Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

experience

Visteon showcases virtual dashboard innovations at CES

by Leave a Comment

Visteon, an automotive dashboard electronics technology company, has been showcasing its latest innovations at CES 2020.

The company says the showcase includes a range of technology solutions “designed to enhance safety and the driving experience by enabling the transformation of cockpits to all-digital environments”.

Visteon displayed cockpit electronics technology platforms in four core areas:

  • Driver Information: Industry-leading digital clusters and multi-display modules
  • SmartCore: Industry-first cockpit domain controllers
  • DriveCore: Enhanced safety domain controllers for Level 2-plus automated driving
  • Infotainment: Scalable Android-based infotainment solutions

Digital displays are key enabler of the cockpit of the future, and as a highlight of its CES exhibit, Visteon debuted a new digital display technology that delivers exceptional brightness and contrast with a rich color gamut. [Read more…] about Visteon showcases virtual dashboard innovations at CES

New ITU case study shines spotlight on ‘smart city’ journey

by Leave a Comment

The City of Pully, Switzerland, reports experience with ‘Key Performance Indicators for Smart Sustainable Cities’

A new ITU case study offers an evaluation of the Key Performance Indicators for Smart Sustainable Cities developed by the United for Smart Sustainable Cities Initiative (U4SSC), an initiative supported 16 United Nations bodies.

U4SSC develops practical tools to support cities’ application of digital technologies to become smarter and more sustainable, with the aim of achieving SDG 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

Pully, a Swiss municipality home to some 18,000 residents, has reported its experience applying the U4SSC Key Performance Indicators to help meet the objectives of its “smart city” strategy. [Read more…] about New ITU case study shines spotlight on ‘smart city’ journey

ABB robots ring in the holiday season at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York flagship store

by Leave a Comment

A dozen ABB robots were on hand this week to ring in the holiday season at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York flagship store. (See video below.)

Described by ABB as the “next step in human robot collaboration”, the robots were seen trimming trees, and entertaining shoppers with holiday tunes and karaoke.

Helping New York celebrate the festive season, the 12 ABB robots are interacting with visitors to Bloomingdale’s iconic holiday celebration at their 59th Street flagship store. [Read more…] about ABB robots ring in the holiday season at Bloomingdale’s iconic New York flagship store

Toyota to offer rides in autonomous cars on public roads

by

Toyota Research Institute plans to make its Platform 4 (P4) automated driving test vehicle available for public demonstration rides next summer in Tokyo.

Offered from July to September 2020, the P4 will demonstrate Toyota’s “Chauffeur” SAE Level-4 capabilities in a specific “mobility as a service” driving environment.

The P4 experience will take place in Tokyo’s Odaiba district, a busy and often congested waterfront subcenter. [Read more…] about Toyota to offer rides in autonomous cars on public roads

BMW shows off sporty version of electric and autonomous concept car

by

BMW has been showing off the sporty version of its electric and autonomous concept car, which it calls Vision M NEXT (main picture).

The BMW Vision M NEXT was one of the highlights at the #NEXTGen Event held at BMW Welt in Munich.

Visitors to the IAA Cars 2019 show were also treated to a glimpse into the electrified future of the BMW M brand (pictured below). [Read more…] about BMW shows off sporty version of electric and autonomous concept car

Comau features its exoskeleton in Pack Expo robotics showcase

by

Comau, an industrial automation company and part of the Fiat Chrysler Group, is presenting its Muscular Aiding Tech Exoskeleton (Mate) in the all new Robotic Zone (booth N-850G) at Pack Expo Las Vegas.

Visitors to Comau’s interactive booth will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the benefit of incorporating exoskeletons into material handling processes by wearing a Mate in a typical pick and place operation.

Mate has been designed to improve work quality in an efficient and highly ergonomic manner by providing consistent and advanced movement assistance during prolonged overhead, as well as daily tasks. [Read more…] about Comau features its exoskeleton in Pack Expo robotics showcase

Denso partners with BlackBerry to launch integrated automobile HMI platform

by

Denso and BlackBerry are working together to develop the first integrated Human Machine Interface digital cockpit system with BlackBerry QNX technology has shipped in the first vehicles by leading Japanese automotive manufacturer, Subaru.

The technology, named Denso “Harmony Core” will be available first in the United States from Autumn 2019 in the all-new 2020 Subaru Legacy and Outback (US model).

Co-developed by BlackBerry and Denso, in collaboration with Subaru, this leading-edge digital cockpit solution uses BlackBerry QNX Hypervisor (virtualization) technology to enable integrated control of in-vehicle HMI systems. [Read more…] about Denso partners with BlackBerry to launch integrated automobile HMI platform

Corindus instrument used in ‘world’s first’ remote-control robotic heart surgery

by

A surgical instrument developed by Corindus has been used in what is claimed to be the first remote-controlled heart operation using a robot.

Corindus published its “Telerobotic Intervention Study” in The Lancet, saying it is “the world’s first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures conducted from a remote location outside the catheterization lab using Corindus’ CorPath technology platform”.

The paper Corindus published, titled Long Distance Telerobotic-Assisted Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: First-in-Human Experience, discusses five successful patient cases performed by internationally acclaimed physician Dr Tejas Patel, chairman and chief interventional cardiologist of the Apex Heart Institute in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. [Read more…] about Corindus instrument used in ‘world’s first’ remote-control robotic heart surgery

Capturing Improved Productivity: Tugger Train Automation

by


By Andy Legut, FlexQube

Too often automation and robotics are characterized by sensors driving Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

There are ways to efficiently automate material flow and lean manufacturing principles today. It starts with automating into a fork truck free environment.

Ultimately the reason for automation is to capture improved productivity. Cesar Jimenez, a Toyota Material Handling, USA employee shared that a forklift can only carry up to two loads at a time.

[Read more…] about Capturing Improved Productivity: Tugger Train Automation

BMW to start research with IBM Watson artificial intelligence system

by

Auto giant to locate research team at IBM’s Munich Watson IoT HQ, as computing colossus explores conversational interfaces in BMW i8 hybrid sports cars

IBM has entered into a new collaboration with the BMW Group, through which the companies will work together to explore the role of Watson cognitive computing in personalizing the driving experience and creating more intuitive driver support systems for cars of the future.

As part of the agreement, the BMW Group will collocate a team of researchers at IBM’s global headquarters for Watson Internet of Things (IoT) in Munich, Germany and the companies will work together explore how to improve intelligent assistant functions for drivers.

IBM recently pledged to invest $200 million to make its new Munich center one of the world’s most advanced facilities for collaborative innovation as part of a global investment of $3 billion to bring Watson cognitive computing to the Internet of Things.  [Read more…] about BMW to start research with IBM Watson artificial intelligence system