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Wiferion launches compact wireless charging system for small mobile robots

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Wiferion, an energy solution supplier powering mobile robots and autonomous industrial vehicles through wireless charging, introduced its new inductive etaLINK 1000 charging system to the US market, making its successful wireless charging technology available to smaller robots for the first time.

The new mobile charging unit integrated into the robot measures just 160 mm – making it 36 percent smaller than the etaLINK 3000, Wiferion’s standard charging system for autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and autonomous guided vehicles (AGV).

etaLINK 1000 has all the advantages of the larger models, such as high positioning tolerance, maintenance-free operation, and fast start up of power transfer in around one second. Wiferion will debut the etaLINK 1000 at Automate, May 22-25, 2023, in Detroit. [Read more…] about Wiferion launches compact wireless charging system for small mobile robots

2023 Predictions & Forecasts: Berkshire Grey expects RaaS to get bigger

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Insights from Chris Geyer, VP at Berkshire Grey

Since Berkshire Grey designs and deploys AI and robotics technology to Fortune100 customers like FedEx, Target and Walmart, they have an expansive view of what’s happening across retail, e-commerce, grocery, package handling and logistics industries.

Chris Geyer, vice president at Berkshire Grey, works closely with these customers on product development and implementation and is well-equipped to see what the new year has in store. [Read more…] about 2023 Predictions & Forecasts: Berkshire Grey expects RaaS to get bigger

Medical Microinstruments introduces even smaller robotic instruments for complex ‘supermicrosurgery’

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Medical Microinstruments, a robotics company developing devices for microsurgery, has launched its new Supermicro NanoWrist instruments for use with the Symani Surgical System, developed specifically to address the challenges of microsurgery.

The new supermicro needle holder and dilator were recently used in clinical procedures in Zürich, Florence, and Salzburg, with successful patient outcomes.

Simon Enzinger, MD, DDS, surgeon at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Hospital Salzburg, used the new instruments on a procedure called a partial glossectomy, where he raised a lateral arm free flap to replace a large section of a patient’s tongue which required removal due to cancer. [Read more…] about Medical Microinstruments introduces even smaller robotic instruments for complex ‘supermicrosurgery’

UAE scientists figure out way to get swarm robots to split up tasks efficiently

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Researchers at the Technology Innovation Institute in the UAE are developing a new paradigm for teaching robot swarms how to allocate themselves to tasks efficiently. 

The ideas – published in the paper, Group-Size Regulation in Self-organized Aggregation in Robot Swarms – could spark interest in better ways of controlling lots of simple robots to do more complicated tasks independently, with little or no outside communication.

Much prior work has been done to organizing swarms of drones to perform impressive tasks, such as a coordinated light show. But these approaches often relied on centralized coordination, expensive equipment in each drone, or both. [Read more…] about UAE scientists figure out way to get swarm robots to split up tasks efficiently

ATI Industrial Automation launches new robotic tool changer to ‘unlock productivity for smaller robots’

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ATI Industrial Automation is releasing a new standard tool changing option for smaller robots.

The QC-29 Robotic Tool Changer brings the powerful and rugged technology of ATI’s Heavy Duty Tool Changers to robots in the 25-35 kg payload class.

The QC-29 is the first standard ATI Tool Changer designed with a rectangular body that mounts directly to 40 mm and 50 mm robot wrists. [Read more…] about ATI Industrial Automation launches new robotic tool changer to ‘unlock productivity for smaller robots’

ABB says its robots have boosted productivity at Nestlé’s Brazilian plants by ‘over 50 percent’

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ABB says its robots have boosted productivity at Nestlé’s Brazilian plants by more than 50 percent. The company says its SafeMove collaborative robot technology “enhances employee safety while increasing efficiency at Nestle’s confectionary factories”. (See video below.)

ABB robots are supporting Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, to improve the productivity of pallet loading in its chocolate manufacturing facilities in Brazil “by 53 percent”, using a new ABB palletizing robot solution.

While the company currently uses ABB Robotics palletizing solutions, the latest requirement was for a more compact cell that could fit into a smaller area and easily be replicated at other sites. An important requirement was for the robot to safely interact with employees, who occasionally need to enter the palletizing area to speed up pallet changes. [Read more…] about ABB says its robots have boosted productivity at Nestlé’s Brazilian plants by ‘over 50 percent’

More flexible gear machining for industrial robots

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Today’s industrial robots must fit into smaller spaces, so as much “manufacturing real estate” as possible is dedicated to production. This places pressure on manufacturers to machine smaller, tighter components for these machines. Here, Harish Maniyoor, global product manager for automotive at the machine tooling specialist Sandvik Coromant explains why power skiving is the answer.

The overall number of industrial robots operating in factories worldwide grew to 2.7 million in 2019, according to the 2020 World Robotics Report by the International Federation of Robotics. 

This was a 12 percent increase from 2018 and a historic high. Robots factor into a range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to the food industry and pharmaceuticals – yet all of these sectors have common requirements.

Not only must these robots be smaller, but also lighter with reduced inertia and able to perform more exact movements with optimal speed and efficiency. The challenge is on for manufacturers to machine smaller and more precisely engineered-components – like internal gear reducers – with more flexible designs. [Read more…] about More flexible gear machining for industrial robots

Honeywell to provide flight control technology for unmanned cargo plane

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Pipistrel has selected Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system for the Nuuva V300 cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), choosing a modern, lightweight, highly capable system with a proven architecture ideally suited for their autonomous cargo UAV.

Fly-by-wire computers act as the “brains” of an aircraft’s flight controls by operating them electronically and can be found inside nearly all large fixed-wing aircraft today.

The compact version from Honeywell has features derived from decades of expertise in fly-by-wire systems for airliners, but it’s much smaller – roughly the size of a paperback book. [Read more…] about Honeywell to provide flight control technology for unmanned cargo plane

UCLA engineers develop miniaturized ‘warehouse robots’ for biotechnology applications

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UCLA engineers have developed minuscule warehouse logistics robots that could help expedite and automate medical diagnostic technologies and other applications that move and manipulate tiny drops of fluid. The study was published in Science Robotics.

The robots are disc-shaped magnets about 2 millimeters in diameter, designed to work together to move and manipulate droplets of blood or other fluids, with precision.

For example, the robots can cleave one large droplet of fluid into smaller drops that are equal in volume for consistent testing. [Read more…] about UCLA engineers develop miniaturized ‘warehouse robots’ for biotechnology applications

OnRobot unveils compact Gecko gripper for smaller jobs

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OnRobot, a global leader in robotic end-of-arm tooling, has launched a compact, single-pad version of its innovative Gecko no-mark adhesive gripper.

The new Gecko Single Pad (SP) gripper brings the previous model’s revolutionary adaptability to more varied applications with smaller payloads.

It is available in three sizes, SP1, SP3 and SP5, indicating the different grippers’ lifting capacities in kilos. [Read more…] about OnRobot unveils compact Gecko gripper for smaller jobs