Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Computing

Itris Automation launches real-time diagnostics solution for PLC-based control systems


by

Itris Automation, a French software developer providing tools for improving the quality and efficiency of PLC programs, has launched its newest solution, ICS Monitoring, internationally.

ICS Monitoring is a real-time diagnostics solution for PLC-based control systems to help facilitate and accelerate the identification of the causes of a machine breakdown.

After the initial launch on the company’s home soil in September 2017, Itris is launching the real-time diagnostics solution, ICS Monitoring, internationally.  [Read more…] about Itris Automation launches real-time diagnostics solution for PLC-based control systems


TI claims ‘first’ multiprotocol gigabit TSN-enabled processors for cyber-physical systems

by

Texas Instruments has launched what it says is the industry’s first multiprotocol gigabit time-sensitive networking-enabled processor range.

The new, highly integrated Sitara AM6x processor family provides industrial-grade reliability, with quad and dual Arm Cortex-A53 core variants built to meet the rapidly evolving needs of Industry 4.0 in factory automation, motor drives and grid infrastructure.

By supporting gigabit throughput rates for TSN standards and other industrial protocols in a specific subsystem, Sitara AM6x processors are built for the convergence of both Ethernet and real-time data traffic on a single network.  [Read more…] about TI claims ‘first’ multiprotocol gigabit TSN-enabled processors for cyber-physical systems

Robot Operating System market forecast to expand almost 9 per cent a year because of its ‘user friendly nature’

by

The global market based on the Robot Operating System is likely to grow at an “exponential rate”, according to the report by Transparency Market Research, which estimates the expansion to be almost 9 percent to more than $400 million by 2026. 

The researcher says the success will be because of ROS’ “user-friendly nature”, which may or may not have accounted for the success of open-source software in general.

ROS, which itself is open source, is not actually an operating system, it’s what’s called “middleware”, which acts as a bridge between the actual operating system and the applications.  [Read more…] about Robot Operating System market forecast to expand almost 9 per cent a year because of its ‘user friendly nature’

Siemens’ Teamcenter now supports eCl@ss Standard to streamline data exchange

by

Siemens has announced that the Teamcenter portfolio, the world’s most widely used product lifecycle management software, will now support the eCl@ss Standard for classification and product description.

eCl@ss has established itself internationally over 18 years as the only ISO/IEC-compliant industry standard, and has become the worldwide reference-data standard for the classification and unambiguous description of products and services.

Supporting a standard classification system can allow Teamcenter users to standardise design, procurement, storage, production, and distribution activities in and between companies – across sectors, countries and languages.

[Read more…] about Siemens’ Teamcenter now supports eCl@ss Standard to streamline data exchange

Nvidia says its deep learning research is putting robotic picking within reach

by

Picking the right items from a disparate range of objects is a difficult challenge for a robot, but Nvidia says it is making progress. 

As another step toward enabling robots to work effectively in complex environments, robotics researchers from Nvidia says it has developed a novel deep learning-based system that allows a robot to perceive household objects in its environment for the purpose of grasping the objects and interacting with them.

With this technique, the robot is able to perform simple pick-and-place operations on known household objects, such as handing an object to a person or grasping an object out of a person’s hand. 
[Read more…] about Nvidia says its deep learning research is putting robotic picking within reach

Infineon releases ‘intelligent power module’ for industrial motor drives

by

Infineon Technologies has added a new product to its range of intelligent power modules.

The CIPOS Maxi IM818 series integrates various power and control components to increase reliability, optimize PCB size and system costs.

The IPM is packaged in a DIP 36x23D housing. This makes it the smallest package for 1200 V IPMs with the highest power density and best performance in its class.  [Read more…] about Infineon releases ‘intelligent power module’ for industrial motor drives

Cincoze launches new rugged embedded computer for industrial applications

by

Cincoze, a manufacturer of embedded computing platforms, has launched its latest rugged embedded computer DS-1200 series.

The system is equipped with Intel Q370 chipset and supports the 8th Gen Intel Core / Pentium / Celeron 35W/65W LGA 1151 processors family.

The new 8th generation Intel Core processor (Coffee Lake) for the first time offers up to 6 cores, 12 threads and 1.4 times computing performance improvement comparing to the previous generation (Kaby Lake).  [Read more…] about Cincoze launches new rugged embedded computer for industrial applications

Insight: Building the future-proofed robot

by

By Kyle Fazzari, software engineer and roboticist at Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu operating system

There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Time and again, it’s the desire to tweak, modify and update which separates a great idea from real-world achievements.

With Apple as the first business to cross the $1 trillion threshold, there’s no better example of this than the iPhone. As a singular product it still doesn’t boast the best camera, the most storage, or fastest processor on the market. So where does the secret to longevity lie? And what can robotics learn from Apple’s flagship product?  [Read more…] about Insight: Building the future-proofed robot

Christie’s in New York to auction painting produced by artificial intelligence for around $10,000

by

A painting produced by artificial intelligence will be auctioned by Christie’s in an auction tomorrow – Thursday, 25th October 2018 – in New York.

The portrait, called Edmond de Belamy (main picture), is believed to be the first piece of AI art to go under the hammer at a major auction house and is created by French art collective “Obvious”.

The AI system compares its own portraits against ones made by human artists and works on them until it is unable to tell the difference between the two.  [Read more…] about Christie’s in New York to auction painting produced by artificial intelligence for around $10,000

Bright Machines raises $180 million for ‘software-defined and totally automated manufacturing’

by

Startup company Bright Machines has raised almost $180 million in Series A funding to expand its “software-defined manufacturing” and “totally automated manufacturing” offerings.

Bright Machines describes software-defined manufacturing as the application of artificial intelligence to the $7 trillion manufacturing industry.

The term “software-defined” is generally applied to computer networks, in the reasonably well-known phrase software-defined networks or networking.  [Read more…] about Bright Machines raises $180 million for ‘software-defined and totally automated manufacturing’