Robot learns to dismantle broken machines

Robots have spent decades helping build the products around us.

Now researchers are teaching them another skill that could become increasingly important: taking those products apart when something goes wrong.

More than 4.6 million industrial robots are already operating worldwide.

Meanwhile, demand for industrial robots continues to grow as manufacturers automate more production.

That creates an obvious question.

What happens to all those machines and other complex products when parts wear out or fail? FOREIGN ROBOT BAN TARGETS CHINA OVER SECURITY FEARS Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany have developed a robotic disassembly system designed to tackle that problem.

Instead of assuming every screw and component will behave perfectly, the system plans for the messy reality of old machines.

A screw may be stuck.

A component may already be missing.

The machine may no longer match the original design.

The robot can figure that out as it works and change its plan along the way.

New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today’s Biggest Threats Join us Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers.

No technical experience is needed.