Robots in the service of humans: inventions ready to help humans in everyday life. Assemble a robot that will help such people Assemble a robot that will help such

A person spends a significant part of his time on performing such monotonous and monotonous household chores as cleaning the room or working in the garden. Some people get real pleasure from this kind of activity, but for most, putting the living space in proper order is a routine, boring and not very pleasant task. Since the 50s and 60s of the last century, when the concept of a “robotic assistant” was just beginning to emerge, society has already dreamed of shifting part of its daily duties to a soulless mechanized device that is not subject to fatigue, stress and is ready to do the dirtiest work. We are talking about robotic servants and automated assistants, prototypes of which appeared more than half a century ago.

The first mobile robot that analyzes commands and actions

In 1966, engineers at the Center for Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University set about creating a robot capable of self-orientation and movement indoors without creating an emergency. The project involved the development of a structure on a wheeled chassis with the possibility of self-learning, as well as a holistic analysis of the tasks assigned to the machine.

The device, called Shakey, was equipped with a set of sensors and a television camera to determine the current location and dimensions of objects surrounding the robot. In 1972, the Shakey project came to an end, embodying the advanced achievements of the engineers of the time into a single design. The mobile device demonstrated its capabilities in a special test pavilion of several rooms connected by corridors. The robot carried out the commands of scientists, pushing various objects, closing and opening doors, interacting with switches and various objects.

The prospect of the algorithm incorporated in Shakey pushed scientists to further work in this direction and to create a number of more advanced automated mechanisms, as well as to implement the ability of such a device to identify and respond to voice commands.

Wireless and standalone lawn mowing

In 1969, MowBot Inc. introduced the world to a robotic lawnmower that operates on a built-in battery without the need to connect to a home network. The battery charge was sufficient for cutting grass on an area of \u200b\u200b650 m 2. And although the $ 795 device was very far from modern programmable "smart" devices that can be controlled even from a smartphone, the idea of \u200b\u200bgetting rid of wires turned out to be very interesting and received a logical development.

Full-size robot Arok: walks with a dog and takes out the garbage

What "house of the future" can do without robotic servants? A similar thought came to the inventor Ben Skora, who presented his vision of futuristic, taking into account the 70s of the last century, dwellings with remote-controlled lamps and other technical innovations. Not without "smart" service personnel, which was replaced by a two-meter robot Arok with a frankly creepy face.

The mechanized giant was tasked with taking out trash, serving drinks, and even walking your four-legged pet. Of course, the presence of an operator to manipulate the device was imperative. So the staff in the "house of the future" provided for an additional vacancy to control the robot assistant.

Japan's popular game robot Omnibot: background

3DNews readers are familiar with the Omnibot device. But much less is known about its progenitor, who became one of the most compact robots of its time - the Omnibot 2000. An unusual device was released in 1984, and it represented, as today, a super-technological and advanced autonomous model on the market for the most unusual toys of that time.

Omnibot 2000 had the ability to remotely control, however, the developers provided for a completely independent movement of their brainchild along a pre-established route. All the data necessary for the programmed movement was recorded on a cassette, and the robot could be used as a waiter for delivering food and drinks at a large party.

SynPet Newton: a domesticated version of the "star" R2D2

If you liked the cute and quirky robot R2D2 from George Lucas's Star Wars saga, then you will be interested to know that from the late 1980s to the early 1990s its commercial analogue - SynPet Newton. Of course, this robot with a height of about 86 cm cannot be called an exact copy of the legendary R2D2, but the similarity in design, as they say, is "evident".

SynPet Newton could move freely around the apartment, could boast voice control and helped to cope with household chores. A 16-bit microprocessor chip was responsible for its performance, as well as a wide range of sensors for fully autonomous movement in accordance with the selected mode. At the same time, SynPet Newton could communicate with residents using a special voice synthesizer, and also provide communication between its owner with the outside world using the built-in cordless telephone and a modem.

True, only the wealthiest Americans could afford SynPet Newton, because the price of “ smart car"Was a fabulous $ 8000.

Crown of evolution humanoid robots from Honda engineers

Perhaps the most famous humanoid robot today is Honda's ASIMO device. It took the engineers of the Japanese company about ten years to eventually bring the prototype parameters to the current limit in the form of a combination of high travel speed, extraordinary dexterity and advanced human interaction.

