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Flexiv showcases robotic masseur and robotic coronavirus testing system

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Flexiv, a “general-purpose” robotics company which also produces a collaborative robotic arm, has been showcasing some of its latest robotic developments at the recent World Artificial Intelligence Conference, held in China.

Flexiv’s booth featured a fully automated coronavirus testing robot, a robotic masseur, and a range of other industry-ready robotic solutions.

Attracting over 200 exhibitors and 300 guest speakers, the expo was held from the 1st to the 3rd of September at Shanghai’s World Expo Centre. [Read more…] about Flexiv showcases robotic masseur and robotic coronavirus testing system

Solinftec unveils new sprayer robot for farms

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Solinftec, a global leader in agricultural digitalization, has unveiled a new sprayer robot for applications on farms and in agriculture.

The company says it is expanding its Solix Ag Robotics offerings. In addition to its Solix Scouting robot, the company has unveiled its Solix Sprayer robot designed to detect and spray weeds.

In partnership with the manufacturing, research, and development company, McKinney Corporation, who will produce and manufacture the Solix spray robot, this new cutting-edge technology is slated to become commercially available in 2023 to the entire agricultural market including farmers, cooperatives, and ag-retailers. [Read more…] about Solinftec unveils new sprayer robot for farms

Generation gap is ‘leading cause’ of labor shortage in warehouses, says Berkshire Grey report

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The majority of chief supply chain officers say that the generation gap is “leading cause of the labor shortage in warehouses”, according to research conducted by Berkshire Grey.

Berkshire Grey, a developer of robotic solutions that automate supply chain processes, made the revelation in its 2022 State of Retail & eCommerce Fulfillment Report.

The research, conducted in partnership with Hanover Research, surveyed chief supply chain officers at retail and ecommerce businesses on topics including labor issues, costs, pain points, automation and predicted areas of industry growth to uncover how organizations are meeting increasing consumer demands in today’s always-on retail world. [Read more…] about Generation gap is ‘leading cause’ of labor shortage in warehouses, says Berkshire Grey report

Intel’s new AI chip enables ‘real-time learning for robots’

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Intel Labs, in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Technology and the Technical University of Munich, has introduced a new approach to neural network-based object learning.

It specifically targets future applications like robotic assistants that interact with unconstrained environments, including in logistics, healthcare or elderly care.

This research is a crucial step in improving the capabilities of future assistive or manufacturing robots. It uses neuromorphic computing through new interactive online object learning methods to enable robots to learn new objects after deployment. [Read more…] about Intel’s new AI chip enables ‘real-time learning for robots’

Robot sales reach record high in North America for third consecutive quarter

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For the third-straight quarter, robot sales in North America hit a record high, driven by a resurgence in sales to automotive companies and an ongoing need to manage increasing demand to automate logistics for e-commerce.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), of the 12,305 robots sold in Q2 2022, 59 percent of the orders came from the automotive industry with the remaining orders from non-automotive companies largely in the food and consumer goods industry, which saw a 13 percent increase in unit orders over the same period, April through June, in 2021.

Jeff Burnstein, A3 President, says: “While automotive entities have long been the frontrunner in deploying robotics and automation, the last few years have seen food & consumer goods, life sciences and other industries grow at even higher rates. [Read more…] about Robot sales reach record high in North America for third consecutive quarter

Logistics giant GEODIS orders 1,000 warehouse robots from Locus Robotics

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GEODIS, a global transport and logistics provider, and Locus Robotics, a maker of autonomous mobile robots for fulfillment warehouses, have reached a new expansion agreement to install a total of 1,000 LocusBots at GEODIS’ worldwide warehouse locations over the next 24 months.

This represents one of the industry’s largest AMR deals to date.

Eric Douglas, executive vice president of technology and engineering at GEODIS in Americas, says: “As we continue to navigate industry-wide challenges such as skyrocketing e-commerce demand and labor constraints, it is crucial we remain committed to implementing the most innovative and effective robotics automation solutions available into our warehouses to allow us to best serve our customers. [Read more…] about Logistics giant GEODIS orders 1,000 warehouse robots from Locus Robotics

Revenues from robotics implemented in retail stores to cross $8.4 billion by 2030

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As the world emerges from the global pandemic, retail is growing at levels not seen in the last two decades. Retail sales grew by 7 percent in 2020 and by over 14 percent in 2021, which is in stark contrast to the 3.7 percent annual growth between 2010 and 2019.

The increased demand for retail has put a strain on supply chains and retail operations worldwide. As a result, retailers and stakeholders are turning to automation solutions such as mobile robotics for operational ease.

According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, worldwide commercial robot revenue in retail stores will have a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 25 percent from 2022 to 2030 and exceed $8.4 billion by 2030. [Read more…] about Revenues from robotics implemented in retail stores to cross $8.4 billion by 2030

Scythe Robotics receives 7,000 orders for its autonomous law mowers

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Scythe Robotics has received 7,000 orders for its autonomous law mowers, according to a report The Denver Post website.

The startup company says it plans to expand its manufacturing facility in Colorado to be able to handle the orders, adding that its mowers have received strong interest from all across the United States.

Scythe Robotics specializes in building commercial-grade autonomous robotic solutions for the landscaping industry, and its first offering is an all-electric, fully autonomous mower, designed completely in-house. [Read more…] about Scythe Robotics receives 7,000 orders for its autonomous law mowers

PickNik Robotics releases MoveIt Studio developer platform and SDK

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PickNik Robotics, a robotics software and engineering services company, has released both its MoveIt Studio Developer Platform and MoveIt Studio SDK (software development kit). The new software products help robotics and software engineers to create, debug, and ship complex manipulation projects faster.

Dr Dave Coleman, CEO of PickNik Robotics, says: “These premium offerings leverage cutting edge approaches that we have developed over seven years working with some of the best robotics companies in the world.

“Both MoveIt Studio products ensure customers don’t have to waste time programming common manipulation behaviors. This will further evolve the robotics industry by making it more practical to use advanced manipulation techniques in more applications.” [Read more…] about PickNik Robotics releases MoveIt Studio developer platform and SDK

Seoul Robotics demonstrates technology that enables cars to park themselves

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Imagine driving a car – one without self-driving capabilities – to a mall, airport or parking garage, and using an app to have the car drive off to park itself. Software company Seoul Robotics is using Nvidia technology to make this possible – turning non-autonomous cars into self-driving vehicles.

Headquartered in Korea, the company’s initial focus is on improving first- and last-mile logistics such as parking. Its Level 5 Control Tower is a mesh network of sensors and computers placed on infrastructure around a facility, like buildings or light poles – rather than on individual cars – to capture an unobstructed view of the environment.

The system enables cars to move autonomously by directing their vehicle-to-everything, or so-called V2X, communication systems. These systems pass information from a vehicle to infrastructure, other vehicles, any surrounding entities – and vice versa. V2X technology, which comes standard in many modern cars, is used to improve road safety, traffic efficiency and energy savings. [Read more…] about Seoul Robotics demonstrates technology that enables cars to park themselves