Robotics & Automation News

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laboratory

ABB collaborative robot to provide faster lab analysis for Semcon

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Product development company Semcon says it is providing faster analysis of samples for an international laboratory company thanks to a collaborative robot from ABB.

The company says it set out with the objective of creating a faster, safer process and of freeing up time for laboratory personnel so that they can focus on more advanced tasks.

Laboratory work often involves a number of monotonous and repetitive elements that can be streamlined by means of automation. [Read more…] about ABB collaborative robot to provide faster lab analysis for Semcon

Visteon opens new technical center in Mexico

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Visteon, a supplier of digital automotive dashboard electronics, has opened a newly constructed engineering center in Querétaro, Mexico.

Visteon says its Querétaro Technical Center (VTCQ) is home to highly skilled software, hardware and mechanical engineers responsible for developing advanced cockpit electronics products for North America-based vehicle manufacturers.

These products include digital instrument clusters, infotainment and information displays – and new technologies for connected and autonomous driving. [Read more…] about Visteon opens new technical center in Mexico

ABB demonstrates new mobile robot for laboratory work

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ABB today opened its first global healthcare research hub on the Texas Medical Center campus, in Houston, Texas – showcasing a number of concept technologies, including a mobile YuMi robot, which will be designed to assist medical and laboratory staff with laboratory and logistics tasks in hospitals. (See video below.)

The dual-arm mobile YuMi will be able to sense and navigate its way around its human co-workers autonomously, while learning to find different routes from one location to another.

It has the potential to undertake a wide range of repetitive and time-consuming activities, including preparation of medicines, loading and unloading centrifuges, pipetting and handling liquids and picking up and sorting test tubes. [Read more…] about ABB demonstrates new mobile robot for laboratory work

Continental inaugurates new fuel cell laboratory with German university

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Continental AG is expanding its fuel cell technology sector, opening the newly established Fuel Cell Laboratory for Fuel Cell Technology with the Chemnitz University of Technology Professorship of Advanced Powertrains (ALF).

With the installation of a large hydrogen tank (H2 Tank) in February 2019 at a laboratory belonging to ALF, a central requirement for the expansion to more extensive measuring capabilities was put into place.

ALF, headed by Prof. Dr. Thomas von Unwerth, has an excellent reputation in the field of research and development of fuel cells.

[Read more…] about Continental inaugurates new fuel cell laboratory with German university

ABB Robotics to develop collaborative robot solutions for healthcare

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ABB is to introduce collaborative robots to medical laboratories as it opens a new healthcare hub at the Texas Medical Center (TMC) innovation campus in Houston, Texas.

The facility will be ABB’s first dedicated healthcare research centre when it opens in October 2019.

ABB’s research team will work on the TMC campus with medical staff, scientists and engineers to develop non-surgical medical robotics systems, including logistics and next-generation automated laboratory technologies.

[Read more…] about ABB Robotics to develop collaborative robot solutions for healthcare

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

BD launches solution for high throughput molecular diagnostic testing

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Medical technology company Becton Dickinson and Co, has launched the CE-IVDD certification of the BD COR System in Europe.

The high throughput solution for infectious disease diagnostics sets a new standard in automation for molecular testing in core laboratories and other large centralized laboratories.

The BD COR System integrates and automates the complete molecular laboratory workflow from pre-analytical processing to diagnostic test result. [Read more…] about BD launches solution for high throughput molecular diagnostic testing

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

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