Franka Emika Panda in ‘TIME’s best inventions of 2018’

At the end of each year, the renowned magazine Time Magazine makes a selection of the best inventions that make the world better, smarter and a bit more fun. This year, the Franka Emika Panda has not gone unnoticed and even occupies a prominent place on the cover.

Revolutionary Robotic Arm

TIME calls the Panda ‘a revolutionary robot arm’ and indicates that Franka Emika is changing the world by making robotics possible for everyone. You can read the complete article below.

“We’re living in the middle of a robotics revolution, but the most capable machines are generally available only to wealthy corporations. The German-based robotics firm Franka Emika is changing that with the Panda, an $11,000 (roughly) easy-to-program robotic arm designed for small businesses. Able to move in seven axes and designed with a smart sense of “touch,” the Panda can help conduct science experiments, build circuit boards or pretest equipment. Two Panda arms can even work together to build a third. And while the Panda isn’t designed for personal use, something similar could eventually offer a helping hand at home, chopping food in the kitchen or assisting the elderly with difficult tasks. “We believe that robots will have a similar success story as personal computers,” says Franka Emika’s CEO and co-founder, Simon Haddadin. —Alejandro de la Garza”