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Ottonomy robots to provide customer services at Pittsburgh airport

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Pittsburgh International Airport is teaming up with tech startup Ottonomy and its fully autonomous delivery robot – Ottobot – for a pilot project offering select passengers a contactless delivery system.

Ottonomy is partnering with PIT’s xBridge Innovation Center, the airport’s tech proving ground for technologies and startups that provide solutions for the industry and beyond.

Drawing from the region’s strong innovation economy, the airport is a proof-of-concept site for technologies in a real-world operating environment as well as a pilot site for companies’ first deployments. [Read more…] about Ottonomy robots to provide customer services at Pittsburgh airport

Pittsburgh set to become ‘major player globally’ in autonomous vehicles sector

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The Pittsburgh autonomy sector has reached critical mass and has the potential to become a major player in the global market, according to a new study. It adds, however, that “urgent action is needed” to compete more effectively against other regions and to encourage autonomy companies to locate and remain in Southwestern Pennsylvania as they mature and grow.

The report – Forefront: Securing Pittsburgh’s Break-out Position in Autonomous Mobile Systems – was issued by Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) and the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce with research conducted by TEConomy Partners.

The culmination of a nine-month long study, the report finds that the Pittsburgh region is one of the top centers for autonomous mobile systems – a sector predicted to grow to a $1 trillion+ global market by 2026, with an estimated 5,000 jobs and a $10 billion impact for a region that captures 1 percent of that global market growth. [Read more…] about Pittsburgh set to become ‘major player globally’ in autonomous vehicles sector

RE2 Robotics launches new robotic arm for outdoor mobile applications

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RE2 Robotics, a leading developer of intelligent mobile robotic manipulation systems, marks its 20th year in business with the launch of its newest robotic arm, the RE2 Sapien 6M.

The milestone marks two successful decades of innovation and growth for the Company in the robotics industry.

Originally founded on July 20, 2001 as a defense subcontractor to Carnegie Mellon University by alumni Jorgen Pedersen, the Company incubated at the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. [Read more…] about RE2 Robotics launches new robotic arm for outdoor mobile applications

Industry leaders aim to make Pittsburgh the ‘robotics capital of the world’ 

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The Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a group dedicated to the growth of the region’s robotics and artificial intelligence companies, says it has attracted over 100 members – making Pittsburgh home to “one of the world’s most dynamic robotics ecosystems”. 

The network’s success has led its members and partners to commit to making Pittsburgh the “robotics capital of the world”.

The alliance brings together leaders from top robotics companies, research institutions and universities in the Pittsburgh area, including Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Argo AI, Aurora, the University of Pittsburgh, Kaarta, RE2 Robotics, Neya Systems, Carnegie Robotics, HEBI Robotics, Near Earth Autonomy, BirdBrain Technologies, Omnicell and Advanced Construction Robotics.

The Richard King Mellon Foundation commemorated this membership milestone with a grant of $125,000 to support the continued growth of the PRN. [Read more…] about Industry leaders aim to make Pittsburgh the ‘robotics capital of the world’ 

Carnegie Mellon awarded $150 million to develop robotics research facility

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The Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded Carnegie Mellon University $150 million to support science and robotics research through the building of a new facility. 

Farnam Jahanian, CMU president, says: “Pittsburgh’s future – and the future of US innovation and global competitiveness – are inextricably linked to scientific and technological advances, and how well organizations, communities, and industries can stay ahead of the rapid pace of change.

“Carnegie Mellon is positioned at the forefront of science and innovation’s great promise, and this visionary grant will fuel the research and activities that will build this exciting future. [Read more…] about Carnegie Mellon awarded $150 million to develop robotics research facility

Astrobotic unveils new 47,000 sq ft headquarters in Pittsburgh

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Space robotics startup Astrobotic has officially opened its new headquarters in Pittsburgh in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 47,000 square foot complex is the largest private facility in the world dedicated to lunar logistics. Astrobotic’s Peregrine and Griffin lunar landers will be built on-site, with Peregrine set to become the first commercial mission to the Moon, and the first American lander on the Moon since the Apollo missions.

John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic, says: “I like to say we’re a 13-year overnight success story. [Read more…] about Astrobotic unveils new 47,000 sq ft headquarters in Pittsburgh

Robotics and Automation News Review: Fanuc and Kuka launch new robots, Pittsburgh ready to go to ‘infinity and beyond’, Foxconn moves operations out of China, and much more…

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Friday 14 August 2020: This is a new, weekly column – to be published every Friday – which rounds up all the most interesting news from the robotics and automation industry in the past seven days, in brief form. 

