Vincennes University invests in cobots for Jasper tech center

JASPER, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Vincennes University has partnered with Carmel-based Telamon Corp. to place 11 collaborative robots at the school’s campus in Jasper. VU says the investment brings advanced technology and training to Dubois County to support the manufacturing employers throughout the area.

The school says the cobots lab, located in the Center for Technology, Innovation, and Manufacturing, will allow students to learn about the latest technology in a variety of fields, including manufacturing, medical, and aviation. It will also help are employers by hosting demonstrations and workshops on cobot technologies and applications.

“Cobots represent the next generation of automation within the manufacturing sector and will become part of the solution to overcoming current productivity and workforce challenge,” said CTIM Director Jacob Berg. “The VUJ Cobot Learning Lab is a resource for all community partners to explore and test collaborative robots.”

Cobots are intended for direct human interaction in a shared space, acting as “an extra set of hands,” said VU. They are smaller, able to be moved, and easier to reprogram to perform different tasks.

VU says the lab is part of an $8 million grant funded by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc., to bolster the 21st century workforce.