Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Sam Francis

PickNik Robotics partners with Sierra Space to build robots for deep space missions and space habitats

by Leave a Comment

PickNik Robotics and Sierra Space have agreed a collaboration which will explore the implementation of robotic autonomy and controllability for autonomous maintenance of space habitat environments.

PickNik Robotics is a robotics software and engineering services company, while Sierra Space is a commercial space company with 1,100 employees, more than 500 missions and over 30 years of space flight heritage.

The companies anticipate that the robotic autonomy solutions developed with this collaboration will significantly improve the ability to support low Earth orbit (LEO), lunar and deep space missions. [Read more…] about PickNik Robotics partners with Sierra Space to build robots for deep space missions and space habitats

Bosch acquires Atlatec to boost its autonomous vehicle offerings

by Leave a Comment

Bosch is expanding its expertise in automated driving and strengthening its market position with the acquisition of Atlatec, a developer of high-definition maps for autonomous driving and simulation.

Atlatec will become part of the Bosch Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division as an independently operated company. Bosch and Atlatec have now signed agreements to this effect.

Bosch says Atlatec is “one of the world’s most innovative providers of high-resolution digital maps for driver assistance and automated driving”. [Read more…] about Bosch acquires Atlatec to boost its autonomous vehicle offerings

Sonatus unveils platform for building software-defined vehicles

by Leave a Comment

Sonatus, a developer of software defined vehicle technology, has released the next generation of its Sonatus Digital Dynamics Vehicle Platform, which “lives both in-vehicle and in the cloud”, says the company.

Following a successful debut in the Genesis GV60, Sonatus has further enhanced the cloud-side of its platform to bolster automakers’ ability to build software-defined vehicles that can be updated with new features and functionality throughout their entire lifetimes – without requiring new software development.

Given the time and resources required to develop new software, removing this barrier significantly accelerates innovation and bolsters agility, claims Sonatus. [Read more…] about Sonatus unveils platform for building software-defined vehicles

Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

by Leave a Comment

Tech giant Apple is developing chips for self-driving cars in partnership with a South Korean company, according to various media reports.

A website called The Elec, which seems to be a South Korean electronics industry association website, is believed to have broken the story.

In the article, Apple is reported to be “developing the chip modules and packages to be used in its so-called Apple Car with a South Korean outsourced semiconductor assembly and test company”. [Read more…] about Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

Facebook files patent for robotic eyeball

by Leave a Comment

Social media giant Facebook has filed a patent for a robotic eyeball, according to a report on Gizmodo.com.

The “mechanical eyeball” is said to feature human-like abilities and can be integrated to humanoid or other types of robots.

Why Facebook, which recently rebranded itself as Meta, is developing a robot eyeball is subject to considerable speculation. [Read more…] about Facebook files patent for robotic eyeball

Elon Musk and his Tesla Bot: Will humanoid robots take over the world like all of science fiction predicts?

by Leave a Comment

Arguably the world’s most visionary entrepreneur, Elon Musk, is rarely out of the news, whether it’s because of his super-duper Tesla electric cars or because of his achievements in aerospace, which include rockets and spacecraft built by his SpaceX company docking with and supplying the International Space Station.

In recent days, Musk has been in the news because of his reported comments about humanoid robots. According to Reuters and hundreds of other reputable news outlets, Musk believes humanoid robots will be an even bigger business than his Tesla car company, which at one stage was estimated to be the most valuable automaker in the world.

Musk unveiled his proposed humanoid robot – given the name “Tesla Bot” or “Optimus” for now – at a 3-hour stage presentation, which has been uploaded to YouTube. The machine is also mentioned on the Tesla company website. [Read more…] about Elon Musk and his Tesla Bot: Will humanoid robots take over the world like all of science fiction predicts?

Activ Surgical secures $45 million in Series B funding led by Cota Capital

by Leave a Comment

Activ Surgical, a digital surgery pioneer, has raised $45 million in a Series B financing round. The Series B round was led by Cota Capital, a multi-stage investment firm focused on private and public modern enterprise technology companies.

Seven new investors, including BAM Funds, Magnetar Capital, Mint Ventures, Castor Ventures, Dream One Vision and Nvidia, join existing investors DNS Capital,Tao Capital Partners, LRVHealth, Rising Tide VC, GreatPoint Ventures and ARTIS Ventures to close out the Series B round of financing.

To date, Activ Surgical has raised a total of $77 million. [Read more…] about Activ Surgical secures $45 million in Series B funding led by Cota Capital

Burro raises $10.9 million Series A to accelerate commercialization of its collaborative robot platform for agriculture sector

by Leave a Comment

Burro, formerly known as Augean Robotics, an autonomy company providing solutions for the agriculture industry, has raised a $10.9 million in its Series A investment round.

The round was led by S2G Ventures and Toyota Ventures, with F-Prime Capital and the Cibus Enterprise Fund joining, along with existing investors including Radicle Growth and ffVC.

Burro robots are the first step towards an autonomous future where robots do work outdoors that people no longer want to do. Burros enable growers to boost profitability and mitigate labor shortages today by working collaboratively to force multiply workers, while also laying the foundation for more comprehensive automation tomorrow. [Read more…] about Burro raises $10.9 million Series A to accelerate commercialization of its collaborative robot platform for agriculture sector

ABB Robotics offers South Africa’s food and beverage industry ‘a taste of the future’

by Leave a Comment

By Linda Eales, robotics division manager at ABB South Africa

The future has never looked more unpredictable for South Africa’s food and beverage (F&B) sector, as it battles a perfect storm of pressure brought on by Covid-19, changing consumer and retail consumption patterns, disrupted supply chains and ongoing scrutiny around food safety.

The food and beverage sector has been battered by a couple of high-profile food safety scares in recent years, and is scrambling to keep up with mega-trends like digitalisation and shifting consumption patterns. The good news is that this could be the perfect opportunity for the local F&B industry to reposition itself for the present and future.

F&B manufacturers increasingly need more flexibility on their production lines to enable them to adapt to changing consumer tastes and demands. At the same time, they require higher levels of productivity and efficiency, while maintaining the highest levels of product quality. In many cases, the answer to these challenges is to install a robotics solution, which makes F&B operations safer and more productive. [Read more…] about ABB Robotics offers South Africa’s food and beverage industry ‘a taste of the future’

Honeywell introduces new robotic technology to ‘help warehouses boost productivity, reduce injuries’

by Leave a Comment

Honeywell has unveiled its latest innovation in robotic technology designed to help warehouses and distribution centers automate the manual process of unloading pallets, reducing the operational risks of potential injuries and labor shortages.

Driven by sophisticated machine learning and advances in perception and gripping technologies, Honeywell’s Smart Flexible Depalletizer minimizes the need for manual labor to break down pallet loads – roles that carry risk of injury to labor, experience high turnover and are currently difficult to staff.

Driven by sophisticated machine learning and advances in perception and gripping technologies, Honeywell’s Smart Flexible Depalletizer minimizes the need for manual labor to break down pallet loads – roles that carry risk of injury to labor, experience high turnover and are currently difficult to staff. [Read more…] about Honeywell introduces new robotic technology to ‘help warehouses boost productivity, reduce injuries’