T E C H N O L O G I C A L I N N O VAT I O N S ROBOTIC refinements BY RYA N M C C A R T H Y | r m c c a r t hy @ s o s l a n d.c o m 60 MEAT+ POULTRY | 07.18 | www.meatpoultry.com G Photos: Georgia Tech Research Institute Researchers at GTRI are looking at using co-robotics to assist in poultry operations eorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) senior research technologist and project director Sean Thomas remembers the robots he worked with at the beginning of his research career. The sheer size would intimidate people. Most robots were placed in cages for the safety of humans working alongside them. "Twenty years ago, to pick up 7 or 8 lbs. you would have a robot weighing 1,500 lbs.," Thomas says. "Today you're getting a robot weighing less than 45 lbs. picking up 11 lbs." These latest robotic advancements are being used to develop potential poultry processing solutions for strenuous and repetitive jobs.http://www.meatpoultry.com