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WeRide to launch first commercial autonomous taxi service in China

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A startup called WeRide is set to become the first company to launch a commercial autonomous taxi service in China, according to a report on Nikkei.

WeRide is developing Level 4 technology, which is “full autonomy with human”, and is the second-highest level of autonomy, or L5, on engineering association SAE’s list.

WeRide will demonstrate its L4 sensor suite and pre-commercial solutions during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference, scheduled for late June.

[Read more…] about WeRide to launch first commercial autonomous taxi service in China

Isra Vision launches ‘quad-camera sensor solution’ for bin picking

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Isra Vision has launched what it says is a “quad-camera sensor solution” for bin picking.

Robot-guided bin picking is significantly increasing the level of automation in industrial production, while also enabling maximum flexibility.

That is why another large German supplier in the automotive sector has now chosen the PowerPick3D bin picking system. [Read more…] about Isra Vision launches ‘quad-camera sensor solution’ for bin picking

Sick demonstrates ‘smart logistics’ system for warehouse automation

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Sensors supplier Sick showcased a new “smart logistics” system at the recent ProMAT Show, one of the world’s largest material handling exhibitions.

Sick says its system demonstrates how to obtain greater efficiency throughout supply chain operations.

Sick presented its new innovations under the banner of “Logistics Gets Smart”, and says they are designed to provide “highly efficient solutions for intralogistics applications”. [Read more…] about Sick demonstrates ‘smart logistics’ system for warehouse automation

Boeing 737 crash could lead to planes being fitted with thousands of additional sensors

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On the 10th of March this year, a Boeing 737 plane crashed in Ethiopia, killing all 157 on board. 

Investigators have released their early findings into another accident involving a 737 operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air, in October last year, and they suggest the cause was “an erroneous angle-of-attack sensor”.

An angle-of-attack sensor is usually positioned to the side of the plane’s nose and detects oncoming air flow, to which it adjusts and sends back data to the plane’s computer system.  [Read more…] about Boeing 737 crash could lead to planes being fitted with thousands of additional sensors

Lumotive launches new LiDAR to enable autonomous vehicles

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Lumotive, the Bill Gates-funded startup developing LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles, has launched a beam-steering technology which it claims will “significantly improve” the performance, reliability and cost of LiDAR systems for the emerging self-driving car industry.

Initially targeting the robo-taxi market, Lumotive’s patented system uses liquid crystal metasurfaces (LCM) and silicon fabrication to achieve “unmatched levels” of manufacturing efficiency while simultaneously delivering unprecedented range, resolution and frame rate.

Dr William Colleran, Lumotive co-founder and CEO, says: “Lumotive’s solution is ideal for automakers and Tier-1s seeking safer yet more cost-effective perception solutions for their vehicles.  [Read more…] about Lumotive launches new LiDAR to enable autonomous vehicles

Hoffmann + Krippner launches new miniature ultrasonic sensor

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Hoffmann + Krippner has launched what it claims is “the first ultrasonic sensor in a completely encapsu­lated, gap-free stainless-steel housing”.

Hoffmann + Krippner says its new model P53-80-D18 is a compact (45mm long and 18mm diameter) ultrasonic sensor, and is one of the smallest ultrasonic sensors on the market worldwide and is designed for use in harsh environmen­tal conditions as well as in hygienic applications.

Due to the special housing construction made of V4A stainless steel (1.4404) with a roughness depth of 0.6μm, the P53 Steel Head is well suited for use in harsh environments such as dust, moisture and water vapor.  [Read more…] about Hoffmann + Krippner launches new miniature ultrasonic sensor

Sick launches high-precision lidar sensors

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Sick has launched a new range of high-precision light detection and ranging sensors.

With the launch of the LMS1000 and MRS1000 infrared LiDAR sensors, Sick says it has “raised the bar in high-precision, reliable distance sensing and ranging”.

Suitable for both indoor or outdoor applications, the sensors incorporate Sick’s innovative HDDM+ (High Definition Distance Measurement) enabling greater consistency in performance to be achieved, even when the sensors are faced with adverse environmental conditions.  [Read more…] about Sick launches high-precision lidar sensors

STMicroelectronics releases ‘super-high-resolution’ motion-tracking sensor for automotive applications

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STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor company, has introduced the automotive-grade ASM330LHH six-axis inertial sensor for “super-high-resolution motion tracking in advanced vehicle navigation and telematics applications”.

STMicroelectronics says the sensor is designed to serve demands for continuous, accurate vehicle location to support automated services, and “lets advanced dead-reckoning algorithms calculate precise position from sensor data if satellite signals are blocked”.

This often happens in urban canyons, tunnels, covered roadways, parking garages, or dense forests, says STMicroelectronics, adding that its advanced, low-noise, temperature-stable design enables dependable telematics services such as e-tolling, tele-diagnostics, and e-Call assistance.  [Read more…] about STMicroelectronics releases ‘super-high-resolution’ motion-tracking sensor for automotive applications

Variohm expands its range of press sensors

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Variohm EuroSensor has expanded its range of pressure sensors with the new and robust EPT7100 series featuring 316 grade stainless steel wetted parts and an integral Packard connector for excellent durability and convenient installation at competitive cost.

With a choice of four hermetically sealed pressure ports and five standard pressure range options from 0.01 to 10 bar, the EPT7100 is an excellent choice for gas or liquid pressure measurement for on- and off-highway automotive, HVAC, compressors, industrial hydraulics and more.

The new sensor is based on a well proven piezo-resistive sensing element and latest ASIC circuitry which does not rely on O-ring sealing or silicon oil. [Read more…] about Variohm expands its range of press sensors

Balluff releases new magnetostrictive linear position sensor for explosion hazard areas

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Balluff has released a new magnetostrictive linear position sensor for explosion hazard areas.

Control and shut-off valves are used for oil and gas transmission in refineries and petrochemical plants.

The valve position is regulated using the position measuring systems, because they are extremely reliable, especially in very harsh environments.  [Read more…] about Balluff releases new magnetostrictive linear position sensor for explosion hazard areas