Robotics & Automation News

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MassRobotics selects winners of Form & Function University Robotics Challenge

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MassRobotics has announced the winners of its 3rd Form & Function University Robotics Challenge.

Fifteen teams from around the globe showcased their robotics and automation projects, competing for cash prizes. The idea of this challenge is to create a robot that looks good (Form) and works (Function).

Components and software were donated to the teams by our sponsors: Altium, AMD, Analog Devices, Autodesk, Copley Controls, Danfoss, Festo, Harmonic Drive, Igus, Lattice Semiconductor,Maxon, Mitsubishi Electric, Novanta, helping the student teams utilize the latest offerings in the industry. [Read more…] about MassRobotics selects winners of Form & Function University Robotics Challenge

MassRobotics opens applications for third annual ‘Form and Function Robotics Challenge’

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Robotics accelerator MassRobotics has launched its third annual Form and Function Robotics Challenge.

This year’s competition is supported by Altium, AMD, Analog Devices, Autodesk, Copley Controls, Danfoss, FESTO, Harmonic Drive, Igus, Lattice Semiconductor, Maxon, Mitsubishi Electric, and Novanta.

The MassRobotics challenge is designed for college student teams to showcase their unique robotics projects. Teams from anywhere around the world are encouraged to enter. [Read more…] about MassRobotics opens applications for third annual ‘Form and Function Robotics Challenge’

Walmart makes Brain Corp ‘the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots’

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Sam’s Club, a membership warehouse club and a division of Walmart, has completed a national, chain-wide rollout of “Inventory Scan” towers that have been added to its existing fleet of robotic scrubbers in partnership with Brain Corp, a provider of artificial intelligence for robots.

In doing so, Walmart has made Brain Corp “the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots”, according to the company.

Todd Garner, vice president, in-club product management, says: “Our initial goal at Sam’s Club was to convert time historically spent on scrubbers to more member-focused activities. [Read more…] about Walmart makes Brain Corp ‘the world’s largest supplier of inventory scanning robots’

Walmart to roll out inventory analytics function to fleet of robotic floor cleaners

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Walmart business unit Sam’s Club – a membership warehouse club – is planning the national, chain-wide roll out of “Inventory Scan”, a new inventory analytics function which will be added to the its existing fleet of robotic scrubbers.

The implementation will be undertaken in partnership with software company Brain Corp and Tennant Company, the manufacturer of the vehicle.

The rollout marks the largest and fastest technology deployment undertaken by Brain Corp – which provides the operating system for the robotic floor cleaners – and the first commercial application of its inventory scanning technology anywhere in the world. [Read more…] about Walmart to roll out inventory analytics function to fleet of robotic floor cleaners

ABB RobotStudio now enables reduction of robotic cell footprint by 25 per cent

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ABB says its RobotStudio offline programming and simulation software has been upgraded with a new virtual robot braking distance function designed to create an exact simulation of the real-world stopping distance of a robot.

Enabling the robot’s braking distance to be accurately calculated, the function overcomes the need to add safety margins into cell designs, enabling space savings of up to 25 per cent.

Predicting exactly where a robot will stop depends on a range of variables including speed, payload and the robot’s own inertia. These factors, individually or combined, can result in the robot coming to a halt outside of its safety zone, sometimes by several meters. [Read more…] about ABB RobotStudio now enables reduction of robotic cell footprint by 25 per cent

SICK launches ‘world’s first’ LiDAR multibeam scanner for small vehicles

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SICK Sensor Intelligence has launched what it describes as “the world’s first” LiDAR multibeam scanner with safe, solid-state technology for line-guided small vehicles.

The scanGrid2 safe multibeam scanner from SICK is the first of its kind in the world. The compact sensor uses a novel and in-house developed solid-state LiDAR technology to increase the productivity of small autonomous and line-guided transport vehicles.

Certified as a Type 2/SIL 1 safety sensor according to IEC 61496-3, the scanGrid2 can protect hazardous areas up to performance level c and works well for collision avoidance. An app and cloning function also ensure a high level of up time and fast fleet deployment. [Read more…] about SICK launches ‘world’s first’ LiDAR multibeam scanner for small vehicles

ABB says its RobotStudio’s new braking distance simulator reduces robotic cell footprint by ‘up to 25 percent’

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ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming and simulation software has been upgraded with a new virtual robot braking distance function designed to create an exact simulation of the real-world stopping distance of a robot.

Enabling the robot’s braking distance to be accurately calculated, the function overcomes the need to add safety margins into cell designs, enabling space savings of up to 25 percent.

Predicting exactly where a robot will stop depends on a range of variables including speed, payload and the robot’s own inertia. These factors, individually or combined, can result in the robot coming to a halt outside of its safety zone, sometimes by several meters. [Read more…] about ABB says its RobotStudio’s new braking distance simulator reduces robotic cell footprint by ‘up to 25 percent’

IDS says its new cameras capture ‘sharp images even with varying object distances’

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Imaging Development Systems says its new cameras capture “sharp images even with varying object distances”.

The company has extended the selection of its automatically focusable board-level cameras.

Their practical autofocus function enables uEye LE AF industrial cameras to deliver “perfectly focused images even with frequently changing object distances”, says IDS. [Read more…] about IDS says its new cameras capture ‘sharp images even with varying object distances’

Hyundai increases Hi6 controller steps capability from 20,000 to 10 million

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Hyundai Robotics says it has significantly increased the number of steps its Hi6 robot controller is capable of – from 20,000 to 10 million.

The company unveiled the new version of Hi6 during a presentation at its Daegu headquarters in South Korea recently.

Hyundai Robotics says: “The 20,000 steps of jobs of the previous Hi5 controller were significantly increased to 10,000,000 steps by expanding storage space through SSD. [Read more…] about Hyundai increases Hi6 controller steps capability from 20,000 to 10 million

SICK AppSpace adds new functions for 2D and 3D machine vision integration

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SICK AppSpace has added new functions to enable 2D and 3D machine vision integration.

The sensors specialist says the new functionality will enable system designers to “easily create individual SensorApps on their own without programming skills”.

The company says this will enable them to solve entirely new automation tasks. [Read more…] about SICK AppSpace adds new functions for 2D and 3D machine vision integration