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Nissan aims to sell 1 million electrified vehicles a year by 2022

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Nissan is aiming to sell 1 million electrified vehicles – either pure electric models or those with e-POWER powertrains – annually by fiscal year 2022.

The target is part of as part of its Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022 midterm plan, under which it plans to launch growing numbers of electrified vehicles, expand and evolve autonomous driving systems, and accelerate vehicle connectivity.

The company also intends to develop eight new pure electric vehicles, building on the success of the new Nissan LEAF; launch an electric car offensive in China under different brands; and introduce an electric “kei” mini-vehicle in Japan.

[Read more…] about Nissan aims to sell 1 million electrified vehicles a year by 2022

Lattice Semiconductor launches ‘complete hardware stack’

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Lattice Semiconductor has launched something called Lattice sensAI, which it describes as “a complete technology stack” combining modular hardware kits, neural network IP cores, software tools, reference designs and custom design services.

The company says the purpose is to accelerate the integration of machine learning inferencing into broad market IoT applications.

With solutions optimized for ultra-low power consumption (under 1 mW–1 W), small package size (5.5 mm2 –100 mm2), interface flexibility (MIPI CSI-2, LVDS, GigE, and so on), and high-volume pricing (~$1-$10 USD), Lattice sensAI stack fast-tracks implementation of edge computing close to the source of data.  [Read more…] about Lattice Semiconductor launches ‘complete hardware stack’

BMW opens autonomous driving campus in Germany

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The BMW Group has opened its autonomous driving campus in Unterschleißheim, near Munich, Germany.

The campus is a state-of-the-art centre of excellence, which offers 23,000 square metres of office space with room for 1,800 employees.

The BMW Group is intending to drive forward development of highly automated vehicles with the new campus and is looking to recruit IT specialists and software developers in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis. [Read more…] about BMW opens autonomous driving campus in Germany

NXP and JD.com partner to develop internet of things and artificial intelligence in China

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NXP Semiconductors has reached a strategic agreement with Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com to collaborate on the development of internet of things and artificial intelligence solutions, products and services.

The joint effort will leverage and combine JD.com’s expertise and capabilities in e-commerce and data analysis as well as operations in finance, logistics and marketing, with innovative technologies from NXP in the field of security, IoT, AI and edge computing to establish an integrated IoT ecosystem of products, services and operations for the China market and beyond.

In recent years, with the rapid advancement of technology and the growing market demand, the IoT industry has developed rapidly.  [Read more…] about NXP and JD.com partner to develop internet of things and artificial intelligence in China

Osram acquires US ‘smart grow’ lighting firm

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Lighting giant Osram is acquiring Fluence Bioengineering, Inc. of Austin, Texas. The company specialises in LED-based horticultural systems, using Osram LED chips, for a wide variety of applications including vertical farming, especially in urban areas.

Potential crops range from salad greens and herbs to medicinal plants. Fluence was founded in 2013, has approximately 95 employees and its 2017 sales were in the mid-double-digit millions of dollars (USD).

LED-based solutions from Fluence can increase harvests up to 25 percent, reducing energy costs by as much as 50 percent and, through the targeted use of light, improving the quality and nutritional content of plants.

[Read more…] about Osram acquires US ‘smart grow’ lighting firm

Robots are useless at these tasks that humans are good at

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Some people say robots will put millions of people out of work and even enslave and kill us all, but that’s a little bit hysterical really. 

What looks realistic is that robots will continue to make working life easier and more manageable for humans.

Yes, of course, some jobs may disappear for humans because robots will do them, but hopefully, they will mostly be the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs humans would generally rather not do anyway.  [Read more…] about Robots are useless at these tasks that humans are good at

Artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics startup UBTech raises $820 million in latest funding round

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UBTech Robotics, a developer of intelligent humanoid robots, announced today the completion of its Series C investment totaling $820 million with a market valuation of $5 billion, the single largest funding round ever for an artificial intelligence company.

The investment was led by Tencent, and also includes funding from ICBC, Haier, Minsheng Securities, Telstra, Easyhome Furnishings, Chia Tai Group, China Minsheng Bank, China Film and TV Capital, CGN, Sichuan Railway Investment Group, Green Pine Capital Partners, Whale Capital, and Shenzhen JinFuZi Network Technology.

The lead investor of UBTech’s Series B funding, CDH Investments, also participated.  [Read more…] about Artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics startup UBTech raises $820 million in latest funding round

Audi plans to sell 800,000 electrified cars in 2025

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Audi aims to sell approximately 800,000 fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids in the year 2025. The updated strategy will enable about every third customer to decide in favour of an e-model by the middle of the next decade.

There will be an electrified variant in each model series by then – most of them are to be fully electric, with a smaller proportion as plug-in hybrids.

“Our ambition has always been and will continue to be Vorsprung durch Technik,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG.

[Read more…] about Audi plans to sell 800,000 electrified cars in 2025

Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer bridges workforce gaps at Cox Container

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Cox Container, LLC, a plastics blow moulding manufacturer, has deployed Rethink Robotics‘ Sawyer robot at its Troy, Alabama, USA, facility to address challenges associated with labour shortages and offering high quality jobs to its workers.

Cox Container, LLC, currently operates several blow molders, 24 hours per day in its 73,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility.

Cox Container accommodates custom orders, so adaptability from both human workers and machines is a critical need as the company shifts between high-volume, low-mix and low-volume, high-mix models.

[Read more…] about Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer bridges workforce gaps at Cox Container

China opens ‘world’s first’ bank staffed entirely by robots

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China is reported to have opened a bank staffed entirely by robots. According to The Guardian, this is the first robot-operated bank in the world. 

There are many bank branches around the world which do not have human staff at one time or another during the week.

Customers are left to contend with automated teller machines in the absence of the human staff.  [Read more…] about China opens ‘world’s first’ bank staffed entirely by robots

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