This Robotics and Automation News Review is also available to view on our YouTube channel.

Comau Robotics says it has created an “innovative, in-line testing and quality control system that optimizes the construction and assembly of batteries”. The company says the MI.RA / Thermography system uses thermal imaging and artificial intelligence to perform non-invasive automated assessment and control of welded joints, to ensure battery integrity and prevent waste.

Kuka Robotics has launched a new compact industrial robot. The company says its new KR 4 Agilus is “a hot candidate for first place in the small robotics charts from October onwards”.

Fanuc Robotics has launched a new “extremely compact” robot which it claims has the “best precision in its class”. The new M-10iD/16S robot is the most compact model of the M-10iD series, says Fanuc, adding that it combines the best features of its two predecessors, M-10iA/10MS and M-10iA/12S.

Hyundai Robotics has signed an agreement with Korea’s Asan Medical Center and KT for joint development and commercialization of smart hospital solutions on June 30th. The company is planning to prepare for the post-corona era with a smart hospital solution for infection management by ICT-based digital transformation.

Techman Robot, a manufacturer of collaborative robots, says it has adopted proactive steps against the new coronavirus. Techman Robot says it checks the health of its employees on a daily bases and collects global virus information. It also implementing prevention measures. The company maintains business communications online and is frequently in touch with all overseas offices, global distributors, partners, and customers.

HRG International Institute of Research and Innovation has unveiled a new floor cleaning robot, the SW10. The company says it is exclusively designed for floor cleaning tasks in commercial and industrial environments. The robot is combined with sweeping, mopping and vacuum cleaning functions and its work can maintain 2,000 square meters per hour.

Denso has established the Pittsburgh Innovation Lab, a new US research and development center designed to strengthen open innovation and enhance technology development that enables automated driving.

FedEx has installed industrial robotic arms to do what is considered the “most difficult” job to automate in a sorting facility in Memphis, USA. The logistics giant has integrated Yaskawa robots and software from Plus One Robotics into a robotic system that performs a task which involves picking up parcels or envelopes from a tray and placing them on a conveyor.

Foxconn, Apple’s main contract manufacturing partner, has moved a significant portion of its operations outside of China. The company has already moved an additional 5 percent of its operations to countries other than China, bring it up to 30 percent, compared with 25 percent last year.

Pittsburgh local authorities say they are looking to “infinity and beyond” after NASA awarded a local company, Astrobotic Technology, a $200 million contract to build and send the first-ever US robotic rover to the Moon by 2023.

Pittsburgh looks to ‘infinity and beyond’ with $200 million NASA contract win

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Pittsburgh local authorities say they are looking to “infinity and beyond” after NASA awarded a local company, Astrobotic Technology, a $200 million contract to build and send the first-ever US rover to the Moon by 2023.

Specialising in the development of space robotics technology for lunar and planetary missions, Astrobotic was founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon University professor Red Whittaker and his associates.

Whittaker is considered the “father of field robotics” for his pioneering work and the company was designed with the specific goal of putting a rover on the Moon. [Read more…] about Pittsburgh looks to ‘infinity and beyond’ with $200 million NASA contract win

IAM Robotics to open new HQ and showroom in Pittsburgh

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IAM Robotics, inventor of an autonomous mobile manipulation robot, is opening a new, headquarters and showcase innovation center.

The new 30,000 square foot facility will be located in the emerging high tech area of Pittsburgh known as Robotics Row, a stretch of land that has become a hotbed for robotics and technology companies along the Allegheny River.

The IAM Robotics Showcase Innovation Center will feature a distribution center environment where visitors will experience the company’s high tech robotic labor system in action. [Read more…] about IAM Robotics to open new HQ and showroom in Pittsburgh

Formant acquires Formation to add robot remote control to its fleet management solutions

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Formant, a robot fleet management software company, has acquired Formation, a robot teleoperation startup based in Pittsburgh.

Formant will integrate the startup’s solution to enable customers to remotely control their robots through its browser-based, cloud-enabled robot fleet management system.

According to Formant’s CEO, Jeff Linnell, adding teleoperation to Formant’s offerings will create an end-to-end solution that robots-as-a-service companies can leverage to scale their fleets, enabling them to easily manage thousands of robots. [Read more…] about Formant acquires Formation to add robot remote control to its fleet management solutions