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Motional and Via partner to launch platform for public, on-demand shared robotaxi rides

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Motional, a driverless technology developer, and Via, a public mobility solutions provider, have agreed a partnership that they say will “serve as a blueprint for the future of on-demand, shared robotaxis”.

Motional and Via seek to use learnings from the partnership to inform how driverless vehicles can be integrated into mass transit networks, and optimized for pooled rides.

The partnership’s first service – shared robotaxi rides, available to the public – is expected to launch in one of Motional’s existing US markets in the first half of 2021. The initial launch market will be announced at a later date. [Read more…] about Motional and Via partner to launch platform for public, on-demand shared robotaxi rides

Volkswagen opens up its ‘Industrial Cloud’ to other manufacturing and technology companies

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Volkswagen, together with Amazon Web Services and integration partner Siemens, is opening up its Industrial Cloud to other manufacturing and technology companies.

New partner companies will be able to connect with Volkswagen plants and to contribute their own software applications for optimizing production processes to the Industrial Cloud.

VW says the opening up of the platform will help create “a rapidly growing range of industrial software applications for Volkswagen’s plants”. [Read more…] about Volkswagen opens up its ‘Industrial Cloud’ to other manufacturing and technology companies

Sarcos Robotics chooses MFE Rentals as resale partner for its snake-like robot

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Sarcos Robotics and MFE Rentals have agreed a partnership giving MFE Rentals customers premier access to the snake-like Guardian S robotic crawler system (main picture).

The Guardian S is a compact, multi-purpose remote visual inspection tool designed to traverse challenging terrain while maintaining real-time two-way video, voice and data communication.

Sarcos says the Guardian S robot, created and built in the United States, is designed to navigate unstructured and unpredictable environments that previously no other crawler had the capabilities to access. [Read more…] about Sarcos Robotics chooses MFE Rentals as resale partner for its snake-like robot

Stäubli Robotics and Quantum Surgical create ‘centre of excellence’ to develop oncology robotics

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Stäubli Robotics and Quantum Surgical have launched a strategic partnership to create a centre of excellence in oncology robotics.

The alliance aims to strengthen the role of robotics in minimally invasive cancer treatments and to use the combined expertise of each company to create a world leader in patient care.

Quantum Surgical, an innovative surgical robotic company, is developing an innovative solution, that combines powerful software and a robotic platform to offer minimally invasive therapies in liver cancer. [Read more…] about Stäubli Robotics and Quantum Surgical create ‘centre of excellence’ to develop oncology robotics

Softing Industrial Automation joins Endress+Hauser’s IIoT network

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Softing Industrial Automation has joined the “Open Integration” network set up by Endress+Hauser, which says its partner program is gaining importance through its IIoT solutions.

Endress says people in the industry often ask, “How can field instruments and components be easily integrated into automation systems?”

The answer to this question is becoming increasingly important as industrial production digitalization progresses, says the company. [Read more…] about Softing Industrial Automation joins Endress+Hauser’s IIoT network

Bastian Solutions becomes AutoStore’s newest global partner

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Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, has become a global integrator for AutoStore, the manufacturer of an automated storage and retrieval system designed around robotic shuttles widely used in the warehousing sector.

Bastian Solutions has been a regional partner of AutoStore since 2013 and is one of the leading partners in AutoStore installations.

Currently supporting AutoStore systems in India, Latin America, and North America, Bastian Solutions will now sell, design, install, and service AutoStore systems around the globe. [Read more…] about Bastian Solutions becomes AutoStore’s newest global partner

Brain Corp and Dane Technologies partner to build autonomous delivery solutions

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Brain Corp, an artificial intelligence company specialising in robotics, and Dane Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of power assist solutions, have formed a technology partnership to manufacture autonomous material delivery robots for use in public and commercial applications.

Under the partnership, Dane Technologies will license BrainOS, a cloud-connected operating system for commercial autonomous robots, and begin building the delivery robots in Q2 2020. The two companies will pilot the robots with several major retailers this spring.

John Black, SVP of new product development for Brain Corp, says: “Dane Technologies has a successful track record of developing equipment for demanding retail and manufacturing environments, including the pioneering QuicKART shopping cart management system. [Read more…] about Brain Corp and Dane Technologies partner to build autonomous delivery solutions

Elisa Smart Factory and TCS partner to develop advanced analytics solutions to manufacturing sector

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Elisa Smart Factory, an industrial internet of things and data analytics provider, has agreed a partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization.

Under this collaboration, Elisa Smart Factory and TCS will jointly undertake efforts to market and deploy Elisa Smart Factory IIoT and advanced analytics solutions to a broad spectrum of industry manufacturers.

Kari Terho, general manager, Elisa Smart Factory, says: “Elisa Smart Factory solutions represent a tremendous opportunity for industry manufacturers, especially for companies in the process and discrete manufacturing. [Read more…] about Elisa Smart Factory and TCS partner to develop advanced analytics solutions to manufacturing sector

May Mobility raises $50 million in funding round led by Toyota

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May Mobility, an autonomous transportation-as-a-service provider, has closed a $50 million Series B funding round led by Toyota.

There was also participation from Sparx Group, alongside return investors Millennium Technology Value Partners, Cyrus Capital Partners, BMW iVentures, and Toyota AI Ventures.

The company says the round will help fund strategic hires across the engineering and operations functions, and expansion of the vehicle fleet to meet growing demand. [Read more…] about May Mobility raises $50 million in funding round led by Toyota

Parrot launches new SDK for its thermal drones

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Parrot has launched a new SDK Partner program to help both enterprise and start-ups create new applications, software and hardware to seamlessly integrate with Parrot ANAFI and ANAFI Thermal drones.

Parrot’s SDK program currently allows developers to create their own iOS and Android applications and service programs for ANAFI and ANAFI Thermal drones.

Now, industry partners will gain access to both hardware and software support, along with go-to-market strategy support to business partners across the globe. [Read more…] about Parrot launches new SDK for its thermal drones