Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

Qcells investing $2.5 billion in US solar power manufacturing facility

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Qcells is building a solar power manufacturing facility in Georgia, US, with a historic investment of $2.5 billion.

This is believed to be the largest solar investment in US history and will offer significant benefits to the state and national economies.

Gray Construction, a specialist builder in the manufacturing industry, and Stantec, an expert in sustainable design, were selected to provide construction, architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing engineering, structural, civil engineering, as well as environmental, water, and wastewater services. [Read more…] about Qcells investing $2.5 billion in US solar power manufacturing facility

Estonian robotics startup Cleveron wins patent case against Chinese company

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Cleveron, an Estonian developer of parcel terminals and robots, has won a case against the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court and invalidated a Chinese company’s patent.

In 2017, Cleveron discovered that a Chinese company had registered under its name an invention previously already invented by Cleveron.

In 2018, Cleveron filed an application for invalidation of the patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). [Read more…] about Estonian robotics startup Cleveron wins patent case against Chinese company

Massage robot to start product evaluation in the US and clinical trial in Singapore

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Singapore robotics firm AiTreat will be embarking on a new product evaluation in the United States for their massage robot powered by artificial intelligence at Mayo Clinic, USA.

At the same time, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of the massage robot with existing therapies such as manual Tuina – a massage used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) – in managing chronic low back pain is also being planned in Singapore.

The RCT will be jointly led by the biomedical sciences and Chinese medicine programme at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH). [Read more…] about Massage robot to start product evaluation in the US and clinical trial in Singapore

Flexiv to release ‘revolutionary’ robotic gripper

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Flexiv, a builder of general-purpose robotics solutions, is set to release a revolutionary new robotic gripper.

Featuring industrial-grade force control and an adhesive material based on a gecko’s foot pad, the Grav gripper can lift practically any item that fits within its grasp.

Touted as representing the next generation of robotic grippers, it uses impactive and contigutive grasping techniques for maximum handling flexibility. This makes it possible to lift objects which are oddly shaped or have an uneven surface texture. [Read more…] about Flexiv to release ‘revolutionary’ robotic gripper

Nissan to develop its ‘most advanced’ driver assistance system to date

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Nissan is planning to develop its “most advanced” driver assistance system to date in collaboration with Trimble Technology.

Trimble says that Nissan Motor will use Trimble RTX technology as its high-accuracy positioning source, enabling the hands-off and guided freeway driving capabilities of Toyota’s ProPILOT Assist 2.0 driver assistance system, available initially on the 2023 Nissan Ariya.

While positioning with standard Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals may drift up to 10 meters (25 feet), Trimble says its RTX system provides higher accuracy and enables consistent lane determination for driving applications. [Read more…] about Nissan to develop its ‘most advanced’ driver assistance system to date

Beyond Lithium: Scientists discover a promising cathode material for magnesium rechargeable batteries

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Scientists discover the optimal composition for a magnesium secondary battery cathode to achieve better cyclability and high battery capacity

Magnesium is a promising candidate as an energy carrier for next-generation batteries. However, the cycling performance and capacity of magnesium batteries need to improve if they are to replace lithium-ion batteries.

To this end, a research team focused on a novel cathode material with a spinel structure, Mg1.33V1.67−xMnxO4.

Following extensive characterization and electrochemical performance experiments, they have found a specific composition that could open doors to high-performance magnesium rechargeable batteries. [Read more…] about Beyond Lithium: Scientists discover a promising cathode material for magnesium rechargeable batteries

Hitachi to merge two business units to expand robotics offering in Asia

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Hitachi is planning to merge two of its business units to create one expanded robotics systems integration business for the Japanese and Asean markets.

Hitachi has been accelerating the global development of its line building business leveraging industrial robots – the robotic systems integration business – and will merge Hitachi Automation and Kyoto Robotics, Hitachi Group companies in Hitachi’s Industrial Digital Business Unit, on April 1, 2023 to strengthen the robotic systems integration business in Japan and Asean countries.

Hitachi Automation began operating within the Industrial Digital Business Unit in April 2022. Since then, it has been accelerating the fusion between digital solutions analyzing and optimizing data leveraging Lumada handled by Hitachi and robotic systems integration which involves a massive amount of data from shop floor. [Read more…] about Hitachi to merge two business units to expand robotics offering in Asia

Heraeus and AI Silk unveil ultra-light metaverse glove

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Heraeus Epurio, a specialist developer of conductive polymer materials, and AI Silk , a Japanese wearable-tech startup that has developed the proprietary and patented conductive fiber “Lead Skin”, have together unveiled the “Haptic Metaverse Glove”.

The “ultra-light” glove has no mechanical parts attached, that doubles as sensors and an AR/VR/XR controller.

Made from AI Silk’s proprietary conductive fiber, Lead Skin, Haptic Metaverse Glove powered by Lead Skin features built-in finger-bending sensors, as well as control buttons on the back of the wearer’s hand, all of which are also made of the same conductive fiber. [Read more…] about Heraeus and AI Silk unveil ultra-light metaverse glove

Mitsubishi Electric to invest $223 million to build new factory in India

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Mitsubishi Electric says it will invest approximately 26.7 billion yen (about $222.5 million), in its subsidiary company Mitsubishi Electric India to establish a factory for the production of room air conditioners and compressors in India.

Local production, targeted to start in October 2025, is expected to help the company meet growing demand in the Indian market. Initial annual capacity will total 300,000 room air conditioner outdoor units and, beginning in December 2025, 650,000 compressors.

The demand to replace older air conditioning and refrigeration systems with newer models is expected to continue growing as consumers and companies shift to energy-saving and low-GWP refrigerants. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric to invest $223 million to build new factory in India

Swisslog delivers third AutoStore for Neoperl in China

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Swisslog has built the third AutoStore system for Neoperl, after the previous two facilities in Switzerland and Italy.

The Neoperl Group is an international company with globally oriented production and sales locations. Its product portfolio includes highly standardized components for the manufacture of sanitary products, such as bath and kitchen faucets, showers, fittings, water filters, water meters and valves. Neoperl acts primarily as a supplier to the sanitary industry.

In 2003, Neoperl, which is a German-Swiss company, took its first step into the Chinese market. [Read more…] about Swisslog delivers third AutoStore for Neoperl in China