Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Market trend: Grocery e-commerce investments could lead to global invasion by delivery robots

by

With investment in grocery e-commerce growing at an alarming rate, a massive number of delivery robots of all shapes and sizes are plotting to take over the world 

Being able to order your groceries online and have it delivered to your home is not new, of course. Maybe these days, an increasing proportion of shoppers use their mobile devices rather than their desktop computers, but other than that, it’s about the same as it’s always been – or for almost two decades anyway. 

But behind the scenes, or screens, a lot of things are changing.

From the moment a customer clicks “Buy” and pays through their device, almost everything is different. From the artificial intelligence-driven digital platform, through the highly automated logistics and supply chain, right up to home delivery by a robot, a huge amount of innovation is taking place.  [Read more…] about Market trend: Grocery e-commerce investments could lead to global invasion by delivery robots

iRobot launches robotic lawnmower

by

iRobot, the company behind what is probably the leading robotic vacuum cleaner, has launched a robotic lawnmower. (See video below.)

The company claims to be “reinventing lawn care” with its Terra Robot Mower.

iRobot says Terra introduces “cutting-edge navigation technology” with Imprint Smart Mapping and a unique wireless beacon system, for a more intelligent robot lawn mower.  [Read more…] about iRobot launches robotic lawnmower

Infographic: Computer-aided manufacturing

by

MecSoft has produced an interesting infographic on the subject of computer-aided manufacturing. (See below.)

Computer-aided manufacturing is the process of utilizing computer software to simplify and automate CNC machining and 3D printing.

The software sends design data to a 3D printer or CNC machine tool, and the device follows the instructions to create the design.  [Read more…] about Infographic: Computer-aided manufacturing

Kuka revises financial forecasts because of economic slowdown

by

Company says it will redirect investment towards “smaller and simpler robot systems” as well as collaborative robots

Kuka has revised its financial forecasts for the fiscal year 2018 because of the “economic slowdown”, which could at least in part refer to the US-China trade dispute.

The industrial robot maker says the “challenging market environment” is the result of a slowdown in the “key industries of automotive and electronics, weak growth in the important Chinese market as well as challenges in the project business”.

Kuka says it has implemented an “immediate package” to strengthen future viability. And it is adjusting its forecast for the past fiscal year 2018.  [Read more…] about Kuka revises financial forecasts because of economic slowdown

Segway Robotics showcases its delivery robot Loomo

by

Segway Robotics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Segway-Ninebot Group, has showcased Loomo Go, its autonomous delivery robot for the enterprise market.

It also demonstrated the consumer edition of Loomo, a smart machine that toggles between a fully functional hoverboard and an intelligent robot companion.

The company made the presentations at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, held earlier this month.  [Read more…] about Segway Robotics showcases its delivery robot Loomo

Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets

by

Despite some occasional antipathy towards them, autonomous delivery robots are gaining ground in urban landscapes. 

While some local authorities are unsure about allowing machines to roam free on city streets, most people probably accept that it’s only a matter of time before regulations accommodate the new technology.

Universities, meanwhile, as well as other organizations such as hotels, airports and large companies with extensive grounds of their own, have the opportunity to allow relatively large numbers of these autonomous mobile robots to deliver such things as snacks and maybe books, documents, and other items to students, guests and staff.  [Read more…] about Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets

Solving the tricky last-mile: Delivery robots to rescue e-commerce

by

Logistics companies refer to it as the “last mile” – the final stage of dispatch, when the item goes from the local depot to the customer’s address.

The last mile is often the most complex part of the journey, and probably the least cost-effective, for obvious reasons:

  • the delivery vehicles are large and yet the parcels are small, making each delivery relatively expensive; and
  • the vehicles often have to traverse narrow, winding streets, covering much less ground using the same amount of petrol as when traveling much longer distances on a typical motorway, for example.

These factors, and many other difficulties, are why a lot of companies have been researching and developing a wide variety of interesting solutions for that tricky last mile. And with e-commerce growing so fast, the solutions can’t come fast enough.

[Read more…] about Solving the tricky last-mile: Delivery robots to rescue e-commerce

Startup company says its AI system enables robots to follow instruction manuals

by

A startup company called Vicarious says the artificial intelligence system it has developed enables robots to follow instruction manuals. 

This means that, for the first time ever, all the efforts of the writers of instruction manuals will not be totally wasted.

However, actually reading the words is still a way off. Vicarious’ AI enables robots to simply look at diagrams and follow those.  [Read more…] about Startup company says its AI system enables robots to follow instruction manuals

Samsung presents range of robotic solutions

by

Smartphone giant Samsung presented a range of robotic solutions at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Mostly they were robots designed to be helpful around the home, and the company billed them as “your companions of the future”.

All of the robots used Samsung’s Bixby artificial intelligence platform as their operating system.  [Read more…] about Samsung presents range of robotic solutions

Boeing autonomous passenger air vehicle completes first flight

by

Boeing says it has successfully completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle prototype in Manassas, Virginia.

Boeing NeXt, which leads the company’s urban air mobility efforts, utilized Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to design and develop the electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and will continue testing to advance the safety and reliability of on-demand autonomous air transportation.

The passenger air vehicle prototype completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the flight, which tested the vehicle’s autonomous functions and ground control systems.  [Read more…] about Boeing autonomous passenger air vehicle completes first flight