Robotics & Automation News

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Oceaneering to perform first deepwater survey in Mexico using autonomous underwater vehicle

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Oceaneering International, Inc. has secured a contract to perform the first-ever deepwater (1,000-3,000 m) Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) survey in Mexican waters.

The geophysical survey will take place at the BHP-operated Trion block. Oceaneering will use the DP-2 Ocean Investigator, equipped with the OS-VI AUV and light geotechnical capabilities.

Work is currently under way and will continue for approximately 45 days. Oceaneering will also provide light geotechnical services by acquiring 6 m piston core soil samples.

BASF light stabiliser used to produce more durable greenhouse films in Vietnam

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BASF and Tân Hùng Cơ Masterbatch Manufacture Co. have teamed up to produce more durable greenhouse films.

Tân Hùng Cơ, a manufacturer of additive masterbatches for plastic films in Vietnam, is now using BASF’s plastic additive Tinuvin NOR 371 to increase durability and lifespan of plastic greenhouse films made from low density polyethylene.

With Tinuvin NOR 371, greenhouse films can withstand weathering for at least three to four years, says BASF.

[Read more…] about BASF light stabiliser used to produce more durable greenhouse films in Vietnam

ZF unveils electric truck prototype for Japan

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ZF has developed an electric light commercial vehicle specifically for the Japanese market.

The company has been electrifying a wide range of systems not only for passenger cars and commercial vehicles but also for industrial machines.

This prototype vehicle has been developed by ZF Japan’s engineering team at their Tech Centre in Yokohama, collaborating with a team in ZF HQ in Germany in order to satisfy Japan’s unique requirements.

[Read more…] about ZF unveils electric truck prototype for Japan

Vertical farming: Professor Changhoo Chun discusses Samsung’s horticulture LEDs

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A ‘smart farm’ is an intelligent farming system that applies information and communication technologies (ICT) to agriculture.

One example of a smart farming system is vertical farming, wherein food is produced in vertically stacked layers.

Vertical farming has been attracting attention in recent times as a potential future agricultural model thanks to the advantages it offers, including its economical use of space and resources, environmental-friendly form of cultivation, and the reliable harvesting.

[Read more…] about Vertical farming: Professor Changhoo Chun discusses Samsung’s horticulture LEDs

Formlabs launches new generation of 3D printers

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Formlabs, the designer and manufacturer of 3D printing systems, has launched two new advanced professional Low Force Stereolithography 3D printers to its hardware lineup: Form 3 and Form 3L.

LFS 3D printing is an advanced form of stereolithography (SLA) that delivers consistently flawless parts.

The LFS process uses a flexible tank to drastically reduce the forces of the peel process, providing incredible surface finish and detail, and linear illumination to deliver accurate, repeatable parts.

[Read more…] about Formlabs launches new generation of 3D printers

Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

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Agricultural innovations are essential for feeding our ever-growing global population.

Especially these days, as industrialisation and global warming continue to negatively affect soil fertility and reduce the amount of arable land.

According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050.

[Read more…] about Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

Sick launches new compact image-based code reader

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Sick has launched a new compact image-based code reader, Lector621, for reliable detection of 1D, 2D, stacked codes, and plain text.

The high-performance DPM – direct part marking – decoder can read laser or dot-peened codes perfectly, even in the case of low contrast levels, contamination, or poor code quality.

This fills a gap in Sick’s existing portfolio of code readers, by providing a compact solution with increased reading distance, resolution, field of vision, and scanning frequency. [Read more…] about Sick launches new compact image-based code reader

Stanford boffins invent 4D camera to improve robotic vision and augmented and virtual reality specs

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A team of researchers at Stanford have designed a 4D camera which could improve vision for applications in robotics and virtual and augmented reality technologies. 

The new vision technique could also be used in autonomous vehicles, add the researchers – Donald Dansereau, a postdoctoral fellow in electrical engineering, and Gordon Wetzstein, assistant professor of electrical engineering, and others.

The new camera Stanford has developed is a proof-of-concept and the university plans to start building a smaller prototype suitable for commercialisation in the coming months.  [Read more…] about Stanford boffins invent 4D camera to improve robotic vision and augmented and virtual reality specs

Pepperl+Fuchs launches incremental rotary encoders with new BlueBeam technology

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pepperl+fuchs incremental rotary encoders bluebeam
The new ENI58IL with BlueBeam technology

Pepperl+Fuchs has launched blue emitter LEDs which it says ensure increased efficiency.

The new BlueBeam technology for incremental rotary encoders with optical sensing principle increases efficiency when generating signals, says the company.

Specially developed blue emitter LEDs, combined with modern and more finely structured sensing chips, allow a more energetic penetration depth of the blue light in the chip.  [Read more…] about Pepperl+Fuchs launches incremental rotary encoders with new BlueBeam technology

Physicists say they’ve manipulated ‘pure nothingness’ and observed the fallout

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An important step towards a completely new experimental access to quantum physics has been made at University of Konstanz. The team of scientists headed by Professor Alfred Leitenstorfer has now shown how to manipulate the electric vacuum field and thus generate deviations from the ground state of empty space which can only be understood in the context of the quantum theory of light.

With these results, the researchers from the field of ultrafast phenomena and photonics build on their earlier findings, published in October 2015 in the scientific journal Science, where they have demonstrated direct detection of signals from pure nothingness.

This essential scientific progress might make it possible to solve problems that physicists have grappled with for a long time, ranging from a deeper understanding of the quantum nature of radiation to research on attractive material properties such as high-temperature superconductivity. [Read more…] about Physicists say they’ve manipulated ‘pure nothingness’ and observed the fallout