applicationsandindustries, ForwardX’sFlex,Max,andApex rangesofAMRsprovidea comprehensivecollectionofsolutions inmultiplestylestofitthefragmented andvariednatureofmanufacturingand logistics.

Whatkindofchallengeshasyour companyfacedinitsinitialdaysof establishmentandwhatarethe strugglesitisgoingthroughnow?

Asaproviderofnextgeneration technology,themostsignificant strugglewehavefacediswide acceptanceandadoptionfromthe industry.Likemanyotherhigh-tech products,ForwardXoperatesinan industrywhereitistransforminghow thingsarebeingdone.However,with thishugemissioncomesthetaskof winningovertheheartsandmindsof supplychainleaders.

Nicolas Chee Founder and CEO

Inthisindustry,theearlyadoptershave helpedtoprovetheefficacyofflexible automationsolutions.Now,weareat aninflectionpointwherethe mainstreamsarebeginningtoexpand theiruseoftechnologytomoreoftheir operationsglobally.

Whatadvicewouldyouliketogive theyoungentrepreneursandstartupsthatarewillingtoenterinthe roboticsindustry?

Ouradvicetoyoungentrepreneursand start-upswouldbe: Thinkbig:Theroboticsindustryisn'ta smallone.Thereareaplethoraof companiesofferingallkindsof solutionsineverystyleor configurationyoucanthinkof,forboth short-termandlong-termproblems.

Whenidentifyingyourmarketand designingyoursolution,ithelpsto thinkbig,thatis,tothinkofthefuture youwanttoseeandthefutureyou believetheworldisheadingtowards. Withthatasyourcompass,connect yourvisiontowhatyoucandotoday tomakeitareality.

Buildanecosystem:Asaproviderof transformativetechnology,robotics companiesshouldavoid commoditizingtheirproducts.What tendstohappenisroboticscompanies

thinktoosmallandprovideonlyatiny pieceofthepuzzle,forcingbuyers (companies)togetinvolved themselvesanddeveloptheexpertise andsystemsthataroboticcompany shouldbeproviding.

However,bydedicatingyourselftothe biggerpicture,youcanbuildbotha productecosystemandabusiness ecosystemthatprovidebuyerswithan invaluableexperiencethatthey couldn’thopetoreplicate.

Whatdoesthefutureholdforyour companyintermsofgrowth?

ForwardXhasseenastoundinggrowth overthelast2years.Goingfromthe officialcommerciallaunchofourfirst AMRproduct,toamassiverangeof solutions.Furthermore,we've continuallyraisedmoreandmore venturecapitaltohelpusexpandour technologyandourmarket.

Webelievethatthenext2yearswill holdexpansionacrossallcontinents, withexpansioninAPACbeingour currentpriorityandexpansionin Europeournext.

Exhibiting Ex cellence

Amongourcurrent customers,wearehonored toserveleadingcompanies, suchasSFSupplyChain China,TCLElectronics,and ITOCHULogisticsChina.