Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mark Allinson

AI-RobotX integrates Geekplus robots at Hellmann Logistics’ Dubai eCommerce Center

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Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has implemented Geekplus robotics automated storage solutions at its eCommerce Center in Dubai CommerCity, executed by AI-RobotX MEA.

In 2023, Hellmann established a dedicated Innovation Hub, reinforcing its commitment to integrating advanced technologies into global operations.

The company’s recent implementation of robotics in Dubai exemplifies this strategic focus, increasing storage capacity, improving operational efficiency, and reducing delivery times for businesses in the region.

[Read more…] about AI-RobotX integrates Geekplus robots at Hellmann Logistics’ Dubai eCommerce Center

Automating the Fleet Management Sector: Cameras, Tachograph Downloads, and More

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Companies with road vehicle fleets are prime targets for automation. Fleet managers often have to control many processes, from dispatching drivers to overseeing fuel consumption patterns.

To take care of it all, they’re utilising fleet management software, which has evolved to do more than just store data or track vehicle locations.

Fleet camera systems, remote tachograph downloads, and driver behaviour analysis are just some of the automation innovations that are transforming different vehicle-related industries. Let’s discover how!

Cameras that filter footage

These days, many companies install cameras on their vehicles for a variety of reasons, such as to get accident footage, help drivers check blindspots or for live monitoring in general.

As you can imagine, if a camera records the full journey of a long-haul truck, there’s going to be a whole lot of material to go through to find that one relevant moment.

That’s where automation kicks in – modern fleet cameras have sensors that can detect noteworthy events, such as collisions. With proper fleet management software, you can remotely view that specific moment, complete with metadata, like who was the driver, when it happened, and where.

To save even more time, fleet managers can set up and receive notifications when cameras detect relevant events. Humans are left with the most important part of the process – deciding what to do about it.

In some cases, that would mean quickly jumping to the camera’s livestream to find out more, while in other situations the material would be stored for future reference.

Automated tachograph downloads

The tachograph is an essential part of the long-haul transportation industry. It records the duration of drivers’ work and rest periods, among other things.

Where things get complicated, however, is that the data generated by a tachograph needs to be downloaded to an external storage every once in a while. Imagine having to visit hundreds of trucks and manually connect to every tachograph, then keeping the data on a specific computer in an office!

Here automation can provide a huge benefit to trucking companies. If a vehicle is equipped with a compatible telematics device, it can receive the data from the tachograph and then upload it to fleet management software.

The process is completely automatic, the download intervals can be customised, and data can be easily presented to authorities. This process is called remote tachograph download and is a no-brainer for larger fleets.

Targeted performance analysis

For the time being, most fleets still employ drivers behind the wheel. To improve their performance in terms of efficiency and safety, managers need information on what exactly to improve.

How to get it? You can, of course, sit next to them during daily routes and make notes, but what if there are hundreds of drivers? Time for automation!

Like tachograph downloads, driver behaviour analysis utilises an advanced telematics device installed on a vehicle, and a fleet management platform. The device can detect various driving actions and events, such as the usage of cruise control, sudden braking, aggressive manoeuvring, and more.

This data gets sent to the fleet management platform where it’s analysed and presented in an easy-to-understand way. Depending on the configuration, the system will assign a better or worse score for each driver. Then it’s up to the fleet manager to act on this data – provide coaching, award a bonus, and so on.

What’s more, driving behaviour analysis can be supplemented with data from other systems. Commonly, companies track fuel consumption of a vehicle and check how it fluctuates depending on who’s behind the wheel.

Another option is to use the previously mentioned fleet cameras in conjunction with a telematics device, giving fleet managers a full picture – video events plus practical driving parameters.

Automation is here to stay

These three areas – cameras, tachograph downloads, and driving performance analysis – are not the only ones when it comes to automation in the fleet management sector.

There’s an automated alert for just about any situation that’s worth alerting about; there’s automated working time tracking so drivers don’t need to worry about clocking in and out; there are even systems that can automatically assign drivers and plan the best routes for them based on a variety of factors.

All that is to say – to stay competitive, you need to start automating your fleet management!

ABB completes second investment in edge-to-cloud solution provider Pratexo

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ABB has completed a second strategic investment in US-based technology company Pratexo, an edge-to-cloud software and energy solutions provider.

The deepening collaboration between both organizations comes as companies continue to shift from centralized cloud to edge computing and hybrid edge-to-cloud solutions for better operational technology management.

