Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

safety

The Self-Driving Future

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As we put more and more emphasis on AI and automation, in the near future we can expect to see the growth in self-driving cars to incline exponentially.

While there is a lot of skepticism as well as the general questioning of this growing trend of being a healthy one for society as a whole, self-driving automated vehicles do have a variety of advantages that they can offer to the world.

Unfortunately, not many people realize this and choose to overlook these benefits in favor of a more dour and depressing outlook on the future. However, these benefits do exist and they can help us in many ways. [Read more…] about The Self-Driving Future

What Role is AI and Technology Playing in the Fight Against Covid-19?

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With no effective antiviral therapy or vaccine currently available, the strategy for managing Covid-19 in October 2020 and into the foreseeable future; could be best described as “containment, tracking and mitigation”.

Digital technologies have been key in the management and ‘flattening of the curve’ in terms of infection rates across many countries. Surveillance, testing, contact tracing, quarantine and health care can all potentially benefit from the integration of digital technology. [Read more…] about What Role is AI and Technology Playing in the Fight Against Covid-19?

Mitsubishi Electric Automation launches ‘cost-effective’ industrial robot

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Mitsubishi Electric Automation has launched its RV-8CRL industrial robot, saying it offers “a high-quality solution at a lower price point, while not sacrificing on performance”.

Due to its smaller base size, expanded effective working area, and compatibility with safety intelligence components, RV-8CRL is extremely versatile in its applications, including pick and place, inspection, and general assembly.

The RV-8CRL is designed for original equipment manufacturers and end users with a focus on easy implementation, robust safety options, and a reduction in downtime and maintenance. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric Automation launches ‘cost-effective’ industrial robot

SICK guide book: 6 Steps to a Safe Machine

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SICK Sensor Intelligence, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sensor systems for industrial applications, is making available a comprehensive guide of machine safety.

Weighing in at almost 200 pages, 6 Steps to a Safe Machine goes through all the details of providing a safe working environment for employees.

Starting with laws and standards, the guide goes through risk assessment and safe design, and ends with subjects such as machine validation and deployment. [Read more…] about SICK guide book: 6 Steps to a Safe Machine

Motional expands nuScenes datasets for autonomous driving

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Motional, a startup developing driverless vehicle technology, has expanded nuScenes, the dataset that teaches autonomous vehicles how to safely engage with ever-changing road environments – nuScenes now includes nuScenes-lidarseg and nuImages.

nuScenes, created in March 2019, was the first publicly available dataset of its kind, and pioneered an industry-wide culture of safety-focused data-sharing and collaboration.

It launched as a collection of 1,000 urban “street-scenes” in Boston and Singapore. The scenes, composed of millions of photos and data-points collected from the vehicles’ full sensor suites, were then meticulously hand-annotated, and used to inform and advance machine learning models to build the safest possible self-driving vehicles. [Read more…] about Motional expands nuScenes datasets for autonomous driving

Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

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Webinar title: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots
Early registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SxYYj48rSsOagO_swdngiA

SICK Sensor Intelligence is partnering with Robotics and Automation News to bring you a new and timely webinar about a subject that many people may not realise has been somewhat neglected.

Readers of this website will know that a very large number of mobile robots – mostly for operation in warehouses – are currently being sold in the market.

Along with the e-commerce boom, the autonomous mobile robots segment has experienced spectacular growth. [Read more…] about Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

Survey suggests public has safety concerns about autonomous vehicles

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Motional, the driverless vehicle development company created by Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, has released its inaugural Motional Consumer Mobility Report, which examines Americans’ perceptions of driverless vehicles.

The study found that one-fifth of Americans are more interested in driverless vehicles than they were before the pandemic.

The survey was carried out from July 17-21, 2020, and considered 1,003 responses from US consumers sampled using a blind online panel recruitment. The overall margin of error for the research is +/- 3.02 percent at a 95 percent confidence interval). [Read more…] about Survey suggests public has safety concerns about autonomous vehicles

Pratt Miller installs autonomous disinfecting robot at Detroit Airport

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In the early months of 2020, the world became victim to the rapidly spreading Covid-19 virus, causing a pandemic of epic proportions, as well as unprecedented shutdowns and public health mandates.

One industry that was hard hit was air travel as it slowed to nearly a standstill as airlines and airport facilities scrambled to build proper protocols for safe travel.

The adverse health situation provided opportunities for manufacturers and engineering firms to step up and create solutions to combat the disruptive virus pandemic. [Read more…] about Pratt Miller installs autonomous disinfecting robot at Detroit Airport

Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

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Webinar title: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots
Early registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SxYYj48rSsOagO_swdngiA

SICK Sensor Intelligence is partnering with Robotics and Automation News to bring you a new and timely webinar about a subject that many people may not realise has been somewhat neglected.

Readers of this website will know that a very large number of mobile robots – mostly for operation in warehouses – are currently being sold in the market.

Along with the e-commerce boom, the autonomous mobile robots segment has experienced spectacular growth. [Read more…] about Webinar: New Safety Standards Addressing Industrial Mobile Robots

Mitsubishi Electric selling collaborative robots at half price

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Mitsubishi Electric is selling its collaborative robots at half their normal price, according to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website.

The giant industrial conglomerate has installed dozens of its own collaborative robots at production facilities around the world, and is targeting sales of 1,000 cobot units per year.

Mitsubishi has named its collaborative robot range “MELFA”, short for Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation, and the main cobot model is the Assista. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric selling collaborative robots at half price