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ABB robots accelerate coronavirus testing in Singapore

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ABB robots are accelerating coronavirus testing in Singapore through a new robotics lab system which “saves time and costs and keeps lab workers safe”, according to the company.

As part of Singapore’s efforts to enhance its nation-wide COVID-19 testing capabilities, ABB’s high-precision robots have been deployed in a new automated laboratory system, known as the Rapid Automated Volume Enhancer (RAVE).

The system automates some of the manual steps usually required in sample processing. Two sets of RAVE and associated equipment can process an industry-topping throughput of close to 4,000 samples a day. RAVE also reduces test contamination and infection risks for laboratory workers. [Read more…] about ABB robots accelerate coronavirus testing in Singapore

Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future

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Over the past several months, the world has been dealing with the first major global pandemic in more than a generation.

It has disrupted economies far and wide, cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and laid bare many of the weaknesses of the global medical industry.

One of those weaknesses has been the difficulty that multiple countries have faced in scaling up laboratory capacity to meet the demand for PCR testing created by the crisis. [Read more…] about Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future

Festo launches lab automation ‘superconductor’ system that moves objects without contact

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Festo has launched a lab automation “superconductor” system that moves objects without contact.

The company says its “SupraModule” concept enables wireless control of functions on a magnetic, floating carrier with an autonomous energy supply.

In future-oriented fields such as laboratory automation or biotechnology, the requirements placed on the cleaning of production facilities and their purity are very high. [Read more…] about Festo launches lab automation ‘superconductor’ system that moves objects without contact

Danish robots assisting lab technicians with Covid-19 testing work

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A Danish pipetting robot is automating Covid testing processes in hospitals around Europe.

The robot, called flowbot ONE, “significantly reduces the time it takes for laboratories to produce results for patients to tell them whether they are infected with Covid-19”, says its manufacturer Flow Robotics.

The company says its machine is a “unique liquid-handling robot” which is now speeding up the enormous task of analysing Covid tests. The flowbot ONE system now conducts thousands of tests for Covid-19 every day. [Read more…] about Danish robots assisting lab technicians with Covid-19 testing work

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