Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for December 11, 2018

Robotiq raises $30 million in funding from Battery Ventures

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Robotiq, a provider of end effectors and software for the collaborative robotics market, has raised $31 million (Canadian) in funding from global investment firm Battery Ventures.

It is the company’s first round of institutional financing. As part of the transaction, Battery General partner Jesse Feldman, who specializes in industrial-technology investments, will join Robotiq’s board.

Robotiq – which makes equipment including specially designed “grippers” – says it will use the new money for product development, international expansion and enhanced support of its partner ecosystem.  [Read more…] about Robotiq raises $30 million in funding from Battery Ventures

Heidenhain opens new office on US West Coast

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Industrial robotic components manufacturer Heidenhain has opened a new office on the West Coast of the US to provide “specialized motion systems” with ETEL, a company which specialises in motion control solutions.

As the Silicon Valley in California and the West Coast continue to be the hub of the semiconductor manufacturing in the US, Heidenhain has expanded its motion systems support by establishing an ETEL facility in Fremont, CA.

This new 2018 office will provide product, service and support of its ETEL motion systems designed specifically for that industry and others.  [Read more…] about Heidenhain opens new office on US West Coast

Simbe Robotics installs inventory robot Tally in Decathlon store

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Simbe Robotics has installed its inventory robot – Tally – in a Decathlon store in San Francisco, in the US. Tally is claimed by Simbe to be “the world’s first fully-autonomous inventory robot”.

The installation marks the start of a formal partnership between Simbe Robotics and Decathlon USA, which is said to be the world’s largest sports retailer.

The partnership kicks off with the application of Tally in the sporting goods retailer’s inaugural US store located in San Francisco, California.  [Read more…] about Simbe Robotics installs inventory robot Tally in Decathlon store

Tomahawk Robotics raises $2.4 million in seed funding

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Startup company Tomahawk Robotics, which aims to bring “advanced robotic control systems to enterprise markets”, has raised a $2.4 million seed round investment from leading venture capital firms and angel investors.

Participating in the oversubscribed round are: Mosley Venture Partners, which led the round, Naples Technology Ventures, Scout Ventures and Stout Street Capital.

This initial investment round will be used to further evolve Tomahawk Robotics’ Kinesis platform and expand the product development and engineering teams to address immediate deliverables for key customers.  [Read more…] about Tomahawk Robotics raises $2.4 million in seed funding

Advanced driver assistance systems market to reach $67 billion by 2024

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The global market for advanced driver assistance systems market is set to reach $67 billion by 2024, according to a report by Global Market Insights.

Park assist systems accounted for 11 percent of the ADAS market share, according to GMI, which also finds that there are “substantial applications for blind spots elimination and accidental threats mitigation”.

These systems have found a significant market in the passenger and commercial vehicles sector because of their efficient detection and warning capabilities.  [Read more…] about Advanced driver assistance systems market to reach $67 billion by 2024

Machine learning: Bosch sends sensor system to space station

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Bosch in North America and Astrobotic Technology Inc. have announced a research partnership to send experimental sensor technology to the International Space Station (ISS) as early as May 2019.

Bosch’s SoundSee technology is a deep audio analytics capability that uses a custom array of microphones and machine learning to analyse information contained in emitted noises.

SoundSee’s analytics will investigate whether audio data from equipment could be learned and understood using advanced software, such that it could be used to improve the operations of the ISS.

[Read more…] about Machine learning: Bosch sends sensor system to space station

Industrial IoT startup MachineMetrics raises $11.3 million in funding

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Industrial IoT startup MachineMetrics has raised $11.3 million in Series A funding. The company says the funding will enable it to “continue leading the endeavor to bring analytics to manufacturing”.

In a circular, the company says: “We intend to use every penny to give our customers a world-class experience through faster growth, focused innovation, quick product updates, custom features, improved service – and that’s just the start.”

Most importantly, adds the company, the funding has provided it with the opportunity to “preserve the secret sauce that has made MachineMetrics who we are today”.  [Read more…] about Industrial IoT startup MachineMetrics raises $11.3 million in funding

Infineon ships ‘world’s first industrial-grade eSIM in miniaturized package’

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Infineon has started shipping what it says is “the world’s first industrial-grade embedded SIM in a miniaturized package”.

Infineon’s new chip is than 3mm x 3mm and is designed for a wide range of applications.

Machine-to-machine communication in the internet of things requires reliable data collection and uninterrupted data transmission.  [Read more…] about Infineon ships ‘world’s first industrial-grade eSIM in miniaturized package’

Aerospace robotics market predicted to grow as manufacturers turn to automation to meet orders

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The global aerospace robotics market is expected to display higher growth rate over the next seven years, according to a report by Million Insights. 

The market is subject to witness a substantial growth due to the growing demand for robotics and automation in the aerospace industry, rising adoption of robots for efficient aircraft production, and increasing implementation of aircraft orders backlog.

Additionally, higher labor costs are expected to augment market demand for aerospace robotics over the forecast period.  [Read more…] about Aerospace robotics market predicted to grow as manufacturers turn to automation to meet orders

Johnson Controls and Toshiba partner on dual batteries for cars

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Johnson Controls Power Solutions and Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation have partnered to deliver low-voltage lithium-ion solutions to meet automaker demands for improved efficiency, lower costs and less complexity.

Under the agreement, Johnson Controls will collaborate with Toshiba to develop and manufacture lithium-ion batteries at its Holland, MI, plant and pair them with existing lead-acid battery technology as part of dual-battery systems.

Dual-battery vehicles are expected to be the fastest-growing form of electrification and by 2025 will account for approximately 20 percent of new vehicles built globally, according to IHS, Markit.

[Read more…] about Johnson Controls and Toshiba partner on dual batteries for cars