Market trends and business perspectives
President Barack Obama says robots can help the US grow its economy by leading to higher total factor productivity (TFP) in the future.
The president made his remarks in his annual economic report to the Houses of Congress. Extracts from President Obama’s report:
“One area of innovation that can help the United States to boost TFP growth in the future is robotics. [Read more…] about Obama to leave the future of the US in the hands of robots
Japanese communications giant SoftBank is looking to build on its increasing brand awareness outside Asia with a change of name for Europe.
SoftBank is the company behind the Pepper robot and the Aldebaran Robotics company, which developed Pepper and a number of other robotic systems and technologies including Nao (picture).
Now, SoftBank Group has decided to rename Aldebaran as SoftBank Robotics Europe and has changed the website accordingly.
In a statement, SoftBank said the change of the Aldebaran brand name to SoftBank Robotics was “in view of increased global brand awareness and business scale in the future”. [Read more…] about SoftBank absorbs Aldebaran and adds robotics to its name
Harvest Automation has sold its robotic warehouse automation technology and business to focus on robotic material handling in a variety of agriculture markets.
Harvest developed what it says are “groundbreaking robotic systems” for e-commerce order fulfillment over the last year and a half.
The company had completed a small fleet of robots that demonstrated a three-fold increase in order picking efficiency. [Read more…] about Harvest Automation sells robotic warehouse business to focus on agriculture
Tokyo International Airport’s International Passenger Terminal is employing a cleaning robot made by Cyberdyne.
Following its implementation in the Domestic Terminal, the Cleaning Robot will expand its operation into the International Terminal, which is also open 24 hours a day.
This is a joint-project of Cyberdyne and Japan Airport Terminal Company, and with the cooperation of Tokyo International Airport (also known as Haneda Airport).
Verification tests for the Cleaning Robot are being conducted at the International Passenger Terminal for 2 weeks, a time frame which is due to end soon. [Read more…] about Tokyo airport employs Cyberdyne cleaning robots
Company regarded as one of the most innovative startups extends range of robotic autonomous toy vehicles
Anki Overdrive, a robotics and artificial intelligence company, has launched a new range of toy autonomous vehicles which the company says takes its hit battle-racing game “to the next level”.
The company already had an array of toy autonomous cars in its line-up, but now it has added what it calls “robotic Supertrucks” to the mix.
The new “battle rigs”, as the company calls them, Freewheel and X52, supersize the racing experience with an “intimidating frame that’s nearly triple the size of other Anki Overdrive Supercars, commanding a big presence on the battlefield”. [Read more…] about Anki Overdrive launches toy robotic supertrucks
