Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Boston Dynamics provides its canine robot in the fight against coronavirus

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Boston Dynamics has modified its canine robot to make it more helpful in the fight against coronavirus.

In a blog post, the company says: “We have spent the last six weeks building and testing a payload and application architecture that would enable our robot, Spot, to help reduce exposure of frontline healthcare workers to the novel Covid-19 virus.”

Mobile robots play a vital role in removing people from dangerous environments, says the company, which developed the payload, hardware, and software for this application so that they are “generalizable and able to be deployed on other mobile robotic platforms with APIs and capacity for custom payloads”. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics provides its canine robot in the fight against coronavirus

Kuka to supply 50 robots for production lines for e-mobility provider

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Industrial automation specialist Kuka is to supply approximately 50 robots for the production lines of an e-mobility provider.

Kuka system partner SAR Elektronic is building five fully-automated production and inspection lines for a leading German automotive supplier.

The lines will be equipped with the 50 Kuka robots for “fully-automated handling, plasma cleaning and bonding processes, and an integrated functional inspection”, says the company. [Read more…] about Kuka to supply 50 robots for production lines for e-mobility provider

Einride partners with Oatly to electrify transport

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Strategic partnership with Einride makes Oatly one of the world’s first to electrify transportation on commercial routes

Einride, a Swedish technology company that designs and develops technology for freight mobility, is partnering with Oatly, an oat drink company, to transition to a sustainable transport solution with all-electric vehicles in the Swedish market.

The partnership will commence in fourth quarter of 2020 in Sweden, making Oatly one of the world’s first companies to electrify transportation on commercial routes, according to the two partners.

With electric trucks, Einride will support the transport of Oatly’s finished oat-based products from their production facilities in Sweden, to intermediate destinations within the market. [Read more…] about Einride partners with Oatly to electrify transport

ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

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ABB has released what it says is a “faster, higher payload and more flexible” delta robot – the IRB 390 FlexPacker.

The industrial giant says the machine, along with its other solutions, will its enhance robotic picking and packing portfolio and transform omnichannel order fulfillment and retail logistics.

The new IRB 390 FlexPacker is designed for applications such as customized packaging, vertical packing and high-speed, high-variation sorting and on demand order picking in logistics and e-commerce fulfillment centers. [Read more…] about ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

BMW selects Nvidia to ‘redefine factory logistics’

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Automotive factories to incorporate artificial intelligence robots built on new Isaac platform from Nvidia

BMW Group has selected the new Nvidia Isaac robotics platform to enhance its automotive factories – utilizing logistics robots built on advanced AI computing and visualization technologies, the companies announced today.

The collaboration centers on implementing an end-to-end system based on Nvidia technologies – from training and testing through to deployment – with robots developed using one software architecture, running on Nvidia’s open Isaac robotics platform.

BMW Group’s objective is to enhance logistics factory flow to produce custom-configured cars more rapidly and efficiently. Once developed, the system will be deployed to BMW Group factories worldwide. [Read more…] about BMW selects Nvidia to ‘redefine factory logistics’

Locomation partners with Transport Research Centre to conduct driverless truck testing

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Locomation, the world’s first trucking technology platform to offer human-guided autonomous convoying, has agreed to conduct research project with the Transportation Research Center, a testing, research, and innovation center for the automotive industry located in East Liberty, Ohio.

Locomation will actively test at TRC to advance its autonomous truck platforms alongside TRC’s extensive research and development team in order to drive further innovation on the testing and validation of Locomation’s autonomy technology.

TRC has been an independent partner of the world’s leading automotive and technology companies for more than 45 years, helping them test and perfect their products. [Read more…] about Locomation partners with Transport Research Centre to conduct driverless truck testing

IDS releases cameras with ‘extremely high-resolution sensors’

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Imaging Development Systems has release camera systems with “extremely high-resolution sensors”.

IDS says its cameras perform well “when even finest details matter”.

The uEye SE cameras with 20 MP Sony sensor¤uEye SE camera variants now with 20 MP sensor available. [Read more…] about IDS releases cameras with ‘extremely high-resolution sensors’

RoboDK partners with RobCo SWAT to offer robotic simulation software solutions to automotive industry

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Canadian robot software provider RoboDK has teamed up with automation specialists RobCo SWAT from Bulgaria to provide the world’s leading automotive experts with advanced Industry 4.0 solutions.

Albert Nubiola, RoboDK’s co-founder and CEO, says: “We’re honored to partner with RobCo SWAT to provide flexible and efficient automation systems for global automotive car manufacturers such as Audi, Volkswagen, Lamborghini and Porsche.”

RoboDK offline programming and simulation software gives automation cell designers unprecedented robot simulation possibilities and supports simultaneous simulations of bespoke hardware devices alongside leading robot brands. [Read more…] about RoboDK partners with RobCo SWAT to offer robotic simulation software solutions to automotive industry

Gatik debuts ‘first-ever’ autonomous box truck fleet for logistics

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Gatik, a Palo Alto-based startup developing autonomous vehicles for business to business short-haul logistics, has launched a new platform to serve the supply chain’s so-called middle mile – the autonomous box truck. (See video below.)

Gatik’s self-driving fleet of multi-temperature box trucks range in size between 11 and 20 feet long. This makes Gatik the first company to develop autonomous box trucks capable of delivering ambient, cold and frozen goods.

Retailers today face unprecedented challenges in the supply chain, and autonomous delivery vehicles address two of the essentials: safety and reliability. [Read more…] about Gatik debuts ‘first-ever’ autonomous box truck fleet for logistics

Reinventing the Wheel: ThyssenKrupp intensifies sales and marketing activities for carbon wheels

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Giant industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp is putting its not inconsiderable weight behind a new type of wheel, or rather, a new material being used for motorcycle wheels – carbon.

The lightweight expert ThyssenKrupp Carbon Components and the chassis specialist ThyssenKrupp Bilstein say they have intensified their joint promotion and sales of premium tuning components for motorcycles made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

As a first step, the target of the cooperation between the ThyssenKrupp business units is the North American Free Trade Area countries – USA, Canada and Mexico. [Read more…] about Reinventing the Wheel: ThyssenKrupp intensifies sales and marketing activities for carbon wheels