Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for March 2016

Robotics and IoT to play central role at Taiwan technology exhibitions

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Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, viewing the ABB YuMi collaborative robot at a previous event
Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, viewing the ABB YuMi collaborative robot at a previous event

More than 1,600 companies have booked stands and are preparing to market their products at the Innovex and Smartex events in Taiwan. Robotics and the internet of things will be among the key attractions.

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The exhibitions are organised by Computex Taipei, a government-linked organisation started in 1981 to promote trade with the outside world.

China has been buying large numbers of industrial robots in recent years, and ABB is one of the companies which is looking to establish itself in the region.

The company is developing partnerships on Mainland China, and has decided to book a place at the Computex in Taiwan, which is something of a global hub for electronics manufacturing.  [Read more…] about Robotics and IoT to play central role at Taiwan technology exhibitions

Robo-advisor platform aimed at small investors launched

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robo advisor

A financial services company called Ladenburg Thalmann has launched a robo-adviser called $ymbil, apparently aimed at small investors. 

The company describes it as a self-service investment platform that matches clients of Ladenburg affiliated advisors to a diversified portfolio consistent with their personal risk tolerance. Requiring a minimum investment of $500, $ymbil allows clients to fund their accounts and start investing in minutes.

“With $ymbil, we are helping advisors address the growing demand for wealth management services that harness the combined benefits of automation and human insight,” said Adam Malamed, Ladenburg’s chief operating officer. “$ymbil appeals to financial advisors and investors looking to maximize the benefits of technology with automated client registration, account administration, reporting and operational efficiencies.”  [Read more…] about Robo-advisor platform aimed at small investors launched

Nissan to launch car with self-driving tech next year

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The Nissan Qashqai will have self-driving features from next year
The Nissan Qashqai will have self-driving features from next year

Nissan is planning to integrate the Qashqai with autonomous features by next year, making the “crossover” model the first of its cars in Europe to feature its new self-driving technology. 

After a decade of what the car maker calls “unprecedented customer demand”, Nissan says it intends to increase Qashqai capacity and further strengthen its position as what the company claims is the “best-selling crossover in Europe”.

Nissan says it “still cannot keep pace with the continued growth of the crossover market” it claims to have created with Qashqai, despite record volumes of 300,000 cars every year on Line 1 at the company’s UK Sunderland Plant, round-the-clock production and a build rate of one car every minute.  [Read more…] about Nissan to launch car with self-driving tech next year

US auto industry buys half of all industrial robots, says IFR

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dürr robot

The US auto sector “buys every second industrial robot” sold, according to a report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR)

The US economy is one of the front-runners in the global automation race. By 2018, the number of industrial robots sold will, on average, rise by at least five per cent per annum, to a new record of 31,000 units (2014: 26,202). 

About one-half of these will be installed by car makers and their suppliers. Viewed according to robotic density – meaning the number of industrial robots per 10,000 employees – the US automotive industry, with 1,141 units, already ranks third in the world’s national economies after Germany (1,149 units) and Japan (1,414 units). These are the calculations published in the report 2015 World Robot Statistics, issued by IFR.

[Read more…] about US auto industry buys half of all industrial robots, says IFR

Hong Kong University claims world’s first internally motorized minimally invasive surgical robotic system

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Prof Law (left), Prof Yeung (middle) and Prof Yung (right), with their single incision or natural orifice (incision-less) robotic surgery system
Prof Law (left), Prof Yeung (middle) and Prof Yung (right), with their single incision or natural orifice (incision-less) robotic surgery system

A team in Hong Kong is claiming to have developed the world’s first internally motorized minimally invasive surgical robotic system for single incision or natural orifice (incision-less) robotic surgery. 

A statement by the the group, which comprises leading Hong Kong universities working with commercial partner companies, said the system can minimize surgical trauma and improve the safety of current robotic surgery.

The project is said to have developed a novel surgical robotic system (NSRS) with haptic (tactile) feedback and capable of single incision or natural orifice (incision-less) robotic surgery.

The development was initiated by Professor Yeung Chung-Kwong (Prof Yeung), honorary clinical professor at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (HKU).  [Read more…] about Hong Kong University claims world’s first internally motorized minimally invasive surgical robotic system

TransCore to develop intelligent traffic system for Washington

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ddot traffic management

Washington, DC’s District Department of Transportation (DDoT) has selected TransCore to develop and integrate an advanced software solution that enables District traffic management personnel to more effectively manage congestion, roadway incidents, and special events.

