Robotics & Automation News

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The rise of robotics: 5 patent strategies for inventors

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No longer a mere product of science fiction, robotics and artificial intelligence form a central part of disruptive innovation.

Positioned to shape the economies of the decades to come, there is ample opportunity for new robotics to meet the demands of everyday tasks, industrial automation, and the ever-evolving workplace.

Nonetheless, the role of intellectual property in the successful commercialization of innovative robotics cannot be understated. [Read more…] about The rise of robotics: 5 patent strategies for inventors

Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible

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We’ve known for a long time that there is water in space. But an international team of scientists has found a cloud of water vapor 12 billion light-years away – and it’s bigger than you could possibly imagine.

You Will Not Believe How Much Water Has Been Found Floating in Space

The aerospace industry is as big today as it has ever been. Whether you’re an independent space company looking to put innovative satellites into low orbit, or a major government agency, it’s an exciting time to be alive. [Read more…] about Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible

China overtakes US as world’s leading patent generator

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China has overtaken the US as the world’s leading researcher, generating 58,990 patents in 2019 compared with America’s 57,840. 

This is the first time since 1978 that the US has lost its position as the world’s leading producer of patent-winning inventions or innovations. (See animation below.)

The figures were published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. [Read more…] about China overtakes US as world’s leading patent generator

Apple rejects billion-dollar lawsuit over virtual assistant Siri

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Trillion-dollar tech giant Apple has rejected a $1.4 billion lawsuit over its voice assistant Siri, the virtual robot integrated into all its devices.

The legal action was initiated by Xiao-i Robot, also known as Shanghai Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology, in the Shanghai High People’s Court.

Xiao-i Robot, which is little known outside China and doesn’t appear to have a readily discoverable website, claims that Apple integrated features into Siri which is part of its patent. [Read more…] about Apple rejects billion-dollar lawsuit over virtual assistant Siri

NextShift Robotics receives patent for vertical lift capability in robotic picking

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NextShift Robotics, a provider of autonomous mobile robot solutions for automated order fulfilment and warehouse materials management, has been granted a second patent, US10214354B2, “Method and System for Automated Transport of Items”.

The patent pertains to operating a robotic picking system in which the containers to be picked are positioned on the shelves and within picking stations.

The patent covers the ability of the robot to raise itself vertically to access shelving of different heights in order to pick the appropriate container from a range of shelf heights and storage system configurations.

[Read more…] about NextShift Robotics receives patent for vertical lift capability in robotic picking

Perrone Robotics granted new patent for modular autonomy platform

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Perrone Robotics says its new patent grant headlines recent company advancements, including a ground-breaking machine learning research collaboration, research and development on diverse hardware platforms

Perrone Robotics, a developer of autonomy and robotics, says it has made a number of advances toward the commercial development and deployment of its modular autonomy and robotics software platform, led by a new patent directed to autonomous car applications.

The company says its MAX robotics platform enables companies at “any stage to quickly design and build a broad range of robotic products and applications”.

The company was awarded a continuation of its earlier US patent (No. 9,195,233) that addresses the ability of its MAX platform to control a wide range of autonomous vehicles including robots, carts, shuttles, automobiles, trucks, aircraft, and watercraft.  [Read more…] about Perrone Robotics granted new patent for modular autonomy platform

Swarm Technology to be awarded second patent for IoT and robotics applications

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Swarm Technology says the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a “notice of allowance” in connection with its patent application 14/340,332 relating to “intent-based automation” within the fields of internet of things, networking and robotics.

Alfonso Iniguez, the company’s founder and CEO, says: “We are thrilled to receive this Notice of Allowance from the USPTO.

“With respect to robotics, our technology enables adaptive collective behavior. We are currently developing swarm robots for autonomous landmine detection. [Read more…] about Swarm Technology to be awarded second patent for IoT and robotics applications

Yujin Robot awarded patent for system of recognising locations and positions for robotic vacuum cleaner

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South Korean robotics and automation company Yujin Robot has been awarded a patent relating to technology that enables mobile robots to pinpoint the locations and positions. 

Awareness of its own precise location within an environment and the location of other objects close by is obviously a crucial requirement of a mobile robot.

Yujin says the new technology in the patent “has the effect of reducing the position error caused by tilting or sliding of mobile robots, and enables stable position recognition”.  [Read more…] about Yujin Robot awarded patent for system of recognising locations and positions for robotic vacuum cleaner

IAM Robotics awarded patent for warehouse robot

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IAM Robotics, a Pittsburgh startup that develops and sells autonomous material handling robots, has been awarded what the company says is a “key patent” relating to its robotics technology for logistics.

The patent will be issued on October 10, 2017 as US Patent No. 9,785,911.

IAM says the patent specifies “a system and method for piece-picking or put-away with a mobile manipulation robot”.  [Read more…] about IAM Robotics awarded patent for warehouse robot