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Japanese government to develop common standards for robots in workplaces

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The Japanese government is planning to develop common standards for robots in workplaces such as offices, shops and other environments where they would be working with humans, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

The country’s industry ministry will lead the initiative and will establish a public-private partnership under the working name Robot Revolution & Industrial IoT Initiative, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

The group will define common telecommunications standards as well as produce guidelines on creating object shapes that are easier for robots to grip, pick up, hold, move and so on. [Read more…] about Japanese government to develop common standards for robots in workplaces

Rozum Café develops collaborative robotic system for coffee-making and serving

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Rozum Robotics has developed a collaborative robotic system for coffee-making and serving, calling it Rozum Café. (See video below.)

The labor shortage is a common challenge in manufacturing. Human-robot collaboration is a promising solution to this problem.

Production lines, where a human and a robot can work shoulder by shoulder, unite robotic efficiency and human creativity. [Read more…] about Rozum Café develops collaborative robotic system for coffee-making and serving

Sesto Robotics launches new autonomous mobile robot

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Sesto Robotics has launched a new autonomous mobile robot designed to automate material handling processes in manufacturing, commercial and healthcare industries.

The Sesto Magnus is a a bi-directional, compact autonomous mobile robot able to carry loads up to 300 kg, and the company claims it has the “highest payload rating in the compact class”.

Specially built for tight navigation in space-scarce facilities, Sesto Magnus is able to autonomously travel through spaces as narrow as 0.9 metres wide while avoiding obstacles in its path. [Read more…] about Sesto Robotics launches new autonomous mobile robot

Robotics and Automation News Review: New collaborative robots, an ‘easy’ vision system, an award-winning delivery robot, and more…

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Friday 7 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, and is embedded below, at the end of this article.

Doosan Robotics has introduced six new collaborative robots (main picture), diversifying its product offerings. The new lineup includes four models from the A-Series and two from the H-Series.

SICK is continuing the roll-out of its customisable SensorApps for “easy” machine vision, with the launch of its Colour Inspection and Sorting App (picture below), which the company says is a cost-saving and simple solution for common inline quality control tasks in automated production and packaging applications.

A company called Edwards Vacuum has won an award from SEMI and Semiconductor Digest for its autonomous mobile robot, the ESV-X (see video below), which loads equipment without human intervention and autonomously delivers it to work locations within a semiconductor factory to minimize scheduled and unplanned downtime and the need for other transportation equipment while increasing customer safety.

Renesas has launched the RV1S9353A, a delta-sigma modulator chip used in robotic arm controllers, AC servo controllers, and NC servo controllers employed in a range of smart factory equipment.

GreyOrange says its Ranger GTP robot (pictured below) has become the first Automated Mobile Platforms robot of its kind to be UL Certified to UL 3100, Second Edition for use in commercial and industrial environments, UL being a US-based safety certification company.

Epson Robots has launched what it says are “new and improved” LS3-B SCARA and LS20-B SCARA robots. Notable, new and improved features include batteryless encoder, a lower cable duct profile that is ideal for hard to reach work cell layouts, built-in camera cable for easy vision system setup, and new top-of-arm layout for enhanced usability.

Plexus Health Science has launched the UVC-650, or “Sunslinger” (pictured below), a lightweight robot that emits high-powered UV light to envelop a space that kills microorganisms in “just a few minutes and virtually disinfects the space”. The system can be installed in hospitals, restaurants, offices and in other facilities.

Geek+ says its C200M Bin-to-Person robotic warehouse system can save 50 percent on goods storage. The machine has a 1.5m telescopic fork, modular door frame and multiple bin access. (See video below.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoSrlBRR_ig

Productive Robotics has released its Productive Analytics platform, which provides real-time status monitoring for all OB7 cobots, enabling access to the operating status of all cobots and their production history so customers can optimize their production, identify production errors, minimize downtime, and remotely monitor their robot activity.

Siemens has launched its Desigo building automation controllers – the PXC4 and PXC5. The company says the controllers can transform buildings into high-performing, energy efficient assets. Both controllers concentrate on specific automation elements – the Desigo PXC4 for HVAC plants and Desigo PXC5 for system functions and integration.

Facebook unveils robot that can walk high wires to install telecom and power lines

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Social media giant Facebook has unveiled a robot, designed by ULC Robotics, that can move along high wires to install telecom and power lines. (See video below.)

Facebook Connectivity, in collaboration with a number of partners, says it has spent the last few years developing the robot.

The company describes it as an aerial fiber deployment solution that uses a robot designed to install a specialized fiber-optic cable on medium-voltage power lines. [Read more…] about Facebook unveils robot that can walk high wires to install telecom and power lines

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

Promobot puts its humanoid robot to work as a civil servant

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Russian robotics company Promobot has put a humanoid robot the company has developed into an office to work as a civil servant.

The office in question is the Multi-Function Center, located in Perm, Russia and generally provides citizens with information about their rights and the services available to them.

Promobot’s humanoid sits at a desk, much like a human employee would, and talks to people who have appointments and need advice. It processes inquiries and automatically transfers them to the MFC Civil Service Office IT systems. [Read more…] about Promobot puts its humanoid robot to work as a civil servant

Pratt Miller and partners demo disinfecting robot at Grand Rapids airport

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Pratt Miller Mobility has demonstrated its Large Area Autonomous Disinfecting (LAAD) Vehicle at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The robot is the result of a Pratt Miller’s partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and PlanetM, and the demo was conducted in front of key stakeholders and members of the press.

The partner companies say the LAAD robot is “the first-of-its-kind” to be introduced in the US, as it is a connected, electric and autonomous disinfecting robot that dispenses FDA-approved disinfecting materials through a multi-head electrostatic sprayer array. [Read more…] about Pratt Miller and partners demo disinfecting robot at Grand Rapids airport

Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future

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Over the past several months, the world has been dealing with the first major global pandemic in more than a generation.

It has disrupted economies far and wide, cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and laid bare many of the weaknesses of the global medical industry.

One of those weaknesses has been the difficulty that multiple countries have faced in scaling up laboratory capacity to meet the demand for PCR testing created by the crisis. [Read more…] about Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future

ABB says its new 3D inspection robot cell makes quality control testing ‘10 times faster’

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ABB has unveiled a new 3D inspection robot cell which it claims makes quality control testing “10 times faster”.

The industrial automation giant says its 3D quality inspection (3DQI) robot cell is “capable of detecting defects of less than half the width of a human hair and imperceptible to the naked eye”.

It adds that the cell will “dramatically accelerate production by providing fast, accurate testing to make metrology easier and less time consuming”. [Read more…] about ABB says its new 3D inspection robot cell makes quality control testing ‘10 times faster’