ASIMO is capable of welcoming guests with a handshake and serving drinks no worse than a real waiter would.

iRobot Roomba: Responsible for the cleanliness of your home

Robot vacuum cleaners did not manage to become a common gadget in the homes of ordinary users due to their high cost. However, some models still had commercial success and took root in the apartments of their owners, as did one of the first home mechanized cleaners - the iRobot Roomba. The main task of the device, which appeared on the market 12 years ago, is high-quality, and most importantly, completely autonomous cleaning of the most difficult types of flooring.

Humanoid robot Reem: both a loader and an information center

Have you often had a chance to move around a railway station or airport with bulky and heavy luggage, and at the same time try to find out the information necessary for boarding a flight? It seems that this problem in Spain, where PAL Robotics is based, prompted a team of four engineers to develop the Reem-A porter robot.

Previously, the developers already had experience in designing humanoid machines that take on the role of maintenance personnel. This made it possible in 2012 to present a commercial Reem model with a telecontrol function, which is not only capable of transporting goods, but also act as an information and information kiosk.

Subsequently, the device was upgraded to the REEM-C version - both legs were returned to it, as it was envisaged in modifications with the index "A" and "B".

Your personal robotic bartender for $ 2700

If we discard the procedures that require movement in space, lifting of loads and complex mechanical manipulations, then what could a small stationary robotic device be useful for? Of course for making a variety of cocktails. The Monsieur robot has become an example of a skillful automated bartender who will not only prepare your favorite drink, but also happily greet its owner upon returning home. To do this, the designers provided the function of determining your stay in the apartment using the application for mobile deviceproviding synchronization with Monsieur and machine controlvia Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The system is able not only to fulfill orders for cocktails remotely from a smartphone or tablet, but also to offer you double portions of drinks in case you are late at work and you have a very busy day.

The main feature of the 23 kg drawer with touch display is the number of cocktails it can prepare for guests at your party. The device includes 12 thematic variations - "non-alcoholic party", "sports bar", "Irish pub" and others, each of which contains about 25 recipes for various drinks.

The implementation of the robotic bartender project was made possible thanks to the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, on which the startup Monsieur collected donations totaling $ 140,000.

JIBO startup: if you are lonely and have no one to talk to

The JIBO robot, which was liked by visitors to the Indiegogo site, which brought the creators of the device over $ 2 million, will become a personal compassionate interlocutor, polite, submissive and encouraging listener, regardless of your current emotional state.

The so-called social behavior model characteristic of JIBO, combined with advanced hardware and software components, will allow the device to find an individual approach to communicating with each family member. The device is able to independently identify the interlocutor, as well as to catch his mood in order to choose the most appropriate behavior algorithm in the current situation.

JIBO, having wireless Internet access, will find recipes for various dishes for the upcoming dinner by voice request, inform about a new letter on your e-mail, will help with purchases, as well as joke appropriately, entertain with a funny story and brighten up a cloudy evening with a good musical composition.

Almost anyone can get an unusual robotic friend, because the price of JIBO is only $ 500.

Robots on guard

An excellent way to use robotic devices has become their security functions. Indeed, thermal imagers, motion sensors, a laser rangefinder, all kinds of cameras and "smart" systems, in theory, are able to detect an intruder much earlier, suspect something was wrong and report a threat or already entered a protected area than even an experienced person would.

And if the brainchild of specialists from Knightscope is intended for passive observation and sending an alarm signal to the control room, then, for example, the PatrolBot Mark II guard robot is ready to independently counteract the intruder. To do this, a 100 dB horn and a water pistol are installed on its wheeled platform, with the help of which the operator can stain in the literal sense of the word the reputation and clothes of the offender.

Robots firmly entered our modern life... They tirelessly help people in factories, hospitals, perform complex calculations and do not need to pay a salary. The times when machines will begin to help us with the housework or to teach children have already come, just not everyone knows about it yet.

1. "Social" robot "Jibo"

"Jibo" is a cute little "social" robot with a personality that can easily become best friend families. A robot with a witty sense of humor has an unusual appearance and funny animation that spins and dances. Jibo is not just a toy, but a high-tech development. Using artificial intelligence technology, cameras and microphones, the robot is able to study the voices, emotions and faces of sixteen different people.

Jibo can perform a number of useful tasks: From setting an alarm, taking photographs, forecasting the weather, and ending with communicating with a person. In this case, the robot selects intonation and phrases depending on the interlocutor. Jibo is already on sale for $ 900.

2. Robot genius "Professor Einstein"

The robot is made in the form of a cartoon version of Albert Einstein and is positioned as a teaching tool for people of different ages. In addition to a broad knowledge base, the robot also has a good sense of humor, which makes the learning process more fun. With "Einstein" you can not only learn exact sciences, but also play various educational games.

