Drives & Controls September 2022

24 n ROBOTICS September 2022 www.drivesncontrols.com How robots are making the world more sustainable S ustainability means different things to different people. It covers climate change, biodiversity, net-zero, corporate viability and many other issues. This makes it hard to summarise, but the UN has given it a good go: “Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” If we boil this down, there are three factors we must balance and nurture to be sustainable: n People : social equity, or human capital, pertains to fair and beneficial business practices towards labour, the community and the region where a corporation operates. n The planet : refers to sustainable environmental practices. n Profit : the bottom-line deals with the economic value created by an organisation, including the value it creates for the overall economy, not just the company itself. Negative impacts Nature magazine recently published a review by 100 sustainability experts into robotics and its ability to impact sustainable development goals (SDGs). The panel was generally optimistic, believing that robotics would affect most SDGs positively. In particular, they predicted that robots will reduce poverty, encourage good health and well-being, and support climate action. However, the experts were worried that robotics would have a strongly negative impact on equality and a mixed effect on peace. The biggest risks include: n The reinforcement of inequalities : even if automation increases net jobs, the employment market will transform, and that process could result in suffering, unless managed correctly. n The rebound effect: efficiencies created by robotics could lead to increased consumption if consumer behaviour does not change. n Energy use: on average, an industrial robot consumes more than 21,000kWh annually. This could reduce significantly with improvements in mechanical design, dynamic power modes and smart metering. n Materials: robots contain unsustainable materials, but the search is on to create robots made out of recycled, biodegradable and replaceable parts. Although these risks are substantial, developments are being made to address each issue. The Nature article concludes that robotics will have a net beneficial impact on sustainability. How can robots make the world more sustainable? Gradually at first, then rapidly, enabling new ventures and innovation with the potential to cause a paradigm shift in sustainability. Most companies use robotics to improve their processes incrementally. Generally, when companies investigate automation, they are doing so to improve their profitability and the conditions for their workforce. When many companies consider new investments, their first and maybe only concern is profitability. Automation can boost profitability in various ways, including: cutting costs; enhancing customer satisfaction; reducing errors; and increasing throughput. The biggest myth in robotics is that companies implement automation only to cut labour costs. In fact, the number one reason our clients consider automation is because labour shortages are reducing their ability to generate revenue. Although citing profit as a component of sustainability might feel like a cop-out, the realities of corporate decision-making are such that if profit isn't considered, it's unlikely that progress will be made on the other factors. If implemented correctly, self-serving motivations can still bring social benefits. What do robots have to do with sustainability? Is automation good for the planet? Jack Pearson, the co-founder and commercial director of Remix Robotics*, considers these questions and argues that automation can indeed result in positive changes. The Small Robot Company is developing agricultural robots that can cut down on the use of chemicals on farms