Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for May 8, 2018

Pushy Pepper robots take over Smithsonian Museum hosting jobs

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A contingent of pushy Pepper robots – a small humanoid robot produced by SoftBank Robotics – has taken over the Smithsonian Museum’s hosting jobs.

The Pepper robots have already taken up their positions and are all set to meet and greet and be robotically cheerful for visitors to what is perhaps the world’s most famous museum chain.

The innocuous-looking but potentially job-stealing Pepper units were all donated by SoftBank as part of a pilot project. [Read more…] about Pushy Pepper robots take over Smithsonian Museum hosting jobs

Sony sells 11,000 units of robot dog Aibo

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Sony says it sold exactly 11,111 units of its robot dog, Aibo, in the three months since the mechatronic canine’s re-release in January this year. 

This is according to a report on The Mainichi website, which calls the sales performance a “solid start”.

This comment would indicate that the sales numbers are in line with, or indeed exceed, Sony’s targets.  [Read more…] about Sony sells 11,000 units of robot dog Aibo

The Questor Tapes: Novocaine for the android’s soul

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Watching old films probably has the same effect as taking novocaine or whatever it is that dentists give you these days as a local anaesthetic before they inflict the worst pain imaginable right inside your gaping piehole. 

The discomfort of modern life – and perhaps this only applies to older people – is somewhat anaesthetised by the eye-candy that is old film formats.

Or should that be “true” film formats, as in actual film rather than the zeros and ones on electrical circuitry somewhere inside today’s digital cameras?  [Read more…] about The Questor Tapes: Novocaine for the android’s soul

3D Systems claims its printers offer ‘world’s fastest time-to-part’ process

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3D Systems‘ Figure 4™ Production and Figure 4 Standalone is now the fastest, most accurate 3D printing technology available, says the company.

Recently released data on Figure 4 Production highlights part print speeds up to 65mm/hr, with prototyping speeds of up to 100 mm/hr.

The Figure 4 platform delivers part accuracy and repeatability, with Six Sigma repeatability (Cpk > 2) across all materials.

[Read more…] about 3D Systems claims its printers offer ‘world’s fastest time-to-part’ process

Comau takes ‘Humanufacturing’ to Automatica 2018

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Comau will take part in Automatica 2018 in Munich, Germany, 19-22 June, by presenting a new robotics solutions, a product in the field of wearable technologies along with its comprehensive approach to the digital factory.

The key concept will be Humanufacturing – people and robots working safely in close proximity, and ‘intelligent’ industrial machines that interact within a networked production system.

At the stand, visitors will be offered a real “Humanufacturing Tech” experience during which they can learn about and experience some of the most advanced technologies that Comau has designed for the factory 4.0.

[Read more…] about Comau takes ‘Humanufacturing’ to Automatica 2018

One device for data acquisition, evaluation and cloud storage

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A single device to acquire data, evaluate it and send it to the cloud is now possible with B&R‘s Edge Controller.

The powerful industrial PC can even be used for big data analysis and machine learning, says the company, while at the same time serving as a fully-fledged industrial controller.

B&R’s Edge Controller is based on the robust Automation PC 910, whose high-performance variant is equipped with an Intel XEON processor able to handle resource-intensive tasks like machine learning.

[Read more…] about One device for data acquisition, evaluation and cloud storage

First-ever luxury space hotel to offer discount holidays for less than $10 million

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The first-ever luxury space hotel was introduced recently during the Space 2.0 Summit in San Jose, California.

Named after the magical light phenomenon that illuminates the Earth’s polar skies, Aurora Station is being developed by Orion Span and the company’s team of space industry veterans, who have over 140 years of human space experience.

The first fully modular space station to ever debut, Aurora Station will operate as the first luxury hotel in space. The exclusive hotel will host six people at a time – including two crew members.  [Read more…] about First-ever luxury space hotel to offer discount holidays for less than $10 million