Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

collaborative robots

Why Factory Automation Now Depends on Software-Savvy Workers

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Automation is becoming a software problem. The deeper robots move into production, the more workers need to be confident handling dashboards, updates, alerts and data-driven decisions.

The old image of factory automation was a robot arm behind a safety cage, doing one repetitive task faster than a human being ever could. But whilst robots weld, lift, assemble and pack at speeds fast enough to warrant their own keepers and still save thousands of man-hours, the knowledge of that robot engineer is increasingly software-based.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Robotics said that, worldwide, more than half a million industrial robots were installed in 2024 alone, topping up a figure approaching 5 million robots in operational use. [Read more…] about Why Factory Automation Now Depends on Software-Savvy Workers

Inbolt to launch vision-enabled robot programming at Automate event

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Inbolt, the robot intelligence company that turns digital twins into live robot control, is launching two new capabilities that complete the company’s AI vision model for robot guidance: Inbolt Robot Programming and an expanded Inbolt Robot Control. The launch pad is booth #1675 at Automate 2026 in Chicago, June 22-25.

Rudy Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Inbolt, says: “Robot deployment still takes weeks because the digital twin never matches the real factory floor, engineers hand-tune every trajectory during commissioning.

“With Robot Programming, the Vision Model, and Robot Control on a single platform, that gap closes; Engineers build the program from the CAD, our vision model locates the real part, and the robot executes the planned path.  [Read more…] about Inbolt to launch vision-enabled robot programming at Automate event

Sensory Robotics says ‘the end of robotic cages starts now’

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A University of Cincinnati 1819 Innovation Hub corporate partner, Sensory Robotics, says it has “broken through the fence line with a next-generation safety solution”.

Their flagship technology, the SR-1 system, is designed to be installed in and integrated with existing industrial robots, setting a new benchmark for how robots can safely transform into cobots and operate alongside humans.

Sensory Robotics, through UL certification, ensures the safety of their technology to work alongside humans and heavy robots with no restrictions on payload, reach, or speed. [Read more…] about Sensory Robotics says ‘the end of robotic cages starts now’

Human-Robot Collaboration: How Modern Workplaces Can Be Designed for Safety, Productivity, and Employee Wellbeing

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Physical barriers are disappearing from the modern production floor, with the $85 billion industrial robotics market creating a shared environment where people and machinery work side by side.

Successfully managing this transition requires a deep understanding of spatial geometry, workforce psychology, and functional safety standards.

There are millions of industrial robots deployed worldwide, and each unit requires a workspace specifically engineered to balance operational speed with human safety. [Read more…] about Human-Robot Collaboration: How Modern Workplaces Can Be Designed for Safety, Productivity, and Employee Wellbeing

Scaling automation in contract manufacturing: Interview with Rodrigo DallOglio of Flex

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As manufacturers face increasing pressure to improve productivity, quality, and resilience while managing growing product complexity, automation is becoming a central part of modern factory operations.

Technologies such as collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and emerging forms of physical AI are moving beyond pilot projects and into large-scale production environments.

One company at the forefront of this trend is Flex, one of the world’s largest contract manufacturers, which serves customers across industries including automotive, healthcare, industrial equipment, communications, and consumer electronics. [Read more…] about Scaling automation in contract manufacturing: Interview with Rodrigo DallOglio of Flex

Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

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Flexiv, a provider of general-purpose robotics, has announced it will host an exclusive preview of its next-generation robotics portfolio at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), taking place June 1-5 in Vienna, Austria.

At Hall B, Booth 130, visitors will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of two groundbreaking robotic platforms ahead of their international launch later this year.

Flexiv is using the event to demonstrate the core architecture and technical capabilities of its new lineup, showcasing new benchmarks in tactile intelligence and modular adaptability. [Read more…] about Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

Festo introduces two-finger pneumatic gripper for cobot applications

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Collaborative robots operate within strict payload and mounting constraints. Pneumatic gripper installations that rely on external valves, sensors, and wiring add weight, increase footprint, and complicate routing along compact cobot arms.

To address these constraints, Festo has introduced the HPPH two-finger pneumatic parallel gripper, a compact, lightweight design that integrates control, sensing, and collaborative safety functions directly into the gripper body.

By reducing external components, the HPPH preserves payload capacity and simplifies mounting and wiring on collaborative robot platforms. The HPPH is available through Festo and the Universal Robotics Marketplace. [Read more…] about Festo introduces two-finger pneumatic gripper for cobot applications

Tungsten Carbide Manufacturing and the Future of Next-Generation Robotics

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Robotics is often discussed through software, sensors, artificial intelligence, and automation platforms. Those areas deserve attention, but they are not the whole story.

Every robot still depends on physical parts that move, grip, cut, guide, press, rotate, and repeat the same motions for thousands or millions of cycles. That is where material choice becomes more important than many people realize.

As robots move into more demanding industrial settings, the question is no longer only what a robot can do. It is also how long that robot can do the work accurately. [Read more…] about Tungsten Carbide Manufacturing and the Future of Next-Generation Robotics

Fanuc strengthens Nvidia partnership for AI robot simulation and digital twins

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Fanuc has further strengthened the integration between Nvidia’s open robot simulation reference framework Nvidia Isaac Sim and Fanuc’s robot simulation software RoboGuide, enabling intuitive operation within a virtual factory and realizing highly accurate, seamlessly integrated digital twins.

At the International Robot Exhibition held last December in Tokyo, Fanuc demonstrated the technology that imports robot motion simulations created in RoboGuide into Nvidia Isaac Sim, reproducing precise trajectories and cycle times in a virtual environment using the same control algorithms as the actual robot.

Today Fanuc announces, with the enhanced integration, the two systems are now more tightly integrated, delivering an even more practical and efficient simulation environment for robot testing and virtual commissioning. [Read more…] about Fanuc strengthens Nvidia partnership for AI robot simulation and digital twins

PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation

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PAL Robotics has announced a new robotic arm platform aimed at researchers, developers, and robotics engineers working on advanced manipulation applications.

The Barcelona-based robotics company, known for platforms including TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo, said the new system has been designed to make robotic manipulation more accessible, flexible, and easier to deploy across both research and real-world operational environments.

The company plans to officially unveil the platform at ICRA 2026 in Vienna, where it will reveal the robot’s name, full specifications, and live demonstrations. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation