Collaborative robot (cobot)
An industrial robot designed to work close to people without a fixed safety fence, by limiting its force and speed or by slowing and stopping when someone comes near.
Photo: Simon Kadula / Unsplash
A classic industrial robot works inside a guarded cell that stops when someone opens the gate. A cobot is built for shared space: an operator can hand it parts, guide its arm by hand to teach a position, or work at the same bench. It does so by sensing contact and limiting force and speed, or by watching how close a person is and slowing down or stopping.
Safety depends on the whole application, not on the arm alone: a cobot holding a blade or a heavy part can still hurt someone. Requirements for industrial robot applications are set in ISO 10218-2:2025, with ISO/TS 15066 covering collaborative operation; neither applies to household robots. In a smart factory a cobot might tend a machine or pack parts while AGVs bring the material. See the Industrial IoT guide.
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