Robotics & Automation News

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Robotics Plus unveils autonomous modular vehicle to ‘alleviate agriculture labour shortages’

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Robotics Plus, a New Zealand-based agritech company, has launched an autonomous multi-use, modular vehicle platform for agriculture designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard machine tasks – to “alleviate ongoing labor shortages and transform the industry”.

The multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) can be supervised in a fleet of vehicles by a single human operator. The vehicle uses a combination of vision systems and other technologies to sense the environment – to optimize tasks and allow intelligent and targeted application of inputs such as sprays.

Growers will be able to rotate multiple tools on the highly adaptable and configurable agriculture platform, depending on the day’s work – for jobs such as spraying, weed control, mulching, mowing and crop analysis. [Read more…] about Robotics Plus unveils autonomous modular vehicle to ‘alleviate agriculture labour shortages’

iFollow boosts capacity of its mobile robot range to 1500 kg

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iFollow has expanded its iLogistics autonomous mobile robot range to include a unit with a 1500 kg capacity.

Made at iFollow’s state of the art facilities outside Paris in France, The iL 1500 tops the range that includes units with capacities of 300 kg, 600 kg and 1000 kg.

And with a unit height of just 17 cm, iFollow claims it is “the thinnest mobile robot in the world that can carry 1.5 tons”. [Read more…] about iFollow boosts capacity of its mobile robot range to 1500 kg

ABB integrates ASTI and rebrands autonomous mobile robot portfolio as Flexley

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ABB has launched its first range of rebranded autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) following its acquisition of mobile robot startup ASTI Mobile Robotics in 2021.

Since adding AMRs to its portfolio, ABB claims it is “the only company with a comprehensive and integrated offering of robots, AMRs and machine automation solutions”.

Marc Segura, president for ABB’s Robotics Division, says: “At a time when businesses are looking for a range of robotic solutions to help make them more efficient, flexible and resilient, we are the only company supporting them with our integrated offering of AMRs, robots, and machine automation technologies. [Read more…] about ABB integrates ASTI and rebrands autonomous mobile robot portfolio as Flexley

BMW’s idealworks partners with Linde Material Handling

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Cutting-edge improvements in technology, such as autonomous mobile robots, have been and continue to be the driving force behind automation.

Not least due to their flexible range of applications, AMRs have increasingly been taking over transport tasks in intralogistics. By collaborating with Linde Material Handling, idealworks – a business unit of auto giant BMW – is gaining an important international sales and service partner.

Linde Material Handling, a Kion Group company, is a globally active manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse technology equipment as well as a provider of services and solutions for intralogistics. [Read more…] about BMW’s idealworks partners with Linde Material Handling

Hydroplane highlights its hydrogen fuel cell powerplant development

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Los Angeles-based Hydroplane is participating in the 2022 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2022) May 23-25, 2022, where it will showcase its work toward a modular hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for aviation and mobile energy storage.

Hydroplane’s large 9m x 9m booth is located in EBACE’s Innovation Zone in the company of the most pioneering future aviation technologies.

Hydroplane CEO Dr Anita Sengupta will also participate in EBACE’s Newsmakers Luncheon on May 23 from 12 to 1.30 pm. She is serving on the “Sustainability – A Flight Plan for the Future” panel, which highlights visionaries making inroads in tomorrow’s sustainable aviation fuels and offsetting solutions. [Read more…] about Hydroplane highlights its hydrogen fuel cell powerplant development

Verizon Robotics selects Pendleton Range to advance robotics proofs of concept

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Verizon Robotics is advancing its testing and proof-of-concept capabilities at Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Range, a leading FAA-designated test range that offers diverse testing environments for drones and ground robotics.

Verizon Robotics will expand its operations, and base its advanced air R&D, drone partner and long range robotics at the Pendleton Range.

This includes training Pendleton Range staff to control a rapid-response command mobile unit vehicle, capable of deploying mission-critical communications, applications and advanced computing solutions that can address robotics use-cases in the air and on the ground. [Read more…] about Verizon Robotics selects Pendleton Range to advance robotics proofs of concept

Mercedes partners with ProLogium to develop next-generation solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles

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Mercedes-Benz and ProLogium, a developer of solid-state batteries, have signed a technology cooperation agreement to develop next-generation battery cells.

The first Mercedes-Benz test vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries co-developed with ProLogium are expected to be introduced in the coming years.

The companies also agreed on milestones that would enable integration of the solid-state battery technology into a range of passenger vehicles in the second half of the decade. [Read more…] about Mercedes partners with ProLogium to develop next-generation solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles

Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’

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Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), an agency of the US military akin to Darpa, is funding a $4.8 million project spearheaded by Boston University College of Engineering, the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Lightmatter, a startup developing “photonic supercomputing” chips.

Electro-photonic computing, or optical computing, is thought to hold the promise of solving one of the biggest technical hurdles that self-driving cars face today – delivering high performance, low latency computing power that is also energy efficient.

At the end of the IARPA-funded experiment, the scientists hope to have “a fully functioning prototype of a self-driving car that runs on light”. [Read more…] about Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’

ABB expands robot controller range with two new OmniCore products

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ABB has expanded its OmniCore robot controller range with two new controllers – the E10 and V250XT.

The company says they provide for an even wider range of manufacturing applications and meet the demand for faster, more efficient production.

Available for a range of robots across ABB’s portfolio, the new E10 and V250XT controllers offer “20 percent energy savings”, claims ABB. [Read more…] about ABB expands robot controller range with two new OmniCore products

ABB unveils two new OmniCore robot controllers

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ABB has expanded its OmniCore robot controller range with two new versions – the E10 and the V250XT. The company says the new controllers provide for an even wider range of manufacturing applications.

ABB says the two new products in its OmniCore range “meet the demand for faster, more efficient production”.

Available for a range of robots across ABB’s portfolio, the new E10 and V250XT controllers offer “best-in-class motion control”, says ABB, as well as 20 percent energy savings and future-proofing through built-in digital connectivity and 1000+ additional functions to meet changing requirements. [Read more…] about ABB unveils two new OmniCore robot controllers