Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

Plastic-eating bacteria could help recycle waste ‘six times faster’

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The University of Portsmouth scientists who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now created an enzyme “cocktail” which can digest plastic up to six times faster.

A second enzyme, found in the same rubbish dwelling bacterium that lives on a diet of plastic bottles, has been combined with PETase to speed up the breakdown of plastic.

PETase breaks down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) back into its building blocks, creating an opportunity to recycle plastic infinitely and reduce plastic pollution and the greenhouse gases driving climate change. [Read more…] about Plastic-eating bacteria could help recycle waste ‘six times faster’

Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

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Webinar title: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots
Early registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SxYYj48rSsOagO_swdngiA

SICK Sensor Intelligence is partnering with Robotics and Automation News to bring you a new and timely webinar about a subject that many people may not realise has been somewhat neglected.

Readers of this website will know that a very large number of mobile robots – mostly for operation in warehouses – are currently being sold in the market.

Along with the e-commerce boom, the autonomous mobile robots segment has experienced spectacular growth. [Read more…] about Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

Autonomous shuttles: Large, diesel buses being replaced with electric, self-driving shuttles

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The autonomous mobility industry is tackling part of the last-mile problem that many commuters encounter when using public transportation by replacing large, diesel buses with a fleet of electric, self-driving shuttle buses that transport small groups of people along defined and planned routes.

Autonomous shuttles could be a key element that connects the public transportation systems to reduce private car ownership in the future.

The autonomous shuttle total market size will be over $18 million by 2040, according to IDTechEx’s report, Robot Shuttles and Autonomous Buses 2020-2040. [Read more…] about Autonomous shuttles: Large, diesel buses being replaced with electric, self-driving shuttles

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics market set to grow to $64 billion by 2030

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Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are a critical class of performance materials, but disruptions from Covid-19 have made the future of the industry uncertain.

In a new report, The Future of Carbon Fiber Composites, Lux Research outlines major challenges and opportunities carbon fibers and CFRPs face and how standardization and recycling are enabling the CFRP market to grow to a $64 billion industry by 2030.

The carbon fiber industry is facing three major challenges: weakness in underlying markets, fiber standardization, and recycling. [Read more…] about Carbon fiber reinforced plastics market set to grow to $64 billion by 2030

PAL Robotics completes testing of robots with Accerion positioning sensors in hospitals to fight Covid-19

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With the unpredictable health crisis of Covid-19 continuing to place high demands on hospitals, PAL Robotics says it has successfully completed testing of its delivery robots in Barcelona hospitals this summer. (See video below.)

The TIAGo Delivery and TIAGo Conveyor robots were deployed in Hospital Municipal of Badalona and Hospital Clínic Barcelona following a winning proposal submitted to the European DIH-Hero project.

Accerion sensors were integrated onto the TIAGo Delivery Robot and TIAGo Conveyor Robot for use in this project. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics completes testing of robots with Accerion positioning sensors in hospitals to fight Covid-19

Pratt Miller installs autonomous disinfecting robot at Detroit Airport

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In the early months of 2020, the world became victim to the rapidly spreading Covid-19 virus, causing a pandemic of epic proportions, as well as unprecedented shutdowns and public health mandates.

One industry that was hard hit was air travel as it slowed to nearly a standstill as airlines and airport facilities scrambled to build proper protocols for safe travel.

The adverse health situation provided opportunities for manufacturers and engineering firms to step up and create solutions to combat the disruptive virus pandemic. [Read more…] about Pratt Miller installs autonomous disinfecting robot at Detroit Airport

6 River Systems upgrades its robotic fulfillment solution

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6 River Systems has made a series of enhancements to its robotic fulfillment solution.

6 River, part of e-commerce platform provider Shopify, revealed the upgrade during its second annual user conference, FLOW 2020.

David Vallance, director of product at 6 River Systems, says: “We have developed a strategic product roadmap at 6RS to find and address the next level of efficiencies to help our customers meet ever-changing demand and drive value to their own customers. [Read more…] about 6 River Systems upgrades its robotic fulfillment solution

Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

by

Webinar title: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots
Early registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SxYYj48rSsOagO_swdngiA

SICK Sensor Intelligence is partnering with Robotics and Automation News to bring you a new and timely webinar about a subject that many people may not realise has been somewhat neglected.

Readers of this website will know that a very large number of mobile robots – mostly for operation in warehouses – are currently being sold in the market.

Along with the e-commerce boom, the autonomous mobile robots segment has experienced spectacular growth. [Read more…] about Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

Ant Group prepares for ‘biggest IPO in history’

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Ant Group, the online payments provider that could be described as the Asian equivalent of PayPal, is preparing for what some are predicting will be the biggest initial public offering in history.

Parent company Alibaba Group is set to float the company on the Hong Kong Stock exchange early next month, according to Reuters.

Ant’s Alipay app has more than 700 million users across Asia and processed $17 trillion in transactions in the 12 months to June this year, reports Bloomberg. [Read more…] about Ant Group prepares for ‘biggest IPO in history’

Sudden increase in air pollution threatens economic recovery, says report

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There has been a sudden increase in air pollution which is threatening economic recovery in many countries, according to a new report by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The environmental research organization estimates that “health damage from air pollution” has cost between 0.4 percent and 6 percent of annual GDP in the world’s leading cities in the first half of 2020.

By “health damage” CREA means such things as absence from work as a result of respiratory problems such as asthma, a particularly pertinent point at a time when a respiratory disease called coronavirus has ravaged the entire world’s population and caused untold economic damage. [Read more…] about Sudden increase in air pollution threatens economic recovery, says report