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MIT develops navigation method to help delivery robots find the front door

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MIT has developed a navigation method that is designed to help delivery robots find the front door of an address. (See video below.)

Standard approaches for robotic navigation involve mapping an area ahead of time, then using algorithms to guide a robot toward a specific goal or GPS coordinate on the map.

MIT says that, while this approach might make sense for exploring specific environments, such as the layout of a particular building or planned obstacle course, this method can become “unwieldy in the context of last-mile delivery”. [Read more…] about MIT develops navigation method to help delivery robots find the front door

Volvo creates new business unit for autonomous truck solutions

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Volvo has created a new business unit for its growing range of autonomous transport solutions.

The new business area, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, will accelerate the development, commercialization and sales of autonomous transport solutions.

Volvo says this will enable the company to meet “a growing demand” and to offer “the best possible solutions” to customers in such segments as mining, ports and transport between logistics centers, as a complement to today’s products and services. [Read more…] about Volvo creates new business unit for autonomous truck solutions

SICK showcases robotic area protection system

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SICK has been showcasing its robotic area protection system, saying that the technology makes collaborative robot safety simple.

The Safe Robotics Area Protection (SRAP) safety system from SICK provides process-based protection for collaborative robot applications.

The safety system provides machine operators with unrestricted, yet safe, access to a robot’s working area at any time, by adapting the operating conditions to the position of the person. [Read more…] about SICK showcases robotic area protection system

Kuehne + Nagel breaks ground for new Luxembourg logistics hub

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Kuehne + Nagel held the ground-breaking ceremony of a new contract logistics centre in Luxembourg.

The event also marked the 10-year contract extension between Kuehne + Nagel and sports equipment supplier On AG, a co-operation that started in 2010.

The new contract logistics centre, due to open in the second half of 2020, will serve On as its advanced European distribution centre for both off- and online channels and will play an important role in the rapid international expansion of the Swiss company specialized in performance running shoes. [Read more…] about Kuehne + Nagel breaks ground for new Luxembourg logistics hub

Nippon Express to construct new Shanghai warehouse

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Nippon Express Global has begun construction on a new warehouse in Shanghai Qingpu Industrial Park.

Situated in the western part of Shanghai, Qingpu Industrial Park was opened in 1995 as an industrial park receiving key municipal-level industrial support, and its location within 50 minutes of central Shanghai has attracted electronics, biotech, and hi-tech companies.

The industrial park is located adjacent to a highway linking Shanghai with cities across Jiangsu Province, which is now developing into a major production area, and growing attention on this strategic logistics location is driving warehouse demand higher.

[Read more…] about Nippon Express to construct new Shanghai warehouse

Continental expands logistics center for car aftermarket

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Continental has expanded its logistics center in Gross-Rohrheim south of Frankfurt, the site that supplies dealers all over the world with spare parts.

During the course of the second quarter, the technology company will put its new 7,000 sq m warehouse extension into operation, expanding the total available area to 34,000 sq m.

The new logistics area serves as a picking and storage area. It has a separate small parts warehouse with more than 25,000 storage spaces – almost 20,000 more than before – so dealers can also be supplied economically with spare parts in small quantities and with shorter order cycles.

[Read more…] about Continental expands logistics center for car aftermarket

Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

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Agricultural innovations are essential for feeding our ever-growing global population.

Especially these days, as industrialisation and global warming continue to negatively affect soil fertility and reduce the amount of arable land.

According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050.

[Read more…] about Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

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Sony Corporation and NTT Docomo, Inc. will jointly trial Sony’s conceptual driverless vehicle, the New Concept Cart SC-1, which uses 5G mobile technologies for various remotely controlled functions.

The test will be conducted using the trial network in Docomo 5G Open Lab Guam, which will provide test facilities and an outdoor verification environment constructed by Docomo.

The test will verify data transmission and operational performance required to remotely control the cart from a long distance via the extra-high speed, large capacity, low latency and massive-device connectivity.

[Read more…] about Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA