providers

ZF joins Mobility as a Service Alliance group

The automotive components and systems supplier ZF has become the first major automotive supplier to participate in the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Alliance.

The objective of this special interest group that spans Europe is to bring about a paradigm shift in urban mobility, promote networked mobility concepts, and create uniform standards for technologies and legislation.

ZF says traffic jams, lack of parking, and air pollution mean that better mobility concepts are needed to avert the threat of complete gridlock in many city centers. [Read more…] about ZF joins Mobility as a Service Alliance group

More than $4 billion invested in robotics companies

Robotics continues to attract more and more attention within the world of venture capital and private finance, with over $4 billion invested in robotics companies in 2018 alone.

But some companies are standing out more than others in innovation that will advance the entire robotics industry. Global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research, has released a report highlighting the 15 key hot tech innovators currently leading in their respective markets through novel technology solutions.

Rian Whitton, senior analyst at ABI Research, says: “Not only are these Hot Tech Innovators propelling the robotics industry forward but also, by looking at their innovations, we can deduce several trends that will have a ripple effect across the board.” [Read more…] about More than $4 billion invested in robotics companies

Collaborative robots being bought at ‘feverish rate’

Most commentators and onlookers of the robotics industry hear of and understand the advertised value proposition of collaborative robots.

Cobots are smaller, more dexterous industrial robotic arms that open the possibility between human and machine collaboration without the need for complex programming or external safety infrastructure.

In reality, the value of current collaborative robotics is somewhat more modest. [Read more…] about Collaborative robots being bought at ‘feverish rate’

Manhattan Associates creates new program to advance warehouse robotics and automation

Manhattan Associates has launched the Manhattan Automation Network, a program designed to speed the development and implementation of modern distribution center automation and robotics in partnership with leading warehouse automation solution providers.

The program is designed to deliver joint solution design, integration touchpoints and implementation approaches between the industry’s leading warehouse management solution and innovative robotics providers.

The Manhattan Automation Network is launching with five inaugural members:

Kindred AI;
Locus Robotics;
Matthews Automation Solutions;
Right Hand Robotics; and
VCO Systems.

Swisslog wins major order from Ikea in Malaysia

Swisslog, a warehouse automation company, has received a major order from Ikea Supply in Malaysia.

The contract is valued at approximately €43 million.

The project comprises of 215,000 pallet locations of clad-rack, 21 warehouse pallet stacker cranes Vectura, the pallet conveyor system ProMove, the electric Monorail System and the core of the system, the Swisslog software SynQ.

[Read more…]

Exoskeleton market projected to grow to $6 billion

The current robotics limelight tends to focus on the ability of new innovations to automate tasks, but a less publicized development is taking place whereby passive exoskeletons have been slowly deployed and adopted to help augment the capability of human workers.

Exoskeleton popularization through passive suits will provide a base for increased resources for powered suits, which will eventually provide significant augmentative capability to the industrial workforce.

By 2028, global Exoskeleton revenues will reach $5 billion with hundreds of thousands of active exoskeletons being deployed, according to ABI Research. The research consultancy’s findings are on its report, Exoskeletons for Industrial Use Cases.

[Read more…]