Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for June 6, 2016

Tech gurus proclaim: ‘This is the era of artificial intelligence’

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Humans could soon be totally freed from thinking for themselves – because the era of omnipresent artificial intelligence is here 

The world’s most famous and influential technology leaders have declared that humanity is either already in the grip of artificial intelligence or, if it isn’t, it soon will be. 

Reuters has reported comments from several tech moguls who, the news agency says, have declared this the “era of artificial intelligence”. And O’Reilly Media has organised its first Artificial Intelligence Conference in New York to discuss “AI going mainstream”.

However, most proponents have stopped short of declaring their unconditional support for AI’s newly acquired capabilities because some of them have fears about the possible consequences of machines ruling over humans.  [Read more…] about Tech gurus proclaim: ‘This is the era of artificial intelligence’

Conference to discuss robotics and automation in automotive industry

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Robotics and Automation News partner conference: Next-generation collaborative robots and automation technologies in automotive manufacturing 2016

American Business Conferences has organised an event to discuss robotics and automation technologies in automotive manufacturing. 

The two-day event – Next-generation collaborative robots and automation technologies in automotive manufacturing 2016 – will be held in Detroit, USA, on August 17 and 18, and will be attended by many of the leading names in the automotive manufacturing industry.  [Read more…] about Conference to discuss robotics and automation in automotive industry

Robotiq explains new collaborative robot specifications from ISO

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robotiq cobot pic

Robotiq is a company that mainly makes grippers for industrial robots, specialising in two-finger and three-finger robotic hands for the collaborative robots made by Universal Robots. 

However, Robotiq also regularly publish much useful and timely information about the robotics industry, often technical information which only experts in the field – such as those who work at Robotiq – would be able to provide.

This week, Robotiq has published an explanation of the new ISO safety requirements pertaining to collaborative robots, and gave Robotics and Automation News permission to publish the article, which follows.  [Read more…] about Robotiq explains new collaborative robot specifications from ISO

Exclusive: Seiko Epson boss looks to robots for 70 per cent growth within 10 years

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Minoru Usui, president, Seiko Epson
Minoru Usui, president, Seiko Epson

Exclusive interview with Seiko Epson president Minoru Usui 

The president of Seiko Epson says he wants to increase the company’s total annual revenues by 70 per cent within 10 years, and believes industrial robots will be one of the fastest-growing business units, with a 500 per cent hike in that time.

In an exclusive interview with Robotics and Automation News, Minoru Usui says Seiko Epson is hoping to achieve a dramatic expansion of its robotics division in the next decade, and “take the company from being a 1-trillion-yen-a-year business to being a 1.7-trillion-yen-a-year business”.

Epson Robots is one of the top industrial robot manufacturers in the world, and Usui is keen to build on this success.

In its annual report, the company lists robots in the “sensing and industrial solutions” business segment, which accounts for approximately $2 billion revenue a year. Seiko Epson’s total revenue is approximately $10 billion a year. [Read more…] about Exclusive: Seiko Epson boss looks to robots for 70 per cent growth within 10 years