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6 River Systems strengthens capabilities of its warehouse robots

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6 River Systems, now part of leading global commerce company Shopify, says it has strengthened the capabilities of its warehouse robots.

6RS also released recommendations to its customers to further protect employees from pathogens during the picking process in warehouses and fulfillment centers, as well as “dark stores” – retail centers or distribution centers solely used for online order fulfillment.

The company’s recommendations span operational modifications, improvements to the hardware and software for its collaborative robot, Chuck, and highlight the availability of new products for its fulfillment solution. [Read more…] about 6 River Systems strengthens capabilities of its warehouse robots

Opinion: Cloud robotics is a game changer, but three challenges lurk

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By Rhys Davies, product manager at Canonical, publisher of Ubuntu open-source operating system

The service robotics market is projected to soar from $37 billion worldwide this year to $102.5 billion by 2025, according to ResearchAndMarkets. Every week, it seems, we see some cool new application, like the warehouse automation solution shown in the video below.

A major reason for robotics’ emergence as a hot technology trend often spoken in the same breath as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) is the convergence of robotics with the cloud.

Cloud robotics – a term first coined in 2010 by then-Google research scientist James Kuffner – provides vast amounts of processing power and storage resources to expand robot capabilities. [Read more…] about Opinion: Cloud robotics is a game changer, but three challenges lurk

Boston Dynamics provides its canine robot in the fight against coronavirus

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Boston Dynamics has modified its canine robot to make it more helpful in the fight against coronavirus.

In a blog post, the company says: “We have spent the last six weeks building and testing a payload and application architecture that would enable our robot, Spot, to help reduce exposure of frontline healthcare workers to the novel Covid-19 virus.”

Mobile robots play a vital role in removing people from dangerous environments, says the company, which developed the payload, hardware, and software for this application so that they are “generalizable and able to be deployed on other mobile robotic platforms with APIs and capacity for custom payloads”. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics provides its canine robot in the fight against coronavirus

ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

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ABB has released what it says is a “faster, higher payload and more flexible” delta robot – the IRB 390 FlexPacker.

The industrial giant says the machine, along with its other solutions, will its enhance robotic picking and packing portfolio and transform omnichannel order fulfillment and retail logistics.

The new IRB 390 FlexPacker is designed for applications such as customized packaging, vertical packing and high-speed, high-variation sorting and on demand order picking in logistics and e-commerce fulfillment centers. [Read more…] about ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

Sesto launches mobile disinfectant robot

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Singaporean company Sesto Robotics has launched a mobile disinfectant robot that it says can provide “round-the-clock environment disinfection and surface hygiene”.

Aimed initially at the medical sector, the Sesto HealthGuard, the autonomous mobile disinfectant robot can disinfect high-touch surfaces with dual-operational abilities – a multi-nozzle sprayer and high-output germicidal UVC lamps – during and after operational hours.

Sesto says the robot has a “high performance uptime” of six hours, with battery hotswap possible in less than five minutes. [Read more…] about Sesto launches mobile disinfectant robot

UBTech robots being used to control coronavirus in Wuhan

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UBTech is supplying its robotics and artificial intelligence technologies in the ongoing effort to control coronavirus in China. 

The AI robots have been installed in healthcare settings as well as commercial environment as people get back to work.

As shown in the main picture above, people starting to return to work are being greeted by people alongside robots. [Read more…] about UBTech robots being used to control coronavirus in Wuhan

Kuka launches new industrial robot

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Kuka has unveiled a major new addition to its range of industrial robots – the KR Iontec.

The Iontec has a payload of 30 to 70 kilograms and a reach of 2100mm to 2500mm.

Introducing the robot on its website, Kuka says: “With the KR Iontec, you are opting for a highly flexible robot with the best work envelope in its class and a flexible mounting position for a wide range of applications.” [Read more…] about Kuka launches new industrial robot

Opinion: What is a robot? And how does it differ from a machine?

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By Ricardo Tellez, founder and CEO of TheConstructSim

I had an interesting discussion with a reader of TheConstructSim’s newsletter recently. He was replying to my newsletter a few weeks previously, when I wrote about robots helping to fight Covid-19. 

I’ll leave out the background detail of the discussion and simply tell you that we arrived at a key point of difference between us. “It depends on what you consider a robot,” he said, adding: “For me, a washing machine is a robot.”

I did not agree. How would you feel if you were hired to build robots, and on the first day at the lab, you discover that the actual robots you have to build are washing machines? [Read more…] about Opinion: What is a robot? And how does it differ from a machine?

Collaborative robots: A helping hand in healthcare

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By Darrell Adams, head of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Universal Robots

Covid-19, the global pandemic, took the world by surprise and suddenly the healthcare system has to confront one of the toughest challenges on a global scale.

Healthcare workers are working round the clock and the intense workload at the frontline led to exhaustion in many, virus infection in others, and some sadly passed away in their line of duty.

Millions of nurses needed

The global healthcare system is cracking under the strain of this global pandemic. Yet, a recent report shows that globally, we are in need of 6 million more nurses to achieve global health targets, even without a global pandemic. This is an alarming number, and it is unlikely that over a short period of time, the demand can be met. [Read more…] about Collaborative robots: A helping hand in healthcare

Microsurgery robot market to play ‘key role’ in advanced cardiovascular diseases and cancer treatments

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The microsurgery robot market is predicted to play “key role” in advanced coronavirus and cancer treatments, according to research by Global Market Insights.

The US microsurgery robot market accounted for $355.1 million in 2017, owing to increasing incidence of cardiovascular, neurovascular, oncology and other chronic diseases.

The increasing prevalence of chronic disease will favor industry growth in the region. Favorable healthcare and reimbursement policies coupled with adoption of technologically advanced microsurgery robots will promote revenue generation in the future. [Read more…] about Microsurgery robot market to play ‘key role’ in advanced cardiovascular diseases and cancer treatments