Robotics & Automation News

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Opinion: What does the future of robot-human interaction look like?

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Michel Spruijt, GM and VP of BrainCorp Europe, looks at how robots are being integrated into the working environment and how these intelligent machines will operate alongside the human workforce

Technology has seen significant progress over the last half a century, with artificial intelligence playing an important role.

Robots are now no longer a thing of fantasy but instead are being integrated into businesses across multiple industries.

They are making inroads across facilities as the need for greater efficiency in operations becomes a priority. [Read more…] about Opinion: What does the future of robot-human interaction look like?

Seegrid partners with Applied Intuition for warehouse robot simulations

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Seegrid, a maker of autonomous mobile robots for material handling, and Applied Intuition, a simulation and software tools provider for autonomous vehicle development, have reached an agreement to collaborate on creating 3D virtual warehouses, factories, and distribution centers in support of accelerating advancements in autonomous technology for the material handling industry.

The partnership involves a significant investment by Seegrid and will enable Seegrid to quickly validate product innovations in more environments and use cases across the supply chain than feasible with manual testing.

Seegrid launched several new robot models in 2021 including the company’s newest AMR, Palion Lift, which the company says is “the only autonomous lift truck in the market with industry-leading 3D perception”. [Read more…] about Seegrid partners with Applied Intuition for warehouse robot simulations

PickNik Robotics releases beta version of MoveIt Studio

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PickNik Robotics, a robotics software and engineering services company which has won a contract with NASA, has released additional details about its MoveIt Studio software platform and the made the beta version of the product available.

PickNik says MoveIt Studio provides “state-of-the-art motion planning software” with an intuitive user interface that now makes it easy for robot operators to remotely manage complex robotic arms that require supervised autonomy.

In space missions, for example, robotic arms are used to repair satellites and augment astronauts inside space stations, and will also be used to build the future Moon base. [Read more…] about PickNik Robotics releases beta version of MoveIt Studio

Brain Corp’s robotic fleet covers 100 billion square feet

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Brain Corp, a developer of software for robotics, especially industrial robotic floor cleaners, says its BrainOS-powered fleet of autonomous mobile robots has reached 100 billion square feet of coverage.

In doing so, claims Brain Corp, “6.8 million hours have been given back to employees and operations managers, allowing them to focus on customer experience and other high-value tasks”.

Eugene Izhikevich, CEO and founder of Brain Corp, says: “We are thrilled to celebrate reaching 100 billion square feet of coverage with our fleet which represents the square footage of the entire commercial space in the United States. [Read more…] about Brain Corp’s robotic fleet covers 100 billion square feet

ANYbotics boosts autonomous mobile robots with Velodyne lidar sensors

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ANYbotics is equipping its autonomous mobile robots with Velodyne’s Puck lidar sensors. ANYbotics robots provide industrial operators with an automated robotic inspection solution to support efforts in monitoring and maintaining plants.

ANYbotics’ four-legged robot ANYmal performs inspection and monitoring tasks in challenging industrial terrains such as mining and minerals, oil and gas, chemicals, energy and construction.

ANYmal’s legs provide unparalleled mobility when moving up and down stairs, climbing over obstacles, steps and gaps, and crawling into tight spaces. ANYmal’s inspection payload provides visual, thermal and acoustic insights for condition monitoring of equipment and infrastructure. [Read more…] about ANYbotics boosts autonomous mobile robots with Velodyne lidar sensors

Autonomous excavators ready for around the clock real-world application

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Researchers from Baidu Research and the University of Maryland have developed a robotic excavator system that integrates perception, planning, and control capabilities to enable material loading over a long duration with no human intervention

Researchers from Baidu Research Robotics and Auto-Driving Lab (RAL) and the University of Maryland, College Park, have introduced an autonomous excavator system (AES) that can perform material loading tasks for a long duration without any human intervention while offering performance closely equivalent to that of an experienced human operator.

AES is among the world’s first uncrewed excavation systems to have been deployed in real-world scenarios and continuously operating for over 24 hours, bringing about industry-leading benefits in terms of enhanced safety and productivity.

The researchers described their methodology in a research paper published on June 30, 2021, in Science Robotics. [Read more…] about Autonomous excavators ready for around the clock real-world application

Toyota Research Institute reaches ‘new technical milestones in robotics’

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Toyota Research Institute (TRI) says it has reached “new technical milestones in robotics”. The company has unveiled new robotics capabilities aimed at solving complex tasks in home environments.

Specifically, TRI roboticists were able to train robots to understand and operate in complicated situations that confuse most other robots, including recognizing and responding to transparent and reflective surfaces in a variety of circumstances.

As TRI demonstrates in a new video (see below), this robust system allows robots to make generalizations in a range of scenarios, including in different homes. [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute reaches ‘new technical milestones in robotics’

Nvidia unveils Jetson AGX Xavier industrial module

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Chipmaker Nvidia has unveiled the Jetson AGX Xavier industrial module. The company says the new ruggedized module is engineered to bring artificial intelligence to harsh, safety-critical environments.

From factories and farms to refineries and construction sites, the world is full of places that are hot, dirty, noisy, potentially dangerous — and critical to keeping industry humming.

These places all need inspection and maintenance alongside their everyday operations, but, given safety concerns and working conditions, it’s not always best to send in humans. [Read more…] about Nvidia unveils Jetson AGX Xavier industrial module

Infineon and Reality AI teach cars how to ‘hear’

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Today’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are based on cameras, radar or lidar. As a result, their target objects need to be within the line of sight to be recognized by the system.

This, however, turns into a weakness when it comes to emergency vehicles – they can be heard much earlier than they can be seen and thus are invisible to ADAS for a longer time.

To address this challenge, Infineon Technologies together with Reality AI created an advanced sensing solution giving vehicles the sense of hearing. [Read more…] about Infineon and Reality AI teach cars how to ‘hear’

AutoStore unveils Innovation Hub to test and replicate variety of supply chain environments

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AutoStore unveils Innovation Hub to test and replicate supply chain environments including earthquakes and multi-climate simulations.

AutoStore, a robotic technology company, has unveiled its new Innovation Hub located in Karmøy, Norway, a pioneering new center for testing and replicating diverse in-store and warehouse environments.

As the suppliers of robotic storage and fulfilment technology for Puma, Gucci and Asda among many global brands, AutoStore is experiencing a continued growth in revenue and clients. [Read more…] about AutoStore unveils Innovation Hub to test and replicate variety of supply chain environments