Financial details of the investment were not disclosed. [Read more…] about ABB completes second investment in edge-to-cloud solution provider Pratexo

Kuka establishes new software and digital business segment

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The long-established German-based automation company Kuka, which is known worldwide for its orange industrial robots and automation solutions, is expanding its software and digital operations, and establishing a new business unit called Kuka Digital.

The company’s goal is the end-to-end digitalization of a wide range of machines and systems in production, from the first 3D simulation to connectivity and data analysis through to the use of artificial intelligence.

Software is playing an increasingly important role in mechanical engineering. What used to be mostly solved mechanically is now done by electronics and the associated software.

[Read more…] about Kuka establishes new software and digital business segment

9 Ways Apps Are Harnessing iOS Live Activities

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iOS 16 introduced Live Activities, which is supported by all newer versions of the operating system. We’ll explain what it is and when to use this handy iPhone tool.

What is Live Activities on your iPhone?

With the upgrade to iOS 16.1, Apple has added a tool for everyone who wants to stay up to date. The company defines Live Activities as ongoing, interactive notifications displayed immediately on the lock screen.

Live Activities are widgets that can update information online. Its banners are more significant than standard notifications. That is, you can see the information you are interested in without going into the application, which will be updated as needed.

This innovation first appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro, replacing the notch with the new Dynamic Island. It solves the problem of where to place the camera and contributes to the overall iPhone functionality. Dynamic Island is now the hub for this functionality, working perfectly with the always-on display.

Continuous Development From Apple

A big update added this feature to the Apple Sports app. Now, following sports events has become easier. You can instantly receive live streams of matches of your most-liked teams.

Apple News has also implemented Live Activities to track the US elections, allowing you to stay up to date without interrupting your daily activities. This became a great convenience for users who want to spend their time on something other than checking the news.

Third-party apps also actively support this innovation. Uber Eats and DoorDash simplify tracking food deliveries, and various restaurant and delivery apps offer similar features.

Endless Possibilities of Live Activities

The advantages are obvious: It makes it easier for users to engage with apps and quickly view relevant information. This increases user loyalty and satisfaction.

Live Activities are engaging for the following industries and use cases, among others:

  • Sports – real-time statistics on games & competitions
  • News – breaking news & live ticker
  • Fitness – statistics during your workout
  • Delivery – current information on delivery
  • Entertainment – live updates on events & concerts
  • Travel – flight & booking updates
  • And many more!

How Famous Apps Use iOS Live Activities

The central point of Live Activities support is, for sure, in various sports-related apps. For example, Slopes is used by skiers and snowboarders to track data on each descent and ascent and get information on speed, elevation gain, and distance traveled.

For many, this app allows you to find friends with the same interests. With Live Activities, information about friends on the same slope, the distance covered, and the elevation are displayed on the screen.

1. Mountain App

The Landscape app has approximately the same functionality, only it is designed for climbing mountains, not skiing and snowboarding. In real time, you can track your ascent graph, distance traveled, and altitude gain.

2. Sports App

The Liftin application has launched Live Activities for those who prefer more traditional sports. You can track the number of reps, rest timer, and the duration of each workout set directly from the lock screen.

If you have a recent iPhone Pro, you can launch a workout directly in the application, and all the necessary information will appear on both the lock screen and Dynamic Island.

If Liftin does not work for you, use the SmartGym application. This is a handy tool for weightlifting. Thanks to Live Activities, you can effortlessly track your progress in real time right from your lock screen, making it a convenient tool for fitness enthusiasts.

3. Sports Events App

But what if you prefer not to play sports but follow them? For football fans, the FotMob is a perfect match app. Here, you need to select your favorite leagues and teams, and as soon as a game involving them starts, it will instantly show up on the lock screen.

If you want to track a match not from the list of your subscriptions, then click on the star, and it will immediately be shown on the lock screen.

4. Recipe App

However, the world is not limited to sports. Sometimes you want to eat something tasty. Here, the Pestle application will help. It allows users to import any recipe from the Internet and turn it into a step-by-step process displayed on the lock screen with a special timer.

All you have to do is follow the guide step by step without being distracted by anything. This is a very convenient feature for those who like to cook.

The app also has additional options: creating a shopping list, a 14-day meal plan, and scanning recipes from paper with subsequent recognition. Users note that the app converts recipes into a very convenient format for cooking.

5. Grocery App

Grocery is an innovative, well-designed grocery shopping and meal planning app. Its support for syncing with iCloud and reminders helps you keep your list organized while shopping.

You can easily add shopping list items from Siri and Recipes. Live activity support on the lock screen makes tracking your shopping list or recipe timer convenient.

