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aiMotive opens Munich office

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aiMotive, a supplier of automated driving technologies, has opened a new office in Munich, Germany.

Beyond supporting business operations, the new office will include a workshop to enable testing and data collection in Germany.

László Kishonti, founder and CEO of aiMotive, says: “Munich is an important center of the European automotive industry and a transportation hub in the middle of the continent. A perfect location for our second European office.” [Read more…] about aiMotive opens Munich office

Fugro launches its new generation of uncrewed surface vessels in the Netherlands

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Fugro’s Blue Essence, an offshore certified uncrewed surface vessel (USV) with an electric remotely operated vehicle (eROV), will begin its first project in the Netherlands. 

During operations the vessel is controlled from an onshore remote operations centre (ROC) via a satellite connection and will be used for the inspection of offshore assets, construction support services, and hydrographic and geophysical surveys.

USVs play an important role in the future of the maritime sector by improving safety, reducing carbon emissions, and delivering data more efficiently. [Read more…] about Fugro launches its new generation of uncrewed surface vessels in the Netherlands

Badger Technologies sends autonomous security robot to patrol US National Veterans Memorial and Museum

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Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and leader in retail automation, is collaborating with TrackTik Software, a leader in cloud-based security workforce management, to automate manual security checks at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio.

A pilot program is under way using Badger PatrolBot autonomous robot and TrackTik software to augment the museum’s 24/7 security team, safeguard world-class exhibits and offer an extra measure of protection to museum visitors and staff.

As the nation’s first and only memorial dedicated solely to telling the stories of veterans, NVMM is honoring the courageous women who have served their country by naming the robot “Deborah” after Deborah Sampson. [Read more…] about Badger Technologies sends autonomous security robot to patrol US National Veterans Memorial and Museum

Enabling manufacturing innovation with the virtual twin experience

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Manufacturers in just about every industry are already embracing the reality of Industry 4.0 – that the digital transformation of factories is necessary, replacing manual processes with automated systems in cyber-physical smart factories.

This is crucial to manufacturers as challenges caused by global disruptions can make it even more challenging for them to ramp up production to satisfy ever-volatile market demands.

There are many subtle differences in the obstacles faced by manufacturers in different industries, but there are also a few key challenges that all manufacturers have in common. Having a limited number of assembly lines makes it difficult for manufacturers to keep up with the rising demand for customised products as well as the accelerating rate of innovation (and by extension, obsolescence) in new products.

Many manufacturers still lack the visibility required to respond to supply and demand volatility in an agile manner. At the same time, it can be challenging to be mindful of the growing list of certifications required and regulations that manufacturers need to comply with – in addition to the growing pressure for manufacturers to shift towards more sustainable practices. [Read more…] about Enabling manufacturing innovation with the virtual twin experience

Berkshire Grey launches new robotic shuttle solution

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Berkshire Grey, a provider of AI-enabled robotic solutions that automate supply chain processes, has launched its Robotic Shuttle Product Sortation (RSPS) solution for order fulfillment.

The system supports filling e-commerce orders through stores and in-person shopping by automating store replenishment, allocation order processing, split-case cross docking, sortation, and packing.

RSPS increases processing capacity and throughput for existing operations without adding labor, helps right-size store inventories, and enables e-commerce fulfillment from stores to scale. Following a series of successful installations at major US retailers, the solution is now generally available for global deployments. [Read more…] about Berkshire Grey launches new robotic shuttle solution

‘Robotaxis will be disruptive to conventional taxis and ride-hailing, but not car ownership’, says new report

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Robotaxis remain one of the most pursued applications for autonomous vehicle technologies today, with many developers envisioning an end to – or at least a significant reduction in – car ownership.

Developers of autonomous vehicles, specifically those focused on Level-4 self-driving vehicles, often focus on mobility services as the first application.

Not only is there a demonstrated market for taxis and ride-hailing, but it’s a market where the high costs of labor create high prices, making it a ripe opportunity for autonomous vehicle deployment. [Read more…] about ‘Robotaxis will be disruptive to conventional taxis and ride-hailing, but not car ownership’, says new report

Tompkins Robotics says its automation is delivering ‘big benefits’ for Kmart Australia

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Tompkins Robotics, a provider of robotic automation for distribution operations, says it is delivering “big benefits” to Kmart Australia.

Kmart Australia, which owns more than 300 stores in Australia and New Zealand, selected Tompkins Robotics’ tSort automation solution to optimize its Auckland fulfillment operations.

Implemented in less than five months, Tompkins Robotics’ tSort System immediately improved the scalability of Kmart’s distributed logistics network, requiring a lower investment and utilizing 60 percent less operational space. [Read more…] about Tompkins Robotics says its automation is delivering ‘big benefits’ for Kmart Australia

Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

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By Skip Snyder, senior partner, IBM Consulting and Mike Pollitt, chief sales officer, Boston Dynamics

The demand for AI-driven robotics is increasing in operations like those in manufacturing and warehouse settings to help organizations with data and analytics that identify problems in real time, improve decision making, and perform tasks more efficiently. But to experience the true benefits, these operations need AI as close to the origin of the data as possible.

According to an IBM Institute for Business Value survey, 56 percent of manufacturers have implemented AI-driven robotics to make autonomous decisions, while 83 percent agree intelligent automation will help their organization meet strategic challenges and improve business results. However, businesses point out that most edge and IoT devices today are stationary, inflexible and often incapable of responding to rapidly changing environments.

To address this challenge, IBM and Boston Dynamics have announced a new alliance focused on delivering data analysis at the edge to help industrial companies improve worker safety, optimize field operations, and boost maintenance productivity in environments like manufacturing facilities, power plants, warehouses and more. Enabled by AI and hybrid cloud innovations from IBM Research, IBM Consulting will develop edge payloads that integrate with Spot, the agile, mobile robot from Boston Dynamics. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

Agtonomy launches out of stealth to address farm labor crisis with $4 million

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Agtonomy, a hybrid autonomy and tele-assist service platform, has launched out of stealth and has announced a $4 million seed round from Grit Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Village Global, the venture firm backed by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs including Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Michael Dell.

The Agtonomy mission is to address the massive labor crisis gripping local farm and land maintenance operations. The executive team consists of veterans from the AI, EV, cloud service and agriculture industries, with extensive experience at tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, Dell, Uber and Cruise, as well as lifelong farming experience at Northern California agriculture operations such as Trattore Farms.

By 2050, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that we will need to produce 60 percent more food on a smaller amount of land just to feed a growing global population of 9.3 billion. [Read more…] about Agtonomy launches out of stealth to address farm labor crisis with $4 million

Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows

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Zebra Technologies, which provides automation solutions to the supply chain sector, has introduced what it claims is “the industry’s most comprehensive picking solution to help businesses improve their fulfillment operations”.

The fulfillment solution uses machines from Fetch Robotics, which Zebra recently acquired, and consists of three new autonomous mobile robots – FlexShelf, FlexShelf Guide, and RollerTop Guide – and a new FetchCore fulfillment software package for order or batch picking.

These new offerings further extend Zebra’s position as a leader in automating and digitizing critical workflows in warehouses, distribution and fulfillment centers as order volumes increase, labor pools get more competitive and customer expectations continue to rise. [Read more…] about Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows