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Central Tuli Game Reserve becomes first ‘Smart Parks system’ in Botswana

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The Timbo Afrika Foundation and Smart Parks have implemented the “first Smart Parks system in Botswana”. From now on, African wildlife will be protected in the Central Tuli Game Reserve with smart, advanced technology. Moreover, this enables the relocation and introduction of endangered and disappeared animal species.

The game reserve consists of roughly 70,0000 hectares, partly bought by investor and philanthropist Albert Hartog, who wants to clear the area of old fences and barbed wire to create a “wildlife corridor”.

A free and safe connection between adjacent nature reserves to allow wildlife to walk their original migration routes. During the installation executed by Smart Parks last April, a LoRaWAN network with five gateway installations and several sensors were successfully deployed. [Read more…] about Central Tuli Game Reserve becomes first ‘Smart Parks system’ in Botswana

Carnegie Mellon awarded $150 million to develop robotics research facility

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The Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded Carnegie Mellon University $150 million to support science and robotics research through the building of a new facility. 

Farnam Jahanian, CMU president, says: “Pittsburgh’s future – and the future of US innovation and global competitiveness – are inextricably linked to scientific and technological advances, and how well organizations, communities, and industries can stay ahead of the rapid pace of change.

“Carnegie Mellon is positioned at the forefront of science and innovation’s great promise, and this visionary grant will fuel the research and activities that will build this exciting future. [Read more…] about Carnegie Mellon awarded $150 million to develop robotics research facility

Comau exoskeleton ‘first’ to be awarded EAWS certification

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Comau Robotics & Automation claims its “MATE” exoskeleton is the first on the market to receive the Ergonomic Assessment Work-Sheet certification.

The company says the certification provides clear evidence of its exoskeleton’s effectiveness in reducing the “risk of biomechanical overload” of the upper limbs.

Based on the evaluation system promoted by Ergo Foundation, Italy’s reference for the organization and measurement of work and ergonomics, the successful recognition studied workers who used MATE to perform daily tasks requiring flexion-extension of the arms. [Read more…] about Comau exoskeleton ‘first’ to be awarded EAWS certification

Micron launches robot design challenge

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Micron Technology, a provider of memory and storage solutions, has launched its UV Robot Design Challenge.

The company says the competition is designed to address the growing need for reliable, low-cost ultraviolet light robotic solutions that can help automate disinfection and potentially combat the spread of Covid-19 and other diseases.

UV germicidal irradiation has been shown to destroy the RNA in viruses and can help mitigate the transmission of microbes, which can remain active on surfaces for prolonged periods of time. [Read more…] about Micron launches robot design challenge

Open Manufacturing Platform expands with new industrial giants joining

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The Open Manufacturing Platform has expanded, with new steering committee members and new working groups established.

OMP is an alliance founded in 2019 to help manufacturing companies accelerate innovation at scale through cross-industry collaboration, knowledge and data sharing as well as access to new technologies.

The OMP was founded under the umbrella of the Joint Development Foundation, which is part of the Linux Foundation. [Read more…] about Open Manufacturing Platform expands with new industrial giants joining

Omron provides new robotics laboratory to Houston university

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Omron Foundation, the charitable arm of the US-based operations of industrial automation solutions provider Omron, donated a new laboratory complete with workstations and state-of-the-art equipment to give University of Houston students the opportunity to prepare for real-world engineering challenges.

The University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering recently unveiled a cutting-edge laboratory donated by the Omron Foundation, the charitable arm of automation solutions provider Omron in the United States.

Designed for electrical and computer engineering students, the lab includes advanced technologies and equipment donated by Omron. [Read more…] about Omron provides new robotics laboratory to Houston university

Eclipse Foundation launches openMobility group to plan future of autonomous cars

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The Eclipse Foundation has launched the openMobility Working Group, which will focus on open and shared collaboration around one of the major issues in urban planning around autonomous vehicles and future transportation requirements – traffic simulation and modelling.

The Eclipse Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that acts as a steward of the Eclipse open source software development community.

Based on the cutting-edge Eclipse Simulation of Urban Mobility project that originated at the German Aerospace Center, the openMobility Working Group brings together researchers and industry to create a common simulation platform for urban areas in a shared collaboration, open source environment.

[Read more…] about Eclipse Foundation launches openMobility group to plan future of autonomous cars

UPS Foundation supports Ghana’s vaccine drone delivery network

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The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have announced support for the expansion of a medical drone network into Ghana.

Zipline, a California-based automated logistics company, will use drones to make on-demand, emergency deliveries of 148 high priority products including emergency and routine vaccines, blood products and life-saving medications.

The service will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from four distribution centres – each equipped with 30 drones – and deliver to over 2,000 health facilities serving 12 million people across the country.

[Read more…] about UPS Foundation supports Ghana’s vaccine drone delivery network

Daimler offers vision of future cities built around autonomous vehicles

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The Daimler and Benz Foundation is funding what it says is a new interdisciplinary research project which looks at the possible effects of autonomous driving on European cities.

The Foundation says the project is aimed at answering the question: How will autonomous vehicles shape the cities of the future?

Formally entitled “Avenue 21 – Autonomous Transport: Developments in Urban Europe”, the Foundation’s team of scientists is examining the question of how European cities will evolve through autonomous driving – and the influence of urban structures on the development of autonomous traffic.  [Read more…] about Daimler offers vision of future cities built around autonomous vehicles

Open Source Robotics Foundation teams up with Toyota Research Institute for software research

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Tools for robotics and autonomous vehicles central to the two organisations

The Open Source Robotics Foundation and the Toyota Research Institute are to work together on developing new robotics and automation technologies. 

In addition, TRI has made a charitable contribution of $1 million to OSRF to support the organization’s goals to develop and promote the growth of the open source robotics community and to support the development of the Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo.

 

Gill Pratt, TRI CEO, says: “I’ve witnessed first-hand the value of the Open Source Robotics Foundation. Of the 23 teams that competed in the Darpa Robotics Challenge 18 used ROS and 14 used Gazebo.

“Through this charitable contribution, TRI will support efforts to grow the capabilities of ROS and Gazebo, not only for TRI, but also for the hundreds of thousands of members of the open source robotics community.”  [Read more…] about Open Source Robotics Foundation teams up with Toyota Research Institute for software research