Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Rising minimum wage pushing fast-food joints towards automation

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The ongoing demand for an increase in the minimum wage to the level which would enable workers to buy burgers is leading fast-food giants to consider fully automating hundreds if not tens of thousands of restaurants across the US, getting rid of all the human employees. 

The latest senior executive to suggest such a move is Leonard Comma, CEO of fast-food chain Jack in the Box.

Speaking at an industry conference, and quoted by Business Insider, Comma said: “As we see the rising costs of labor, it [getting rid of them all and replacing them with automation technology] just makes sense.”  [Read more…] about Rising minimum wage pushing fast-food joints towards automation

LG expands range of robots to explore new commercial possibilities

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Electronics giant LG has expanded its portfolio of robots and says it is exploring a variety of commercial possibilities.

The company says the expansion of its robotics activity is a “key factor of LG’s transofrmation into an artificial intelligence company”.

Following the introduction of the company’s robot lineup a year ago, LG says it is continuing to “push the envelope” with the unveiling of three more work robots at CES 2018.

LG is introducing three new concept robots specifically developed for commercial use at hotels, airports and supermarkets.  [Read more…] about LG expands range of robots to explore new commercial possibilities

MaidBot launches Rosie the robot to provide room service at hotels

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A company backed by PayPal founder Peter Thiel has launched a robot to provide room service at hotels.

Rosie the robot, which looks like a small robotic vacuum cleaner, has a number of data gathering functions which can help improve the operation of hotels and similar establishments.

The company that developed and launched Rosie is MaidBot, which has recently closed a new funding round.  [Read more…] about MaidBot launches Rosie the robot to provide room service at hotels

Fast-growing sectors within robotics and automation

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If we were to think of robotics and automation as one industry – which we at this website in fact do – we could argue that it’s one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now.

Certainly if we were to include software automation systems – such as robotic process automation – it would probably be the biggest.

But Robotics and Automation News tends to concentrate on physical machines – such as robotic arms or autonomous vehicles – which can be seen in a typical manufacturing or logistics facility.

And we try and understand what other sectors are most closely related to robotics and automation – manufacturing and logistics being two obvious ones.

[Read more…] about Fast-growing sectors within robotics and automation

Top celebrities most likely to be remade as robots and androids

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There’s probably an awful lot of lonely people out there who yearn for companionship, for intimacy, comfort, or for whatever reason.

And at least some of those people may be more than happy to buy a walking, talking, physical likeness of whoever is the most desirable celebrity of the day perhaps.  [Read more…] about Top celebrities most likely to be remade as robots and androids

Brain-controlled industrial robot: BrainCo debuts BMI technologies at CES 2018

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BrainCo, a brain-machine interface (BMI) startup incubated in the Harvard Innovation Lab, has revealed a BMI integrated robotic arm at CES 2018.

BMI technology allows direct communications between the human brains and external devices.

Since its inception in the early 1920s, this technology has gradually matured over the past 100 years and has gained support from governments around the world.  [Read more…] about Brain-controlled industrial robot: BrainCo debuts BMI technologies at CES 2018

Yaskawa Motoman sells 60,000 more robots since last count

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Yaskawa has sold 60,000 Motoman industrial robots since Robotics and Automation News last did a count. 

The company has been commenting on its tremendous success in recent months, saying that in China it has received so many orders it is having to expand its facilities.

Yaskawa, which is a Japan-headquartered company, says it is increasing its production capacity by 25 per cent in China.   [Read more…] about Yaskawa Motoman sells 60,000 more robots since last count

Astounding growth at Universal Robots sees company sell 20,000 industrial robots

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Universal Robots, one of the first companies to launch a collaborative industrial robot, says it has sold 10,000 more units since Robotics and Automation News last did a count. 

In a statement to the website, a spokesperson for the company says while Robotics and Automation News has been reporting that it has so far sold 10,000 units, the actual, most recent figure is in fact 20,000.

This means that if each robot is sold for between $23,000 and $45,000 then the company has generated additional revenues of between $230 million and $450 million since last count.  [Read more…] about Astounding growth at Universal Robots sees company sell 20,000 industrial robots

Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

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Automaker Seat, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, has been showing off its autonomous and collaborative intralogistics robots at its factory in Martorell, in Spain. 

The company uses 125 automated guided vehicles at the Martorell facility, and the robots share the workspace with 7,000 human employees.

As such, Seat – and others – call these vehicles collaborative robots, because they work alongside humans (video below).

The internal logistics robots were manufactured by a company called Kivnon. Other robotic and autonomous logistics vehicles at the Martorell plant are from Aristeril and Rari.

[Read more…] about Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

ABB to sponsor Formula E championship

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Industrial giant ABB has agreed a deal to sponsor the Formula E racing tournament.

ABB and Formula E call it a “ground-breaking partnership to champion e-mobility for a sustainable future”.

Since its first race in Beijing in September 2014, Formula E has established itself as the number one all-electric international motor sport.  [Read more…] about ABB to sponsor Formula E championship