Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Canadian Tire and NuPort Robotics to commercialize Canada’s first automated heavy duty trucks

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Canadian Tire Corporation and Toronto based start-up NuPort Robotics, Canada’s first autonomous trucking company, are partnering with the Ontario government to invest $3 million to undertake an automated heavy duty trucking project to test a “first-of-its-kind-in-the-world” technology. 

The breakthrough technology provides a transportation solution for the middle mile, the short-haul shuttle runs that semi-tractor trailers make between distribution centres, warehouses and terminals each day.

It is designed to enable next-generation automated trucks that are more fuel efficient, safer to operate, and provide an enhanced driver experience. [Read more…] about Canadian Tire and NuPort Robotics to commercialize Canada’s first automated heavy duty trucks

Apple to invest over €1 billion in Germany and plans European Silicon Design Center in Munich

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Apple is adding a new facility in Munich to develop 5G and future wireless technologies

Apple says it will make Munich its European Silicon Design Center, adding hundreds of new employees and a new “state-of-the-art facility” to develop connectivity and wireless technologies.

Munich is already Apple’s largest engineering hub in Europe, with close to 1,500 engineers from 40 countries working in a variety of areas including power management design, application processors, and wireless technologies.

Their work is contributing to Apple’s custom silicon designs with industry-leading performance, powerful features, and incredible efficiency. [Read more…] about Apple to invest over €1 billion in Germany and plans European Silicon Design Center in Munich

Mobileye, Transdev ATS and Lohr Group to develop autonomous shuttles

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Mobileye, an Intel Company, Transdev Autonomous Transport System (ATS), part of Transdev Group dedicated to autonomous mobility solutions, and Lohr Group, a mobility solutions manufacturer, have agreed a strategic collaboration to develop and utilize autonomous shuttles.

The companies are integrating Mobileye’s self-driving system into the i-Cristal electric shuttle, manufactured by Lohr Group, with plans to integrate it into public transportation services powered by fleets of self-driving shuttles across the globe, starting in Europe.

Johann Jungwirth, vice president of Mobility-as-a-Service at Mobileye, says: “Our collaboration with Transdev ATS and Lohr Group serves to grow Mobileye’s global footprint as the autonomous vehicle (AV) technology partner of choice for pioneers in the transportation industry. [Read more…] about Mobileye, Transdev ATS and Lohr Group to develop autonomous shuttles

Startup company building autonomous trucks on Nvidia platform already has ‘more than 10,000 pre-orders’

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The autonomous trucking industry is about to get what is described by Nvidia as “a major new addition”.

Self-driving truck company Plus announced that its upcoming autonomous vehicle platform will be built on Nvidia Drive Orin.

This software-defined system will “continuously improve upon the safety and efficiency of the delivery and logistics industry with high-performance compute and AI algorithms that can be updated over the air”, says Nvidia. [Read more…] about Startup company building autonomous trucks on Nvidia platform already has ‘more than 10,000 pre-orders’

Desmasa launches ‘mobile collaborative robot’

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A Spanish automation technology company called Desmasa has launched what it describes as a “mobile collaborative robot”, or MCR. 

Essentially, the machine comprises what’s widely known as an autonomous mobile robot, or AMR, which is a wheeled robotic platform, and collaborative robotic arm integrated on top.

Although the machine uses two familiar type of robots, together, they form a new type of robot for which specific standards are being developed by the relevant industry associations. [Read more…] about Desmasa launches ‘mobile collaborative robot’

Ava says its telepresence robot ‘revolutionizing real estate industry’s digital capabilities’

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Ava Robotics says its telepresence robot is “revolutionizing real estate industry’s digital capabilities”. (See video below.)

In response to the severe limitations created by Covid-19 lockdowns, Ava Robotics, a leader in creating intelligent robots for the workplace, partnered with Austrian real estate company SIGNA and Cisco partner FRINK Advanced Services to create a fully digital, remote sales experience powered by Ava’s telepresence robots.

Ava Telepresence assists realtors and clients in remote, contactless home tours that allow the customer to have more control and better access to viewing a property and interacting with a sales agent. [Read more…] about Ava says its telepresence robot ‘revolutionizing real estate industry’s digital capabilities’

ATI Industrial Automation introduces new robotic tool changer and storage solution

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ATI Industrial Automation has developed what it says is “a new standard robotic tool changing and storage solution” – the QC-7 Robotic Tool Changer.

This lightweight yet durable tool changer offers a variety of configuration options with ATI’s Pass-Through Utility Modules and Tool Stand systems.

An optional ML12 Electrical Module attaches easily to the QC-7 Tool Changer body, which also includes five pass-through air ports and lock/unlock air fittings. [Read more…] about ATI Industrial Automation introduces new robotic tool changer and storage solution

CapStone invests $10 million in Perrone Robotics

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CapStone Holdings, a business incubator and investment group, has made a $10 million equity investment in Perrone Robotics, a provider of fully autonomous vehicle systems. 

Perrone delivers autonomous mobility through what it says is “the world’s first and only patented general purpose robotics operating system and autonomous vehicle retrofit kit” (TONY).

TONY embeds inside any vehicle for any job, to provide an “artificial driver” solution that brings full autonomy in a safety certifiable framework for the right vehicle platform. [Read more…] about CapStone invests $10 million in Perrone Robotics

Computer games-making engine Unity introduces robotics simulation system

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Unity, a software platform for making computer games, has unveiled a robotic simulation system. 

Unity is one of the most popular platforms for creating and operating real-time 3D games and other digital content and its new functionality is called Object Pose Estimation demonstration, which the company says “combines the power of computer vision and simulation technologies”, adding that it illustrates how Unity’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities are “having real-world impact on the use of robotics in industrial settings”.

Object Pose Estimation and its corresponding demonstration come on the heels of recent releases aimed at supporting the eminent Robot Operating System (ROS), a flexible framework for writing robot software. [Read more…] about Computer games-making engine Unity introduces robotics simulation system

Giving airplanes new life with new cockpits

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Technology moves at a blistering pace, and what was modern and cool yesterday is outdated today.

That’s where UPS Airlines was with its Airbus A300 freighter aircraft fleet several years ago. The 52 wide-body “browntails,” with an average age of 18 years, have plenty of life left in them.

But the avionics in the cockpit needed a serious upgrade. The current flight management computers (FMC) used for navigation have just 200 kilobytes of storage. That was fine in 1983, when the A300-600 first flew, but nowhere near enough storage now. [Read more…] about Giving airplanes new life with new cockpits