Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

ABI Research

More than $4 billion invested in robotics companies

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Robotics continues to attract more and more attention within the world of venture capital and private finance, with over $4 billion invested in robotics companies in 2018 alone.

But some companies are standing out more than others in innovation that will advance the entire robotics industry. Global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research, has released a report highlighting the 15 key hot tech innovators currently leading in their respective markets through novel technology solutions.

Rian Whitton, senior analyst at ABI Research, says: “Not only are these Hot Tech Innovators propelling the robotics industry forward but also, by looking at their innovations, we can deduce several trends that will have a ripple effect across the board.” [Read more…] about More than $4 billion invested in robotics companies

50,000 warehouses to use 4 million robots by 2025, says report

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More than 4 million commercial robots will be installed in over 50,000 warehouses by 2025, according to a report by ABI Research.

The 50,000 figure represents a massive expansion of the market from the current situation in which an estimated 4,000 warehouses were found to be using robots in 2018.

ABI says the rapid rate of adoption will be driven by the need for flexible, efficient, and automated e-commerce fulfillment as same-day delivery becomes the norm.  [Read more…] about 50,000 warehouses to use 4 million robots by 2025, says report

5G: The de facto connectivity choice for outdoor robots of the future

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Low latency and cloud intelligence are the two main features of 5G that will significantly change the deployment of mission-critical and business-critical robots, particularly those deployed outdoors. These robots can include mobile vehicles and road-going vehicles such as cars and trucks. 

According to ABI Research, an advisory firm, the commercialization of a 5G network is expected to usher in the significant growth of commercial robotics.

Shipments of 5G robots are expected to reach 570,000 by 2027, largely deployed in mission critical and business critical settings.  [Read more…] about 5G: The de facto connectivity choice for outdoor robots of the future

Qualcomm robotics platform: Connectivity key to transforming robotics industry

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By Lian Jye Su, principal analyst at tech advisory firm, ABI Research

Qualcomm has just announced the launch of Qualcomm Robotics RB3 Platform. The platform is the company’s first comprehensive end-to-end robotics development platform that features heterogeneous computing architecture with support for artificial intelligence processing, additional camera, sensors, and video modules.

Aside from Qualcomm’s in-house software development kits, the platform also supports Linux, Robot Operating System, and Amazon AWS Robomaker, making it very accessible to robotics creators and developers.

Most importantly, the platform features integrated support for LTE cellular connectivity and future upgradability to 5G.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm robotics platform: Connectivity key to transforming robotics industry

Fast-growing exoskeleton market set to exceed $5 billion in annual revenue, says report

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The fast-growing exoskeleton market is forecast to exceed $5 billion in annual revenue over the next 10 years, according to consultants at ABI Research.

Across a range of applications, exoskeletons are increasingly being introduced to augment human capability; for assistive purposes in the workplace, and for enabling and rehabilitative purposes for the healthcare market.

Though a technology that has been talked about since the Sixties, exoskeletons are only now beginning to demonstrate their practical value. As of 2018, global shipments stand at 7 thousand units with a global hardware revenue of $192 million.  [Read more…] about Fast-growing exoskeleton market set to exceed $5 billion in annual revenue, says report

Manufacturing is set for ‘the next American industrial revolution’, says ABI

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ABI Research says its study of recent big industrial technology exhibitions “highlights how the manufacturing landscape is set for the next American industrial revolution”.

The consultancy says: “The manufacturing landscape is about to change and change in a big way.”

The debate over whether or not digitization will impact this market has passed, it adds.  [Read more…] about Manufacturing is set for ‘the next American industrial revolution’, says ABI

Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market

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Cognitive systems are fueling the future of the robotics industry, while the collaborative robotics sector is “morphing into a billion-dollar market”, according to ABI Research.

There is a growing interest within the robotics industry as to the benefits of cognitive systems and how they can improve robotic solutions, both in the incremental sense of improving productivity and the strategic sense of adding entirely new capabilities that broaden the use-cases for robotics in the traditional parameters of the industry and beyond.

The innate value of cognitive systems run concomitant to the development of collaborative robotics, says ABI, which provides strategic guidance on transformative technologies.  [Read more…] about Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market

‘Growing confidence in robotics’ leads to $2.7 billion in venture capital funding, says report

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2017 was a bumper year for robotics investment, with even more funds to come, according to a report by ABI Research

The robotics industry continued to go from strength to strength as 2017 represented the largest year of investment, with the total amount adding up to $2.7 billion, according to ABI Research, a market-forecast advisory firm.

Rian Whitton, research analyst at ABI Research, says: “While the growth in investment from 2016 to 2017, at 23.2 per cent, slowed from growth between 2015 and 2016, this was affected by applying a narrower understanding of robotics, leaving out categories like autonomous cars.

“Had the same definition of robotics been used as in previous years, total investment would have exceeded $5 billion.”  [Read more…] about ‘Growing confidence in robotics’ leads to $2.7 billion in venture capital funding, says report

Industry analysis: 8 technologies that will transform manufacturing

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Advisory firm ABI Research has listed what it regards as the most transformative technologies in manufacturing.

The company outlines how the technologies fit together with each other in its report Smart Manufacturing.

The eight transformative technologies the report highlights are:

  1. Additive manufacturing
  2. Artificial intelligence and machine learning
  3. Augmented reality
  4. Blockchain
  5. Digital twins
  6. Edge intelligence
  7. Industrial Internet of Things platforms
  8. Robotics

The manufacturing sector has already seen increased adoption of IIoT platforms and edge intelligence, says ABI.  [Read more…] about Industry analysis: 8 technologies that will transform manufacturing

Research: Consumer robotics market to rise to $23 billion by 2026

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The consumer robotics market is evolving rapidly and covers a wide array of products, from homecare systems to children’s toys to smart ‘humanoid’ robots that provide personal and social engagement.

According to ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies, the entire consumer robotics market will reach 100 million shipments and US$23 billion in revenue by 2026.

Home-care robots are already the primary driver of revenue for the wider consumer robotics market. This trend is expected to increase, following a banner year of revenue and shipment growth from floor care market leader iRobot.

[Read more…] about Research: Consumer robotics market to rise to $23 billion by 2026