Day: July 23, 2019
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Warehouse automation company Fetch Robotics raises $46 million in latest funding round
Fetch Robotics, a provider of warehouse automation technologies, has raised $46 million in its Series C round of funding. The round was led by Fort Ross Ventures, with additional participation from CEAS Investments, Redwood Technologies, TransLink Capital and Zebra Ventures. All existing investors – O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, Shasta Ventures, Softbank Capital and Sway Ventures –…
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Continental launches series production of technologies for robo-taxis
Continental’s technology for driverless vehicles will be in production for the first time in French company EasyMile’s EZ10 autonomous shuttle. Continental has held a stake in this driverless vehicle manufacturer since 2017. Driverless robo-taxis will become an important part of mobility in urban centers, helping to reduce traffic congestion and increase efficiency, says the company.…
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Innovation in industrial manufacturing taking many forms, finds Deloitte
Not all types of innovation are created equal when it comes to the transformation taking place today in the industrial manufacturing sector. A new report series, Innovation in Industrial Manufacturing, by Deloitte about innovation in industrial manufacturing shows that patent-based innovation – in both business process improvement and new product development – has become a…
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Drones expected to grow to $100 billion market as they take off in commercial and industrial sectors while delivery market beckons
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS), more commonly referred to as drones, have been in the public eye for well over this decade and a hype cycle developed around its applications for the consumer and commercial space. The high-profile failure of major drone manufacturers and software providers, such as US firm Airware in 2018, somewhat tempered…
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Public policy group calls for updating of laws to enable driverless truck platooning
A US public policy organization called the Competitive Enterprise Institute is urging states to update their laws to enable driverless truck platooning. The CEO says the measures would offers safety, economic, and environmental benefits. New automated vehicle technology will help freight truck companies transport consumer goods in a more fuel-efficient way, reducing transportation costs and…
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Human-robot teams work better ‘when there’s an emotional connection’, say researchers
Humans and robots work better together when there’s an emotional connection, according to a study by the University of Michigan. The researchers observed that soldiers develop attachments to the robots that help them diffuse bombs in the field. They add that, despite numerous warnings about privacy, “millions of us trust smart speakers like Alexa to…