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BMW applies AI dust particle analysis to ‘increase paint shop quality’

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BMW says it uses an “ongoing algorithm-based analysis” of dust content in vehicle paint booths and compares them to a database to predict the quality of coating it applies to cars

Artificial intelligence can bring even greater precision to controlling highly sensitive systems in automotive production, as a pilot project in the paint shop of the BMW’s Munich plant has demonstrated.

Despite state-of-the-art filtration technology, the content of finest dust particles in paint lines varies depending on the ambient air drawn in. If the dust content exceeded the threshold, the still wet paint could trap particles, thus visually impairing the painted surface.

AI specialists from what BMW calls its “central planning” and the Munich plant have now found a way to avoid this situation altogether: every freshly painted car body must undergo an automatic surface inspection in the paint shop. [Read more…] about BMW applies AI dust particle analysis to ‘increase paint shop quality’

ADLINK teams up with Intel to launch ROS-based robotics technology

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ADLINK Technology, a provider of edge computing systems, has launched the ROScube-I with Intel, providing a real-time ROS 2 robot controller for advanced robotic applications.

The ADLINK ROScube-I Series is a ROS 2-enabled robotic controller based on Intel Xeon E, 9th Gen Intel Core i7/i3 and 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processors, and features exceptional I/O connectivity supporting a wide variety of sensors and actuators to meet the needs of a wide range of robotic applications.

The ROScube-I supports an extension box for convenient functional and performance expansion with Intel VPU cards and the Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit for computation of AI algorithms and inference. [Read more…] about ADLINK teams up with Intel to launch ROS-based robotics technology

How has AI changed the trading industry?

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From retail to manufacturing to flying, AI is everywhere, and the trading industry is no exception.

The financial services industry was one of the first to adopt AI in the early 80s and automated trading systems (ATS) now account for almost 85% of all trading in the US.

Globally, the market size is expected to reach over $18 billion by 2024. [Read more…] about How has AI changed the trading industry?

Mitsubishi Electric develops ‘co-operative AI’ for human-machine work

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Mitsubishi Electric says it has developed a cooperative artificial intelligence technology that it says “enhances work collaboration between humans and machines”.

The system uses something Mitsubishi calls “inverse reinforcement learning”, or IRL, to learn and imitate the actions of skilled workers.

IRL, one of the key features of Mitsubishi Electric’s “Maisart AI” technology, enables machines to imitate human-like actions based on relatively small amounts of data. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric develops ‘co-operative AI’ for human-machine work

Agricultural robots and AI: A question of when and not if

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Robotics and artificial intelligence will drive a deep and transformative change in the agricultural world during the coming decades, according to a new report by IDTechEx.

Seeing, localising, and taking plant-specific intelligent action are no longer the exclusive realm of humans, says the research company.

Machines have demonstrated the technical viability and the emphasis has long shifted to the finer details of return on investment, reliability, business model, and so on. [Read more…] about Agricultural robots and AI: A question of when and not if

The Future for Contactless Delivery

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By D. A. Rupprecht

The future for contactless product delivery is already here, and a pandemic seems to already be moving this trend forward.

It just needs companies to implement and customers to accept the new delivery and tracking methods, along with other innovations, that will make this so.

When this happens, we may one day look back and quietly thank the lowly coronavirus for catapulting us into a brighter future. [Read more…] about The Future for Contactless Delivery

How AI is Changing the Insurance Sector

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Whether you own a business or drive a car, insurance is important to protect your investments and prevent you from sinking in the event of a serious and costly accident or act of malice.

People need to address risk, so they turn to insurance carriers that offer the best premiums for their needs.

To do so, these carriers will have to improve their processes so they can better service their clients. [Read more…] about How AI is Changing the Insurance Sector

Inspection and Diagnostic Robots: What they Mean for Society

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Seventy percent of robots in the United States are employed in just four industries: auto-making, electronics, plastic and chemicals, and metals manufacturing.

Inspection and diagnosing play an important part in all these industries, so a variety of robots have been programmed to inspect equipment and diagnose problems as they arise.

Of course, inspection and diagnosis are not limited to manufacturing; they are the safeguards of society. AI diagnostics and autonomous inspection are helping us in more ways than we can imagine. [Read more…] about Inspection and Diagnostic Robots: What they Mean for Society

AI for robotics developer Covariant raises $40 million in funding

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Covariant, a developer of artificial intelligence for robotics, has raised $40 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to $67 million.

The round was led by Index Ventures, along with AI-focused Radical Ventures and participation from existing investor Amplify Partners and others.

Covariant will use the funding to accelerate its partnerships, introduce AI Robotics to new industries, and grow its research, engineering and commercial teams. [Read more…] about AI for robotics developer Covariant raises $40 million in funding

Kindred unveils new robotic solution for e-commerce fulfillment

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Kindred has unveiled a new robotic solution for e-commerce fulfillment.

The company debuted the Kindred Sort 3.7 piece-picking robot at the recent Modex Show.

The enhanced Sort 3.7 system features eight additional cubbies, for a total of 27, translating into a 42 percent increase in the number of items it can sort at e-commerce fulfillment centers and warehouses, says Kindred. [Read more…] about Kindred unveils new robotic solution for e-commerce fulfillment