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This article is about Cloud Computing
What is Robots as a Service?
By NIIT Editorial
Published on 10/09/2021
6 minutes
Software as a service was a huge success thanks to its pay-as-you-go model. And the same shift can now be seen in a similar verticle known as Robotics as a Service (RaaS). RaaS installations are expected to create $34 billion in revenue by 2026 as per research by AMI. In this article, we’ll touch base with the all essentials pertaining to RaaS. let’s get to it.
What is Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS)?
RaaS is a software-as-service model wherein enterprise customers outsource their robotics automation tasks onto a vendor with an established base of automation capabilities. As part of the subscription, vendors also offer their cloud computing infrastructure for use. As with other SaaS models, RaaS helps digital-at-scale companies to circumvent the bottlenecks of owning, operating and managing, a full-fledged cloud undertaking.
Benefits of Robotics as a Service?
As mentioned before, RaaS is a low-cost alternative for organizations that lack the financial inclination to install and run end-to-end robotics operations. We know that automation is contributing to job scarcity for lower-level, lesser-skilled professionals. Whereas it is easier for established market players to invest in and deploy specialized robots to replace human resources, it becomes a challenge for small and medium enterprises to do the same. That’s because they do not have the appetite to wait for years at a stretch to recoup large-scale investments. While saving on upfront costs, RaaS subscribers can limit their usage as per the demand curve.
The service robots marketplace is booming across the globe. Industrial warehouses, healthcare centers, storage units, etc. need robotic installations to take over and mitigate losses. Mass-market production of robots is expected to drive the price down for ownership. Therefore, in the immediate, it can be surmised that we will see more of RaaS as part of the mainstream. Similarly, professional interest in this sector also continues to grow as job enthusiasts target certifications in DevOps.
Examples of RaaS
Amazon has cashed its chances of gaining the first-mover advantage in robotics as a service sector with AWS RoboMaker. Their innovations in this view are capable of conducting full spectrum operations in machine learning, data monitoring, and analytics.
Google is working on the same lines towards setting up a self-sufficient ecosystem of cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, and robotics under their flagship Google Cloud Robotics Platform.
Microsoft has been in the news for ROS for Windows, a project that aims to integrate robotics in Windows 10. Similarly, the Honda RaaS platform is another example of a brand that seeks to offer an end-to-end robotic process automation solution for enterprise customers.
Challenges of RaaS
RaaS faces the following issues in its quest to maturity.
Commotion
The robots of the old order were limited to their workstations. However, the expectation from the robots of the future is something else. They’ll be expected to accompany their human overlords and move around freely. This dynamic function causes disruption in connectivity which is partly connected to robot movement but immensely affected by network reach of its own. Also, running such multifarious operations will require energy for which efficient electric power sources would have to be designed. To solve such challenges millennials and Gen Z are hell-bent on upskilling in DevOps training. They understand that certification in DevOps can help them deep-skill in the latest demands set out by recruiters.
Cybersecurity
Just as technology gets superior, cybersecurity challenges begin to surface. Yes, the internet of things (IoT) is an unprecedented platform for data exchange between devices but it is also vulnerable to online threats the likes of which we see increasing on the news. This is just another reason why learners are thronging to leverage DevOps training for professional upskilling purposes.
Performance Issues
With everything said and done, there will always be doubts regarding the performance of robots until they stand tall on the promises. Even for professionals who’ve deep-skilled in DevOps courses online, find it rather daunting to predict what bottlenecks they’ll face in the future. Whether RaaS applications are as good as promised, only time will tell.
Endnote
Robotics as a service will continue to mature with time. What learners need are specialized DevOps courses that help in gaining the right skills to understand the nuances behind artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data science. Therefore, NIIT has launched a series of online upskilling programs for enthusiasts to do better in their respective fields. Some of these courses include:
- PGP in Cloud Computing and SysOps
- Foundation Program in IT infrastructure and Security
- Advanced PGP in Data Science and Machine Learning
Explore NIIT’s online programs now for a career in a rewarding new-age domain.
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