The robot uses a cloud database to answer all kinds of questions. In addition to answering questions, "Professor Einstein" can conduct a dialogue with the interlocutor and has fifty variants of facial expressions. The cost of the robot is $ 200.

3. Robot assistant "Aeolus"

Imagine a robot on wheels that, on command, fetches a bottle of soda from the refrigerator. For those who are waiting for the perfect housekeeper - a dream come true. According to the site, the robot assistant "Aeolus" is designed to make your life easier by doing housework while you sleep. The robot uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to recognize objects from different angles and distances.

In place of the eyes of the "Aeolus" there are special wide-angle cameras with three-dimensional sensors. Thus, the robot can vacuum, mop floors, dust, wash windows and much more. He even remembers where things are in the house, so that if necessary, return them to their place. Despite the fact that this is still a prototype, the creators said that the development will be available for purchase this year, and the price will not be less than an overseas vacation for a family, no matter how much that means.

4. "Smart" home robot "Aido"

Aido is a unique interactive home robot that can easily maneuver around the house. The creators of "Aido" incorporated a set of functions into the robot, based on researching frequently requested options from electronic home assistants.

This family robot has been designed to make its interactions with humans as natural and intuitive as possible. Inside "Aido" there is a subwoofer and system speakers home theater.
Interactive interaction with people is carried out by an innovative speech recognition system. The robot can help with household chores, play with children, keep the home safe, and even perform programmed tasks. "Aido" by Ingen Dynamic Inc. available for pre-order for $ 499.

5. Family friend "Buddy"

Buddy is a robot with an open source codeworking on software Unity 3D and Android. This “social” robot assistant from Blue Frog Robotics is a great companion for the whole family. He can greet you, remind you of events, and even guard your home with a beaming smile on his face.

The robot's patrol route is quite advanced. "Buddy" is able to observe both one place and move between the specified points. Like the other models we mentioned earlier, the Buddy boasts advanced intelligence.

“Robot Scientist” attended a robotics lesson and overheard what the students of the “Robot and Me” club were dreaming about.

At the age of 7, little robotics know 3 kinds of levers (do you remember?) And they assemble ready-made robots during the lesson. Boys make sure that batteries are disposed of exclusively in a special box, and not in a common trash can. They, as adults, refer to the teacher only by name, but by “you”.

They also know that when they grow up, they will build robots to help humanity. Young engineers dream of conquering space, defeating enemies and troublemakers. Well, win the robot competition. The "Robot Scientist" attended a robotics class and wrote down the answers to the question about what kind of robots the guys dream of creating.

Dima Tatarinov, 8 years old

“I don't know yet what kind of robot I want to make. But he will definitely help humanity. For example, make calculations for scientists and fly to distant planets. When he arrives on a new planet, he will place the Russian flag there. ”

Misha Fedorov, 10 years old

“I want to create a radio-controlled robot. The remote control will have a screen that will show where the robot is driving and what actions it does. This robot will issue parking tickets. The robot itself will have a printer that prints penalty checks. He will be fast, because he needs to manage to distribute fines before the offender leaves. ”

Artem Soloviev, 8 years old

“It will be a tank that drives without a driver. Nobody will control it at all, I will create such a system so that the tank itself knows what to do. He will transmit the picture to the headquarters and if anything, it will be possible to take control on the remote control. It can also be hit by a projectile and disrupt the self-control sensor. He can shoot himself, he will have a barrel for large shells, for bombs and two machine guns. Then you can make the same plane. In general, I want to become a military man and create something to make our army stronger. "

Maxim Khotuntsev, 10 years old

“Well, I would not say that it will be a robot. I would like to create a costume. He'll have acid stuff on his sleeves, and flying stuff on his legs (like Tony Stark). There will be two masks on the helmet, the inner one will be terrible, with glowing eyes. It will be possible to spray a toxin from it, from which it will seem to enemies that something strange is happening around. He will have a sword and a flamethrower, just in case. And scorpion venom. The suit will be armored but lightweight. He will be called "Black Adam", there is such a pirate.

And he will also have a thing that will slow down time. If it flies back and forth at high speed, then most likely a time portal will form at this place and, probably, I will be able to see the future. Likely."

