Interviews

Robotics trends likely to be seen in 2023 — an exclusive interview with Mr. Maharajan Veerabahu, co-founder at E-Con Systems

Brief us about the proactive Founder/CEO of the company and his/her contributions towards the company and the industry.

Maharajan Veerabahu is a first-time entrepreneur and technical expert who is passionate about building products and developing new technology teams. As the co-founder and vice-president of e-con Systems, he ensures that the company takes ownership in every product it creates, manufactures, markets, or sells.

e-con Systems, founded in 2003, is a pioneer in embedded vision systems for a range of products and is an end-to-end OEM camera solutions provider. The company has seen significant growth in the past two decades, with revenue turnovers totaling over 200 Crores. e-con Systems is headquartered in Chennai and has a sales office in Bengaluru, along with 535 employees and a worldwide presence through distributors and representatives. The company’s mission is to enable machines to see and understand the world better.

 

Tell us how your company is contributing to AI/Robotics and how the company is benefiting the clients.

e-con Systems partners with customers in a variety of industries to provide embedded vision systems and modules that can be integrated with their designs. These systems can be used in conjunction with robots and other AI-driven machines to perform specific tasks and improve over time. When a vision system is successfully integrated with a product, it is called a design win. e-con Systems has achieved more than 300 design wins to date.

 

What are the Robotics trends likely to be seen in 2023 ?

With better capable AI and embedded vision systems, robotics is a fast-developing industry of the future. Some trends in the industry that we might see in the coming year and beyond are:

Guided Automated Vehicles (GAVs): Self-driving vehicles that operate on a predetermined route or within a designated area. They are equipped with sensors, cameras, and other technology to navigate their surroundings and follow set paths. GAVs are used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and retail, to transport goods and materials.

Robotics Cybersecurity: It involves protecting robots and their associated systems from cyber threats such as malware, ransomware, and hacking. It is important to secure robots as they often handle sensitive data and perform critical tasks in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and military.

The Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT): It refers to the integration of robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT). It involves connecting robots to the internet and other devices to enable remote monitoring, control, and communication. The IoRT allows for improved efficiency and productivity in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.

Robotics as a Service (RaaS): It is a business model that offers organizations the ability to use robotics on demand, rather than purchasing and maintaining their own robotic systems. This allows businesses to scale their operations quickly and efficiently in response to changing market conditions.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs): These are self-driving robots that can navigate their surroundings and perform tasks without human intervention. They are commonly used in manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality industries to automate processes, transport materials, and perform tasks such as disinfection.

Intelligent/Adaptive Robotics: This refers to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in robotics to enable real-time optimization of tasks. AI-powered robots can sense their surroundings and independently navigate, making them useful in manufacturing, logistics, and customer service.

Assistive Robots: These are robots designed to assist and augment human capabilities. They are often used in healthcare, elderly care, and education to perform tasks such as lifting and moving patients, assisting with daily activities, and providing educational support.

 

Tell us about your achievements in terms of  Innovation in embedded cameras during the year of 2022

The year has been quite fruitful to us. We designed and launched 6 new camera products with advanced capabilities like AI-vision capability for low light conditions, depth sensing, long-distance transmission, and surround view. We will continue with the same zeal and enthusiasm and hope to keep designing innovative products for our clients in the coming year as well.

 

How is AI/Robotics evolving today in the industry as a whole? What are the most important trends that you see emerging across the globe?

In the past, it was believed that artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and machine learning existed independently of one another. However, we now understand that in order to create valuable products for end customers, all three must advance concurrently. At the center of this progress are smarter embedded vision systems, which enable the extraction of valuable data from the physical world. In the current landscape, it is crucial to focus on the development and innovation of smarter AI and embedded vision systems in order to enable more advanced and effective machines of the future.

What are the key trends driving the growth in AI/Machine Learning?

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have seen significant growth in recent years, driven by trends such as the availability of data, the improvement in computing power, the demand for automation, and the advancement of machine learning algorithms. These technologies are being adopted in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing, to improve operations and increase efficiency.

AI systems are able to analyze large amounts of data and make decisions based on that analysis, making them particularly useful in these industries. The increasing adoption of AI and machine learning is driving further investment and development in the field, as businesses seek to take advantage of the benefits that these technologies offer.

 

How futuristic technologies are going to transform Robotics in the year 2023?

In the near future, technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, advanced wireless technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), quantum computing, and human-robot collaboration are likely to significantly transform the field of robotics.

These technologies will enable robots to perform tasks more intelligently and efficiently, communicate and collaborate more effectively, collect and analyze data from a variety of sources, and collaborate with humans in new and innovative ways. The integration of these technologies will lead to the development of more advanced and sophisticated robots, with a wide range of applications in various industries.

 

What is your mission and vision to impact the paradigm shift of the AI/Robotics  arena in the year 2023?

In recent years, there has been a surge in startups focused on hardware development in India and an increase in initiatives to encourage hardware manufacturing and export in the country. As a result, the Indian hardware product industry is expected to thrive and these companies could be ideal customers for camera modules.

e-con Systems anticipates rapid growth in the industry and the company in the near future. A decade ago, there were only a few products that utilized embedded camera systems, but today, their use is widespread across a variety of products, including cars, doorbells, phones, and even vacuum cleaners. The number of machines with vision sensing capabilities is expected to continue to grow exponentially.

Our vision is to enable these machines of the future to see and understand the world better, and with almost 2 decades of experience and expertise in this field, we are well-positioned to succeed in this rapidly growing industry.

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