Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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ESMERA opens €200,000 competition to fund small businesses developing robotics solutions

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The EU funded robotics project ESMERA – the European SMEs Robotics Applications – has opened its second open call to help fund small businesses developing robotic solutions for enterprise applications.

Within that call, industrial end-users have defined specific challenges that are to be solved by introducing a robotics solution.

The challenges come from the areas of manufacturing, energy, construction, agriculture, food processing, retail, healthcare and emergency response. [Read more…] about ESMERA opens €200,000 competition to fund small businesses developing robotics solutions

Industry group developing standards for exoskeletons

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ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is developing global standards for exoskeletons.

The group’s proposed “Exoskeletons Guide” aims to provide tools that help assess and ultimately improve the usefulness and usability of exoskeletons and exosuits.

Kevin Purcell, an ergonomist at the US Army Public Health Center’s Aberdeen Proving Ground, says: “Exoskeletons and exosuits can open up a world of possibilities, from helping workers perform industrial tasks while not getting overstressed, to helping stroke victims learning to walk again, to helping soldiers carry heavier rucksacks longer distances. [Read more…] about Industry group developing standards for exoskeletons

Collaborative robots being bought at ‘feverish rate’

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Most commentators and onlookers of the robotics industry hear of and understand the advertised value proposition of collaborative robots.

Cobots are smaller, more dexterous industrial robotic arms that open the possibility between human and machine collaboration without the need for complex programming or external safety infrastructure.

In reality, the value of current collaborative robotics is somewhat more modest. [Read more…] about Collaborative robots being bought at ‘feverish rate’

Challengers in Esmera robotics competition in line to receive €200k each

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In the context of the European robotics project Esmera, 12 experiments have now started to solve industry challenges by developing new robotics solutions.

The Esmera consortium has chosen the best twelve experiments from 32 proposals that were handed in during the first Open Call in 2018.

The solution design by the experiments will be carried out in two competitive phases.

[Read more…] about Challengers in Esmera robotics competition in line to receive €200k each

Australian university focuses on future food systems

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Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers will play a key part in developing smart logistics to link growers with their markets and high-tech methods of growing customised food, with the announcement of the Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre.

The Future Food Systems CRC will involve more than 50 commercial and research partners, with the Federal Government injecting AUS$35 million in funding over 10 years along with almost AUS$150 million in support from the research centre’s educational and commercial participants.

QUT’s involvement in the CRC is spread across the centre’s three research and development programs of planning and logistics in linking growers to their markets, developing smart automated indoor cropping and creating nutrient-dense foods and hybrid food and medical goods tailored to growing domestic and export markets.

[Read more…] about Australian university focuses on future food systems

Apple confirms it’s developing autonomous car technology

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By Abdul Montaqim

Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed that the tech giant is working on software for self-driving cars, according to Bloomberg. 

Cook calls the development effort “the mother of all AI projects”.

Apple has been rumoured to be working on building a driverless car for some time, but the company has never directly confirmed anything.  [Read more…] about Apple confirms it’s developing autonomous car technology

Robots eroding employment prospects in developing economies, says UN

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robots making cars
Picture courtesy Stratfor.com

Increasing utilisation of robotics and automation technologies in developed countries is ruining emerging economies around the world, according to a report by the United Nations. 

A policy briefing by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Robots and Industrialization in Developing Countries, argues that increased use of robots in developed countries erodes traditional labour-cost advantage of developing countries.

The report notes that new technological breakthroughs in computing, robotics and artificial intelligence in advanced economies will result in large numbers of people being made redundant in developing countries.  [Read more…] about Robots eroding employment prospects in developing economies, says UN

Elsevier publishes new academic books about robotics

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library books

Elsevier, which is known for publishing weighty academic tomes, has released two new books on the subject of robotics. Both books are available in digital formats as well as print.  [Read more…] about Elsevier publishes new academic books about robotics