Robotics & Automation News

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Brain Corp raises $36 million to meet ‘growing demand for autonomous robots’

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Brain Corp, a developer of artificial intelligence systems for the robotics industry, has raised $36 million in Series D funding to “help meet the growing demand for autonomous mobile robots”.

The company says the growth is being generated by retail, healthcare, airports, education and other industries now on the front lines of the coronavirus health crisis.

The round was led by returning investor SoftBank Vision Fund 1, and includes new investors ClearBridge Investments, and Satwik Ventures, and an additional investment from Qualcomm Ventures. [Read more…] about Brain Corp raises $36 million to meet ‘growing demand for autonomous robots’

6 River Systems introduces ‘major enhancements’ to its mobile fulfillment robots

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6 River Systems (6RS), part of global commerce platform Shopify, has unveiled what it describes as “major enhancements” to its “wall-to-wall” fulfillment solution, including upgrades to its collaborative mobile robot, Chuck.

6RS says it provides warehouse operators the opportunity to “transform the entire fulfillment workflow from putaway, to picking, sorting and packing”.

Improvements to the solution’s order allocation algorithm and optimizations to batch, zone and other picking methodologies continue to reduce associate walking in the warehouse, says the company. [Read more…] about 6 River Systems introduces ‘major enhancements’ to its mobile fulfillment robots

Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

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Since 1965, when the first exoskeleton was produced for military use, exoskeletons have been increasingly popular in the manufacturing world, supporting workers and improving the quality of their working hours. (See video below.)

In 2018 more than 7,000 units were sold in manufacturing, according to ABI Research data.

However, the potential market need would be 60,000 units for all types of exoskeleton, with an estimated growth rate of more than 50 percent from 2019 to 2024. [Read more…] about Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

Advanced driver assistance systems: Disrupting the global automotive safety landscape

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Automotive accidents and road mishaps and the subsequent injuries and fatalities present a significant global concern today.

According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, nearly 1.25 million people succumb to road accidents every year, which equates to an average of almost 3,287 deaths a day.

Despite the alarming statistics however, strong technological evolution across the industrial landscape, particularly in the automotive domain, is ensuring that things take a turn for the better. [Read more…] about Advanced driver assistance systems: Disrupting the global automotive safety landscape

Cincoze launches new fanless embedded computer

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Cincoze, a manufacturer of embedded systems, has launched the P2100 Series, including P2102 and P2102E.

The P2102 is a slim, fanless, embedded computer with the P2102E offering greater expandability.

Supporting Cincoze’s innovative modular design, the P2100 Series can also work as a panel PC when combined with various Cincoze display modules. [Read more…] about Cincoze launches new fanless embedded computer

Severstal invests in robotics to automate advanced composites manufacturing with Airborne

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Severstal, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated steel and mining companies, has invested in Dutch company Airborne, a developer of robotic and digital automation platforms for the production of composite parts and products with integrated composites.

Severstal joins other investors in this investment round, including Pangaea Ventures, the leading advanced materials venture capital fund, and SABIC, the world’s third largest diversified chemical company.

Airborne has developed and brought to market a unique set of digital technologies that increase the efficiency of carbon fiber composite production by automating the production process. [Read more…] about Severstal invests in robotics to automate advanced composites manufacturing with Airborne

Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving

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Sony has showcased a number of new technologies at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, and one of them was a concept car packed with the company’s sensors and other components that provide a package that supports autonomous driving.

Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony president and CEO, says: “It’s not an exaggeration to say that mobile (communication) has been the mega-trend of the last decade. I believe the next mega-trend will be mobility.”

Yoshida formally unveiled the prototype vehicle, which incorporates imaging and sensing technologies that Sony says “contribute to safer and more reliable autonomous driving”. [Read more…] about Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving

Fanuc showcases its robotic technologies at CES for the first time

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Fanuc, the world’s leading supplier of robotics, CNCs, Robomachines and industrial internet-of-things solutions, has been showcasing its technologies at the Consumer Electronics Show for the first time.

After nearly 40 years of providing robots and automation for manufacturing, Fanuc says it is experiencing “rapid growth in consumer-oriented and service markets including e-commerce and warehousing, food preparation, agriculture and entertainment”.

At CES, Fanuc offered visitors the opportunity to interact with its robots in a wide range of demonstrations and contests including a selfie station, a voice-activated gift selection, hand-guided robot programming, and speed and dexterity challenges. [Read more…] about Fanuc showcases its robotic technologies at CES for the first time

RE2 Robotics plans expansion as it looks to increase staff by 50 per cent

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RE2 Robotics, a developer of human-like robotic manipulation systems, says it will “significantly increase” its hiring efforts in 2020.

This hiring push is a direct result of the company’s expansion into commercial markets last year, including the aviation, energy and medical industries.

RE2 expects to increase its staff by 50 percent by the end 2020. The company, which increased its staff by 32 percent in 2019, is seeking to add approximately 20 engineers in a variety of disciplines, including mechanical, electrical and software engineering. [Read more…] about RE2 Robotics plans expansion as it looks to increase staff by 50 per cent

SICK launches its ‘most powerful and accurate’ 2D LiDAR sensor yet

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SICK has launched what it describes as its “most powerful and accurate 2D LiDAR sensor yet”.

The LMS4000 is designed for materials handling and intralogistics applications, and is said to maintain its high degrees of accuracy and power even at high speeds, in low ambient light or when goods, packages or parcels are matt black or glossy.

SICK says its LMS4000 2D LiDAR Sensor’s “exceptionally high” laser scanning frequency helps to produce more than half a million measurement points per second to calculate the position, shape, volume or surface quality of goods, packages or components over a wide depth of field, and at ranges up to 3 metres. [Read more…] about SICK launches its ‘most powerful and accurate’ 2D LiDAR sensor yet