Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

UBTech reveals robot ox on ‘the most watched TV show on Earth’

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UBTech Robotics, a developer of intelligent humanoid robots and artificial intelligence technologies, has displayed its first four-legged ox robot at the 2021 CCTV New Year Gala, commonly known as Spring Festival Gala, which is the most watched TV program in the world.

As 2021 marks the Year of the Ox in Chinese astrology, four “Pioneering Ox” robots remodeled from UBTech’s quadruped robot prototype have taken the festival stage and captured viewers’ hearts with their “dazzling dancing moves and state-of-the-art mechanical designs”, says the company.

Standing 83 cm tall and weighing 60kg, the futuristic ox-looking robot features strong physical features with sixteen joints and weight payload capability of 15 kg. [Read more…] about UBTech reveals robot ox on ‘the most watched TV show on Earth’

Hyundai unveils new ‘Ultimate’ autonomous vehicle concept

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Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled what it describes as the “Ultimate” autonomous vehicle concept, with the word “ultimate” used part of the category name the company has created. (See video below.)

The TIGER – which stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot – is the company’s second “Ultimate Mobility Vehicle”, or UMV, and the first designed to be uncrewed.

The “transforming” intelligent ground excursion robot is designed to carry various types of payload while traveling over challenging terrain, says Hyundai. [Read more…] about Hyundai unveils new ‘Ultimate’ autonomous vehicle concept

Hitachi launches new industrial edge computer

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Hitachi has launched a new industrial edge computer. The “Hitachi Industrial Edge Computer CE series Embedded AI model” was developed in collaboration with Intel.

The product, an integration of Intel’s artificial intelligence technology and Hitachi’s control system design and manufacturing technologies, is a new model that incorporates an image analysis execution platform using AI and deep learning.

Through providing this product, Hitachi contributes to the expansion of digital transformation, such as streamlining and automating tasks that rely on visual checks (the inspection process for finished products in the manufacturing industry) and solving management challenges using on-site data. [Read more…] about Hitachi launches new industrial edge computer

Okuma makes ‘conversational programming’ standard on its CNC machines

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Okuma, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial equipment, has introduced “conversational programming” as standard on its CNC machines.

Okuma says its Advanced One Touch (AOT) conversational programming software enables shops to “easily create programs without the need for highly-trained programmers, achieve faster setup times, and increase machine productivity”.

Okuma America says that select machines from Okuma’s core product line now come equipped with the Advanced One Touch-Interactive Graphics Function (AOT-IGF), the conversational programming software designed for Okuma’s lathes, machining centers and multitasking machines. [Read more…] about Okuma makes ‘conversational programming’ standard on its CNC machines

Mitsubishi Electric introduces remote maintenance service in North America

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Mitsubishi Electric has introduced a remote machine maintenance service in North America.

The iQ Care Remote4U solution helps users get their CNC machine tools up quicker when they go down, says the company.

Mitsubishi Electric says this is new way for CNC customers to get their machine tool back up and running. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric introduces remote maintenance service in North America

Rolls-Royce awards Hanwha Aerospace parts supplier certification

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Hanwha Aerospace has received the first Product Part Approval Process (PPAP) certification in the world from Rolls-Royce, one of the top three global aircraft engine manufacturers.

Established in 1884, Rolls-Royce is a UK-based aircraft engine manufacturer that, together with Pratt & Whitney and GE in the US, form the world’s top three engine makers.

The certification authorizes Hanwha Aerospace to perform PPAP inspections to verify that newly built aircraft engine parts meet requisite standards of quality. With the certification, Hanwha will also be able to approve the inspected engines for mass production. [Read more…] about Rolls-Royce awards Hanwha Aerospace parts supplier certification

Explosion-proof ANYmal canine robots inspecting Petronas’ offshore platform

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Petronas, a global energy and solutions company from Malaysia, is testing the ANYmal four-legged dog-like robot from ANYbotics for autonomous robotic inspection on its oil and gas platforms. (See video below.)

They recently conducted a successful multi-week installation with the robot ANYmal C on one of their offshore facilities. For commercial use in 2022, ANYbotics and Petronas are co-developing a specialized version of ANYmal for potentially explosive environments.

Petronas relies on robotics to enable unmanned industrial inspections in its production operations. Its long-term partnership with ANYbotics focuses on bringing robotic routine inspection to offshore and onshore facilities targeting the commercial use of the ANYmal canine robot in potentially explosive environments by 2022. [Read more…] about Explosion-proof ANYmal canine robots inspecting Petronas’ offshore platform

Baidu launches ‘world’s first’ multi-modal autonomous driving mobility-as-a-service platform

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Baidu, a driverless car developer and China’s equivalent of Google, has launched a multi-modal autonomous driving mobility as a service (MaaS) platform that will provide AI-driven city transportation services in Guangzhou, a city a hundred miles north-west of Hong Kong.

Utilizing a fleet of Apollo Robotaxis and Robobuses along with three other model types of autonomous vehicles, this initiative will allow local users to order smart transport services on demand, starting in the Chinese New Year holiday period.

The implementation of both Baidu Apollo and the ACE Transportation Engine is a testament to the promising commercialization prospects of smart transportation in the intelligent era. [Read more…] about Baidu launches ‘world’s first’ multi-modal autonomous driving mobility-as-a-service platform

ABB to power South Korea’s first domestic zero-emissions ferry

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ABB has secured a contract with Haemin Heavy Industries shipyard to provide a complete power and propulsion solution for Busan Port Authority’s first all-electric passenger ferry.

The new ferry represents the first commitment by South Korean authorities to a plan which will see 140 state-owned conventionally powered vessels replaced with those operating on cleaner alternatives by 2030, in line with environmental legislation.

Sustainable transportation, including marine vessels, will play an important role in South Korea’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, set out in the country’s Green New Deal, announced in 2020. [Read more…] about ABB to power South Korea’s first domestic zero-emissions ferry

China Robot Industry Alliance selects HRG’s disinfection robot

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The China Robot Industry Alliance, an industry association, has selected HRG’s disinfection robot as a “special case” in its 2020 White Paper on the Development of China’s Robotics Industry.

The recently released 2020 White Paper on the Development of China’s Robotics Industry, compiled by CRIA, has selected HRG anti-pandemic disinfection robot as “a typical case in its special topic on pandemic prevention robots”.

HRG anti-pandemic disinfection robot was independently developed by the Emergency Equipment Research Institute of HRG Hefei Institute. [Read more…] about China Robot Industry Alliance selects HRG’s disinfection robot