Timofey Kuznetsov, 10 years old

“My robot will help explore black holes. People are afraid to fly there, no one knows what is there. And the robot can be sent to study some black hole. He, as a person, will think for himself, he will have artificial intelligence. I would like to develop artificial intelligence for it myself. ”

Seryozha Oruzheinikov, 9 years old

“My dream is to build a robot that can constantly protect me from bad boys. Or it won't be a robot, but a robotic suit. He will be able to do everything, even turn into a car and run on batteries. From this it will be called - "Defender".

Sasha Fedorov, 8 years old

“I want to invent a robot soccer player for our competition. He himself will be about 50 cm and will be able to kick the ball up to 1 meter high. Maybe I will be able to assemble a few more of these, a whole team. These robots will play soccer until they run out. I think I can make such robots in 10 or 12 years. "

Arseny Rodkin, 7 years old

“My robot will help scientists to bring the future to life as soon as possible. He will create new technologies himself.

And also at school I drew a pen that writes itself, a flying backpack and a notebook that writes itself for the teacher! "

Styopa Eshukov, 11 years old

“What kind of robot do I want to invent? It depends on what topic. For our competitions (competitions on the basis of the "Robot and I" club - ed.) In football - one, for the battle of robots - another. For battle, I want to build a large robot that will ride on tracks. But not on plastic ones, because the plastic will slip. He will have thorns from different sides: he will drive up, stick them into the enemy and knock out his parts. There will also be a mechanism on top that will lift other models, something like a crane.

In football competitions, control is more important, because the victory does not depend much on the model itself.

And for racing I want to build a fast and well-controlled model. I will put the gearbox at speed, on the rear wheels, the front wheels will be low. It will still need to be finalized. "

In this module you will learn:

How robots are used in industry;
how robots are helping to explore the sky, earth and water;
in what area robots are more efficient than humans;
how the robot can help doctors and nurses;
what kind of robots surround us in everyday life;
can robots be entirely virtual.

In this video, the mentor of the course Nikolai Pak tells what robots are common in industry, why they came to the court in science, what tasks robots take on in medicine and how they simplify our daily life. In the following parts of the module, we will discuss each of these areas in detail.

When you watch the video, please note:

Which plant does Nikolai cite as an example as a robotic production?

What is the name of the robot surgeon?

Worker robots

Movers, sorters and collectors

Robots don't get tired of monotonous tasks, they can lift bulky loads and work quickly, they don't need weekends and lunch breaks. Unsurprisingly, industries ranging from everyday goods to planes and spacecraft are “hiring” robots with open arms. Below we have collected the most typical examples of robots in production.

The manipulator is the very robotic "hands" that we see in photographs and videos from modern factories and plants. They are equipped with a variety of sensors so that they can process and connect parts, control product quality, package it, etc.

Sorting robots help free people from hard and monotonous work that requires a lot of concentration. Their sensors are ready 24/7 to analyze the type of parts and elements lying on the conveyor and distribute them to different compartments. For example, today robotic sorting robots often sort out construction waste, because some of it can be reused or recycled.

Loader robots free people from the need to move anything - from paper to bulky goods. For example, in the Sberbank archive, the necessary boxes with documents are found and moved by special robotic stacker cranes. And e-commerce giants Amazon and Alibaba use robotic storekeepers with might and main, which take 70% of the routine work on themselves and are very independent (for example, they can navigate the warehouse if the layout changes there).

From specific tasks to an entire construction site

Robots are as valuable in construction as they are in industry: they take on physically demanding, dangerous and repetitive tasks. In addition, they are not afraid of bad weather: the pace of their work will not drop due to cold weather or rain.

The construction robot is a great example of robots being able to perform repetitive tasks many times faster than humans. For example, a robot builder from Fastbrick Robotics works 20 times faster than an ordinary bricklayer and can build the foundation of a private house from brick in two days. With it, builders will be able to erect 150 brick buildings a year - they will have communications and finishing work.

The cable-laying robot crawls through the channels already dug for the pipes and pulls the telephone or optical cable with it. This means that you do not need to dig anything separately to lay the cable, you can use ready-made pipes. Moreover, breakdowns are also easier to detect: such robots can examine pipelines using a camera and illumination.

The Brokk robot excavator from Sweden can perform a lot of tasks at a construction site: dig, load and carry objects, disassemble structures made of reinforced concrete, brick and metal, remove layers of plaster from walls, drill holes, etc.

In 2019, Amsterdam plans to install a bridge made entirely of steel using the 3D-printed method, right in the air. Two robots begin to build a bridge on different banks and move forward along the already erected part, meeting in the middle of the already finished bridge. Robotic systems will print all the details of the bridge right on the spot, they don't have to be transported. A kind of scaffolding, or rather, structures that will support their own weight, they will also build themselves.

