Robotics & Automation News

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delivery

Nokia provides venue to showcase 5G technology for last-mile delivery robots

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Engineers attending this year’s 5G Days at Nokia’s Paris-Saclay campus were likely to stumble into an unusual gofer rambling the streets of the 4,000 employees’ facility: a small autonomous delivery robot, with parcel lockers, delivering goods without human intervention or guidance. 

The robot was part of a one-shot demonstration for Nokia customers and partners, but it could soon become the default option for the delivery of small parcels across the campus.

Jean-Philippe Bellaiche, of EIT Digital, says: “Campus facility manager Sodexo, together with Nokia have decided not to deliver parcel below 5 kilos to the personnel on the campus anymore. [Read more…] about Nokia provides venue to showcase 5G technology for last-mile delivery robots

Retailers expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025

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The retail sector is expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025, according to a study by ABI Research.

The next generation of mobile robots for cleaning, inventory management, and material handling are “passing the test in retail”, says ABI.

Several robotics companies have grown their autonomous mobile robot fleet in 2019 and are poised to scale exponentially over the next five years. [Read more…] about Retailers expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025

Can robots save the e-commerce holiday season?

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It’s getting close to Christmas and that means it’s time for e-commerce fulfillment managers to start getting worried about the availability of labor for the holiday season.

According to a recent article in Supply Chain Dive, “this year’s peak season promises additional challenges in recruiting new hires as the pool of available labor shrinks”.

As the article points out, the US unemployment rate hit a 50-year low in September 2019. [Read more…] about Can robots save the e-commerce holiday season?

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

Yandex testing delivery robot

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Yandex, the largest online search engine company in Russia, has started testing a delivery robot. (See video below.)

The company has been following in the footsteps of similarly large search engine companies around the world – such as Google in the US, and Baidu in China – by investing in research and development of autonomous vehicles.

Earlier this year, Yandex signed a partnership agreement with Hyundai Mobis on self-driving cars which aims to build a self-driving platform that can be used by any car manufacturer or taxi fleet. [Read more…] about Yandex testing delivery robot

Walgreens chooses Postmates for grocery deliveries

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Walgreens and Postmates are partnering to provide quick, convenient, on-demand delivery for customers looking for over-the-counter medications, health and wellness, beauty and grocery products.

Postmates will deliver hundreds of Walgreens’ most popular items from 174 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Whether it will use its delivery robots remains to be seen, but it’s certainly an option in the long term.

Craig Whitmer, VP, merchant business development, Postmates, says: “In the last year, orders from convenience and drugstores have increased by 68 percent. [Read more…] about Walgreens chooses Postmates for grocery deliveries

UPS attains FAA’s first full approval for drone airline

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UPS subsidiary UPS Flight Forward says it has received the US government’s first full Part 135 Standard certification to operate a drone airline.

The company will initially expand its drone delivery service further to support hospital campuses around the country, and to provide solutions for customers beyond those in the healthcare industry.

UPS Flight Forward plans in the future to transport a variety of items for customers in many industries, and regularly fly drones beyond the operators’ visual line of sight. [Read more…] about UPS attains FAA’s first full approval for drone airline

Cleveron delivery robot wins award

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Cleveron’s self-driving robot courier won the prestigious “Last Mile Delivery Innovation – The Journey” prize in the Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards 2019 at Parcel+Post Expo in Amsterdam.

This award recognizes companies who are leading the way in improving last mile delivery. Parcel and Postal Technology International is a recognised magazine in the postal technology sector and hosts the awards.

The nominated companies represent the most innovative companies in the post and parcel delivery market. [Read more…] about Cleveron delivery robot wins award

NASA takes delivery of first all-electric experimental aircraft

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The first all-electric configuration of NASA’s X-57 Maxwell now is at the space agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

The X-57, NASA’s first all-electric experimental aircraft, or X-plane – and the first crewed X-plane in two decades – was delivered by Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) of San Luis Obispo, California on Wednesday, October 2, in the first of three configurations as an all-electric aircraft, known as Modification II, or Mod II.

The X-57’s Mod II vehicle features the replacement of traditional combustion engines on a baseline Tecnam P2006T aircraft, with electric cruise motors. [Read more…] about NASA takes delivery of first all-electric experimental aircraft

FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries

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Wing Aviation, an Alphabet company, is collaborating with FedEx and pharmaceuticals retailer Walgreens to launch a first-of-its-kind drone delivery service in Christiansburg, Virginia next month.

The pilot program will demonstrate the many benefits of drone delivery to communities by exploring methods to enhance last-mile delivery service, improve access to health care products, and create a new avenue of growth for local businesses.

Drone delivery in the United States has historically been limited to small-scale demonstrations on designated test sites, or extremely short flights along pre-planned, fixed routes – all within the visual line of sight of the drone operator. [Read more…] about FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries