1950s to Today: Robotics
Today, there is hot debate around what role robots should play in our daily lives. Simply designing the physical robot isn’t enough. We need to consider the robot — and its interactions with humans — through the lens of human-centered design. This approach means designing in terms of the larger system in which it will operate, as well as the needs, wants, safety and capabilities of the humans it will work with.
The question of how robots should interact with humans and carry out tasks together is still being defined in this emerging industry. As it stands, there is a tendency to only automate tasks that fall under the 3 D’s — dirty, dull (or repetitive) and dangerous. However, these categories alone aren’t sufficient to address the full scope of a robot’s performance and capabilities. Defining what a robot should execute, for example, does not answer the question of how it should execute it — especially when we take into account the needs of human coworkers and users.
This is where our partners have utilized our human-centered design approach. In order to maximize the collaborative potential of robots in the home and in workplaces, many of our partners have recognized the need to create solutions that don’t merely diminish human risk, but enable humans to reach new heights of aspirational fulfillment by focusing on the aspects of their work that are most meaningful and “human.” Industry players who address these areas with human-centered solutions are rising to become the innovation leaders of the industry.
At Sundberg-Ferar, our experience in designing human-centered robots for emerging industries dates back to 1959. That year, the iconic “Miracle Kitchen” which we designed for Whirlpool, featured a robotic dishwasher that collects dirty plates, an automated vacuum cleaner (pictured) and a robotic command center that could verbally communicate with users.
Now as we celebrate 90 years of exceptional design, we continue to develop human-centered robotics solutions that revolutionize lives and workplaces with innovative technology across several industry verticals. From personal assistants to research vehicles, to lunar rovers, to last mile delivery, our innovative partners rely on us to help define the role of robots in our everday lives.
Join us to explore how to leverage the power of human-centered design as your competitive edge – developing solutions that go beyond automation to elevate human potential.
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