Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Robert Bosch Venture Capital leads growth funding round in MegaRobo

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Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, is leading a growth financing round in MegaRobo. 

The Chinese high-tech robotic company with over 100 employees is headquartered in Beijing and integrates cutting-edge machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide modular automation solutions for lab automation, smart retail and light industrial sectors.

“MegaRobo’s technology increases efficiency in production automation. Already today, robots from MegaRobo are used for special applications in the end-of-line production of household appliances at Bosch”, says RBVC managing director Dr Ingo Ramesohl.

[Read more…] about Robert Bosch Venture Capital leads growth funding round in MegaRobo

Omron provides new robotics laboratory to Houston university

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Omron Foundation, the charitable arm of the US-based operations of industrial automation solutions provider Omron, donated a new laboratory complete with workstations and state-of-the-art equipment to give University of Houston students the opportunity to prepare for real-world engineering challenges.

The University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering recently unveiled a cutting-edge laboratory donated by the Omron Foundation, the charitable arm of automation solutions provider Omron in the United States.

Designed for electrical and computer engineering students, the lab includes advanced technologies and equipment donated by Omron. [Read more…] about Omron provides new robotics laboratory to Houston university

Samsung Electronics expands SAIT AI Lab Montreal

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Samsung Electronics is to expand the ‘Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) artificial intelligence (AI) Lab Montreal’ in Canada.

The lab will help the company strengthen its fundamentals in AI research and drive competitiveness in system semiconductors.

The lab is located in Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms (Mila).

[Read more…] about Samsung Electronics expands SAIT AI Lab Montreal

Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

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Sony Corporation and NTT Docomo, Inc. will jointly trial Sony’s conceptual driverless vehicle, the New Concept Cart SC-1, which uses 5G mobile technologies for various remotely controlled functions.

The test will be conducted using the trial network in Docomo 5G Open Lab Guam, which will provide test facilities and an outdoor verification environment constructed by Docomo.

The test will verify data transmission and operational performance required to remotely control the cart from a long distance via the extra-high speed, large capacity, low latency and massive-device connectivity.

[Read more…] about Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

BASF opens modular lab for automotive OEM coatings at its Münster site

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BASF’s Coatings division has opened a new laboratory for automotive OEM coatings at its site in Münster, Germany.

The modular “Lean Lab” concept aims to ensure optimised, digitalised and transparent processes and efficient use of resources in the laboratory area throughout Europe.

Discrete working processes of the lab employees and the use of standardised and automated processes allow BASF to meet future market requirements quickly and flexibly.

[Read more…] about BASF opens modular lab for automotive OEM coatings at its Münster site

Sita Lab launches mobile robotic kiosk for airports

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Sita Lab, a provider of air travel technology, has launched Kate, a mobile robot which the company says is an intelligent check-in kiosk that will autonomously move to busy or congested areas in the airport as needed. 

Using various data sources – including flight and passenger flow information – Kate can identify where additional check-in kiosks are required to reduce passenger queue times at check-in.

Kate, which was developed in partnership with BlueBotics, uses existing Sita data systems such as Day of Operations Business Intelligence and FlightInfo API.  [Read more…] about Sita Lab launches mobile robotic kiosk for airports

Robots taking over from humans in numerous laboratory tasks

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lab automation pic

Robotic lab automation is making progress and removing some of the labor in laboratories, but rarely is it replacing all functions, according to Kalorama Information. 

The healthcare market researcher said the most common use of robots is partial, but that the number of labs using them is on the rise.

Lacking robotics and other types of automation, laboratories may not be able to keep up with the pace of testing, the complexities of new tests, such as those involving molecular diagnostics, and the loss of experienced technicians and technologists.  [Read more…] about Robots taking over from humans in numerous laboratory tasks

Robots now ‘essential’ to clinical diagnostic labs, says new report

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fl smith lab automation
Picture courtesy FL Automation

There is an $8.8 billion market for robotic laboratory automation systems, according to Kalorama Information.

The healthcare research firm just completed a report on lab robots, and notes the imbalance between the high demand for diagnostics and the lack of supply of qualified technicians.

Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama, says: “More than two-thirds of clinical decisions are based on laboratory test results, and new tests are developed constantly.

“But a shrinking field of qualified laboratory personnel, while demand grows requires something to handle the tasks created.”  [Read more…] about Robots now ‘essential’ to clinical diagnostic labs, says new report

Echord++ produces new video showcasing its robotics research and development facilities

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The European Coordination Hub for Open Robotics Development has been showcasing its innovation facilities through a new video.

The organisation likes to be known as Echord++ and offers funding to develop robotics technology for real use-cases.

The new video provides an insight of the group’s robotics innovation facilities, their technical equipment, application domains and services.  [Read more…] about Echord++ produces new video showcasing its robotics research and development facilities

Denso opens automotive research and development lab at Michigan university

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university-of-michigan

Global auto supplier Denso has opened a new research and development lab at the University of Michigan, in the US. 

Denso, which used to be part of Toyota, says the new research facility will “accelerate development of new auto safety technologies and create new research opportunities for engineering students”.

The company says the Denso R&D Lab gives Denso an opportunity to more closely collaborate with the university and North American automotive manufacturers on key safety technologies like machine learning, advanced driver assistance systems, and automated drive.

As part of the lab, 12 university students have been selected to participate in research projects, which will begin this month and run throughout 2017.  [Read more…] about Denso opens automotive research and development lab at Michigan university