Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

Why Do Truck Drivers Need ELDs?

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As a truck driver in the states, there are many rules you need to keep in mind while going about your tasks. An Electronic Logging Device (ELD) incorporates most of these safety measures to ensure you stay safe and compliant on the road.

An ELD is a mandated requirement for commercial drivers in most states. An ELD is a reliable way for you to ensure smooth and safe driving without risking any violations. With this device, you can create a safer environment on the road for yourself and others.

Having an ELD in every commercial vehicle became mandatory after April 1, 2018. The law was enforced to track every driver’s Hours of Service (HoS). It helps the Department of Transportation keep an eye on the violations and prevent them. [Read more…] about Why Do Truck Drivers Need ELDs?

EDF employs ‘unique’ underwater drone to carry out ‘first ever’ autonomous robotic inspection of wind farm foundations

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EDF has installed a uniquely customised remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to carry out what is believed to be the first autonomous wind farm foundation inspection at its Blyth Offshore Wind Farm.

The ROV, equipped and operated by researchers from the ORCA Hub, a strategic project within the National Robotarium, was modified to include cutting-edge robotic technologies for autonomous inspection capabilities and carried out visual inspections of the gravity-based foundations of three offshore turbines over the course of four days.

The inspections were undertaken as part of a partnership between EDF and the ORCA Hub to investigate a wide range of potential applications for drone technology to assess offshore wind turbines. [Read more…] about EDF employs ‘unique’ underwater drone to carry out ‘first ever’ autonomous robotic inspection of wind farm foundations

Festo unveils ‘the first pneumatic collaborative robot’

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Industrial technology and automation company Festo has unveiled what it describes as “the first pneumatic collaborative robot”, saying it marks a “new era in human-robot collaboration”

What if there was a robot that was easy to operate, did not require a safety fence and was also attractively priced? That would introduce a whole new era in human-robot collaboration. This new era is now dawning – with the world’s first pneumatic robot from Festo.

Hardly any industrial market segment will grow as rapidly over the next few years as human-robot collaboration. Cobots relieve employees of particularly strenuous or monotonous tasks, giving them new levels of freedom and making their work easier and healthier.

And no other technology has such a sensitive and flexible approach to human-robot collaboration as pneumatics. [Read more…] about Festo unveils ‘the first pneumatic collaborative robot’

Wikifactory secures $2.5 million funding to expand its manufacturing marketplace

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Wikifactory, an online platform for collaboratively creating physical products, has secured $2.5 million in pre-series A funding from existing shareholders and new investors including, Seier Capital, the investment vehicle of Lars Seier Christensen. This brings Wikifactory’s funding to date to a total of nearly $8 million.

Wikifactory enables developers, designers, engineers and startups from across the globe to collaborate, prototype and produce hardware solutions in real-time that solve real world problems.

The company is working to build the Internet of Production, which is an emerging concept of a distributed, interoperable, open standards-based system, linking together product definitions, software services, and manufacturing-as-a-service (MaaS) solutions. [Read more…] about Wikifactory secures $2.5 million funding to expand its manufacturing marketplace

Motional and Uber launch autonomous deliveries of food

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Motional and Uber have launched autonomous deliveries for Uber Eats customers in Santa Monica, California.

Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 vehicles, operating autonomously, are now conducting end-to-end food deliveries.

Abe Ghabra, Motional’s chief operating officer, says: “Autonomous delivery signifies the next phase of Motional’s commercial roadmap. [Read more…] about Motional and Uber launch autonomous deliveries of food

Commercial vehicle maker MAN selects Magazino robot for warehouse work

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The robotics company Magazino wins commercial vehicle maker MAN as a customer for a pilot project with the SOTO robot.

The mobile robot SOTO automates the material supply between the warehouse and the assembly line, by handling and transporting small load carriers (KLT) completely autonomously.

The pilot operation started at the Nuremberg site in the engine production for trucks and offers both sides the opportunity to gain experience with the robot for a future live operation. [Read more…] about Commercial vehicle maker MAN selects Magazino robot for warehouse work

Continental to unveil new autonomous mobile robots for first time at LogiMAT

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Automotive technology company Continental will present for the first time in public its autonomous mobile robots for the external market at the LogiMAT 2022, the international intralogistics trade show, from May 31 to June 2 in Stuttgart, Germany (hall 2, booth number EF15).

After an internal test phase in Continental production locations worldwide, the AMRs are now ready for the external market entry with improved and new features as well as the handling of new use cases.

Building on the company’s years of extensive research in the robotics field, Continental is including these solutions now into its product portfolio in the newly established area of Continental Mobile Robots. [Read more…] about Continental to unveil new autonomous mobile robots for first time at LogiMAT

GreyOrange raises $110 million for ‘growth financing’

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GreyOrange, a robotic fulfillment company, has raised $110 million in “comprehensive growth financing”, a majority of which came from Mithril Capital Management and a group of current and new investors, along with separate financing provided by funds and accounts under management by BlackRock.

The growth financing underscores GreyOrange’s technical leadership in a fundamental market shift to robot-enabled automated fulfillment solutions.

GreyOrange reduces operating costs and expedites delivery for global retail industry leaders including Walmart, H&M, COS, Coupang and GXO Logistics. [Read more…] about GreyOrange raises $110 million for ‘growth financing’

Ally Robotics aims to raise $8.5 million to bring automation to the restaurant industry

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Ally Robotics, a startup making smart and affordable robotic arms, has launched a campaign to raise up to $8.5 million in seed capital via equity crowdfunding site WAX.

Founded by innovative leaders in the robotics and artificial intelligence industry, Ally is already backed by restaurant automation leader Miso Robotics, who has signed a statement of intent to become Ally’s first partner and purchase its robotic arms for its Flippy 2 product line, representing a potential revenue of $30 million.

While robotics and automation have helped alleviate the well-documented labor shortage, the majority of robots in the world are too expensive and are only deployed for the most difficult tasks that require heavy lifting or minute precision. [Read more…] about Ally Robotics aims to raise $8.5 million to bring automation to the restaurant industry

ABB launches new robotic depalletizer to ‘reduce complexity and improve efficiency’

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ABB has launched the “ABB Robotic Depalletizer”, a solution for handling complex depalletizing tasks in the logistics, e-commerce, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods industries.

Using machine vision software, ABB’s new solution can quickly assess a wide variety of box types, enabling customers to efficiently process assorted loads with very little engineering effort and short set-up time.

Marc Segura, ABB’s Robotics division president, says: “Changes in consumer behavior are leading to a rise in new sales channels such as omni-channel, direct to consumer and e-commerce. [Read more…] about ABB launches new robotic depalletizer to ‘reduce complexity and improve efficiency’