Robotics & Automation News

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ABB prediction: ‘Eyes, hands, brains and mobility will define robotics beyond 2025’

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Building on 50 years of robotics experience, 2025 marks the beginning of a new era of AI application in industrial robotics, according to ABB.

The new age of generative AI-powered automation makes robots “more intelligent, mobile, accessible and versatile”, disrupting new and emerging sectors for robotics, says the industrial automation giant.

ABB Robotics, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial robots, has also launched a brand film which unveils “new levels of versatilty for robots to do more tasks, in more places”. [Read more…] about ABB prediction: ‘Eyes, hands, brains and mobility will define robotics beyond 2025’

Tesollo unveils ‘high-performance’ humanoid robot hand

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Tesollo, a South Korea-based specialist in robotic grippers, has launched its latest innovation, the Delto Gripper-5 Finger (DG-5F), further solidifying its competitive edge in the robotics market.

Set to go on sale in March, the DG-5F has already garnered significant attention at major exhibitions, including RoboWorld 2024, Korea’s largest robotics expo, and CES 2025, held this past January in the United States.

DG-5F boasts 20 degrees of freedom (DoF), with each of its five fingers independently operating with four joints, allowing for an exceptional level of dexterity, closely mimicking the human hand. [Read more…] about Tesollo unveils ‘high-performance’ humanoid robot hand

ETH succeeds in printing robot parts with different polymers and new laser scanning technique

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Scientists at ETH have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. It is believed this is the first time such materials and techniques have been used.

3D printing is advancing rapidly, and the range of materials that can be used has expanded considerably. While the technology was previously limited to fast-​curing plastics, it has now been made suitable for slow-​curing plastics as well.

These have decisive advantages as they have enhanced elastic properties and are more durable and robust. [Read more…] about ETH succeeds in printing robot parts with different polymers and new laser scanning technique

Shadow Robot launches robotics consulting and advisory services

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The Shadow Robot Company, the UK’s pioneering robotics company best-known for its Dextrous Hand series, has announced the launch of its Robotics Consultancy Service.

The Shadow Robot Company, a London-based robotics company that designs and manufactures state-of-the-art anthropomorphic robot hands and systems, is launching its robotics consultancy service to help companies innovate by integrating robotic hand technology into their products and processes.

The robotics consultancy service will provide companies with expert advice and guidance on how to design and use robotic hand technology to enhance their performance, efficiency and competitiveness. [Read more…] about Shadow Robot launches robotics consulting and advisory services

Columbia scientists build ‘highly dexterous robot hand that can operate in the dark – just like humans’

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Columbia university engineers design a robot hand (video below) that is the first device of its kind to join advanced sense of touch with motor-learning algorithms – it doesn’t rely on vision to manipulate objects

Think about what you do with your hands when you’re home at night pushing buttons on your TV’s remote control, or at a restaurant using all kinds of cutlery and glassware. 

These skills are all based on touch, while you’re watching a TV program or choosing something from the menu. Our hands and fingers are incredibly skilled mechanisms, and highly sensitive to boot.

Robotics researchers have long been trying to create “true” dexterity in robot hands, but the goal has been frustratingly elusive. Robot grippers and suction cups can pick and place items, but more dexterous tasks such as assembly, insertion, reorientation, packaging and so on have remained in the realm of human manipulation. [Read more…] about Columbia scientists build ‘highly dexterous robot hand that can operate in the dark – just like humans’

Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

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An Italian scientist has invented a robotic end effector that could bring the goal of robots having human-like hands one step closer.

Corrado De Pascali and his colleagues on the Italian Institute of Technology have unveiled an end effector which uses tiny, 8-gram actuators to power many different joints in the complex component.

According to report in New Scientist and several other outlets, the actuators – although small – can actually lift “1,000 times their own weight”. [Read more…] about Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

Lyro goes global through collaboration with IMI Precision Engineering

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Brisbane, Australia-based Lyro Robotics has been contracted to license their Lyro Machine Intelligence software to US based IMI Precision Engineering.

This technology partnership will deliver smart robots that will replicate the “hands”, “eyes” and “brain” of human capabilities in automation and logistics applications.

The partnership means the two companies will work to deliver a full-stack robotic solution to satisfy the rising global demand for automated bin picking in various industries, such as agriculture, logistics and e-commerce. [Read more…] about Lyro goes global through collaboration with IMI Precision Engineering

Columbia engineers develop ‘tactile robot finger with no blind spots’

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Researchers at Columbia Engineering say they have developed a new type of robotic finger with a sense of touch. Their finger can localize touch with very high precision – less than 1 mm – over a large, multicurved surface, much like its human counterpart. (See video below.)

Matei Ciocarlie, associate professor in the departments of mechanical engineering and computer science, says: “There has long been a gap between standalone tactile sensors and fully integrated tactile fingers–tactile sensing is still far from ubiquitous in robotic manipulation.”

Ciocarlie led this work in collaboration with Electrical Engineering Professor Ioannis Kymissis. [Read more…] about Columbia engineers develop ‘tactile robot finger with no blind spots’

Omron unveils ‘industry’s fastest’ 3D vision sensing technology for robot hands

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Omron has introduced what it claims is the “industry’s fastest” 3D vision sensing technology for robot hands.

The compact vision sensors can three-dimensionally recognize the position and orientation of target objects.

Incorporating this technology with robots will enable fast and accurate assembly of bulk parts by automating the conventional human-intensive process. [Read more…] about Omron unveils ‘industry’s fastest’ 3D vision sensing technology for robot hands