Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

skills

Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot shows off its gymnastic skills

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Boston Dynamics, the much-talked-about maker of humanoid and canine robots, has been demonstrating the gymnastic skills of one of its robots, Atlas. (See video below.)

Atlas is about 1.5 metres tall, weighs approximately 80 kg, and has 28 hydraulic joints.

The Boston Dynamics team have always impressed with their ability to mimic natural human or canine movements with their robots, and the new gymnastic skills they have taught Atlas are equally as accomplished. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot shows off its gymnastic skills

Elephant Robotics launches collaborative robot

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Elephant Robotics has unveiled a collaborative robot, called “Catbot”, saying it is one of the new generation of smart assistant robotic arms. The cobot is available for pre-order, with delivery scheduled for August. 

Human-robot collaborations are happening across factories worldwide, yet very few are using it for smaller businesses, due to high costs or the difficulty of customization, says the company.

Elephant Robotics, a startup from Shenzhen, China – or the “Silicon Valley of Asia”, as Elephant describes it – has set its sight on helping smaller businesses gain access to smart robotics. [Read more…] about Elephant Robotics launches collaborative robot

New study: 42 per cent of US managers think automation will kill jobs

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Nearly half (42 percent) of U.S. managers say that automation and robotics will lead to a net loss of jobs in their respective industries, compared with just 18 percent who say that automation will help to create jobs, according to a new study from MindEdge Learning.

Managers at companies that have already adopted robotics and automation, a clear majority (52 percent) expect that automation will lead to job losses.

Of managers at firms that have not yet adopted robots and automation, only 15 percent say their employees are concerned about their job prospects over the next five years.

[Read more…] about New study: 42 per cent of US managers think automation will kill jobs

Robots need not apply: New research finds human strengths needed in digital age

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New research from ManpowerGroup suggests that automation is good news for humans – if they have the right skills.

ManpowerGroup’s report — Robots Need Not Apply: Human Solutions in the Skills Revolution — surveyed 20,000 employers across 42 countries on the impact of automation on headcount, the functions most impacted and the soft skills that are both of greatest value and hardest to find.

The report finds that as companies go digital, in the near-term most will need more people, not fewer. As technology transforms organizations, skills needs are changing rapidly and companies are struggling to find the talent they need.

[Read more…] about Robots need not apply: New research finds human strengths needed in digital age

DHL could stop Amazon from taking over the world. Probably

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It’s not a glamorous business, logistics. Doesn’t make the mainstream news very often. And it’s not likely to be the top career choice for most people. 

It’s understandable. After all, how interesting can it be to move boxes from point A to point B?

Put like that, it’s not much to write home about. But now, with driverless vehicles everywhere, augmented reality glasses and exoskeletons for warehouse workers, and robotics and automation technologies of all kinds promising to transform the industry worldwide, logistics is about to get much more interesting.  [Read more…] about DHL could stop Amazon from taking over the world. Probably