Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for October 27, 2022

ABB launches its smallest industrial robot

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ABB has launched its smallest ever industrial robot, offering new possibilities for faster, more flexible and high-quality production of wearable smart devices.

With its compact size, class-leading payload and unrivaled accuracy, the new IRB 1010 offers electronics manufacturers the opportunity to increase their production of devices including smart watches, earphones, sensors, and health trackers through automation.

Rui Liang, managing director of ABB Robotics’ electronics business line, says: “The market for wearable smart devices is accelerating rapidly, with projections estimating double digit growth between 2022 and 2028. [Read more…] about ABB launches its smallest industrial robot

MassRobotics partners with AMD to advance adaptive computing in robotics

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MassRobotics, an innovation hub and startup cluster focused on the needs of the robotics community, is partnering with chip giant AMD to introduce and deliver technologies to robotics startups.

Through the industrial suite of AMD tools, platforms and an accelerated app store designed for the robotics industry, robotics startups will be able to further develop innovative solutions around automation, mobility, AI and machine vision-related applications.

AMD, widely known for their FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) and adaptive SoCs (system-on-chips), are bringing offerings, such as the Kria KR260 Robotics Starter Kit and Kria Robotic Stack (KRS), which are focused on bringing easy-to-integrate hardware acceleration of ROS 2 to MassRobotics resident startups. [Read more…] about MassRobotics partners with AMD to advance adaptive computing in robotics

Robotics Plus unveils autonomous modular vehicle to ‘alleviate agriculture labour shortages’

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Robotics Plus, a New Zealand-based agritech company, has launched an autonomous multi-use, modular vehicle platform for agriculture designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard machine tasks – to “alleviate ongoing labor shortages and transform the industry”.

The multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) can be supervised in a fleet of vehicles by a single human operator. The vehicle uses a combination of vision systems and other technologies to sense the environment – to optimize tasks and allow intelligent and targeted application of inputs such as sprays.

Growers will be able to rotate multiple tools on the highly adaptable and configurable agriculture platform, depending on the day’s work – for jobs such as spraying, weed control, mulching, mowing and crop analysis. [Read more…] about Robotics Plus unveils autonomous modular vehicle to ‘alleviate agriculture labour shortages’

Walmart makes Brain Corp ‘the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots’

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Sam’s Club, a membership warehouse club and a division of Walmart, has completed a national, chain-wide rollout of “Inventory Scan” towers that have been added to its existing fleet of robotic scrubbers in partnership with Brain Corp, a provider of artificial intelligence for robots.

In doing so, Walmart has made Brain Corp “the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots”, according to the company.

Todd Garner, vice president, in-club product management, says: “Our initial goal at Sam’s Club was to convert time historically spent on scrubbers to more member-focused activities. [Read more…] about Walmart makes Brain Corp ‘the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots’

Applied EV uses Siemens Xcelerator as a Service to design autonomous vehicle systems

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Applied EV, an Australian specialist in safety-rated, autonomous-ready, digital control systems and modular vehicle platforms for commercial applications, is using the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to support the design, quality assurance and build of its next generation autonomous vehicles.

Applied EV is creating the future of transport with driverless, efficient transport solutions with Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) architected applications for the automotive and industrial sectors.

Siemens’ cloud-native Teamcenter X software for product lifecycle management (PLM) from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio is the trusted tool for Applied EV’s design and product quality workflows to help decrease costs and reduce time-to-market. [Read more…] about Applied EV uses Siemens Xcelerator as a Service to design autonomous vehicle systems

Sarcos demonstrates robotic technologies for shipyard operations

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics, a developer of highly dexterous exoskeletons and robotic systems that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, says it has executed field trials demonstrating improved worker safety and productivity for shipyard operations.

Sarcos robotic systems are designed to carry out maintenance, inspection, and repair activities, on and around ships that are underway and pier side, creating safer and more effective shipyard operations and improving the efficiency of sailors and shipyard workers.

In September, the company completed a successful field trial for the US Navy at the Repair Technology Exercise (REPTX) at the Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California. [Read more…] about Sarcos demonstrates robotic technologies for shipyard operations

Vecna Robotics unveils ‘major software release’

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Vecna Robotics, a specialist in material handling automation solutions, has unveiled what it describes as “a major software release and hardware upgrades” to its AFL-class autonomous forklift.

The new capabilities expand the company’s reach within warehouse and factory floors by optimizing material transport between other machinery and equipment, with specific focus on low-lift workflows.

The update supports numerous above-ground workflows including: inbound staging to AS/RS induction; delivering materials to ergonomic lift stands for work-in-process flows; and loading and extracting from robotic palletizers and stretch wrappers. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics unveils ‘major software release’

Formic launches industry’s ‘first turnkey palletizer’

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Formic, a provider of robotic technologies on a pay-as-you-go basis, has released its SL20 Palletizer – the inaugural product in a new catalog of certified, off-the-shelf, robotics-as-a-service solutions available at a “low cost per hour”.

Built by Sourcelink Solutions, Formic says its new offering further underlines its “commitment to removing the barriers to automation” so that small to mid-sized businesses can onboard the technology and thrive amid today’s challenges.

Buying a robot is largely untenable for the majority of manufacturers due to the risk, complexity, upfront capital, and expertise required. [Read more…] about Formic launches industry’s ‘first turnkey palletizer’

Celera Motion launches ‘world’s smallest, fastest servo drive’

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Celera Motion, a business unit of Novanta, has launched what it says is “the world’s smallest and fastest servo drive”.

The new Everest S, the latest addition to the popular Everest Series, is about 30 percent smaller than its predecessor, making it the world’s smallest servo drive. It’s also the fastest: The EtherCAT and CANopen versions deliver bus latency reduced to 1 cycle, making Everest S the fastest servo drive on the market today.

The Everest S includes all the best features of other Everest servo drives – plus it now also includes Dual BiSS-C feedback support, a highly sought-after feature. [Read more…] about Celera Motion launches ‘world’s smallest, fastest servo drive’

iFollow boosts capacity of its mobile robot range to 1500 kg

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iFollow has expanded its iLogistics autonomous mobile robot range to include a unit with a 1500 kg capacity.

Made at iFollow’s state of the art facilities outside Paris in France, The iL 1500 tops the range that includes units with capacities of 300 kg, 600 kg and 1000 kg.

And with a unit height of just 17 cm, iFollow claims it is “the thinnest mobile robot in the world that can carry 1.5 tons”. [Read more…] about iFollow boosts capacity of its mobile robot range to 1500 kg