Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Robotic Vision Technologies to debut collaborative robot vision software at Automate 2017

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Integration with Universal Robots’ UR5 robot the first of many planned

Robotic Vision Technologies has completed the software development of its collaborative 3D vision guidance software, which the company calls cVF.

RVT currently has vision software for industrial applications under its eVisionFactory – or eVF –product line-up, and plans to add numerous applications in the collaborative space for all robot brands.

cVF will debut at the Automate Show this week on a Universal Robots’ UR5 controlling an OnRobot RG2 gripper.

Automate is North America’s premier exhibit of trends for the automation industry and for ground-breaking technology, and will be held in Chicago April 3-6 at McCormick Place.  [Read more…] about Robotic Vision Technologies to debut collaborative robot vision software at Automate 2017

World’s oldest consultancy claims new car tech will change auto manufacturing

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Arthur D. Little, which claims to be the world’s first consultancy company, predicts how future mobility solutions will affect automotive manufacturing.

In a new report, The Future of Automotive Mobility, the company says – somewhat surprisingly – that the future vehicle technology will depend less on consumer preferences than government regulations.

The company draws its conclusions on a global survey of 6,500 participants, including customers, industry players and regulators. Its research examines how the megatrends of electric mobility, car sharing and autonomous driving are likely to impact on the global automotive ecosystem and future original equipment manufacturing sales.  [Read more…] about World’s oldest consultancy claims new car tech will change auto manufacturing

Genesis Robotics launches revolutionary new actuator for robots that eliminates the need for gears

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Company claims its LiveDrive actuator system offers “unparalleled performance”, and will replace traditional gears – and change the global robotics market forever

A well-funded startup called Genesis Robotics claims it has developed “breakthrough” technology which is set to change the global robotics market. 

The vast majority of robots today use gears in their actuators and other parts. Gears – as an invention – are thousands of years old and have served industry and humanity well and will continue to do so, but Genesis claims it has developed a better solution, which it calls LiveDrive.

Genesis says traditional gears are slow, expensive and the way their teeth work creates something called “backlash” – like a rebound or bounceback as the teeth from different gears interact or collide, as well as friction. This inevitably leads to waste of energy.

Genesis’ LiveDrive system does not use teeth, so doesn’t have bounceback and reduces that type of friction. The company says its actuator is also less expensive to begin with and could lead to longer-term savings because it’s more energy-efficient – so its total cost of ownership is much lower.  [Read more…] about Genesis Robotics launches revolutionary new actuator for robots that eliminates the need for gears

Bosch partners with IBM for IoT and Industrie 4.0 applications

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Bosch IoT Suite Services available on IBM Bluemix and Watson IoT platform

IBM and Bosch are to cooperate in the area of Internet of Things and industry 4.0.

The aim of the partnership is to provide customers with software-based services of the Bosch IoT Suite via the open standards-based platforms IBM Bluemix and IBM Watson IoT platform.

This allows millions of networked IoT devices to be efficiently updated.  [Read more…] about Bosch partners with IBM for IoT and Industrie 4.0 applications

Nvidia developing self-driving technology with truckmaker Paccar

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Nvidia is working with Paccar, a truck manufacturer, on developing solutions for autonomous vehicles. (See video below.)

The collaboration was shared by Nvidia founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang during his keynote at the Bosch Connected World conference in Berlin.

Separately, he provided details of Nvidia’s partnership with Bosch, the world’s largest automotive supplier, on self-driving car technology.

“This is probably the largest single mass of a product that we’ve helped make,” said Huang, addressing a crowd of more than 2,000 executives, developers and others attending the event.  [Read more…] about Nvidia developing self-driving technology with truckmaker Paccar

Nvidia and Bosch launch artificially intelligent self-driving car computer

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One of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, Bosch, provided a massive stage today for Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang to showcase its new artificial intelligence platform for self-driving cars.

Speaking in the heart of Berlin to several thousand attendees at Bosch Connected World — an annual conference dedicated to the Internet of Things — Huang detailed how deep learning is fueling an AI revolution in the auto industry.

The small AI car supercomputer was unveiled last week in the opening keynote address by Bosch CEO Dr Volkmar Denner, who focused on how his company, which had €73 billion in revenue last year, is pushing deeper into the areas of sensors, software and services.  [Read more…] about Nvidia and Bosch launch artificially intelligent self-driving car computer

Kuka and VIP launch new system to teach industrial robots without programming

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All Kuka robots can now be “easily and intuitively” guided by hand in the workspace using a new navigation system developed by Very Important Product. 

The VIP Navigator was developed in partnership with Kuka.

VIP is a special-machine engineering expert and is now offering what the companies call the ready-to-use package, “ready2_pilot”, through its Navigator product.

The new system enables “quick and easy robot programming” using intuitive guidance – physically teaching the robot – instead of computer coding.  [Read more…] about Kuka and VIP launch new system to teach industrial robots without programming

Universal Robots launches free online training in industrial robot programming

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universal robots training
The UR Academy modules takes the student through basic tasks such as
programming the UR robot arm to place parts in a box arriving on a conveyor

“It’s unprecedented to make inter-active teaching material of this caliber free of charge – we’re basically the first in the industry to take this approach,” says Universal Robots spokesperson

Universal Robots has developed online training modules to enable users of its industrial robots learn more about their machines’ operations and applications.

The hands-on modules are offered free of charge, open to all, and built to deliver hands-on learning via interactive simulations to maximize user engagement, says the company.

Learning how to set up and program a collaborative robot – or cobot – no longer depends on real life access to a robot or a training class, says Universal.

Now everybody with a desire to learn the concepts of cobots can log in to the Universal Robots Academy and get the introduction necessary to master basic programming skills.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots launches free online training in industrial robot programming

Controller area network: No need for a computer

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audi r8

In this exclusive guest article, Kent Lennartsson, research manager at Kvaser, highlights a crucial technology – reliable, hassle-free controller communication 

A “controller area network” – or CAN, also known as a CAN bus or vehicle bus – is most well known for its use in automotive design.

In this system, a vehicle bus allows microcontrollers and other devices to communicate with one another without the need for a central computer.

This concept is akin to our use of the Internet of Things in everyday life.

This means when you’re driving down the highway in your Audi R8, your cruise control system can quickly communicate with your anti-lock brakes, disengaging the gas pedal and activating emergency brake assist, helping to make a fast stop if debris drops from a truck into your lane.  [Read more…] about Controller area network: No need for a computer

Continental selects Cypress microcontrollers for automotive platform

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cypress traveo mcu

Continental selects Cypress Traveo II MCU for next-generation body electronics platform

Cypress Semiconductor says Continental has selected its automotive microcontrollers for its next-generation body electronics platform.

Cypress designed the Traveo II family specifically to deliver the performance, scalability, low power consumption and security required for emerging automotive platforms.

The solution will support Continental in providing their customers with a broad range of options for a variety of products, including central body control modules, door, window and sunroof control units, seat control units, smartphone terminals and wireless power charging units.  [Read more…] about Continental selects Cypress microcontrollers for automotive platform