Robotics & Automation News

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Helping robots and humans work hand in hand

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As the internet-connected world continues to transform the manufacturing and logistics industry, Technische Universität Dortmund is leading the way in research into human-robot interaction.

With the help of Vicon’s cutting-edge motion capture and VR solutions, the University is developing innovative ways to approach the coexistence of drones and robots with people in warehouse environments.

The manufacturing and logistics sector faces a major challenge: how best to serve the ever-growing e-commerce market – with increasingly small-scale shipments and shorter delivery deadlines – in a cost-effective and sustainable way. [Read more…] about Helping robots and humans work hand in hand

Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge

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By Richard Mawson, sales manager UK and Ireland at OnRobot

Since the mid-twentieth century, robots have been implemented by businesses worldwide to enhance efficiency and multiply productivity levels.

However, while the introduction of robotic equipment in industrial contexts undoubtedly helped organisations increase their profits and revenues, it also transformed the working environments.

Safety concerns inevitably arose. [Read more…] about Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge

BWIndustrie installs world’s first UR16e collaborative robot to optimise throughput

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Universal Robots says that BWIndustrie, a French specialist in machining, assembly and robotics, has installed the world’s first UR16e heavy-duty payload collaborative robot.

It becomes the company’s sixth cobot from UR, where it is streamlining the time-consuming and labour-intensive process of deburring metal parts.

Launched at China International Industy Fair to wide acclaim, the UR16e enables BWIndustrie to overcome the barriers of traditional manufacturing by automating the deburring processes in a matter of seconds compared to the several minutes incurred by manual labour. [Read more…] about BWIndustrie installs world’s first UR16e collaborative robot to optimise throughput

Cornell scientists develop new material to give robots more sensitive touch

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A new synthetic material created by a scientist at Cornell University is said to give robots a “softer touch”.

Developed by PhD student Patricia Xu, at Cornell’s Organic Robotics Lab, the “sensory network” – also dubbed “optical lace” – is said to be similar to the human biological nervous system.

The lab’s paper, Optical Lace for Synthetic Afferent Neural Networks, was published in Science Robotics. [Read more…] about Cornell scientists develop new material to give robots more sensitive touch

International Space Station creating new biological life forms

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The International Space Station is creating new biological life forms using “cutting-edge 3D biomanufacturing”.

3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is a well-known method of making things here on Earth, and on the ISS, but this method uses materials such as plastics and metals.

However, 3D biomanufacturing uses biological materials such as new tissue or blood vessels. (See video below.) [Read more…] about International Space Station creating new biological life forms

What are the benefits of machine learning in business?

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Machine learning makes our lives so much easier every day. Work that used to take people several hours or even days now can be completed in a blink of an eye by artificial intelligence program.

Due to that, we have less work to do and more spare time.

Also, there are no “human” mistakes involved in the process. [Read more…] about What are the benefits of machine learning in business?

From old mail order catalogues to same-day delivery: Warehouse robots are the quintessential sign of changing times

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Ever since Amazon acquired Kiva Systems in 2012 for $775 million and took the startup company’s robots off the market, warehouse managers have been looking for alternative suppliers. 

At that time, there simply no significantly well-known alternatives or proven solutions, but now, seven years on, there is a relatively large number of companies which build and supply warehouse robots.

It’s highly unlikely to be a coincidence that, in the intervening years, Amazon has grown extremely fast to become not only the world’s largest online retailer but also one of the largest logistics companies – not just in its native US, but worldwide. [Read more…] about From old mail order catalogues to same-day delivery: Warehouse robots are the quintessential sign of changing times

When Automation Works Alongside Humans

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When we talk about automation, we often imagine a future in which everything we do will be almost entirely handled by machines. Cars will drive themselves. Management decisions will be handed over to an AI. Even the creative arts might one day be taken over by robots.

But for the time being, automation isn’t quite there. And so, some compromise between machine and human worker is needed. A synergy between the two has already yielded great results – just think about an autopilot guiding a plane for the majority of a flight, and human pilot intervening only for take-off and landing.

A more commonplace example of machine-assistance comes in the form of a spell-checker on a word-processing program. And these are getting more sophisticated. Apps like Grammarly and ProWritingAid not only identify grammatical or spelling errors; they now also identify more stylistic problems, and help us to make writing clearer and more concise, even when it isn’t technically wrong. [Read more…] about When Automation Works Alongside Humans

How Automation has Transformed the Delivery Process

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The world of logistics has, in recent years, been radically altered by automation.

More than ever before, the process of getting a package from one location to another has been put into the hands of machines, and the change is behind many of the recent improvements in packaging and distribution that even small businesses can enjoy.

But exactly how does automation impact the delivery process, and what changes might we continue to see in the future? Let’s take a look. [Read more…] about How Automation has Transformed the Delivery Process

Panasonic launches initiative to encourage ‘social integration of robots’

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Panasonic has launched an initiative to promote robot development via open co-creation. The “Robotics Hub” is the central axis of Panasonic’s quest to integrate robots into society in the near future.

Nine years ago, in 2010, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), one of the largest public research and development management organisations in Japan, released some very curious data.

In their future market projections of domestic robot turnout, they forecast a sharp expansion of robots in the services field by 2035. By “services field,” it is meant medical care, logistics, nursing and welfare, cleaning, security and so forth.

[Read more…] about Panasonic launches initiative to encourage ‘social integration of robots’