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Webinar: Speed and separation monitoring system from SICK and Universal Robots

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Webinar: Fast Solution for Speed & Separation Monitoring in a Collaborative Robot Application

SICK and Universal Robots (UR) are announcing a new safety solution for the safeguarding of accessible robotic applications.

When combined, the sBot safety system and URCap from SICK increase productivity with immediate automated restart and profit from an easy configuration of the safety system directly from the UR teach pendant.

With this partnership, SICK and UR have created the fastest way to implement speed and separation monitoring for cooperative robot applications. [Read more…] about Webinar: Speed and separation monitoring system from SICK and Universal Robots

Piab launches new suction end effectors for industrial robots

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Piab has launched a new suction end effector range for industrial robots.

The company says its MX suction cup family is exceptional for picking various objects primarily for the Logistics, warehousing, e-commerce, and re-cycling industries.

The MX suction cup can work across an array of applications such as bin picking, order fulfillment, box depalletizing, and parcel sorting. Gone are the days where you need to change gripper or suction cup for each individual product in the application. [Read more…] about Piab launches new suction end effectors for industrial robots

GM to supply Navistar with Hydrotec fuel cells for electric vehicles while Volvo and Scania highlight their own electrification initiatives

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General Motors will supply its Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes to truck-making giant Navistar for use in its production model fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) – the International RHTM Series.

Navistar’s FCEV will get energy from two GM Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes.

Each Hydrotec power cube contains 300-plus hydrogen fuel cells along with thermal and power management systems. [Read more…] about GM to supply Navistar with Hydrotec fuel cells for electric vehicles while Volvo and Scania highlight their own electrification initiatives

NXP unveils new chips featuring enhanced Bluetooth capabilities for automotive and industrial markets

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NXP Semiconductors has launched new devices within its KW3x range of microcontrollers (MCUs). The new KW39/38/37 MCUs add Bluetooth 5.0 long-range capabilities and expanded Bluetooth advertising channels.

These enhancements are made while offering seamless migration with hardware, software and tools compatibility with the previous generation of devices, KW34/35/36.

The connectivity MCUs allow Bluetooth LE devices to communicate at distances of more than a mile and increase the amount of Bluetooth advertising channels and advertising data within the Bluetooth standard, the predominant IoT protocol. [Read more…] about NXP unveils new chips featuring enhanced Bluetooth capabilities for automotive and industrial markets

AV&R and APN partner to develop robotics for aeronautical manufacturing

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AV&R and APN, two Quebec companies operating in the aerospace market, combine their expertise in a collaborative and innovative project.

This initiative is part of Mach Fab 4.0 (Aéro Montreal) and aims to develop technologies for the complete automation of high product mix deburring operations.

Manufacturers in the aerospace supply chain, despite the use of automation, still rely on the human touch in the manufacturing of aerospace parts. [Read more…] about AV&R and APN partner to develop robotics for aeronautical manufacturing

Vecna Robotics headquarters switches to 100 percent renewable energy

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Vecna Robotics has switched to 100 percent renewable energy at its headquarters.

The company says it has a culture of “giving back and going green”.

The company’s Mass Save energy assessment audit found that the office building was fully up to code with the most efficient lighting and utilities. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics headquarters switches to 100 percent renewable energy

Internet industry group ECO reveals best practices for green data centres

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The European internet industry group ECO has unveiled what it says are “best practices” for environmentally friendly information technology infrastructure.

The new study by ECO shows best practices in the field of energy-efficient data centres formulates technological development potentials as well as policy recommendations.

CO2 emissions from data centres have been declining in Europe for five years, despite a massive increase in processing power. [Read more…] about Internet industry group ECO reveals best practices for green data centres

Estonian company launches ‘first’ autonomous bus in Greece

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An autonomous bus named “Iseauto” has started its work in Greece, in the city of Lamia. The bus has been developed in Estonia and offers a full-scale autonomous service that was first piloted in the summer in Tallinn, in Ülemiste City.

For the first time in Greek history, a fully street-legal autonomous vehicle is operational in the context of an autonomous public transport pilot project led by Estonians.

The autonomous minibus developed by AuveTech in Estonia is the first “4th category” – or Level 4 – autonomous vehicle that has been pigeonholed “street-legal” in Greece. [Read more…] about Estonian company launches ‘first’ autonomous bus in Greece

US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes

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The US government has launched a billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence scientific research institutes.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the US Department of Energy (DOE) will distribute the $1 billion in awards for the establishment of 12 new artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information science (QIS) research institutes nationwide.

The $1 billion will go towards NSF-led AI Research Institutes and DOE QIS Research Centers over five years, establishing 12 multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional national hubs for research and workforce development in these critical emerging technologies. [Read more…] about US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes

Hanwha Energy celebrates completion of ‘world’s first and largest’ hydrogen fuel cell power plant

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Hanwha Energy hosted an event at its Daesan Industrial Complex in Seosan, Korea to celebrated the completion of a hydrogen-fuel-cell power plant that only uses recycled hydrogen.

At the event, Hanwha Energy CEO In-Sub Jung was joined by South Korea’s Prime Minister Sye-kyun Chung, Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Seung-il Chung, Chungcheongnam-do Governor Seung-jo Yang, Member of the National Assembly Myung-sun Kim, and Seosan Mayor Jeong-ho Maeng.

Built by Hanwha Engineering & Construction, the new byproduct-hydrogen-fuel-cell power plant cost $212 million. It occupies 20,000 sq m of the Daesan Industrial Complex. [Read more…] about Hanwha Energy celebrates completion of ‘world’s first and largest’ hydrogen fuel cell power plant