From Nikola Tesla's "teleautomaton", the first remote control device to ever be invented in 1898 to controlling rovers in Mars using wireless technology, science has grown expeditiously.
Fun fact: The remote control was invented before the television!
During Madison Square Garden's first Electrical Exhibition in 1898, Nikola Tesla exhibited a new invention he called a "teleautomaton". This is the world's first-ever radio-controlled device in the form of a miniature boat. One of his devices could be remotely controlled above water, and another had a hidden loop antenna that could be controlled under the water.
Wireless and remote-controlled technology were the crazes back in the 1990s, and people could not believe what they saw the first time they laid eyes on these devices that did not need long inelegant cables. No one had anticipated that 30 years down the line these technologies would be considered the norm. The usage of remote technology is widespread in the modern world and is considered an integral part of the Industrial 4.0 revolution. This is attributed to the many benefits they provide, no matter the scale of the operation.
Firstly, remote-controlled technology is easily the safest approach to any operation, ranging from using a drill bit to giant demolition projects. The use of giant sledgehammers and demolition hammers is long gone and is now replaced with radio-controlled wire saws and wall saws, which are easier to use, are less time-consuming, and ensure the safety of their users. Remote-controlled detonation robots and Bluetooth-controlled robots are widespread in this day and age for demolition practices as well. In industries that are prone to disturbances when using radio and Bluetooth signals, such as the aviation or medical industry, controller area network cables (CAN cables) are used and unnecessary interference can be avoided. Robotic startups and hardware development companies are now on the rise and deal with such industrial automation installations.
Secondly, remote technology also allows users to be within their comfort zones most of the time and does not limit their movements while operating the machinery. User safety is further assured by allowing them the freedom to move away from hazardous chemicals and dust, falling debris, harmful vibrations, and so on. The strain on human lives in lines of work involving extreme risk, like rescue operations, chemical waste cleaning, or marine operations, can also be reduced with the help of wireless technology. Radio-driven drones and unmanned vehicles are becoming widespread in these operations and are constantly going through rapid enhancements to improve their efficiency.
Another aspect where remote technology certainly ups its wired counterpart over is its ease of use. Operating machines manually for long hours at a stretch is cumbersome and can cause fatigue in its users. The use of remote-controlled technology has more or less eliminated this factor and has made arduous tasks look like light work. From controlling devices like televisions, air-conditioners, and automated home solutions to manipulating robotic arms and industrial equipment, wireless control systems have made everything seem effortless. While it takes training and continuous practice in the industrial world to perfect certain tasks, the basic controls remain simple, effective, and unchallenging. The use of digital screens and wireless transmitters have made it easy to navigate between these technologies and have been designed to control various parameters, whether it is the speed, depth, or angle of a reamer to larger procedures such as selecting the pressure needed to be applied or attachment changes to be implemented in custom manufacturing processes.
The use of wireless technology has also diversified the people involved in these industries. For instance, the need for brute force is eliminated with the help of radio-controlled machining and this helps in increasing the number of skilled operators within the industry. Another factor that has helped in diversification is the reduction in threats while using remote software to control machinery, consequently helping in the retention of skilled labor.
Lastly, productivity is greatly enhanced using wireless technology in day-to-day remote-controlled operations. Though skilled manual workers hone and sharpen their skills after years of repeated practice, the human body tends to give way after long hours of continuous work and there will be a noticeable difference in their performance over the day. This can be removed completely with the help of remote-controlled technologies as the values can instead be fed into the machine, which then works fastidiously without having to wear the user out. For example, the use of surface grinding machines has been widespread and the technology involved in this process has improved immensely over time. While it may have initially been operated by an expert, the depth of the surface grind and the roughness of it is dependent on how fast the grinder is set to move. Minor errors such as small increases or decreases in speed can completely change its surface and reduce uniformity throughout. This problem has since been tackled using automated surface grinders that take in-depth and speed values from the user to reciprocate and give the desired outcome. Moreover, product design companies and hardware development companies continually develop and modify existing products based on the needs of the end-user, and this has further helped in reducing human strain and in improving industrial automation.
Overall, the use of remote technologies is ever expanding and will continue to for the foreseeable future. The benefits that it provides help industries improve their growth, and productivity, ensure smooth operation, and increase internal satisfaction, subsequently making remote technologies highly sought after in the current industrial world.
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