Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Mitsubishi Electric to sponsor MassRobotics in the USA

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Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. has announced a sponsorship deal with MassRobotics.

MassRobotics is an independent, non-profit organisation serving as an innovation hub for robotics and connected devices.

Through this sponsorship, Mitsubishi aims to enhance MassRobotics’ prototyping space so startups can accelerate testing and support startup initiatives to develop the next generation of advanced manufacturing solutions that use cutting-edge technology and robots for factory automation customers worldwide.

[Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric to sponsor MassRobotics in the USA

Arrow Electronics, Infineon and Arkessa partner on connectivity for IoT devices

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Arrow Electronics has announced a global agreement with Infineon and Arkessa that will further extend Arrow’s ability to support customers with cellular communications for the Internet of Things (IoT).

Security remains one of the top concerns for organisations for connected devices. Infineon provides the secured hardware controllers based on GSMA’s Embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) specification that underpin the new service.

Arkessa provides secured mobile data services with the ability to provision and manage IoT devices from the factory into the field.

[Read more…] about Arrow Electronics, Infineon and Arkessa partner on connectivity for IoT devices

Panasonic and Toyota to establish joint venture for town development

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Panasonic and Toyota have concluded contracts aimed toward the establishment of a new joint venture related to the town development business.

Both companies aim to fuse the mobility services initiatives promoted by Toyota and the “lifestyle updates” initiatives spearheaded by Panasonic.

A rapid change is expected in this business due to the accelerated deployment of IoT technologies in home appliances, household equipment, etc., as well as the evolution in mobility, such as CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric) and MaaS (Mobility as a Service), a new concept of providing services by connecting cars, public transportation and other means of transportation through IT.

[Read more…] about Panasonic and Toyota to establish joint venture for town development

Sick demonstrates ‘smart logistics’ system for warehouse automation

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Sensors supplier Sick showcased a new “smart logistics” system at the recent ProMAT Show, one of the world’s largest material handling exhibitions.

Sick says its system demonstrates how to obtain greater efficiency throughout supply chain operations.

Sick presented its new innovations under the banner of “Logistics Gets Smart”, and says they are designed to provide “highly efficient solutions for intralogistics applications”. [Read more…] about Sick demonstrates ‘smart logistics’ system for warehouse automation

Qualcomm and Apple’s legal battle may indicate the future of cars, as Foxconn looks to build driverless tech factory

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The legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple may portend the future direction of car technology.

Qualcomm says Apple manufacturers are not paying the correct amount of money for the chipmaker’s intellectual property the iPhone maker is licensing – basically they’re not paying anything.

The lower, or absent, payments probably account for Qualcomm’s patent licensing business falling 42 per cent this year, according to CNBC.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm and Apple’s legal battle may indicate the future of cars, as Foxconn looks to build driverless tech factory

Harman introduces Sherlock AI system to help its designers and engineers find and put things together more quickly

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Harman International, a design and engineering company which supplies a range of products and services to automotive companies, has introduced a new artificial intelligence system into its company.

The AI system, Sherlock, is described as a “virtual colleague” for Harman employees, and is said to have completely redefined the innovation management workflow in some of the company’s divisions.

Armin Prommersberger, senior vice president technology, lifestyle audio division, at Harman, says Sherlock offers a level of insight into the business that would be impossible to gain without it.  [Read more…] about Harman introduces Sherlock AI system to help its designers and engineers find and put things together more quickly

NTT to develop global platform for Toyota connected vehicles

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NTT is working with Toyota to develop a global telecommunications platform for connected cars. 

Toyota is one of the largest automakers in the world, while NTT is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.

The new partnership will see both companies sharing relevant technologies, knowledge and expertise to create a connected car platform.  [Read more…] about NTT to develop global platform for Toyota connected vehicles

Kuka and VIP launch new system to teach industrial robots without programming

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All Kuka robots can now be “easily and intuitively” guided by hand in the workspace using a new navigation system developed by Very Important Product. 

The VIP Navigator was developed in partnership with Kuka.

VIP is a special-machine engineering expert and is now offering what the companies call the ready-to-use package, “ready2_pilot”, through its Navigator product.

The new system enables “quick and easy robot programming” using intuitive guidance – physically teaching the robot – instead of computer coding.  [Read more…] about Kuka and VIP launch new system to teach industrial robots without programming

5G Automotive Association and European Automotive Telecom Alliance to develop new connected car standards

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The 5G Automotive Association and the European Automotive Telecom Alliance have entered a cooperation deal in the field of connected and autonomous driving solutions as well as standardisation, spectrum and related use cases. 

5GAA and EATA say they are dedicated to prioritising the use cases identified by the two organisations in order to establish the technical requirements that need to be addressed, both in the short and in the long term.

In order to better support standards for connected and automated driving, standardisation prioritisation for standards bodies such as ETSI, 3GPP and SAE is necessary as well.  [Read more…] about 5G Automotive Association and European Automotive Telecom Alliance to develop new connected car standards

Connected and autonomous cars: Driving in the cloud

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Driving in the cloud

Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of obsolete components supplier, EU Automation explains how cloud computing can help both manufacturers and owners make the most of their vehicle

Today, we consider wireless connectivity and parking assist to be standard features in new models of car.

However, roll back 50 years and it was a different story; there was much less technology of any kind in most vehicles.

The three-point seatbelt didn’t become standard until 1970 and airbags weren’t mandatory until 1998. With cloud computing on the rise, we’re seeing more high-tech features being added to vehicles than ever.

Cloud computing plays a pivotal role in helping original equipment manufacturers manage and control the data and connectivity needed to run a system of remote downloads and upgrades across all the cars they sell.  [Read more…] about Connected and autonomous cars: Driving in the cloud