Market trends and business perspectives
A scientist at the Swiss university ETH Zurich is developing a robot that “grips without touching”.
The technology is based on sound waves, or “ultrasound waves”, to be more precise.
ETH pioneer fellow Marcel Schuck is responsible for the invention, and has a small version of the robot on his desk. [Read more…] about Swiss scientist developing robot that ‘grips without touching’
Continued disruption, restructuring and re-shaping of the automotive industry will be required to make increasing levels of R&D affordable whilst simultaneously representing a major growth opportunity in the year ahead, according to engineering consultancy Horiba Mira.
The proliferation of electrification and connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies will continue to be amongst the top automotive trends in 2020 which will continue to push up the already soaring costs of research and development.
Indeed, latest figures show European auto manufacturers spent a record £33.3 billion on R&D – 35 per cent more than the £24.6 billion spent in 2014/15. [Read more…] about Opinion: Radical rethink of automotive R&D investment required in 2020
BMW has unveiled what could be described as one of the strangest cars ever designed.
The “BMW i Interaction EASE”, as it’s called, looks from the side to be shaped like a rectangular block with absolutely no aerodynamics integrated into it. But the front and back end do have some aerodynamic contours.
The autonomous weirdo was showcased at this year’s CES, with BMW saying that it “offers a glimpse into a future where autonomous driving has become commonplace”. [Read more…] about BMW unveils one of the strangest cars ever designed
Cruise Automation, the driverless car startup acquired by General Motors, has unveiled its first vehicle.
The Cruise Origin, as it is called, is electric, autonomous, driverless with no steering wheel, and designed to carry several people – about six in spacious comfort.
The company says the Origin is the answer to the many problems of motoring today. Cars today use fossil fuels which pollute the atmosphere, and are designed in a way that limits the space available. [Read more…] about GM’s Cruise Automation unveils new driverless electric vehicle
Amazon is building a new Amazon Robotics innovation hub in Westborough, Massachusetts, creating 200 tech and advanced manufacturing jobs in the process.
Opening in 2021, the company plans to invest more than $40 million in the new site to allow Amazon Robotics to continue to grow its engineering, manufacturing, support and test teams in the state.
The new 350,000 square feet facility, developed by Atlantic Management of Framingham, Massachusetts, will feature corporate offices, research and development labs, and manufacturing space and will be in addition to Amazon Robotics’ current site in North Reading – together serving as the company’s “epicenter of robotics innovation”. [Read more…] about Amazon Robotics building $40 million research and development center in Massachusetts
Two Silicon Sensing Systems ultra-precise AMU30 inertial measurement units (IMUs) will provide critical navigation data to the autopilot capability for the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) throughout her milestone trans-Atlantic voyage this autumn.
Setting sail this September, the 15 meter-long, 5-ton MAS400 will repeat the Mayflower’s original epic voyage 400 years ago. Led by marine research organization ProMare and powered by IBM, she will sail from Plymouth, England to Plymouth Massachusetts, USA.
Instead of a captain and crew, she will use computer vision, machine learning, edge technologies and sensors to navigate and detect hazards. [Read more…] about Silicon Sensing to provide navigation technology for Mayflower autonomous ship
Hanwha Systems is making a $25 million investment in US air taxi startup Overair, and has received approval from the relevant authorities for the move.
Hanwha Systems and Overair research and development are planning to co-develop and bring the “Butterfly” to the US air-taxi market by the year 2025.
In early December of 2019, Youn-Chul Kim, CEO of Hanwha Systems, said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved Hanwha Systems’ $25 million investment in Overair (previously K4 Aeronautics), a leading US air-taxi startup. [Read more…] about Hanwha Systems gearing up to enter air taxi market
SICK has launched what it says is “the world’s smallest safety laser scanner”, the nanoScan3.
The company says the new component is designed for “easy and economical integration into the smallest of machine designs”, particularly for automated guided vehicles, carts, mobile platforms and service robots.
The ultra-compact SICK nanoScan3 is just eight centimetres tall, so it can fit snugly into the spaces in machines where safety laser scanners could not previously have been located. [Read more…] about SICK unveils ‘world’s smallest’ safety laser scanner for robots
Xsens, a provider of 3D motion tracking technology, has today announced the launch of Xsens DOT, a new precision motion tracking solution.
Xsens DOT is a wearable sensor development platform that enables innovators to develop and prototype new applications faster, especially in sports and healthcare.
The platform captures the most reliable and accurate data currently available and is backed by community support from Xsens product experts. [Read more…] about Xsens unveils new motion tracking technology
Bosch says it has now “completed” its sensor portfolio for automated driving, with long-range lidar complementing radar and cameras.
Bosch is one of the world’s leading suppliers of components for advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, which is an umbrella term referring to the autonomous functions in the newer cars on the roads today.
Example of ADAS features include automatic emergency braking, cruise control, and self-parking. But this is growing and becoming more sophisticated and integrated. [Read more…] about Bosch claims ‘complete’ sensor portfolio for autonomous driving
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