We live surrounded by various objects that we can't imagine our daily lives without: in the morning, the coffee machine brews our coffee, we simply put the dirty cup in the dishwasher, the soiled towel goes into the washing machine, and the crumbs from the floor are collected by a robot vacuum cleaner. These and thousands of other objects that ease our daily routines were created using the knowledge of mechatronics and robotics.

We discuss the technologies developed in these fields, their importance, and prospects with Dr. Vytautas Bucinskas, a professor at the Faculty of Mechanics at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH).

For homes and medical sector

"Mechatronics is a synthetic field of science and technology that combines mechanics and electronic control areas. Our environment is full of devices such as washing machines, dishwashers, printers. Robotics is a more specialised field of mechatronics, where a certain device's function is related to motion, such as a vacuum cleaner, window-cleaning robot, or automatic lawnmower. Almost every device is mechatronic, and there’s plenty of them in industry sector, medicine, and our homes," explains Dr. V. Bucinskas, head of the Department of mechatronics, robotics, and digital manufacturing.

The scientific world is also full of mechatronic systems - from electronic scales to atomic force microscopes (AFM). Of course, this world is unimaginable without robotic systems from micro-manipulators, technological robots to exoskeletons.

According to the scientist, the fact that people don't even think about inventions in their environment shows that the devices are convenient, work well, and don't require much attention.

"Even the analyser used for blood tests is mechatronic, not to mention an automatic coffee machine. In summary, it can be said that mechatronics has become so common that we don't even notice it, using it both at work and at home," says Prof. V. Bucinskas.

Technology shapes the future

"Robotics is radically changing people's work and daily life. Household appliances that relieve us of routine work, production tools that don't require physical or tedious and harmful work are already a part of today. In the future, we will move from individual actions, such as lawn mowing or dust cleaning, to complex solutions - home or yard management," says Prof. V. Bucinskas.

For example, an automatic lawnmower will not only mow the lawn but also compost it, clean itself, go to the cheapest electricity charging station, return to its storage location, and inform the owner about it. All that remains is to mow the lawn as needed and maintain other ecological, technical restrictions. Other household cleaning procedures would also change - thanks to mechatronic and robotic inventions, laundry would be taken from the laundry box, sorted according to washability, the best mode would be set for them, then the clothes would be taken out of the machine and properly arranged in an automated wardrobe.

However, for now, inventing such new technologies is too complicated due to the unstable geometry of object transfer and manipulation - this is a significant area of robotics. As explained by Prof. V. Bucinskas, when laundry is taken out of the washing machine, its orientation is random, and when it is taken from a different place, its shape changes completely, so such problems currently hinder the robotisation of many processes.

"So far, many people still work at the conveyor belt in car assembly plants because the assembly of flexible components is not automated. Moreover, often climate and natural conditions create insurmountable obstacles for sensor complexes."

Not only making the work easier but also taking it away?

However, as technologies ease the daily lives of people and various production processes, an important discussion arises in society: will robots take away our jobs?

"Yes, some professions will disappear or the demand for certain specialists will greatly decrease. But do we see protests about the difficult situation of steam-engine drivers? Do we notice sad washerwomen with washboards? And draftsmen - where are they?" asks the speaker.

According to the scientist, society needs to be prepared for changes that are beneficial, although people may not like them. Moreover, with the advancement of technology, the list of professions is changing - smart technologies increase the number of high-skilled workers and reduce the number of low-skilled workers.

What we create at VILNIUS TECH?

In the modern laboratories and workshops of VILNIUS TECH, young developers not only learn theory but also practically contribute to the invention of new technologies.

"In the Department of Mechatronics, robotics, and digital manufacturing, we carry out many projects. The "PCKasa" project, which created and implemented an excavator assistant, has recently ended as part of the "Eureka" program. We also participate along with more than 30 partners in the "AI4CSM" project under the "Horizon2020" program, aimed at integrating artificial intelligence systems in manufacturing. A "Erasmus+" KA2 project was dedicated to studies in this field - "MechaUZ", in which we, together with partners, developed and successfully handed over a study program "Mechatronics and robotics" to five universities in Uzbekistan. Every year, we conduct student internships in summer and during the semester, we have a large number of PHD students, and we offer one postdoctoral internship, where force sensors made of biopolymers that degrade over time are created," invites the head of the department, Prof. V. Bucinskas.

The article was prepared by Milda Mockunaite-Vitkiene, Internal Communication Projects Manager at VILNIUS TECH Directorate of public communication.

Photos by Aleksas Jaunius.