Known as the TransSuite Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), TransCore’s software applications will be integrated with the DDoT’s existing signal control system and other systems, forming the Capital Traffic Operation Platform (CapTOP) ATMS.

“As our nation’s capital, Washington, DC is challenged with managing both local traffic and highly visible special events. These activities can change traffic flow in an instant and for long periods of time. That’s why real-time information sharing is so critical,” said Michael Mauritz, TransCore’s senior vice president for intelligent transportation systems solutions. “We’re excited to work with DDoT in developing a comprehensive traffic management and communications network.”  [Read more…] about TransCore to develop intelligent traffic system for Washington

National Instruments upgrades software for semiconductor testing

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national instruments

National Instruments has released its TestStand Semiconductor Module, which provides test system engineers with the software tools to develop, deploy and maintain optimized semiconductor test systems.

With the TestStand Semiconductor Module, NI says engineers can now program lab characterization systems using the same programming paradigm they deploy on the factory floor with the Semiconductor Test System (STS), “reducing the time required to correlate measurements”.

Built on TestStand industry standard test management software, which is used by 10,000+ developers worldwide, the TestStand Semiconductor Module also empowers customers to build their own rack-and-stack systems for semiconductor production test using the capability of PXI and TestStand outside of the conventional “test head” architecture of the STS.  [Read more…] about National Instruments upgrades software for semiconductor testing

Honda to bring out Asimo robot for appearance at Narita airport

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Asimo will be appearing at Narita airport
Asimo will be appearing at Narita airport

Honda plans to conduct demonstrations of Asimo, Honda’s bipedal humanoid robot, at Narita International Airport over a one-week period from Monday, March 28 through Sunday, April 3, 2016.

This will be the first time for any airport in Japan to hold this type of event in the area prior to where travelers begin the immigration process and formal entry into the country.

Honda will showcase its technological strengths by providing Asimo, an outstanding humanoid robot representing Japan, to welcome and offer its hospitality to travellers who just arrived.  [Read more…] about Honda to bring out Asimo robot for appearance at Narita airport

Apple releases robot that takes apart iPhones and saves valuable components

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apple liam robot
The Apple Liam robot deconstructs iPhones and saves components and materials for recycling

Apple has introduced a robot that takes apart discarded iPhones and recycles the valuable components inside, according to a report on the Reuters website.

Liam is reported to have been in development for three years, and will start with disassembling the iPhone 6.

Apple says it will modify the robot so it can handle a variety of devices and recover more of their components and materials.

According to Reuters, the Liam system consists of 29 robotic modules on a single site near Apple’s headquarters in California. It will focus initially on iPhone 6 phones. A second Liam robot is being installed in Europe, Apple said.

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said Liam can help push the technology sector toward more recycling, by manufacturers and consumers. “We need more R&D if we are going to realize the idea of a circular economy in electronics,” she said.

Apple made the announcement about Liam the robot at the same time as it launched its new range of technologies, which included a tiny iPhone SE.

Full story at the Reuters.com.

SanDisk expands storage solutions to aim for connected car and IoT markets

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connected car
Image credit: Sam Churchill

SanDisk has expanded the company’s storage technologies to target connected applications in automotive and industrial markets.

The company introduced its latest generation SanDisk Automotive flash storage solution, an automotive grade SD card optimized to meet the unique storage demands of the “connected car”.

The new card includes a suite of built-in smart features that enhance reliability and allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to better manage their storage in data-intensive automotive environments. SanDisk also said that it is bringing these new OEM-optimized features to its SanDisk Industrial and SanDisk Industrial XT SD cards.

“The ‘Internet of Things’ is the most dynamic force to impact the automotive and industrial markets in a decade, driving exciting new opportunities for connectivity as well as new challenges for how to store, process and manage the data it creates,” said Oded Sagee, senior director of connected solutions at SanDisk.

“Our newest SanDisk Automotive and SanDisk Industrial flash storage solutions are ideal for connected applications in these markets, offering exceptional dependability and performance as well as new smart features that enable our OEM customers to better maximize their storage.”  [Read more…] about SanDisk expands storage solutions to aim for connected car and IoT markets