The SPRINT Robotics World Conference, held in Antwerp, Belgium on October 29th and 30th, was a global gathering of the robotics industry that introduced the latest advancements in inspection and maintenance technology. Yokogawa showcased live demonstrations from our Tokyo-based Robots lab, presented our value proposition and the results of the PoC with a multinational oil and gas corporation, and engaged in insightful conversations with attendees.

Driving innovation with Human-Robot Synergy with Use Cases

The SPRINT Robotics World Conference highlighted the potential of collaboration between humans and robots in maintenance and inspection tasks. Attendees identified several recurring use-cases:

• The hazards faced by operators in dangerous and remote areas

• The monotony of repetitive inspection rounds

• The manual labor involved

• Additional costs associated with nighttime/shift operations

In the eyes of the European market, robots and drones will be key enablers in the journey towards autonomous operations and decarbonization. The region faces challenges such as:

• Lowered efficiency

• Knowledge transfer gaps

• Increased competition

The above making reliance on technical advancements essential to remain competitive. Based on the use-cases presented at the conference, the return on investment for robots and drones is almost a no-brainer for end-users.

From Innovation to Integration in Daily Business

Many participants are working on advancing their robot technology projects beyond the initial proof-of-concept and are interested in ensuring adoption in the daily operations and alongside experienced operators. Additionally, the focus of the demonstrations shifted from merely showcasing robot movements to addressing customer questions about data accumulation, analysis, and output. This change reflected a broader interest in the transformative potential and software advancements of robot and drone solutions.

Selecting the Right Technology

Yokogawa views the future selection of robot and drone vendors as a multi-source discussion. The industry recognizes that autonomous operations will need various types and vendors. This raises the question: how do we avoid complications with multiple vendors and platforms in our control room? A holistic approach ensures seamless integration of robots into existing systems, enhancing efficiency.

A solid platform, multi-vendor strategies, and integration are essential for preventing the so-called "waterbed" effect, where work is pushed to other functions instead of achieving true autonomous operations. These discussions underscored Yokogawa's dedication to addressing these challenges through advancements and multi-robot vendor integrations in our platform.

What about Cyber Security?

At the SPRINT Robotics Conference, operating from anywhere through the cloud emerged as a key topic of discussion for many platforms and applications, highlighting its numerous advantages for operations. However, the daily occurrence of cyber-attacks has raised concerns about the vulnerability of cloud environments, particularly in the context of OT Cyber Security. These trends have validated our design choices for Yokogawa’s OpreXTM Robot Management Core (RMC) , ensuring it offers both flexibility and maximum security with OT Cyber Security in mind.

Autonomy in Harmony

“Autonomy in Harmony” is the slogan established to signify Yokogawa’s Robot and Drone Solution Business which commits to achieving the goal of harmonious autonomy through the utilization of Robot and Drones. Encapsulating Yokogawa’s dedication to integrating autonomous technologies seamlessly into various industries, ensuring safety, efficiency, and innovation. As a global company, Yokogawa leverages its extensive history and insights from lessons learned to improve and innovate continuously. Together with our customers, Yokogawa Solution business strives to achieve, Autonomy in Harmony.

In conclusion, the Sprint Robotics Event provided valuable insights and reinforced Yokogawa's dedication to advancing robot solutions. Technology-wise, the industry is progressing and shows reliable and tested applications. The feedback and trends observed will undoubtedly shape the future direction of Yokogawa's innovations in the field of robot and drones.

About the Author

Experienced People & Transformation Manager with over 10 years' experience in global maritime and industrial environments with multi-national companies. Currently, leading digital engineering & consultancy for Yokogawa Europe.