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Interview with Nauto CEO Stefan Heck: ‘The key difference is foresight’

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As fleets and logistics operators accelerate toward automation, the line between assisted driving and autonomy is becoming increasingly blurred.

Few companies illustrate this transition more clearly than Nauto, a Silicon Valley-based developer of artificial intelligence software that helps commercial vehicles predict and prevent collisions in real time.

Founded by Stanford professor and entrepreneur Stefan Heck, Nauto has spent the past several years developing what it calls a predictive safety platform – an AI system that looks several seconds ahead to anticipate risk before it occurs. [Read more…] about Interview with Nauto CEO Stefan Heck: ‘The key difference is foresight’

Why Real-Time Reporting Matters for Autonomous Warehouse Robotics

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Automation has transformed how warehouses operate. From picking and packing to storage and dispatch, robots now handle complex workflows with remarkable accuracy.

Yet, even in highly automated environments, one thing determines whether these systems perform at their best: real-time reporting.

Integrations like the Blended Connectors allow operations teams to merge robotic data, logistics insights, and performance metrics into a single live dashboard. [Read more…] about Why Real-Time Reporting Matters for Autonomous Warehouse Robotics

Researchers develop robots to work together to explore the Moon and Mars

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University of Pennsylvania engineers, NASA, and five other universities tested robotic systems designed to help unmanned explorers cooperate in the dunes of White Sands, New Mexico, paving the way for Moon and Mars exploration

In early August, the crisp dawn sky above White Sands National Park glows faintly blue, gradually brightening as streaks of marigold and soft pink pierce the clouds with the rising sun.

But although the powder-white sand of the 30-foot gypsum dunes is cool at dawn, air temperatures become blistering hot as the sun approaches its zenith.

It’s precisely these harsh conditions that drew an interdisciplinary research team to this remote desert, using it as an Earthly stand-in for the Moon and Mars. Their goal: to evaluate lunar robots designed to traverse unforgiving terrain. [Read more…] about Researchers develop robots to work together to explore the Moon and Mars

Palladyne AI and Draganfly partner to enable advanced autonomous operations and swarming capabilities

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Palladyne AI, a developer of artificial intelligence software for robotic platforms in the defense and commercial sectors, and Draganfly, a developer of drone solutions and systems, are to collaborate to further enhance the capabilities of Draganfly’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms with Palladyne Pilot AI software.

Palladyne Pilot is an edge-based, platform-agnostic, intelligent swarming and collaborative AI software designed to transform multiple UAVs into a seamlessly collaborating team, all managed by a single operator who remains “on the loop”.

By employing sensor fusion from diverse sources, Pilot enables drones to independently and collaboratively track targets while dynamically interfacing with autopilots. [Read more…] about Palladyne AI and Draganfly partner to enable advanced autonomous operations and swarming capabilities

Cleaning and sanitation robots: The new standard in hygiene

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When the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the world in 2020, few sectors changed as visibly as cleaning and disinfection. Overnight, hygiene became a matter of public infrastructure rather than private preference.

The sight of robots quietly gliding through airports, malls and hospitals, emitting UV light or spraying disinfectant, once a novelty, became a symbol of safety and reassurance.

Five years on, these machines are no longer temporary solutions. Cleaning and sanitation robots have evolved from emergency measures to permanent fixtures in the global automation landscape – part of a new baseline for public hygiene and operational efficiency. [Read more…] about Cleaning and sanitation robots: The new standard in hygiene

Retail giant Macy’s opens huge new automated fulfillment center in North Carolina

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Macy’s – said to be the largest department store company by retail sales in the United States – has celebrated the opening of its new customer fulfillment and store replenishment center in China Grove, North Carolina.

Outfitted with the latest automation solutions, it is the company’s largest and most technologically advanced facility to date.

Macy’s says it is continuing to enhance its supply chain network, the new omnichannel facility represents a “meaningful milestone” in the third pillar of the company’s Bold New Chapter strategy to simplify and modernize end-to-end operations to benefit its customers. [Read more…] about Retail giant Macy’s opens huge new automated fulfillment center in North Carolina

Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

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Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at combining their respective space activities into a new company.

By joining forces, Airbus, Leonardo and Thales aim to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space, a major sector that underpins critical infrastructure and services related to telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security.

This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programmes. [Read more…] about Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

Interview: Zebra and ODW Logistics on the warehouse of the future

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As e-commerce volumes continue to climb and labor shortages persist, warehouse operators are under pressure to achieve more with less. 

Many are turning to collaborative automation and orchestration platforms to unlock new levels of productivity without overhauling their entire infrastructure.

In this exclusive Q&A, Robotics & Automation News speaks with Matt Wicks, vice president and general manager of Zebra Robotics Automation, and Brian Drees, senior director of operational excellence at ODW Logistics, about how ODW is using Zebra’s Symmetry Fulfillment software to improve pick rates by over 40 percent while using up to 30 percent fewer robots than comparable systems. [Read more…] about Interview: Zebra and ODW Logistics on the warehouse of the future

Nike launches motor-powered ‘robot shoe’

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Nike is unveiling Project Amplify, which the global footwear gigantico says is “the world’s first powered footwear system for running and walking, designed to help everyday athletes go a little bit faster and farther – all with less effort”.

Engineered to augment natural lower leg and ankle movement, the Project Amplify system breaks the perception of possibility by providing an unparalleled boost to anyone who wants to move, creating a new future for running, jogging and walking.

Built on motion algorithms informed by the Nike Sport Research Lab, the first-generation footwear system is comprised of a lightweight, powerful motor; drive belt; and rechargeable cuff battery that seamlessly integrate with a carbon fiber-plated running shoe that can be worn with or without the robotics system. [Read more…] about Nike launches motor-powered ‘robot shoe’

Fort Robotics launches long-range bluetooth capability for its safety system

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Fort Robotics, a provider of safe control systems for robots and mobile machines, has announced the launch of its new Long Range Bluetooth (BLE) capability.

This feature is immediately available for Fort’s Safe Remote Control Pro and Endpoint Controller products, enabling customers to achieve reliable wireless safety over longer distances and use their machines globally without complex radio certifications.

As Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and humanoids increasingly operate alongside human workers in crowded environments, the need for universal, reliable wireless safety communication has become critical. [Read more…] about Fort Robotics launches long-range bluetooth capability for its safety system