Can a robot be man's best friend?

We hear little about the many cobots – robots that collaborate with humans – on our factory floors and in shared workspaces. Only when a rogue robot at a car parts factory in the United States killed a technician last year did their existence come to life. More than 300,000 will be sold worldwide in the three years to 2019, according to the International Federation of Robotics. "The reality is that most of our customers struggle to find enough labour. This problem is becoming even more pronounced as many factory workers retire and millennials are less inclined to work in manufacturing jobs," explains Jim Lawton, chief product officer at Rethink Robotics.