Research robots

Research robots are indispensable in the study of locations and phenomena that are dangerous to humans, as well as where greater accuracy or physical strength is required. They can climb where the move is ordered for people: deep under water, into the mouth of a volcano, or, conversely, to the level of organs and even individual cells of a living organism

On the ground

Boat. Robotic boats explore and explore rivers, lakes and seas. They are especially useful in extreme conditions - for example, in the ice of the Far North. They can work independently, or they can - by operator commands through remote control... If the control is carried out via radio waves, the operator can be quite far from the robot. Even on the other side of a medium-sized town.

Bathyscaphe / glider. Bathyscaphe robots and robotic gliders with different principles movements provide us with invaluable assistance in exploring the depths of the sea. It's too early to send a person there: for long dives, the apparatus must be large and expensive. And is it even necessary if you can make a robot of any shape from materials resistant to low temperatures, endow it with manipulators, sensors, equip it with a camera and explore depths without endangering a person?

Station. Robotic underwater and seabed stations conduct long-term monitoring of the ecology and geology of depths and help to monitor the ecological, geological, ice and other conditions at depths inaccessible to humans and in inappropriate conditions. For example, a deep-sea expedition to the Mariana Trench from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has discovered many new species thanks to a robot with a remote-controlled camera. Depending on the purpose and battery, such stations can operate from several weeks to several years.

Volcano. There are other places on the planet where a person cannot climb (for example, volcanoes and geysers). Built from materials resistant to high temperatures and toxic gases, the robot is capable of conducting research even at the time of peak seismic activity. NASA has already developed two such robots: one moves on wheels, and the second imitates the movements of a worm and, due to this, can move along sheer ice cliffs.

In space

Curiosity, the third-generation rover that NASA launched in 2011, is essentially an autonomous chemical laboratory that studies the soil and atmosphere of Mars.

Robotic assistants have already appeared on the ISS, and soon robots will perform the simplest routine duties of astronauts: for example, troubleshoot solar panels in the event of automatic failures that change their position, or mount blocks of space stations. The Russian segment of the ISS is already repairing the ERA space manipulator. Or maybe astronauts in the future will be replaced by electronic colleagues - already robot astronauts are being developed ... And you don't need to train anyone, and there is no danger for people.

Satellites in Earth's orbit provide us with communications, weather observation and navigation. There are already hundreds of them, and they are so important that back in 2016, one of the Pentagon's departments began to develop a project for a separate satellite for repairing satellites - a kind of ambulance at an altitude of 36 thousand kilometers. These devices have their own function, methods of obtaining information about the outside world, algorithms of actions and equipment with which they perform these actions, which means that they are considered robots.

Robots helpers in small things

Lawn mowers, suitcases and nannies

In the first module, we talked about how many robots today simplify human everyday life: a robot vacuum cleaner, voice assistants and even washing machines upon close examination, they turned out to be robots. In this part, let's see what other tasks can be automated.

The robot cleaner is not as compact and cute as its distant relative, the robot vacuum cleaner, but it can work in bad weather and cope with more serious enemies: road dust, leaves, snow and ice. Depending on the tasks, it is supplied with wheels or tracks.

The robotic lawnmower looks like a small cart on a wheeled or tracked vehicle, with an electric or diesel engine. Just like a robot vacuum cleaner, a lawnmower bypasses the property, completes a task, and returns to base. The boundaries of the site are marked with a cable slightly dug into the ground, and infrared sensors help to return to the base.

A robot has already been invented to fight insects. Chinese engineers have developed a miniature tank that detects mosquitoes with detectors and then “shoots” them with a laser cannon.

Cleaning the pool is not a very exciting activity, which means there is also room for automation here. The first type of robot cleaner floats on the surface and collects debris. The second one can crawl along the walls and bottom exactly like snails in an aquarium - and in the same way clean it of dirt.

The robot suitcase holds from 15 to 30 kg of things and knows how to follow the owner, or rather, the beacon in his pocket. Once lost, he will beep, and sensors help him not to collide with people and not to fall. He will not be able to climb the stairs for you yet, but for moving around the airport - this is what you need.

A personal assistant will soon be unnecessary. As it develops, the robot assistant will learn to maintain a daily routine, look for information, monitor the weather and traffic jams, and help with household chores. They already know a lot of this - for example, the Zenbo robot from ASUS replaces the diary, controls the “smart home”, is able to answer questions, take photos and videos.

