Market trends and business perspectives
Emerging robotics startups now have a space to call their own in Massachusetts.
MassRobotics, an independent, non-profit hub serving to inspire and bring robotics startups, initiatives and investments to life, is opening its initial office, laboratory and test space.
The collaborative workspace includes the labs and equipment needed to help young robotics companies develop and scale their concepts and prototypes. [Read more…] about MassRobotics opens shared robotics innovation space
Woodside Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have launched a new collaboration program under which the Australian independent oil and gas company will develop applications for Nasa’s Robonaut in its own operations.
Under the partnership Nasa will loan Woodside an Anthropomorphic Robonaut System for a 60-month deployment in Perth. Together the two organisations will explore how the robotic technology could be used to improve safety, reliability and efficiency in the high-risk and remote environments where Woodside operates.
Woodside will contribute its advanced cognitive science technology, being developed in its Western Australian operations, and Nasa will share its expertise in Robonauts that are already being used for simple, repetitive, or especially dangerous tasks in places such as the International Space Station. [Read more…] about Woodside Energy to train Nasa’s Robonaut to work in oil and gas industry
Engineering giant ABB is to invest another $90 million into a research and development centre in Canada.
The Swiss company, which also is one of the world’s biggest industrial robot manufacturers, is to establish its new North American research and development facility in Montréal.
As a result of the investment, Canadians will develop next-generation solutions for electric vehicles, says the government in a statement. [Read more…] about ABB to invest $90 million in new research centre in Canada
In a global manufacturing outlook report, 49 per cent of manufacturers surveyed were reported to be investing six per cent of their revenues in research and development and innovation, in a push to transform their businesses.
Asian manufacturing companies surveyed exhibited the highest investment expectations, with a majority of respondents from China, Japan and India indicating they would spend more than six per cent of their revenues on technology and innovation.
Twenty-five per cent of the respondents have already poured investment in avant garde technologies such as 3D printing. [Read more…] about MTA 2017 to spotlight new technologies with specialised zones
Company is expecting “year on year double digit growth” in machine vision, robotics and artificial intelligence over the next decade
Industrial Vision Systems, a supplier of machine vision solutions to industries including automotive, medical devices, electronics, food and drink, and packaging, has relocated into a new facility – custom designed to its own specification – in order to fulfil its ambitious expansion plans.
Having grown “significantly” over the course of the past 16 years, Industrial Vision Systems has now made the move to its brand new 10,000 sq ft premises at the prestigious Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire which will allow it to grow further and capitalise on new, emerging markets.
The relocation presents a new phase of business for IVS. The company is fully expecting year on year double digit growth in machine vision and robotics on the manufacturing floor over the next decade. [Read more…] about Industrial Vision Systems relocates to ‘fulfil ambitious expansion plans’
One of the world’s leading robotics and automation systems manufacturers, Omron, says it will introduce a total of 15,583 models in seven categories in its second wave of factory automation control devices built on a common design platform for unified product specifications.
Omron says it has been continuing to work for the innovation of making control panels which house and control factory automation devices on the production front line.
The company unified the design and size of factory automation devices, and introduced products in April 2016 which are built with the company’s proprietary wiring technology “Push-In Plus Terminal Block” for device and control panel makers in need of “downsizing and space-saving” of factory automation devices and control panels, “expedited delivery”, and “response to globalization”. [Read more…] about Omron to showcase 16,000 factory automation products
Automated collation system streamlines high volume workflow and increases prescription throughput
Innovation, makers of PharmAssist pharmacy automation solutions, has launched RxCollect, a robotic prescription collation technology that automates the collection of patient-specific group and multi-vial orders in central fill and mail order pharmacies employing single piece flow processing.
Tom Boyer, COO, Innovation, says: “When it comes to increasing efficiency and reducing waste in high-volume prescription environments, lean manufacturing’s single piece flow typically wins out over filling prescriptions in batch mode.
“With that in mind, we invented RxCollect as a downstream automated collation solution for high-volume pharmacies filling patient orders in a continuous, single piece flow mode of operation. [Read more…] about Innovation launches RxCollect robotic prescription collation system
President Barack Obama says robots can help the US grow its economy by leading to higher total factor productivity (TFP) in the future.
The president made his remarks in his annual economic report to the Houses of Congress. Extracts from President Obama’s report:
“One area of innovation that can help the United States to boost TFP growth in the future is robotics. [Read more…] about Obama to leave the future of the US in the hands of robots
Company plans to use more robots and automation technologies across its global operations
Logistics giant DHL has opened what it calls an “Advanced Regional Center” in Singapore.
The $120 million, 90,000 sq m facility features a $14 million multi-customer automation system featuring advanced robotics.
DHL has been on a mission to roboticize and automate its entire global supply chain. The company claims to be the largest logistics company in the world. [Read more…] about DHL opens supersize logistics centre featuring 130 robotic shuttles
European Robotics Forum 2016 opens in Ljubljana
The capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana, is the picturesque setting for this year’s European Robotics Forum. Considered to be one of the most important events in the European robotics industry calendar, it is attended by around 700 European robotics experts, politicians and business people.
The event, which started earlier today (March 21), was opened by the representatives of European institutions and the Slovenian Government, who pointed to the importance of digitised industry, the smart specialisation strategy, research investment and innovation in robotics. Robotics has a tremendous impact on our economy and society.
Robots are known to save costs, to improve the quality of products and working conditions, and to minimise resources and waste. From today’s €22bn worldwide revenues, according to some estimates, robotics industries are set to achieve annual sales of between €50bn and €62bn by 2020. In the field of industrial robotics, which is currently growing at 8 per cent per annum, Europe’s share of the world market is about 32 per cent.
Delegates attending the event spoke of how important it is that Europe maintains its strong position in the robotics industry, and outlines ways it could be done. Here, we convey some of their comments. [Read more…] about Europe needs to maintain its leading position in robotics, say experts attending the European Robotics Forum 2016
