The Construction Record Podcast™ – Episode 358: Cobots and construction with BCIT's Mathew Smith

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with BCIT Centre for Welding Technologies and Metallurgy director Mathew Smith about "cobots," robots designed to work collaboratively with students and workers in industrial environments. Smith said cobots differ from traditional industrial robots in size, function and cost and because of the use of sensors can maneuver around human operators, making them much more flexible in a learning environment. Cobots do not replace human skills, he added, as they follow preprogrammed instructions, and BCIT students are taught manual dexterity skills that remain fundamental to the welding trade. Cobots enhance work, Smith said, and alleviate tradespeople and students of rote tasks to focus on more complex work.  You can listen to our recent podcast with  ConstructConnect chief economist Michael Guckes here and our episodes are available at the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites, on Libsyn and at  Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services