Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for December 3, 2018

STMicroelectronics launches advanced image sensors for automotive safety systems

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Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics has unveiled two new automotive global shutter image sensors, the VG5661 and VG5761, featured for driver monitoring.

Both were demonstrated with automotive software innovator Jungo’s driver-monitoring solution CoDriver, at the recent AutoSens Imaging conference and at Electronica 2018.

These advanced image sensors enhance monitoring of vehicle occupants by capturing the scene as illuminated from the camera, eliminating unpredictable external effects such as sunlight or street lighting.  [Read more…] about STMicroelectronics launches advanced image sensors for automotive safety systems

TCGRx and Parata Systems merge to create pharmacy automation giant

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Pharmacy packaging and automation provider TCGRx, a portfolio company of Frazier Healthcare Partners, has acquired Parata Systems.

Established leaders in medication adherence packaging and high speed automated robotic dispensing technologies, TCGRx and Parata have combined to create a new market leader focused on providing pharmacy technology solutions that support business growth, better health outcomes and lower medical costs.

Together, TCGRx and Parata currently have more than 4,500 medication adherence packagers, inspection systems and vial-filling robots installed in retail, long-term care, hospital, government and mail order pharmacies throughout North America.  [Read more…] about TCGRx and Parata Systems merge to create pharmacy automation giant

H20.ai to expand its driverless AI system in partnership with Tech Mahindra

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H2O.ai, an open source developer of artificial intelligence systems, says its inaugural global systems integrator partner, Tech Mahindra, will expand H2O.ai’s global reach.

Across industries and around the world, customers are undergoing an AI transformation that is changing the way businesses operate, compete and delight customers.

Along with H2O.ai, Tech Mahindra is able to reach more customers and solve their unique challenges with the automatic machine learning platform, H2O Driverless AI.  [Read more…] about H20.ai to expand its driverless AI system in partnership with Tech Mahindra

Siemens showcases sector-specific solutions and future technologies for Industry 4.0

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Siemens presented a range of sector-specific solutions and future technologies to enable the digital transformation of today’s discrete and process industries at the recent SPS IPC Drives event.

The central focus was on new products, solutions and services from the company’s Digital Enterprise portfolio designed to enable the merger between the physical and digital worlds to boost the flexibility, efficiency, quality, security and speed of their operations. To

get to grips with the rising complexity of production processes and leverage the many associated benefits, Siemens is continuously expanding and strengthening its portfolio with the integration of groundbreaking future technologies, from artificial intelligence to edge computing.  [Read more…] about Siemens showcases sector-specific solutions and future technologies for Industry 4.0

Worldwide semiconductor equipment sales drop to $15.8 billion in third quarter of 2018

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Worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment fell to $15.8 billion in the third quarter of 2018, according to new data from SEMI.

SEMI is the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

In its latest report, the organization found that third quarter 2018 worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings dropped 5 percent from the previous quarter to $15.8 billion, but are 11 percent higher than the same quarter a year ago.  [Read more…] about Worldwide semiconductor equipment sales drop to $15.8 billion in third quarter of 2018

Nidec to showcase latest robotic components and haptic devices

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Leading components supplier gearing up for CES 2019

Autonomous machines are set to play an indispensable role in the future – not only in factories and warehouses, but also in people’s homes.

In addition to improving the efficiency of manufacturing lines, robots also have the potential to make our lives more comfortable by taking care of menial tasks, or augmenting human capabilities through technologies like powered exoskeletons.

Highly sophisticated robots use dozens – sometimes even hundreds – of motors and gearboxes.  [Read more…] about Nidec to showcase latest robotic components and haptic devices

Insight: ‘Auto-mate’ – why automation can be a business’s best friend

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Klaus Allion, managing director at ANT Telecom, explains why strengthening automation capabilities should be an automatic choice for production and manufacturing companies

Automation and the manufacturing/production industries are no strangers; they’ve been bosom buddies since the 1970s and have been quietly reshaping business for almost half a century.

Few sectors have embraced automation so much and for so long. However, the world is changing and some within the sector are being left behind.

Seismic advances in technology – from artificial intelligence and machine learning to the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor technologies – have redefined what’s possible through automation, giving organisations renewed opportunity to transform processes, strengthen safety and increase efficiencies.  [Read more…] about Insight: ‘Auto-mate’ – why automation can be a business’s best friend

World’s first commercial installation of all-electric, autonomous truck

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DB Schenker and Einride have launched the installation for the first commercial use of a T-pod – an all-electric, autonomous truck – at a DB Schenker facility in Jönköping, central Sweden.

The T-pod will travel continuously to and from a warehouse, paving the way for a sustainable transition of road freight transportation.

Einride’s T-pod has no driver’s cab but is supervised and can be teleoperated by a human operator, from hundreds of miles away.

[Read more…] about World’s first commercial installation of all-electric, autonomous truck

Centimetres make all the difference for safe automated driving, says Bosch

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Automated driving is about more than just sensors, control units, and lots of computing power, says Bosch. It also requires a host of smart services, without which no vehicle will ever be able to drive autonomously.

“Services are at least as important for automated driving as the hardware and software,” says the Bosch board of management member Dr. Dirk Hoheisel. “We must pursue all three paths simultaneously to get self-driving cars safely and reliably onto our roads.”

Self-driving vehicles can drive safely only if they know down to the nearest centimetre exactly where they are at any given time, says Bosch. To achieve this, the company offers a  localisation package.

[Read more…] about Centimetres make all the difference for safe automated driving, says Bosch

ABB to manufacture an optical sensor for GHGSat

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ABB Measurement & Analytics Business Unit in Québec City, Canada, has signed a contract with Montréal-based company GHGSat to manufacture and test the optical sensor onboard the company’s third microsatellite (GHGSat-C2) for monitoring greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by industrial facilities around the world.

GHGSat-C2, scheduled for launch in early 2020, will further the deployment of the GHGSat satellite constellation.

With more than 30 years of experience in the traditional government space market, ABB has provided key hardware contribution to sensors flying on leading Earth observation missions such as AURA; TERRA; SciSat1; GOSAT 1 and 2; NPP; JPSS 1, 2, 3 and 4; Meteosat; MetOp-SG.

[Read more…] about ABB to manufacture an optical sensor for GHGSat