Whether we see it or not, automation and robotics touch every aspect of our lives, from the cars we drive, to the food we eat, to our cellphones, home electronics, medicine, medical care, even to the way our online purchases are sorted and delivered to us at home. As shrinking workforces pose a challenge for society in developed countries in particular, the technologies and solutions that enable automation will be essential to future industry. In December 2019, JR Automation, a robotic systems integration business in the USA, joined Hitachi Group. This article describes the work that JR Automation is doing on innovation in industry and presents examples of collaborative creation prompted by the spread of COVID-19.
