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Advanced driver assistance systems trump driverless cars by stealth

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While everyone seems fascinated by driverless cars brought to us via Silicon Valley, established suppliers of advanced driver assistance systems are quietly doing a roaring trade 

The automotive industry is going through some fundamental changes, mostly because of computer technology. 

The changes include higher levels of computer processing, fully driverless vehicles, greater levels of autonomy, internet connectivity, and the switch from petrol-powered combustion engines to electric.

It’s probably inevitable that the combustion engine will be gone from most mass-manufactured cars within a couple of decades, and will eventually only be seen in antique cars and supercars, although even some supercars are going electric.

Which means the road-going vehicle of the near-future will essentially be computers with wheels, connected to the cloud, and largely autonomous – or, in other words, a robot. In fact, this is what is already happening because of advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS.  [Read more…] about Advanced driver assistance systems trump driverless cars by stealth

Yaskawa Motoman demonstrates new range of robots at IMTS

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Yaskawa Motoman has demonstrated a range of new automation solutions for material handling, human-robot collaboration, and mobile machine tending and material movement during IMTS 2016.  [Read more…] about Yaskawa Motoman demonstrates new range of robots at IMTS

iRed launches new drone aerial inspection system

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Thermographic imaging specialist iRed has launched new aerial inspection services.

The company says it has been testing and developing the system for years and it’s capable of providing entirely new points of view.

“Since early 2012, we’ve been testing and developing aerial technologies in order to produce a comprehensive and efficient inspection solution that not only complements our existing remote sensing capabilities but would also allow us to perform surveys from new perspectives,” says the company in a statement.  [Read more…] about iRed launches new drone aerial inspection system

University receives $1 million grant to improve collaborative robotics

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The envisioned intelligent material delivery system: a robot will sense when skilled workers need materials, and deliver them in advance. This will help reduce worker frustration, stress, and talent loss, and save approximately $1.7 million dollars an hour by reducing work stoppage problems, according to UC San Diego.

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have been given $1 million to research how to improve the way robots interact with people in US factories

Laurel Riek, a roboticist at the UC San Diego, will lead a three-year, $1 million project funded by the National Science Foundation to help change the role of robots in factories and make it easier for machines to work alongside people.

The goal of the project is to design an intelligent material delivery system, which supports and closely integrates with skilled workers in factories.

The researchers will investigate innovative, multi-disciplinary approaches to dramatically advance the state of the art in smart manufacturing and human-centered robotics.  [Read more…] about University receives $1 million grant to improve collaborative robotics

Universal Robots says it has 10,000 collaborative robots installed around the world

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Universal Robots says it has shipped 10,000 of its collaborative industrial robots worldwide so far.

The company, which is believed to be the first robot manufacturer to have launched a collaborative industrial robot model, made the announcement through a Twitter post.

More as we get it…

Ansible Motion developing defence against motion sickness for autonomous cars

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With more people set to be reading or using screens in their autonomous cars, Ansible Motion’s simulation technology could highlight what features could prevent sickness from happening

When self-driving cars become the norm, we’re going to have much more spare time, as we’ll no longer be chained to the steering wheel with our eyes locked on the road ahead.

This is brilliant news as we’ll have more time to read, work and play driving games on our phones instead. But it could have one downside: Motion sickness.

Motion sickness is already a problem for many passengers – and when we all become passengers, it seems inevitable that it’ll get worse. In fact, experts are already predicting that between 6 per cent and 12 per cent of Americans can expect to get sick travelling in an autonomous vehicle.  [Read more…] about Ansible Motion developing defence against motion sickness for autonomous cars

Startup claims launch of ‘world’s first robot to sew complete garment’

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Sewbo says its development is a major breakthrough in clothing manufacturing 

A startup company in America is claiming to have developed a robotic system which can make complete garments. 

The simple combination of a robot and a sewing machine has resulted in what the owner, Jonathan Zornow, says is “the world’s first robotically-sewn garment”.

Zornow says: “Many people are surprised to learn that this is the very first time that a robot has sewn a piece of clothing.

“Despite decades and millions of dollars worth of industrial research, the big hurdle has been that robots can’t reliably handle fabrics.”  [Read more…] about Startup claims launch of ‘world’s first robot to sew complete garment’

Autonomous Tractor boss says new technology can help farmers halve their costs

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The Autonomous Tractor Corporation is close to launching a range of new technologies which it says will help farmers halve their equipment costs. 

In exclusive comments to Robotics and Automation News, Kraig Schulz, CEO of ATC, says the company’s latest eDrive system would cost between $250 and $500 per horsepower.

This is approximately half the cost of a new tractor, which costs anywhere between around $750 and $1,000 per hp.

Schulz says: “The system costs will obviously depend on configuration, horsepower, and so on, but we can have a retrofit eDrive system for a 325 hp sprayer done, installed, ready to go for about $75,000 which is a little less than having the whole thing rebuilt with hydrostatic drives – about $80,000. [Read more…] about Autonomous Tractor boss says new technology can help farmers halve their costs

Tag Team Manufacturing says using Rethink Robotics machines has improved performance by 25 per cent

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Tag Team Manufacturing, a specialist in precision production runs and prototype work for original equipment manufacturers, says deploying Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer for large production jobs at its facility in Parker, Colorado, has led to significant improvements in its productivity.

Tag Team uses Sawyer in an effort to help decrease client costs while shortening the delivery times to market. Sawyer enabled Tag Team to work 24 hours per day, seven days per week to meet the condensed delivery window that otherwise would have required an addition of five machinists in a very tight labor market.

Within weeks of deployment, Sawyer bolstered Tag Team’s production figures by 25 percent, says the company. Sawyer operates a Tag Team computer numerical control (CNC) mill, constantly executing replicable tasks.  [Read more…] about Tag Team Manufacturing says using Rethink Robotics machines has improved performance by 25 per cent

Tata claims its AI system monitors hundreds of TV channels simultaneously in realtime

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Tata Elxsi, a software division of the industrial giant Tata, says it has developed an integrated test automation and monitoring system which now incorporates artificial intelligence. 

The company adds that FalconEye 2.0 suite for test, workflow and monitoring automation now includes “a host of new and industry-first features”.

This includes a new artificial intelligence engine, focusing on improving the test coverage and optimizing stability testing scenarios.

One of the things it can do is simultaneously test and monitor hundreds of television channels in realtime.  [Read more…] about Tata claims its AI system monitors hundreds of TV channels simultaneously in realtime