Mapping Technological Profile of Collaborative Robots by Patent Analysis

Abstract

From 2011 onwards, thanks to the Industry 4.0 concept referring to the fourth industrial revolution, different technologies have emerged with the main objective of achieving increased productivity. One of the main technologies related to Industry 4.0 is collaborative robots, also known as cobots, whose main feature is an intelligent real-time labor nexus between humans and robots respecting safety standards. Therefore, the aim of this research work is to identify, analyze and map the technological profile of collaborative robots through patents. The results obtained show that the number of patents in recent years has grown exponentially since 2016. The largest number of inventions are concentrated in China, led by different universities, research centers and companies. Other important countries, in terms of development, are Japan and Germany, however, the inventions are mainly led by one company, Fanuc Corporation and Kuka Roboter GmbH. Likewise, it is clear that the technological advances are mainly directed toward technological developments linked to manipulators and hand tools, specifically to safety accessories and program-controlled manipulators. The results of the research provide the community involved in the research and development of collaborative robotics with a solid conceptual review, as well as a current snapshot of the temporal evolution and specialization in the technological field of inventions, obtaining intelligence information about Collaborative Robot technology to support R&D strategies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jon Borregan-Alvarado

Jon Borregan-Alvarado is an Industrial Electronics and Industrial Organization engineer, having worked as a process, production and continuous improvement engineer in several companies. In 2019 begins as a PhD-Student at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, focusing on the field of collaborative robotics and technological prediction of this sector.

Izaskun Alvarez-Meaza

Izaskun Alvarez-Meaza holds a PhD in Engineering, specializing in Industrial Engineering by the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, where she currently works as a professor, after years at a Technology Center. Her main research interests are focused on knowledge management, sustainability, technology maps, emerging technologies and tech mining.

Ernesto Cilleruelo-Carrasco

Ernesto Cilleruelo-Carrasco is a professor at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering. His teaching activity focuses on the area of innovative management of organizations and quantitative methods. His main research interest focuses on innovation management, where he has 20 years of experience.

Gaizka Garechana-Anacabe

Gaizka Garechana-Anacabe holds a PhD in Engineering, specializing in Industrial Engineering by the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. His research interests include innovation management, the science and technology indicators, text mining tools and scientific evaluation systems, being author of several articles on the topic of science and technology characterization.