While it may not seem like bragging rights to say your robot is safe around humans, it's actually quite a big deal. There is a long history of robot accidents that have injured and even killed manufacturing workers. The industry has worked to curb this problem by containing robots in safety cages.

Those days have come to an end for many new robots that are designed to work safely around humans. Advances in safety measures come in a wide range of flavors, from soft touch arms to pressure sensors that halt the robot when it meets resistance. Vision systems have also added to the robot's awareness of its surroundings.

Safety has opened robots to a much wider range of applications, from side-by-side manufacturing work with humans, to warehouse picking and stocking, to medical patient support, even with tasks as sensitive as feeding those who cannot feed themselves.

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