A robotics technology start-up from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) named Eureka Robotics, has unveiled a new robot that can pick up delicate optical lenses and mirrors with care and precision, just like a human hand.

Named Archimedes, the robot is developed by the same NTU team behind the “IKEA Bot” last year which attracted international headlines when it assembled an IKEA chair autonomously in less than 9 minutes.

Archimedes can slot lenses and mirrors of different sizes into a custom loading tray, to get them ready for coating.

This will be a boon to the manufacturers for optical products such as cameras, medical imaging and eyewear, as it eliminates defects in production and improves productivity.

This built-in-NTU innovation was supported by the SMART (Singapore MIT Alliance for Research and Technology). Its development from a lab concept into a prototype that is now going out to market is one fine example of technological translations taking place at the NTU Smart Campus.