Market trends and business perspectives
Amazon and iRobot have entered into a “definitive merger agreement” under which Amazon will acquire iRobot.
iRobot is the well known maker of innovative cleaning products for the home, including the Roomba vacuum cleaning robot.
iRobot says it has continued to innovate with every product generation, solving hard problems to help give customers valuable time back in their day. [Read more…] about Amazon to acquire iRobot for $1.7 billion
Telexistence has started the mass production of its originally developed artificial intelligence robot, TX SCARA, to be installed in 300 FamilyMart stores, Japan’s top-tier convenience store chain in major metropolitan areas, starting later this month, validating its AI-based “robot-as-a-service” solution for grocery retailers.
TX SCARA was created to do the specific task of restocking refrigerated shelves with bottles and cans, a repetitive, tedious job generally performed by employees in often uncomfortable settings.
TX SCARA can be in operation 24/7, replenishing shelves at a pace of up to 1,000 bottles and cans per day, relying almost completely on its AI system – known as “GORDON” – to know when and where products need to be placed on the shelves. [Read more…] about Telexistence to install AI re-stocking robots in 300 convenience stores across Japan
RC Mowers, a manufacturer of remote-operated robotic mowers, has added another West Coast dealership to its expanding network with the onboarding of Cal-Line Equipment in California.
Tim Kubista, vice president of sales and marketing for RC Mowers, says: “Cal-Line has had a fantastic reputation as a top-notch equipment sales and service provider for nearly 40 years.
“While they’re primarily known for the sale and rental of large tree-clearing equipment, their strong standing in the landscaping community makes them a welcome addition to the RC Mowers family.” [Read more…] about RC Mowers expands dealer network with addition of West Coast equipment company
A startup company called ROBOJuice is promising “first-ever artificial intelligence and robotics-powered kiosk that can prepare and serve smoothies and acai bowls in under 60 seconds”.
Nik Sakhno, the founder of ROBOJuice, says the company has launched because the hospitality industry continues to embrace automation and it was good time to bring the machine to market.
With more than 10 years’ experience in the food automation industry, Sakhno, alongside a team of expert engineers, created ROBOjuice with the goal of helping fast-casual restaurants increase productivity, while being “10 times more affordable to deploy, and two times more profitable compared to traditional, labor-intensive fast-casual restaurants”. [Read more…] about ROBOJuice promises robot-made smoothies in 60 seconds
Blendid, a maker of a robotic machine that makes food, and Jamba, a provider of fruit and vegetable smoothies, are planning to expand their “Jamba by Blendid” autonomous robotic kiosk locations to Love’s Travel Stops, building on the system’s initial deployments in retail locations and college campuses.
The first Jamba by Blendid kiosk piloted at a Love’s Travel Stop will open this summer in Williams, California, just outside of Sacramento, marking a strategic expansion into rest area locations to meet the increasing demand for nutritious quick-serve options for commuters, travelers and professional truck drivers across the United States.
With more than 590 locations in 41 states, Love’s Travel Stops provides professional drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, compressed natural gas, travel items, electronics, snacks, restaurant offerings, and more from coast to coast. [Read more…] about Blendid and Jamba find new customer for their robot-made smoothies
Miso Robotics, the company transforming the restaurant industry with robotics and intelligent automation, has started a partnership with Wings and Rings, a club-level sports restaurant chain serving signature wings and other chef-inspired menu items, to begin a piloted test of Flippy 2 in its Crestview Hills, Kentucky location, with possible plans for further integration in the months ahead.
Built on the Miso Platform, Flippy 2 leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision and data analytics to maximize efficiency in the commercial kitchen.
As the first wing concept to integrate Flippy 2 in a real restaurant environment versus a test kitchen, Wings and Rings sees robotics as the next evolution in alleviating the long-term challenges that the ongoing labor shortage has brought to the entire restaurant industry. [Read more…] about Wings and Rings partners with Miso Robotics to begin Flippy 2 pilot
Fast Radius, a cloud manufacturing and digital supply chain company, is partnering with Simbe Robotics to manufacture components critical to the function and aesthetics of Simbe’s inventory robot, Tally 3.
Simbe says it has “reimagined the possibilities of automation” to create new efficiencies in retail stores and selected Fast Radius’ Cloud Manufacturing Platform because of its ability to bypass current supply chain disruptions through flexible production.
This results in faster time to market versus traditional manufacturing processes and helps the business scale. [Read more…] about Simbe Robotics partners with Fast Radius to build new Tally robot
Scythe Robotics, the creator of advanced, commercial-grade autonomous solutions for the landscaping industry, has surpassed 5,000 reservations for its all-electric, fully autonomous mower, Scythe M.52.
Further, as the company scales alongside this significant demand, Scythe announced the appointments of Brian Merkel, formerly a head of manufacturing and production for SpaceX Starlink, as head of manufacturing for Scythe, as well as former Magic Leap lead recruiter, Jen Mongeois, as head of talent acquisition.
Founded in 2018, Scythe is transforming the $115 billion commercial landscaping industry, which despite being plagued for years by painful labor shortages has not seen substantial technological innovation in decades. [Read more…] about Scythe Robotics surpasses 5,000 reservations for zero-emissions autonomous mower
LG Business Solutions USA has introduced the company’s first multi-purpose customer service robot, the LG CLOi GuideBot, which is designed to provide wayfinding, enhanced security, powerful advertising opportunities and valuable data on interaction times and usage.
The robot’s friendly digital face, responsive voice activation and two large touch screens are designed to revolutionize the customer experience virtually everywhere from museums and convention centers to movie theaters and hotels.
The LG CLOi GuideBot made its official debut at InfoComm 2022 in the Las Vegas Convention Center, alongside the LG CLOi ServeBot, an autonomous indoor delivery robot to carry and deliver food, goods and supplies. [Read more…] about LG showcases new customer service robot
Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and leader in retail automation, has deployed a pilot program with Vallarta Supermarkets, a chain of 53 full-service markets throughout California, to reinforce operational and customer-service excellence.
Badger Technologies multipurpose autonomous robots support the retailer by identifying hazards at five Vallarta Supermarkets in Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
Vallarta also is testing the robot’s inventory management capabilities at a sixth location aimed at improving on-shelf product availability. [Read more…] about Vallarta Supermarkets test retail robot from Badger Technologies
