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Via raises $200 million to develop and expand its mobility services

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Mobility services startup Via has raised a further $200 million in its latest funding round.

Money raised in Via’s Series E fuding round will be used to “expand access to efficient, sustainable, and equitable public mobility across the globe”, says the company.

John Elkann, chairman and CEO of Exor, lead investor in the financing, says: “More important than ever to work for an innovative and sustainable future.” [Read more…] about Via raises $200 million to develop and expand its mobility services

Maxim launches ‘industry’s smallest’ LiDAR integrated circuits

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Chipmaker Maxim Integrated has unveiled what it says is “the industry’s smallest light detection and ranging integrated circuits”.

The company says the ICs provide twice the bandwidth than competing ICs and are intended for faster self-driving cars.

Maxim says designers of automotive self-driving systems can now enable higher-speed autonomous driving through the industry’s fastest and smallest LiDAR ICs. [Read more…] about Maxim launches ‘industry’s smallest’ LiDAR integrated circuits

Okamura to integrate RightHand Robotics’ piece-picking solution in its warehouses

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Okamura is to integrate solutions from RightHand Robotics into its warehouses to further automate operations. 

RHR’s autonomous piece-picking solution, RightPick2, will be integrated with Okamura’s logistics solutions, such as AutoStore, beginning this month.

Okamura is one of Japan’s leading providers of high quality products and services for offices, education, commercial facilities and distribution centers. [Read more…] about Okamura to integrate RightHand Robotics’ piece-picking solution in its warehouses

Fanuc to introduce new RoboNano ‘ultra precise’ machining tool

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Fanuc is to introduce its new “RoboNano α-NTiA” at SPIE Photonics West 2020, February 4-6, in San Francisco, Booth #5684.

Designed to help manufacturers improve productivity, the RoboNano is described as an “ultra-precise machine tool offering the ultimate in finish quality for optical surfaces”.

Available in two models, including the new RoboNano α-NTiA for turning applications and the RoboNano α-NMiA for 5-axis milling and scribing / engraving, the RoboNano meets the requirements of the most demanding applications in the automotive, biomedical, and watchmaking industries. [Read more…] about Fanuc to introduce new RoboNano ‘ultra precise’ machining tool

Silicon Sensing to provide navigation technology for Mayflower autonomous ship

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Two Silicon Sensing Systems ultra-precise AMU30 inertial measurement units (IMUs) will provide critical navigation data to the autopilot capability for the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) throughout her milestone trans-Atlantic voyage this autumn.

Setting sail this September, the 15 meter-long, 5-ton MAS400 will repeat the Mayflower’s original epic voyage 400 years ago. Led by marine research organization ProMare and powered by IBM, she will sail from Plymouth, England to Plymouth Massachusetts, USA.

Instead of a captain and crew, she will use computer vision, machine learning, edge technologies and sensors to navigate and detect hazards.  [Read more…] about Silicon Sensing to provide navigation technology for Mayflower autonomous ship

Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving

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Sony has showcased a number of new technologies at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, and one of them was a concept car packed with the company’s sensors and other components that provide a package that supports autonomous driving.

Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony president and CEO, says: “It’s not an exaggeration to say that mobile (communication) has been the mega-trend of the last decade. I believe the next mega-trend will be mobility.”

Yoshida formally unveiled the prototype vehicle, which incorporates imaging and sensing technologies that Sony says “contribute to safer and more reliable autonomous driving”. [Read more…] about Sony showcases new concept car with tech for autonomous driving

Can robots save the e-commerce holiday season?

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It’s getting close to Christmas and that means it’s time for e-commerce fulfillment managers to start getting worried about the availability of labor for the holiday season.

According to a recent article in Supply Chain Dive, “this year’s peak season promises additional challenges in recruiting new hires as the pool of available labor shrinks”.

As the article points out, the US unemployment rate hit a 50-year low in September 2019. [Read more…] about Can robots save the e-commerce holiday season?

Honeywell equips Middle East Airlines with new cockpit tech

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Honeywell has signed a selection agreement with Middle East Airlines, the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, to provide cockpit technologies to support the airline’s new fleet of 19 aircraft.

The deal, which includes four of Airbus’ latest variant, the A321XLR, will see Honeywell provide its latest full avionics suite to help Middle East Airlines maximize safety and ensure regulatory compliance.

Middle East Airlines’ (MEA) purchase of Airbus aircraft includes 11 A321NEOs, four A330NEOs and four A321XLRs, the latest evolution of the successful A321NEO aircraft. [Read more…] about Honeywell equips Middle East Airlines with new cockpit tech

Kassow Robots adds three ports to its collaborative robots for end of arm tools

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Kassow Robots, a startup which launched a new collaborative robot last year, has adding ports into its machines to provide integration with end-of-arm tools.

The Danish robot manufacturer, which develops and produces its 7-axis collaborative robots in Copenhagen, says the ports provide “easy connection of end-of-arm tool directly to a Kassow Robot without cable on the outside of the robot”.

Dieter Pletscher, head of sales at Kassow Robots, says: “All our cobots have three ports with various I/Os and power supply signals. Two of the ports are for digital or analogue input/output. [Read more…] about Kassow Robots adds three ports to its collaborative robots for end of arm tools

ZVerse partners with 3D Systems to provide more access to expertise

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ZVerse, the developer of a CAD as a Service platform for digital manufacturing, is partnering with 3D Systems, a provider of parts manufacturing services.

The strategic alignment will provide 3D Systems’ customers with access to ZVerse’s network of certified designers who can lend their expertise to optimize file formats – facilitating desired final parts.

Theseservicesincludeeverythingfromdesignmodificationstorevisingfileformats to ensure the final part matches the customer’s requirements. [Read more…] about ZVerse partners with 3D Systems to provide more access to expertise