ScienceAugust 6, 2026

cobots

KOH-bots

Definition

Collaborative robots designed to work alongside humans in a shared space rather than replacing them.

Etymology

This term is a portmanteau created by combining 'collaborative' and 'robots'. It was coined by J. Edward Colgate and Michael Peshkin in the 1990s to describe machines that physically interact with human workers.

In the news

In the article, the term is used to explain how the future of space exploration involves cooperative relationships where autonomous systems work alongside human operators rather than independently of them.

Q&A: David Barnhart on how USC is building the future of space

Read the full article ↗

USC Today

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