dynamics

Boston Dynamics partners with Otto Motors to co-ordinate mobile robots in the warehouse

March 9, 2020 by Sam Francis Leave a Comment

Boston Dynamics, a developer of mobile manipulation robots, and OTTO Motors, a maker of industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), have unveiled what they describe as “a demo of the future of warehouse automation”.

In a video (see below), Boston Dynamics’s logistics robot, Handle, can be seen picking boxes and building pallets on top of OTTO AMRs in a distribution center testbed.

Last year, Boston Dynamics announced its efforts to add flexible, highly mobile automation technology to the warehouse with its Handle robot and Pick computer vision system. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics partners with Otto Motors to co-ordinate mobile robots in the warehouse

Now you can make Boston Dynamics’ robot dog as scary as you like with the new SDK

January 24, 2020 by Sam Francis Leave a Comment

Boston Dynamics has launched a software development kit for its robot dog, Spot.

Already one of the scariest robots the world has ever seen, now the nightmare canine can be made even more terrifying by sick and twisted developers.

Boston Dynamics says the SDK enables a broad range of developers and non-traditional roboticists to communicate with the robot and develop custom applications that enable Spot to do useful tasks across a wide range of industries. [Read more…] about Now you can make Boston Dynamics’ robot dog as scary as you like with the new SDK

Industrial robotics companies to watch out for in 2020

November 29, 2019 by Liv Leave a Comment

In the last decade, there are few industries in which robotics have not been a disruptive force. From food production to aerospace, autonomous technology is everywhere and the prevalence of robotics is growing at an exponential rate.

Though there have been many companies that have opened their doors to ride the robotic wave into the future, there are a few stalwart firms that have been at the forefront of innovation from the beginning.

The list below consists of some of these tech leaders, all of which should be on your radar for 2020. [Read more…] about Industrial robotics companies to watch out for in 2020

Boston Dynamics bring its canine robot to market

October 2, 2019 by David Edwards

Boston Dynamics is making its canine robot, Spot, available to the market in limited numbers and to select customers. (See video.)

This is the first time Spot will be on sale and most of Boston Dynamics’ robots are still in various stages of research and development, most famously perhaps its humanoids, but also its unusual “Handle” material handling robot, which is basically a robotic arm on two wheels.

Boston Dynamics describes Spot as “a nimble robot that climbs stairs and traverses rough terrain with unprecedented ease, yet is small enough to use indoors”. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics bring its canine robot to market

Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot shows off its gymnastic skills

September 24, 2019 by Sam Francis

Boston Dynamics, the much-talked-about maker of humanoid and canine robots, has been demonstrating the gymnastic skills of one of its robots, Atlas. (See video below.)

Atlas is about 1.5 metres tall, weighs approximately 80 kg, and has 28 hydraulic joints.

The Boston Dynamics team have always impressed with their ability to mimic natural human or canine movements with their robots, and the new gymnastic skills they have taught Atlas are equally as accomplished. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot shows off its gymnastic skills

B&R software better utilises the potential of robots

April 30, 2019 by Anna

B&R Automation has added new functions to its mapp Motion software package. It is now possible to represent the structure of a complex machine intuitively in the configuration.

The various subsystems of a machine can be linked together. The movements of robots can be easily synchronised with gantry systems or workpiece tables with no additional programming.

The “Frame hierarchy” function can be used to represent the actual structure of a machine. Coordinate systems can be positioned at key points, such as the tool mounting flange.

[Read more…]

NSK miniature linear guides bring ‘higher dynamics’ to pick-and-place machines

July 17, 2017 by David Edwards

NSK says its linear guides bring “higher dynamics” to pick-and-place machines.

As machines for the semiconductor industry operate with cycle times of one second or less, pick-and-place units must offer very high dynamic performance.

A case in point can be seen at a manufacturer of chip-mounting systems, where NSK recommended a combination of its ball screw and miniature linear guide technologies to replace the existing linear motor and significantly increase dynamic capability. [Read more…] about NSK miniature linear guides bring ‘higher dynamics’ to pick-and-place machines

SoftBank to buy Boston Dynamics, the maker of those unnervingly realistic humanoid and canine robots

June 9, 2017 by Sam Francis

SoftBank, the maker of the Pepper and Nao humanoid robots, has reached a deal to buy Boston Dynamics, the robotics business owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google.

Some of the robots Boston Dynamics has been building a wide range of robots, some of which are humanoid, others canine and one or two wheeled – or a hybrid of these structures.

But whatever robots the company has made, they’ve been widely acclaimed as having some of the most realistic movements and best balance of any robots made anywhere – watching them move can be quite unnerving because they move almost exactly like humans or canines. [Read more…] about SoftBank to buy Boston Dynamics, the maker of those unnervingly realistic humanoid and canine robots

Google to sell robotics business

March 19, 2016 by Sam Francis

Google appears to be looking to leave the robotics business if a report on the Bloomberg website is anything to go by.

The search giant created Alphabet as a sort of parent company that manages all of its many business units and diverse interests. It is Alphabet’s management which seems to have made the decision to sell.

Boston Dynamics, which created some of the most impressive robots seen so far, in the form of the humanoid Atlas and the four-legged machine that walks like a dog or other small animal.

Bloomberg reports that the reason for the sale is that Boston Dynamics product, however fascinating, are not commercially viable, in that there is apparently no customers for them.

Full story at Bloomberg.com.