Where Innovation Meets Imagination
Cyberdyne has launched the latest version of its HAL exoskeleton.
HAL, short for hybrid assistive limb, has been mostly marketed to the health sector.
The new version, HAL Lumbar, is similar to previous versions in that it reads bio-electrical signals of the wearer. [Read more…] about Cyberdyne launches new version of its exoskeleton
Taiwan has launched its first domestically designed satellite into space. The satellite will be used for Earth observation.
The Danish National Space Institute supplied equipment for the satellite and DTU Space representative Professor John Leif Jørgensen says this enables it to have “a very high degree of precision and flexibility for satellite navigation”.
The satellite itself is named FormoSat-5 and is approximately 500 kg in weight. [Read more…] about Taiwan launches its first satellite into space
Industrial giant Hitachi is best known for making electronics gadgets and heavy machinery. Its annual turnover is just under $17 billion and it employs 335,000 people worldwide.
But the 107-year-old company is apparently taking a leaf out of its industrial rival General Electric’s book and creating a new digital business.
GE Digital is now one of the world’s top 10 software companies, and its industrial internet of things platform, Predix, has become ubiquitious. [Read more…] about Hitachi combines several business units to create $4 billion digital company
Mitsubishi Electric is reportedly planning to invest almost $20 million into GreyOrange Robotics.
GreyOrange is a startup company developing robotics and automation systems for the logistics industry, particularly warehouse automation systems integrating robots, and has been growing fast, according to a story on EconomicTimes.com.
The investment would lead to a valuation for GreyOrange of an amount between $300 million and $500 million. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi might invest $20 million in GreyOrange Robotics
ABB has a significant lead in the industrial robotics and automation market in China, but it seems somewhat wary of Kuka.
The company recently decided it would double its investment in its research and development facility in China, and effectively make it the company’s global R&D HQ.
ABB currently employs 17,000 people in 139 cities in China. Its robotics division, though huge by itself, is just one part of the Swiss multinational engineering company.
Speaking to Bloomberg, ABB CEO Ulrish Spiesshofer says: “ABB is ahead of Kuka globally, we are ahead of Kuka here in the market and our ambition is to stay so.” [Read more…] about ABB doubling investment in China to see off challenge from Kuka and surpass Fanuc
Kawasaki Robotics is planning to manufacture significantly more robots this year than it did in previous years, according to a report on Nikkei.com.
The company is investing an extra $1 million in its Chonqing facility to increase robot production capacity.
The parent company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries employs around 35,000 people. [Read more…] about Kawasaki planning to manufacture more robots, possibly a collaborative one
Swisslog has secured an order for the first of its PowerStore intralogistics systems from Coca-Cola Malaysia.
As part of Coca-Cola Malaysia’s investment of RM500 million ($119 million) to expand the size and production capacity of its current plant at Bandar Enstek, the company has commissioned Swisslog for a flexible, robotic, data-driven automated warehouse for intralogistics.
This will make it the first Swisslog PowerStore system in South East Asia. [Read more…] about Coca-Cola orders robotic warehouse system from Swisslog
Denso, the main supplier of electronics to Toyota, is establishing a new company to make components for autonomous driving.
The new company has been named NSITEXE, and it will develop electronics for advanced driver assistance systems as well as next-generation autonomous vehicles.
More specifically, NSITEXE will design and develop semiconductor intellectual property cores, and systems on chips, or SoCs, which will then be licensed to manufacturers. [Read more…] about Denso creates new company for advanced driver assistance systems
Industrial technology company Nidec is to acquire SV Probe, which manufactures what are called “probe cards” and testing equipment for semiconductors.
The deal would give Nidec subsidiary Nidec-Read 100 per cent of SV Probe’s shares.
Nidec-Read’s main business is the development, manufacturing and sales of inspection equipment for semiconductor package substrates and printed circuit boards, as well as inspection fixture. [Read more…] about Nidec to acquire SV Probe in sign that electronics manufacturing is heating up
Nidec is to start selling factory automation and robotics systems some time this year, according to a report in the Nikkei Asian Review.
Japanese company Nidec already has a strong presence in the industrial space, and is a huge supplier of motors.
In the company’s own words, it specialises in and handles motor application products based on “everything that spins and moves”, and says its business is “centred on motors”. [Read more…] about Nidec to launch factory automation robots
