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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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…] about B&R software better utilises the potential of robots

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

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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

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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. 

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