Robots as a service (RaaS) is a growing business model that allows companies to lease robots and tap into a cloud-based service for the software. RaaS makes it easier for small- and medium-sized businesses to utilize robotic automation. Here we look at what RaaS is, why it's growing, and some examples of how businesses use it today.

1. Every Business
Robots As A Service:
A Technology Trend
Must Consider

2. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
From all indicators, robots as a service (RaaS) is growing rapidly. ABI Research
predicts there will be 1.3 million installations of RaaS by 2026 generating $34
billion in revenue. Let’s look at what robots as a service entails, the reasons for
its growth and some companies that offer RaaS solutions and the tasks it can
support.
Robots As A Service: A Technology Trend Every
Business Must Consider

3. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What is Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS)?
Many are now familiar with the concept of software as a service (SaaS) or big
data as a service (BDaaS), the pay-as-you-go or subscription-based service
model. In a similar set-up, those who sign up for robots as a service get the
benefits of robotic process automation by leasing robotic devices and accessing
a cloud-based subscription service rather than purchasing the equipment
outright. The headaches of ownership, such as paying off an expensive piece of
equipment plus handling maintenance issues that spring up, are avoided with
RaaS.

4. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What Has Caused RaaS
To Gain In Popularity?
Businesses are increasingly intrigued with RaaS because of its flexibility,
scalability, and lower cost of entry than traditional robotics programs. These
attributes allow small- and medium-sized businesses to benefit from robotics
without the often cost-prohibitive initial investment.
Typically, robots are used to replace lower-paying jobs done by humans at
companies. But, since robots are quite expensive, it can take years before
companies do realize a return on their investment. This reality has kept many
smaller organizations from investing in robots. That’s one of the reasons RaaS is
quite appealing today. RaaS also gives organizations the ability to scale up and
down rapidly and easily in response to changing market conditions and client
needs. It offers more predictable costs and less upfront capital to get started.

5. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What Has Caused RaaS
to Gain in Popularity?
Globalisation has also reduced the cost of hardware. It's also easy to sign up and
find powerful and cheap cloud computing solutions that allow robots to be
offered as a variable cost service with subscription packages. Additionally,
companies are already comfortable with the business model, thanks to many of
them already using the software as a service model.
There are many companies in several industries that are benefitting from RaaS
from warehouses and fulfilment centres to healthcare and security. As other
sectors realize uses for robots, RaaS lowers the barrier to entry for them to test
them out and experiment with robotic solutions.

6. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Examples of RaaS Platforms
Robots had already made an impact in the automotive and manufacturing
sectors, but thanks to RaaS, the advantages of robotic automation can also be
leveraged by small- and medium-sized companies.
Here are just a few of the companies developing tools to enable RaaS on a large
scale and the ways it can be used:
• Amazon’s contribution is the AWS RoboMaker, and it includes machine
learning, monitoring, and analytics services.
• Google is developing the Google Cloud Robotics Platform that combines
artificial intelligence (AI), the cloud and robotics to enable “an open
ecosystem of automation solutions that use cloud-connected collaborative
robots.”

7. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Examples of RaaS Platforms
• And, of course, Microsoft is in the arena, too. They want to bring the power of
Windows 10 to robots with ROS for Windows that gives developers tools they
need to program even more skilled robots.
• The Honda RaaS platform aims to provide a diverse range of robots and
cloud-based data services to a variety of companies to support
communication, robotic cooperation, and sharing data.

8. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
RaaS for a Variety of Uses
Cobalt Robotics offers robots to patrol buildings for a solution that the
company says is 65 percent cheaper than having human security guards to
guard premises. The data the robots collect is funnelled back to artificial
intelligence algorithms that can find insights to make security operations better.
Fetch Robotics promises on-demand automation for "any payload, any facility,
any workflow." They were also named by the World Economic Forum as one of
the technology pioneers that have the power to "shape the Fourth Industrial
Revolution." Among other tasks, Fetch robots help to automate warehouse
operations for online retailers who must deal with seasonal spikes. RaaS is very
appealing in these circumstances because it allows companies to quickly scale
up to meet a high demand without investing in equipment that won't be used in
slower periods.

9. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
RaaS for a Variety of Uses
Warehouse picker robots are the area of expertise for InVia Robotics. The
company offers a subscription-based model for goods-to-person-fulfilment
service. InVia claims they can boost order fulfilment by 500%.
Industrial robotics firm Kuka isn’t satisfied with offering just robots for lease;
they are launching a SmartFactory as a Service initiative to give their customers
an option to rent out an entire robot-staffed automated plant.

10. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Things to Overcome
As many technology providers make the shift away from selling products to
selling services such as RaaS, there are still things to overcome such as the
amount of customization of the hardware to make the robots useful for
individual organizations with specific needs. So, although a base platform might
be consistent across many entities, adaptations will be required for the robots
leading to longer implementation windows that cost more. Regardless of the
growing pains, RaaS will be the solution many organisations seek.

11. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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