Ford employs a wide range of innovative robots to manufacture high-quality vehicles economically. The Robotized Unit for Tactility and Haptics (Ruth) is an industrial machine that offers multiple capabilities such as human insight utilizing feeling and touch and keen eye for details as a computer.
RUTH Auto Article
German engineers utilize Ruth to perfect vehicle interiors at Ford’s European Research Centre right from the functioning and feel of switches to the quality and texture of materials.
They also use the robot to develop an optimized steering wheel with enhanced capabilities to benefit drivers worldwide. Engineers at Ford train Ruth in such a way that it is able to detect the features, which feel pleasant to the human hands by correlating the detailed measurements of robots with human insight. Following this, Ruth can evaluate if new components will meet the demands of the Ford customers. The robot’s thorough and reliable approach backs the subjective analysis achieved by the company’s human quality professionals.
The company’s engineers have designed special tools for Ruth. They have developed robotic fingers that can precisely replicate how irregularities and friction is perceived by humans. A technical expert at Ford, Mark Spingler, stated that Ruth enables them to perform measurements of a human-based assessment.
Source: http://media.ford.com/