Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for April 2, 2018

Opinion: The customer must be at the centre of the digital strategy

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By 

Colin Masson, global industry director of manufacturing solutions, Microsoft

Break down internal barriers to deliver highly tailored products and services

It’s easy to get obsessed with technology – it is the key enabler of today’s revolution – but the harder part of the transformation is cultural.

It’s about putting the customer experience and their business outcomes at the centre of everything. That means realigning engineering, manufacturing and the supply chain around delivering a world-class sales and service experience.

It means new thinking about optimising customer satisfaction and loyalty metrics such as Customer Satisfaction Scores or Net Promoter Scores rather than production efficiency.  [Read more…] about Opinion: The customer must be at the centre of the digital strategy

Hangar and Vapor IO to launch autonomous robotics data service

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Real-time system includes new data sources that support autonomous drones, cars and robotics

Vapor IO, which specialises in edge computing and edge data centers, and Hangar, which claims to be the world’s first Robotics-as-a-System data acquisition platform, have agreed plans for a commercial implementation of Hangar’s autonomous robotics for Industry on top of Vapor IO’s Kinetic Edge.

The implementation consists of Hangar’s Robotics-as-a-System platform running on Vapor IO’s Kinetic Edge, deployed to Project Volutus edge locations.

Hangar’s RaaS platform will utilize Vapor IO’s Kinetic Edge sites for safe navigation, connectivity, situational and airspace awareness, drone storage, drone recharging, high-speed data ingest and low latency processing.  [Read more…] about Hangar and Vapor IO to launch autonomous robotics data service

Nasa considers sending shapeshifting robots to search for aliens near Earth

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Nasa is planning to send shapeshifting robots to search for alien life on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. 

Titan is 50 per cent larger than Earth’s moon and is said to be “Earth-like” in the way it has wind, rain, volcanoes and other climactic characteristics.

However, while it looks and behaves somewhat like Earth, Titan is believed to be full of methane and ethane, which are obviously not breathable by humans.  [Read more…] about Nasa considers sending shapeshifting robots to search for aliens near Earth

Tiny, four-thousand-dollar robot can haul almost five tons

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A tiny robotic vehicle slightly larger than a laptop computer can haul almost five tons in weight. (See video below.) 

The Trailer Valet RVR – launched by a California, US company – is available in several configurations, and is aimed at moving around caravans or trailers.

The RVR is Trailer Valet’s first self-motorised and remote-controlled vehicle features “heavy-duty caterpillar treads” which allow it to go over different terrains including asphalt, gravel, grass, and dirt, according to the company.  [Read more…] about Tiny, four-thousand-dollar robot can haul almost five tons

Geek Plus says it has sold more than 3,000 warehouse robots

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Geek Plus Robotics says it has sold “more than 3,000” units of its warehouse robots so far.

The Chinese company, which last year raised an additional $60 million in funding, says it is ready to go global.

Beijing-based Geek+ say they have entered the global market by setting up a branch office in Hong Kong in 2018.  [Read more…] about Geek Plus says it has sold more than 3,000 warehouse robots

Magna to invest $200 million in Lyft and manufacture self-driving systems ‘at scale’

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Magna, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, and Lyft, a rideshare company, have agreed a multi-year collaboration in which the companies will jointly fund, develop, and manufacture self-driving systems.

In addition, Magna will invest $200 million in Lyft equity.

The establishment of this partnership is subject to regulatory approval.

This partnership is an industry-first and positions Magna and Lyft to enable the development and manufacturing of self-driving systems at scale.  [Read more…] about Magna to invest $200 million in Lyft and manufacture self-driving systems ‘at scale’