Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

development

Hexagon NovAtel unveils ROS-based autonomous driving platform

by

NovAtel, part of Hexagon, has released of its first purpose-built driver, powered by Robot Operating System (ROS), to support its OEM7 family of GNSS receivers.

The driver, developed by NovAtel engineers, provides an optimized interface enabling users to accelerate autonomous development projects by quickly incorporating NovAtel OEM7 receivers into custom applications.

The driver is available for immediate download through the new NovAtel GitHub repository or as a ROS Binary Package for direct installation. [Read more…] about Hexagon NovAtel unveils ROS-based autonomous driving platform

Tech giants and driverless cars: Racing against the automakers

by

Modern tech conglomerate Amazon – whose interests range from online shopping, through computing devices such as the Kindle and Amazon Echo, to cloud computing and even space exploration – is in advanced talks to acquire self-driving startup Zoox, according to a report on the Financial Times website. 

It’s not the first time Amazon has shown interest in the automotive sector. The company was the lead investor in Aurora Innovation’s $530 million funding round last year.

Aurora is seen as a rival to Waymo, the driverless car company set up by Google, another tech giant. [Read more…] about Tech giants and driverless cars: Racing against the automakers

Nvidia offers glimpse into Silicon Valley simulator in the cloud used for autonomous car development

by

As much of the world continues to conduct business from home, Nvidia’s autonomous test vehicles are hard at work in the cloud. (See video below.)

During the GTC 2020 keynote, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang demonstrated how Nvidia Drive technology is being developed and tested in simulation.

While physical testing is temporarily paused, the cloud-based Nvidia Drive Constellation platform makes it possible to dispatch virtual vehicles in virtual environments to continue making great progress in self-driving technology. [Read more…] about Nvidia offers glimpse into Silicon Valley simulator in the cloud used for autonomous car development

Interview: Startup Reflect developing new solution to ‘a real industrial problem’

by

Interview with George Papanikolopoulos, CEO of CASP, which is developing a software solution to what he describes as ‘a real industrial problem’

Reflect is one of the experiments that successfully passed to Phase II of the first Open Call in ESMERA, the EU agency that has a multimillion-euro budget to help robotic startups. 

Being one of the 12 experiments that started in ESMERA in the summer of 2019, Reflect proved its concept to external evaluators and has been selected as one of the currently five final experiments in Phase II. [Read more…] about Interview: Startup Reflect developing new solution to ‘a real industrial problem’

Xilinx and Avnet combine to provide solutions for autonomous car developers

by

Webinar: From ADAS to AVs: Powering Next-Generation Automotive Solutions
URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_l8b-1DVXS6a6SbsW1EBocg

Chipmaker Xilinx and Avnet, a designer and distributor of electronics components, have combined to offer a range of solutions for autonomous car development.

Xilinx is a big name in the industrial sector and has found many new customers in markets which are relatively new to the company – as well as to everyone else.

Specifically, the emerging and fast-growing area of autonomous car development, which Xilinx groups under the category of “Advanced Product” in its financial reports. [Read more…] about Xilinx and Avnet combine to provide solutions for autonomous car developers

SICK continues to grow despite ‘challenging market’

by

Sensors giant SICK says its business has continued to grow despite a “challenging market environment”.

Group sales by the sensor producer increased by 7 percent to €1,750.7 million during the 2019 fiscal year (2018: €1,636.8 million).

Growth was considerably higher than the average for the sensor industry, estimated as having shrunk by 1 percent for 2019 by the AMA Association for Sensors and Measurement. [Read more…] about SICK continues to grow despite ‘challenging market’

AImotive ‘first’ to gain ISO certification for its automated driving simulator

by

AImotive claims it has become the “first” company to gain ISO26262 certification for its automated driving simulator.

AImotive relies on first ISO26262 certified simulator to power CI/CD (continuous integration and delivery) of automated driving

The company says the certification is the “essential first step” towards creating certifiable toolchain for advanced driver assistance system or automated driving development. [Read more…] about AImotive ‘first’ to gain ISO certification for its automated driving simulator

Vitesco Technologies to open new R&D center in China

by

Vitesco Technologies, the powertrain business of Continental, will build a research and development center in the Chinese port metropolis of Tianjin.

The company has now signed a corresponding agreement with the Administration Committee of the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area.

Vitesco Technologies will develop technologies for hybrid and electric powertrains in the new R&D center, which is scheduled for completion in 2021. [Read more…] about Vitesco Technologies to open new R&D center in China

nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

by

nTopology has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to advance the capabilities of additive manufacturing through integrated software toolkits and embed ORNL expertise into nTop software.

The plan is for these capabilities to be made available commercially to the broader advanced-manufacturing market.

The collaboration incorporates foundational nTopology software with ORNL-developed machine control capabilities on large-scale polymer additive manufacturing systems. [Read more…] about nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

Omron launches simulation software for automated factories

by

Omron is making available its Sysmac Studio 3D simulation software available to industrial companies. (See video below.)

The company says it will be the first in the industry to provide such a system, which “can integrate and verify the movements of robots and peripheral devices that make up facilities”.

Omron says its “extensive knowledge and technology of control equipment”, including robots, helped in its development of the software. [Read more…] about Omron launches simulation software for automated factories