These screenshots taken from an Obrero video show how the robot can determine where a hole for an object is, "feel" when the object has been correctly placed, and let go.
Torres-Jara said he chose the name Obrero, which means "worker" in Spanish because one of the applied uses would be to mimic a human worker assembling parts. He also noted that the word "robot" comes from the Czech word "robota," which means "forced labor."
Most robots working on assembly lines today are simply programmed for one or two distinct repetitive tasks. A robot like Obrero, which relies more on touch than sight, would be able to find parts and assemble them even if they were not placed in an exact position or the correct direction on an assembly line, according to Torres-Jara.
Photo by Eduardo Torres-Jara
