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Darpa selects eight teams for $3.5 million prize competition

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Darpa has selected eight teams to compete for a prize competition in which the winner will receive $2 million, the runner-up will get $1 million, and third place will earn half a million dollars.

The Darpa Subterranean (SubT) Challenge Systems Competition Final Event will be held on September 21-23, 2021, when the teams’ robots will have to quickly navigate unfamiliar underground environments at the Louisville Mega Cavern in search of common items including backpacks, cell phones, trapped survivors, and even invisible gas.

Those who find and identify the most items will win prizes of $2 million for first place, $1 million for second place, and $500,000 for third place. [Read more…] about Darpa selects eight teams for $3.5 million prize competition

Baidu Apollo receives driverless vehicle test permit in California

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Baidu Apollo has now been approved by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test driverless vehicles without a safety driver behind the wheel on public streets.

This makes Baidu the first permit holder in the state to receive driverless test permits for two different vehicle models due to the “robustness” of its AI driver system, according to the company.

Baidu says California will partner in its ongoing driverless testing program which began last year. [Read more…] about Baidu Apollo receives driverless vehicle test permit in California

Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

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Nuro claims it has become “the first company” to receive a permit to deploy autonomous vehicles on public streets from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

This permit will allow its vehicles to operate commercially on California roads in two counties near Nuro’s headquarters in the Bay Area.

Nuro says it will soon announce its first deployment in California with an established partner. The service will start with its fleet of Prius vehicles in fully autonomous mode, followed by its custom-designed electric R2 vehicles. [Read more…] about Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

Stäubli charging system installed for electric vehicles at Long Beach port

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Stäubli’s Quick Charging Connector (QCC), a rapid charging system for the automatic charging of electric vehicles, have been incorporated in high powers chargers installed by Tritium at the Port of Long Beach, California, USA.

SSA Marine, which manages the terminal at the Port of Long Beach, is transforming 33 diesel-powered tractors by retrofitting them with all-electric drivetrain systems.

Tritium, an Australian company that designs and manufactures fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles, will install its Veefil High Power Chargers (HPCs), type PK 175kW DC to power SSA Marine’s fleet of terminal tractors.

[Read more…] about Stäubli charging system installed for electric vehicles at Long Beach port

OnRobot opens research and development facility in Los Angeles

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New office location in Culver City provides OnRobot opportunity to attract talent and add new products to a portfolio including robotic grippers inspired by lizards and sensors lending a human touch to robot arms

OnRobot, a provider of end-of-arm tooling for collaborative robot applications, has opened its first location specifically dedicated to research and development in the United States.

Based in Culver City in Los Angeles, California, the new office area boasts 6,000 square feet for engineers, researchers and local staff to work and develop new products. Last year marked OnRobot’s first foray into the LA area, as it acquired Perception Robotics.

With this acquisition, OnRobot brought the award winning Gecko Gripper technology into its product offerings and developed it for commercial launch. [Read more…] about OnRobot opens research and development facility in Los Angeles

Laid-back Californians totally lose it and go on the rampage, attacking driverless vehicles everywhere, apparently

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Californians are famous for being laid back, going surfing, and… attacking robots? 

In what is probably one of the weirdest stories to emerge so far this year, residents of California have reportedly been attacking driverless cars and other autonomous wheeled vehicles.

And no one really knows why.

They’ve been shouting out them, too, apparently.  [Read more…] about Laid-back Californians totally lose it and go on the rampage, attacking driverless vehicles everywhere, apparently

Apple acquires permit to test autonomous vehicles in California

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By Jessica Resnick-Ault, Reuters

Apple has secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California, fuelling speculation that it is working on self-driving car technology in a crowded arena of companies hoping to offer those cars to the masses.

The permit allows it to conduct test drives in three vehicles with six drivers, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said on Friday. The vehicles are all 2015 Lexus RX450h, according to the DMV.

Although it has never openly acknowledged it is looking into building an electric car, Apple has recruited dozens of auto experts in recent years, and the permit pulls the curtain back a bit on any possible plan.  [Read more…] about Apple acquires permit to test autonomous vehicles in California

ABB wins $100 million order to upgrade historic power link In California

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Last year ABB received an order worth around $140 million from transmission system operators Energinet.dk in Denmark and 50Hertz Transmission in Germany to design, supply and install an HVDC converter station in Bentwisch, Northern Germany.

Converter station upgrade to improve power reliability of 46-year-old Pacific Intertie power link

ABB has won an order worth more than $100 million from the US utility Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, to modernize the existing Sylmar high-voltage direct current converter station in California.

This station is an important part of the electricity link between the Pacific Northwest and southern California commissioned in 1970. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The Sylmar converter station, located to the north of Los Angeles, is the southern station of the Pacific Intertie, a 1,360 kilometer HVDC link that connects to the Celilo converter station near the Columbia River, Oregon.  [Read more…] about ABB wins $100 million order to upgrade historic power link In California

Universal Robots opens new US West Coast headquarters

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Universal Robots is widening its US presence with a 3,000+ sq ft new West Coast base in Irvine.

For the past three years, Universal Robots has doubled sales each year and now has more collaborative robots – or cobots – deployed worldwide than all competitors combined.

Craig Tomita, area sales manager of Universal Robots’ western division, will head up the new team in Irvine providing expanded West Coast operations.

Emphasizing the “ideal” location of the Irvine office, Tomita says: “This office will be key in sustaining our growth. Our cobots are already deployed in a wide range of industries here in Southern California; from medical device manufacturers to machine shops. Having a local presence brings us closer to our end users and sales channel partners, enabling us to offer unmatched service and support.”  [Read more…] about Universal Robots opens new US West Coast headquarters

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