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LG supplies delivery robot to posh hotel

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LG Electronics is providing the services of its delivery robot to an upmarket hotel in South Korea, according to The Korea Herald.

The small, mobile robot is being employed at the Mayfield Hotel, in the capital city Seoul, and will deliver food from an indoor kitchen to diners seated outside on the terrace. It will also be used to carry dishes back to the kitchen.

There are two robots currently in operation at the Mayfield, and they look very similar to the ones unveiled by TeleRetail a couple of years ago., although we cannot confirm at this stage whether it is the same. [Read more…] about LG supplies delivery robot to posh hotel

A Story of 3D Printers and Robots

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3D printing is a true modern-day marvel. It’s the perfect example of how advancement in one particular technological area can trigger an exponential effect in the industry as a whole, as well as other industries.

With any new technological revelation, the most exciting aspect is how that discovery will impact the world as a whole and what interesting ways people will use it.

And 3D printing is that recent technological trend, which has made its way into every corner of the world. And one of the spheres it has had a huge impact on is the world of robotics. [Read more…] about A Story of 3D Printers and Robots

Robots could help Mauritius clean up devastating oil spill

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Robots could be helpful in cleaning up the oil spill that has devastated the coastline of the tiny Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. (See video below.) 

Popular with tourists from around the world, the paradise island has been overwhelmed by the oil spill from the merchant vessel Wakashio, operated by Japanese company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), and owned by the Nagashiki Shipping Company.

Akihiko Ono, vice president of MOL, has issued an apology for the disaster and says the company is taking the accident “very seriously”, according to The Asahi Shimbun. [Read more…] about Robots could help Mauritius clean up devastating oil spill

Opinion: Robots are proving themselves now more than ever

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By Rhys Davies, product manager for robotics, Snapcraft and Ubuntu Appliances at Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu

The year was 1923. Forty-two thousand people in Cincinnati signed a petition to force all cars in the city to have governing devices that would shut off the engine at 25 miles per hour.

The proposal was defeated in an election referendum, but it illustrates the anxiety and suspicion that the automobile ran into around the world soon after its introduction. Some people just thought horses were better and safer.

History is littered with examples of initial skepticism around radically new technologies. When the operatorless elevator was invented in the late 19th century, many people were terrified. People in the 1930s worried telephones would electrocute them. [Read more…] about Opinion: Robots are proving themselves now more than ever

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

The Robots Are Here to Stay: How Automation is Affecting Global Business

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Robots are shaking up different aspects of the modern business world. Deloitte’s 3rd Annual Robotics Survey suggested that the implementation of robotic process automation (RPA) in organisations is in the rise.

Robotic Process Automation? What Is It?

Simply known simply as RPA, it is the use of robotics systems on computers or robots to support the processing of data, and thereby, making such data processing more effective.

RPA also comes with programs that prevent the need for human hands or humans to perform rule-based tasks that are mostly repetitive. Thus, RPA also leads to very time-efficient processes. [Read more…] about The Robots Are Here to Stay: How Automation is Affecting Global Business

FedEx introduces robots to ‘most difficult’ job in sorting facility

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FedEx has installed industrial robotic arms to do what is considered the “most difficult” job to automate in a sorting facility in Memphis, USA. 

As shown in the Wall Street Journal video below, FedEx has integrated Yaskawa robots and software from Plus One Robotics into a robotic system that performs a task which involves picking up parcels or envelopes from a tray and placing them on a conveyor.

While this is a simple job for a human, automating this step in a warehouse has proved very difficult in the past. [Read more…] about FedEx introduces robots to ‘most difficult’ job in sorting facility

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.

Precision and Convenience: How Robots Are Sustaining Maintenance Beyond Working Lines

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When we think of robotics and automation, the first sight that comes to our mind is that of an industrial production line, where giant robots carry out the high-precision task of assembling products, one step at a time without compromising on efficiency and accuracy.

But as the technology of robotics and automation is becoming much more sophisticated, the uses of robots are expanding from the factory floor to new territories.

One of these new domains is that of maintenance in every industry. Robotics have made concrete inroads in the maintenance department of every aspiring industry and this reach is not unwarranted. [Read more…] about Precision and Convenience: How Robots Are Sustaining Maintenance Beyond Working Lines

Amazon expands delivery robot trials to more US states

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Amazon, the world’s biggest online retailer, is expanding its delivery robot trials to more US states.

The company had initially field tested its delivery robot in Snohomish County, in Washington state, as reported by Robotics and Automation News in January this year.

The deliveries in Washington were made using a robot called “Scout”, which look like they’re a modified version of Starship Technologies’ machine, and were being offered as part of Amazon’s Prime subscription service, which includes free deliveries on most orders. [Read more…] about Amazon expands delivery robot trials to more US states