The word “robot’ is invented by the Czech writer Karel Capek and used in his science fiction stage play “Rossum’s Universal Robots”
History of the cobots
How it all began
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The first industrial robot arm called a “Programmed Article Transfer device’ is patented by George Devol, who partners with Joseph Engelberger and launches it as the Unimate in 1959 with a first installation at General Motors.
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Caged industrial robots requiring significant investments and programming expertise became widespread in the automotive industry and other manufacturing sectors.
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A research team at the University of Southern Denmark compares existing automation solutions to market needs and discovers an opportunity to reinvent the industrial robot.
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Universal Robots A/S is founded by 3 members of the research team at the University of Southern Denmark; Esben Østergaard, Kristian Kassow and Kasper Støy. Their goal is to develop a flexible, collaborative and user-friendly lightweight robot with a rapid ROI.
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UR5, the world’s first collaborative robot able to operate safely alongside people enters the market.
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The new UR10 collaborative robot with a linger reach and greater payload is launched globally.
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“Collaborative Robotics” is recognized as a viable new class of robots; larger robot manufactures such as KUKA, ABB and Fanuc as wells as smaller startups like Rethink Robotics start launching and developing cobots.
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The MiR100 is Beta Tested in Danish Industrial Companies and Hospitals.
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- 2013 ITS becomes the first Irish Distributor of the Universal Robot
- 2014 ITS becomes preferred partner of Keyence UK for their vision systems
- 2014 ITS completes First Installation of a Universal Robot in Ireland with Apple
- 2015 ITS becomes sole distributor in Ireland for Robotiq
- 2015 ITS becomes sole distributor in Ireland for On Robot2016 ITS becomes distributor for MiR
- 2016 ITS establishes Robotic Centre of Excellence in Midleton
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Universal Robots launches UR3, the world’s first collaborative table top robot.
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CTO Universal Robots Founder Esben Østergaard invests in MiR.
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ISO publishes the long awaited specification ISO/TS 15066, containing guidelines on how to ensure the safety of human workers in collaborative robotic systems.
Interested in discovering more about Collaborative Robotics for your manufacturing process?