Robotics & Automation News

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hybrid

Isorg and Sumitomo Chemical partner to develop organic photodetectors

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Isorg, a developer of organic photodetectors and large-area image sensors, and Sumitomo Chemical, a provider of OPD materials production and other fields, have agreed a partnership to develop new OPD products for use as smartphone fingerprint sensors and hybrid organic CMOS image sensors.

This agreement expands the existing collaboration between Sumitomo Chemical and Isorg that began in 2013.

Isorg will license its technology processes to its OEMs, while Sumitomo Chemical will manufacture the dedicated organic semiconductor material, as well as support Isorg in terms of production technology and marketing. [Read more…] about Isorg and Sumitomo Chemical partner to develop organic photodetectors

Toyota and Subaru to jointly develop battery electric vehicles

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Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation are to jointly develop a platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for midsize and large passenger vehicles and to jointly develop a C-segment-class BEV SUV model for sale under each company’s own brand.

The two companies will combine their respective strengths, such as Subaru all-wheel-drive technologies and Toyota vehicle electrification technologies,  to create attractive BEVs.

Ever since concluding an agreement on business collaboration in 2005, Toyota and Subaru have been deepening their cooperation in various fields, including development, production, and sales.

[Read more…] about Toyota and Subaru to jointly develop battery electric vehicles

Airbus and Siemens collaborate on hybrid-electric propulsion

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Representatives of Airbus and Siemens attended the recent Bauhaus Luftfahrt Symposium “Ambition 2050”, bringing together science, industry, and politicians to tackle how to meet the EU Flightpath 2050 goals, aviation’s challenging environmental targets.

Topics explored included operations, alternative fuels, as well as energy technologies and power systems, which are at the heart of the work being carried out within the Airbus E-Aircraft Systems Programme in Taufkirchen/Ottobrunn near Munich.

While no single technology will allow the industry to become emission free, as Glenn Llewellyn, Electrification General Manager at Airbus highlighted on day one of the symposium, electric and hybrid electric propulsion technologies are some of the most promising.

[Read more…] about Airbus and Siemens collaborate on hybrid-electric propulsion

Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

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Komatsu Ltd has unveiled its electric mini excavator, based on its accumulated technological expertise of hybrid construction equipment and electric forklift trucks.

Equipped with an in-house developed new charger, high-voltage converter and other devices, it offers excavation performance on a par with the internal combustion model of the same power output, while achieving zero exhaust gas emissions and a dynamic reduction in noise levels.

Komatsu expects a wider range of applications for this machine, including construction work near hospitals or schools or in residential areas, where contractors pay special attention to exhaust gas and noise during work, as well as inside tunnels or buildings.

[Read more…] about Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

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United Technologies (UTC) has recently launched the advanced projects group within the company, which moves at speed to build and pilot ambitious product and service demonstrators.

The group’s first product demonstrator is a hybrid-electric X-plane under the project name, Project 804.

The number “804” represents the straight-line mileage between the Pratt & Whitney facility in Longueuil, Québec, and the Collins Aerospace facility in Rockford, Illinois.

[Read more…] about UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

Toyota premieres own-brand battery electric vehicles

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Toyota unveiled its C-HR and IZOA battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the opening day of Auto Shanghai 2019.

The C-HR and IZOA will be the first BEVs to launch in China under the Toyota brand. Sales of the new models are expected to start from 2020.

Toyota also displayed other electrified vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variants for the RAV4 and the Alphard/Vellfire in China, as well as the Corolla and Levin plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) series, launched in March 2019.

[Read more…] about Toyota premieres own-brand battery electric vehicles

Denso to Invest $1.6 bn in automotive electrification

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Denso is to invest approximately 180 billion yen (US$1.6 billion) over three years – from FY2018 to late FY2020 – to support development and production of electrified automotive products, systems and technologies.

To accelerate business execution around electrification, Denso is establishing the Electrification Innovation Center at its plant in Anjo, Aichi, Japan, in May 2020.

The centre will conduct advanced R&D, develop and test prototypes, and launch mass produce newly developed automotive electrification products, systems and technologies.

[Read more…] about Denso to Invest $1.6 bn in automotive electrification

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

Worldwide sales of Toyota hybrids surpass 10 million units

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toyota china motor show

In the footsteps of the iconic Prius that started it all, Toyota now sells 34 different hybrid models in more than 90 countries and regions across the globe

Toyota says it has reached cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales of 10.05 million units as of January 31, surpassing the 10 million unit mark.

More than a numerical milestone, Toyota says this demonstrates the staying power of a technology that is now emerging as a mainstream solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Helping to mitigate the environmental effects of automobiles has long been a priority for Toyota, claims the company in a statement.  [Read more…] about Worldwide sales of Toyota hybrids surpass 10 million units

Airships: Ready to fly high again after a century of suspicion

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futuristic-airship

The Hindenburg disaster, in which a massive German airship caught fire while landing in the US, resulting in the deaths of 36 people, occurred in 1937, but even today it’s remembered and thought of as the reason why airships never took to the skies in large numbers. 

The powerful images of the accident left many who viewed them with the impression that airships were dangerous, partly because they were filled with gas lighter than air.

But whereas the Hindenburg was filled with a flammable gas, modern airships are not – they haven’t been for many decades.  [Read more…] about Airships: Ready to fly high again after a century of suspicion