Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

lidar

Veo Robotics could make all industrial robots collaborative

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Traditional industrial robots tend to be very large and potentially dangerous, which is why they tend to be caged off and kept separate from human workers.

But a new company called Veo Robotics says it has the technology to transform traditional industrial robotic arms into safe machines that humans can work alongside, within close proximity.

Veo’s solution could make every industrial robot a collaborative robot. The term “collaborative” is recognized by international standards organizations and usually applies to much smaller, newer types of robots which are specifically designed to safe for humans to work with.  [Read more…] about Veo Robotics could make all industrial robots collaborative

Lumotive launches new LiDAR to enable autonomous vehicles

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Lumotive, the Bill Gates-funded startup developing LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles, has launched a beam-steering technology which it claims will “significantly improve” the performance, reliability and cost of LiDAR systems for the emerging self-driving car industry.

Initially targeting the robo-taxi market, Lumotive’s patented system uses liquid crystal metasurfaces (LCM) and silicon fabrication to achieve “unmatched levels” of manufacturing efficiency while simultaneously delivering unprecedented range, resolution and frame rate.

Dr William Colleran, Lumotive co-founder and CEO, says: “Lumotive’s solution is ideal for automakers and Tier-1s seeking safer yet more cost-effective perception solutions for their vehicles.  [Read more…] about Lumotive launches new LiDAR to enable autonomous vehicles

RoboSense provides lidar for all-weather autonomous driving shuttle bus

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RoboSense, a lidar perception technology solutions firm, has provided cold-resistant all-weather lidar for the world’s first autonomous driving shuttle bus.

The bus, named Gacha, is equipped with RoboSense’s  cold-resistant 16-beam mechanical lidar environment perception system for operating vehicles in harsh winter and other severe weather conditions.

The shuttle bus was designed in collaboration with Finnish autonomous driving company Sensible 4, which provided software for positioning, navigation, and obstacle detection; Muji, which provided expertise in design and user experience; and RoboSense.

[Read more…] about RoboSense provides lidar for all-weather autonomous driving shuttle bus

Velodyne Lidar sensors enable Postmates autonomous delivery rover

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Postmates has included Velodyne Lidar’s intelligent, versatile lidar technology in its innovative self-driving rovers for short-distance deliveries, Postmates Serve.

Equipped with Velodyne’s compact, powerful lidar sensor, Serve combines autonomy and emission-free robotics for movement of goods in cities.

Serve’s architecture includes Velodyne’s VLP-16 Puck sensor, which has been designed into the rover. The VLP-16 Puck is built into the top of the rover for a high-performance surround view, enabling Serve to detect people and objects as it completes local deliveries.

[Read more…] about Velodyne Lidar sensors enable Postmates autonomous delivery rover

Velodyne Lidar sensors power ThorDrive’s autonomous driving pilot

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ThorDrive, an autonomous vehicle (AV) startup, is introducing commercial vehicle services in the first of many pilots in the USA.

The initial service, in partnership with Hassett ACE Hardware, will support selected residents and fire departments in Palo Alto, California, with plans to expand to additional pilots soon.

The ThorDrive platform is using Velodyne’s lidar sensors to provide rich data content for its AV software.

[Read more…] about Velodyne Lidar sensors power ThorDrive’s autonomous driving pilot

Valeo demonstrates autonomous driving technologies at CES

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Valeo, one of the largest suppliers of automotive technologies, is showcasing its autonomous vehicle advancements at this year‘s CES.

The French company says it already supplies “the automotive industry’s largest range of sensors”, comprising ultrasonic sensors, cameras, radars and LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) systems.

These devices act as the vehicle’s eyes and ears. At CES 2019, Valeo will be unveiling the full scope of its expertise in autonomy and connectivity.

Valeo says innovation is at the heart of its strategy. The company invested €1.9 billion in research and development in 2017, or close to 12 percent of original equipment sales.

valeo autonomous car parking

Valeo says its innovative technologies offer “clear insights into the shape of mobility to come” and are all conducive to the development of electric, autonomous, connected cars that are widely accessible yet adapted to individual needs.

Three of Valeo’s “major innovations” will be on display at CES:

  1. Valeo Drive4U, the autonomous vehicle which will be navigating the streets of Las Vegas fitted solely with series-produced sensors;
  2. Valeo Drive4U Remote, which is used to remotely control autonomous vehicles strictly when needed for safety reasons; and
  3. Valeo Voyage XR, which is able to simulate the virtual presence of a person – based in a fixed location – on board the autonomous vehicle during the journey.

Valeo has conducted a number of “world-first” autonomous driving trial runs, including 24 hours around the Paris beltway and road trips around Europe and the US.

The company says autonomous driving in dense and complex urban environments is “a major technological challenge that Valeo is tackling head-on”.

The Group took to the streets of Paris for a first trial run in autumn 2018 and, later this year, its autonomous car will operate in the streets of Las Vegas.

Robot sensor market forecast to reach $4.5 billion by 2024

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The global market for robot sensors is forecast to reach $4.5 billion by 2024.

This is according to a new report on the robot sensor market by Global Market Insights which features the key industry trends across the product, robot type, application, and regional landscape.

GMI says Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution is the major driving factor fueling robot sensor industry demand.  [Read more…] about Robot sensor market forecast to reach $4.5 billion by 2024

Sick launches high-precision lidar sensors

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Sick has launched a new range of high-precision light detection and ranging sensors.

With the launch of the LMS1000 and MRS1000 infrared LiDAR sensors, Sick says it has “raised the bar in high-precision, reliable distance sensing and ranging”.

Suitable for both indoor or outdoor applications, the sensors incorporate Sick’s innovative HDDM+ (High Definition Distance Measurement) enabling greater consistency in performance to be achieved, even when the sensors are faced with adverse environmental conditions.  [Read more…] about Sick launches high-precision lidar sensors

Alibaba unveils unmanned logistics vehicle featuring lidar

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Alibaba, the world’s largest e-commerce company, has unveiled a new unmanned logistics vehicle.

The “G Plus” was built in co-operation with Alibaba’s logistics business unit, Cainiao, and RoboSense, a developer of robotic technology.

The G Plus is said to be the world’s first autonomous logistics vehicle to use solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) technology.  [Read more…] about Alibaba unveils unmanned logistics vehicle featuring lidar

How sensors and actuators are being used to create self-driven vehicles

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Autonomous vehicles aren’t science fiction any more. Top automobile firms and technology giants are working towards making self-driven cars commercially available by 2021.

In the same way how IoT is revolutionizing the industrial organization, self-driven vehicles are revolutionizing the transportation industry, allowing people to travel safely and comfortably.

These connected vehicles have the ability to mitigate pollution owing to their real-time traffic information and smart routing.  [Read more…] about How sensors and actuators are being used to create self-driven vehicles