The nanny robot will help parents look after the child: the camera will show what the baby is doing, and the microphone will help you hear if he is crying. You can communicate with the child through the speakers, and the remote control system will help you move the robot around the house. You can ask the Robonny to show the children pictures and cartoons (of course, those indicated by the parent).

Robots - medical assistants

Instead of scalpel, nurse and donor

In medicine, such qualities of robots as accuracy, the ability to work tirelessly and the absence of emotions come to the fore. The introduction of robots into medicine should solve 2 problems at once. Firstly, a person will no longer have to do routine work, for example, issue medical records to patients. Secondly, robots will help doctors perform high-precision operations that were previously impossible. The robot does not get upset, does not make mistakes and is always ready to work.

Robot nurse. Robots can take care of patients, work at the reception, monitor compliance with prescribed treatment (for example, as part of a automated system on the delivery of prescribed drugs from the pharmacy), pick up in the treatment room and bring the necessary drugs to patients. One of these robots, created for caring for children and elderly patients, is called Robear - it was introduced in Japan back in 2015.

Robot surgeon. A robotic surgeon today is an aid in complex operations requiring delicate and time-consuming work. So, the Da Vinci robot has been developed: a set of cameras and manipulators, which works under the guidance of a surgeon operator. By establishing remote control, engineers will ensure that the doctor and the patient do not have to meet in person, even for the operation, since the surgeon will perform all the manipulations remotely. The Versius robotic surgeon helps doctors carry out the most modern type of surgery, when all the manipulation takes place through a tiny incision. This method causes the patient less pain and leaves fewer scars, but requires jewelry precision and a whole range of technologies.

Bodies printer. This is a kind of 3D printer, only the patient's own cells are used as a material for "printing". In this way, some internal organs, skin, body parts (ears and noses), bones and cartilage are already being created and successfully transplanted. Very soon the search for an organ donor will become a thing of the past - there are already known cases of successful printing of blood vessels, heart valves, skin grown in a laboratory.

Robot diagnostician. Robots are already actively helping doctors make decisions: the doctor enters data, the system helps to diagnose or prescribe a medicine. The next step is artificial intelligence-powered supercomputers. For example, the IBM Watson robot oncologist uses data from 600 thousand documents and scientific papers to analyze all information about a patient in a few minutes and offer diagnostic options. It is important that such robots in no way replace a doctor, they only help him analyze information and offer solutions. For example, a robot does not interpret an X-ray image, but only shows that a diagnosis has been found in people with similar images, and then the doctor draws conclusions.

Exoskeleton. The device is not science fiction, but a way to recover from injury or surgery. The ExoAtlet exoskeleton is a rigid frame with motors and a program. It helps the patient to stand upright and move as if he were walking on his own. Special sensors read body movements and amplify them with motors, so that a person walks as if by himself, but spends much less effort.

Robot programs

We already talked about how robots can look anything. It's time to find out that they might not look at all. The main thing is that they perform their function according to a given algorithm, and the result of their work is tangible outside the virtual world.

Robot Vera

Alexander Uraksin and his colleagues have developed the Vera robot, which takes over the routine tasks of recruiters. Hear Alexander's story about how Vera helps Rostelecom hire new employees. What tasks does the robot perform?

Automation by robots

One of the special cases of software robots, that is, robots that do not have a body, is the automation of business processes using robots or artificial intelligence. This technology is called "process automation by robots" (from the English Robotic process automation - RPA). The bottom line is that the program first monitors the user's actions, and then automates them and begins to perform on its own.

One example of such automation is the robot Vera, you are already familiar with it.

One of the Chinese insurance companies has automated the process of processing claims for insurance claims. Before automation, this was manual work: scanning applications, archiving papers, entering data from applications into accounting systems for analysis by the relevant departments. As a result, each application took an average of 11 minutes, and there were from 70 to 125 such applications per day. When the process was automated, all that was left was to scan the documents. After that, the pattern recognition system began to "itself" enter data into the system and into the archive in accordance with all company rules and legislation. The whole process of processing applications began to take about one and a half minutes.

One of the pharmaceutical holdings used RPA to analyze customer claims. The system automatically accepts, verifies and processes customer claims. Using a complex algorithm, the robot approves or rejects the application, and then moves on to the next one. The company receives about 5,000 calls per month and required 45 operators to handle the manual. Implementation, setup and testing of the robot took a month and a half, but after that the same volume of applications can be processed by one operator.