6. Flight Tracking App

Flighty is an iOS flight-tracking app with a sleek and user-friendly interface. The latest version displays information about your planned trip on your iPhone’s lock screen three hours before departure. You can also check flight status immediately on Dynamic Island.

7. Weather App

Carrot Weather is an iOS and macOS app that shows the weather forecast in its original form. Now, you can see details about weather events like rain or strong winds directly on your iPhone’s home screen or Dynamic Island.

8. Music App

The Soor app is excellent for those who want more than the standard Apple Music app. It works on iPhone and iPad. Now, users can see song lyrics on the screen with Live Active and Dynamic Island.

9. Remote Control App

If you have an Apple TV, a TV remote app is a must-have for every iPhone. Now, the most essential buttons are accessible directly through Live Activity, including on the lock screen and Dynamic Island.

The Live Activities Limitations

In September 2024, it became evident that Live Activities could not be updated as frequently in iOS 18. App developer Nico reported this on X, stating that previously, they could update Live Activities every second. However, starting with iOS 18, they can only update every 5-15 seconds.

Apple explained the change by stating that each update writes data to disk, leading to excessive wear on the device’s NAND storage. The company clarified that Live Activities never intended to deliver “real concurrent experiences,” describing the previous capability as an unintended “API loophole.”

This should not affect Live Activities that have time tracking, such as Uber or Lyft, which display a countdown timer for your arrival time. These apps don’t require frequent data refreshes from the app to function well.

Final Words

IOS Live Activities makes the iPhone lock screen practical for users. It allows them to track real-time information efficiently and conveniently without frequently going to the app. It’s a simple way to stay on top of things, save time, and keep important information at your fingertips!

Opinion: Enhancing employee experience with robotics and automation at DHL

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By Sally Miller, global CIO, DHL Supply Chain

As the deployment of robotics and automated solutions accelerates, we are seeing supply chain and logistics operations transform.

Over time, initial concerns that robotics would replace the human workforce have gradually given way to a deeper understanding of how these technologies complement and enhance human roles.

The integration of robotics and automation into supply chains is proving to be a powerful tool which works alongside employees to drive efficiency while reducing manual strain and creating new career development opportunities.

[Read more…] about Opinion: Enhancing employee experience with robotics and automation at DHL

Dürr unveils new painting technology for vehicles

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Industrial robotics company Dürr has unveiled new painting technology for vehicles.

Dürr’s latest development enables mixed 2-component paint systems to be fed directly in the return system within the atomiser for the first time.

This eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the paint booth during flushing processes and colour changes. The new solution has been successfully deployed in two top coat lines for over a year.

[Read more…] about Dürr unveils new painting technology for vehicles

Distalmotion surgical robot used for first time in outpatients department

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Less than 30 days after receiving FDA De Novo marketing authorization, Distalmotion’s Dexter Surgical Robot has successfully treated the first US patients in an outpatient setting. Two adult inguinal hernia repairs were completed with Dexter on November 26.

Greg Roche, Distalmotion’s CEO, says: “With over 90 percent of inguinal hernia repairs in the US performed in outpatient and ambulatory surgical settings, there is a need for robotic solutions tailored to these environments.

“We are thrilled to demonstrate how Dexter can overcome the traditional barriers of cost, space, and workflow disruption in the outpatient setting, while delivering robotic excellence that elevates surgeon and patient care.” [Read more…] about Distalmotion surgical robot used for first time in outpatients department

May Mobility launches autonomous shuttle service at Toyota site

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May Mobility, an autonomous driving technology company, has launch a corporate autonomous vehicle service that will utilize the Toyota-manufactured e-Palette vehicle.

The mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) vehicle platform will be operated in Toyota’s Miyata factory, in Fukuoka, Japan. The full name of the site is the Toyota Motor Kyushu (TMK) Miyata factory.

The service uses a custom version of the e-Palette battery-electric vehicle and will provide an efficient and effective transit option for factory employees and guests. [Read more…] about May Mobility launches autonomous shuttle service at Toyota site

AutoFlight achieves ‘historic’ first eVTOL flight in Japan

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AutoFlight, a developer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, has marked a significant milestone with its first successful flight in Japan.

On November 29, the company’s two-ton eVTOL aircraft completed its inaugural demonstration flight in Okayama Prefecture.

The historic eVTOL flight was conducted in collaboration with MASC, a Japanese non-profit organization dedicated to aerospace industry advancement.

[Read more…] about AutoFlight achieves ‘historic’ first eVTOL flight in Japan