Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany
The man died Monday at the plant in Baunatal, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Frankfurt
A robot has killed a contractor at one of Volkswagen's production plants in Germany, the automaker said Wednesday.
The man died Monday at the plant in Baunatal, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Frankfurt, VW spokesman Heiko Hillwig said.
The 22-year-old was part of a team that was setting up the stationary robot when it grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate, Hillwig said.
He said initial conclusions indicate that human error was to blame, rather than a problem with the robot, which can be programmed to perform various tasks in the assembly process. He said it normally operates within a confined area at the plant, grabbing auto parts and manipulating them.
Another contractor was present when the incident occurred, but wasn't harmed, Hillwig said. He declined to give any more details about the case, citing an ongoing investigation.
German news agency dpa reported that prosecutors were considering whether to bring charges, and if so, against whom.
Also Read
-
Robot Killers Qu’est-ce que c’est
Robots are already widely used in war, but what when they start to think for themselves? Middle East -
Japan’s Robear: Strength of a robot, face of a bear
The "Robear" has a cub-like face with big doey eyes, but packs enough power to transfer frail patients from a wheelchair to a bed Variety -
Liquid metal 'Terminator' robot inspires 3D printer
DeSimone and co-inventors developed a technology they call Continuous Liquid Interface Production Variety -
The robot revolution has already begun
But the next generation of robots will be smarter, as machine vision, sensors and artificial intelligence all improve Business
