Market trends and business perspectives
The European Commission has launched a “meeting point” for the online robotics community.
TheEC says its European hub makes it possible to explore “non-technical aspects of robotics that impact society and our lives”.
Robospot: The Responsible Robotics Knowledge Hub is a platform created within the Robotics4EU project, free and open to anyone. [Read more…] about European Commission launches online ‘meeting point’ for robotics community
Comau has introduced its new Racer-5 Sensitive Environments (Racer-5 SE), a high-speed industrial robot designed for the special and sensitive settings that characterize the pharmaceutical, health and beauty, food and beverage and electronics industries.
Featuring a protective water, heat and grease-resistant coating, the ruggedized 6-axis articulated robot fully responds to the demand for IP67 certification, high-grade ISO 5 Cleanroom classification (ISO 14644-1), protection from chemical agents and the need to reduce the risk of contamination. It also has NSF H1 food grade lubrication.
Further benefits of the dedicated robot include reduced operator risk when working with potentially harmful chemicals and substances, as well as increased productivity, traceability, and quality. [Read more…] about Comau introduces new robot for ‘sensitive’ environments
The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, says its Robotics4EU project is its answer to the “unprecedented importance of robotics in the modern economy”.
Launched officially in January 2021 under the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, Robotics4EU aims to take concrete steps to ensure a more widespread adoption of (AI-based) robots in the EU, particularly in the areas of Healthcare, Inspection and Maintenance of Infrastructure, Agri-Food, and Agile Production.
The project’s goal also includes raising awareness about non-technological aspects of robotics, such as ethics, legal, socioeconomic, data, privacy and gender issues. [Read more…] about Robotics4EU project is response to ‘unprecedented importance of robotics in modern economy’
With the continued global shift towards e-commerce and crippling shortages of qualified workers, operators in the supply chain are investing heavily in technology and automation.
IMI has seen record demand for its agnostic services platform throughout this unprecedented period and has made the move to expand beyond North America.
IMI is pleased to announce its expansion into the European market and to inform the public that they are officially open for business. [Read more…] about IMI expands to Europe as modernization of distribution centres drives growth
Robotics4EU, a three-year project funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, is releasing two surveys to support the project implementation and its goal: to boost a wider adoption of robotics in Europe.
Developed as a basis for foundational work and to support the Robotics4EU project implementation, which started in January, these two surveys are aimed at the robotics community and policy makers in the area of robotics.
The data gathered from these surveys will also help identify the greatest challenges, bottlenecks and needs in enabling wider adoption of robotics in the project’s areas – healthcare, inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, agri-food, and agile production – and help the uptake of principles of responsible robotics. [Read more…] about European project Robotics4EU releases surveys aimed at robotics community
Volkswagen’s electric vehicle sales have increased more than 400 percent over the past year, according to the German auto giant’s latest figures.
The Volkswagen Group says its “e-offensive is gaining traction”. Deliveries of electric models in the EU including the UK, Norway and Iceland increased “more than fourfold in the year now ended to a total of 315,400 electric vehicles (2019: 72,600)”.
The proportion of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in-hybrids (PHEVs) in the total deliveries rose to 9.7 percent (2019: 1.7 percent). [Read more…] about VW electric vehicle sales increase more than 400 percent
The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, has listed 30 “critical raw materials” that it wants to secure the supply of while at the same time avoiding becoming dependent on any of them.
The four new additions to the list are bauxite, lithium, titanium and strontium.
Lithium, a fundamental material in the manufacturing of batteries of all kinds, is increasingly gaining importance as more and more people buy electric cars. [Read more…] about 30 critical raw materials: EU prioritizes lithium but launches plan to avoid dependency
German engineering companies are losing massive market share due to trade barriers around the world, according to a new report.
Globally its most successful sector, and represented by industry association VDMA, Germany’s engineering companies say they have lost between 70 and 100 percent of export markets in some countries.
The VDMA blames “egoism” and a climate of protectionism, according to Die Welt, which notes that subtle instruments such as localization initiatives and regulations, as well as the traditional blunt ones such as tariffs and subsidies, are being used to obligate companies to avoid buying from overseas machine builders. [Read more…] about German engineering companies losing massive market share due to subtle trade barriers
Member states of the European Union have agreed a €750 billion recovery fund in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has all but destroyed large parts of the economy in many countries.
The agreement was reached during a four-day summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium between the leaders of the 27 member nations.
Charles Michel, chairman of the summit, called the accord “a pivotal moment for Europe”, according to a report by Reuters. [Read more…] about EU member states agree €750 billion post-pandemic recovery fund
The internet industry association ECO has called for the strengthening of the European Union against tech giants that have caused enormous disruption across Europe and the world.
ECO has drawn up a six-point “catalogue of requirements” on behalf of the internet industry for the strengthening of Europe as a digital location.
The organisation says the internet industry is gaining increasing significance for the economy as a whole and promotes value creation in other sectors, thereby guaranteeing the innovation capacity of Europe as a business location. [Read more…] about Internet industry organisation calls for strengthening EU against tech giants
