This article is provided by Allan Lagasca, smart industrials worldwide leader at STMicroelectronics.
The use of robots in industry is nothing new. For decades, factories have relied on manufacturing automation to improve speed, precision, and consistency. But where robots have previously been separated from human workers – for very good reasons - the next wave of robots will see robots and humans working in close collaboration.
Collaborative robots, or “cobots”, are reshaping the relationship between humans and technology, and are one of the fastest-growing segments of the overall robotics market. According to research, the cobot market was already worth $2.95 billion in 2025 and is projected to at a CAGR of 23.1% between 2026 and 2033.
Why cobots make senseThe opportunity for closer collaboration between robots and humans is driven by several industrial trends.
For one thing, manufacturers are facing specific skills shortages. For example, half of Britain’s welders are due to retire by...