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SoftBank Robotics America partners with Autonomous Solutions Inc

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SoftBank Robotics America (SBRA), the North American arm of the global leader in collaborative robotics (collaborative robotics), has formed a strategic development and equity partnership with Autonomous Solutions Inc (ASI), a leader in industrial ground vehicle automation.

The partnership will expedite the development and deployment of a wide range of autonomous commercial service vehicles. As part of the agreement, SBRA has acquired a minority stake in ASI.

With a focus on outdoor automation, the partnership will accelerate the development of practical landscaping care solutions and logistics solutions (i.e. warehouse terminals and shipping ports). [Read more…] about SoftBank Robotics America partners with Autonomous Solutions Inc

Worldwide installations of automated guided vehicles at seaports to exceed 150,000

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Seaports globally have increased their automation solutions or kickstarted automation initiatives to mitigate port congestion.

Equipment like gantries, automated port gates, stacking cranes, and horizontal transport solutions, such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that transport containers and loads to and from ships, have been the most productivity-enhancing solutions in seaports.

According to ABI Research, a global technology intelligence firm, worldwide AGV deployments in seaports will have a compound annual growth rate of over 26 percent from 2022 to 2027 and exceed 150,000 global deployments by 2027. [Read more…] about Worldwide installations of automated guided vehicles at seaports to exceed 150,000

FarmWise raises $45 million to expand AI-powered farm equipment

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Farm automation startup FarmWise Labs has completed an oversubscribed $45 million Series B funding round, led by leading ag-tech venture firms Fall Line Capital and Middleland Capital, with participation from GV and Taylor Farms, a grower and processor of leafy greens and fresh vegetables.

Existing investors Calibrate Ventures, Playground Global, SVG Ventures and the venture arm of Wilbur Ellis also participated in the round. To date, FarmWise has raised $65 million in equity.

With this round, Clay Mitchell, co-founder and managing director of Fall Line Capital and a fifth-generation Iowa farmer joins the FarmWise board of directors. [Read more…] about FarmWise raises $45 million to expand AI-powered farm equipment

Financial analyst Cowen teams up with MassRobotics to examine robotics and climate change

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Investment research company Cowen and startup incubator MassRobotics announced a groundbreaking research report on the increasing role robotics is playing in helping companies achieve climate goals.

Joe Giordano, CFA, Cowen’s diversified industrials, automation and robotics analyst, led the Ahead Of The Curve Series report, which incorporated a survey from MassRobotics that polled manufacturers and end-users to understand where robotics is positioned within their climate toolkit.

Joe Giordano, says: “The robotic technologies we explore in this report are maximizing the output (GDP) per unit of carbon and minimizing the carbon needed to achieve a targeted level of activity. [Read more…] about Financial analyst Cowen teams up with MassRobotics to examine robotics and climate change

Ericsson, TIM and Comau test the ‘factory of the future’

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Ericsson, TIM and Comau say they are testing the “factory of the future” through something called “5G network slicing”.

The three companies have joined forces to develop, on an experimental basis, innovative solutions for Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing by leveraging the potential of the 5G network. This initiative is part of the EU-funded 5Growth project.

Thanks to TIM and Ericsson’s deployment of a 5G network at Comau’s headquarters in Turin (Italy), three new applications have been launched to demonstrate the advantages of the new technology, and in particular those arising from the slicing functionality of the network, within an industrial environment. [Read more…] about Ericsson, TIM and Comau test the ‘factory of the future’

Trimble implements new localization system for autonomous vehicles

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Trimble has released details of the first deployment of its map-based localization system for land-based autonomous vehicle applications.

IHI Corporation, a heavy industry manufacturer based in Japan, will retrofit its existing container and haulage trucks with a customized Applanix POS LV system as part of its broader autonomy capabilities for the transport of goods around industrial facilities.

Map-based localization provides precise positioning and orientation estimation, augmenting GNSS/inertial data, which is critical for safe and efficient autonomous vehicle operations. The ability to provide IHI Corporation a full workflow and real-time data ensures seamless integration into IHI’s truck design. [Read more…] about Trimble implements new localization system for autonomous vehicles

Caja Robotics and Fives partner to tackle warehouse automation ‘challenges’

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Caja Robotics, a provider of robotic and flexible goods-to-person solutions in fulfilment, is partnering with Fives Group, an integrator of advanced material handling and smart automation solutions, to tackle what the companies describe as “challenges” of warehouse automation in the European market.

Through the mutual exchange of know-how and technical expertise as well as a “deep understanding of customer needs and market demands”, both companies say they will strengthen their position as key players in warehouse automation.

Caja Robotics’ solution is complementary to Fives’ technology portfolio and will allow Fives to expand its offering in piece picking and to address the apparel and footwear sector to help its customers meet the challenges of omnichannel automation, while giving Caja Robotics the extra boost needed to tackle the southern European markets where Fives claims it demonstrates “leading positions”. [Read more…] about Caja Robotics and Fives partner to tackle warehouse automation ‘challenges’

Continental and Octiva to develop autonomous mobile robots for agriculture

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Continental and Dutch-Belgian technology company Octiva are partnering to develop autonomous mobile robotic solutions for horticulture applications.

The agreement follows Continental’s announcement that it has started the volume production of autonomous mobile robots for intralogistics.

The new AMRs being developed with Octiva will become part of Continental’s second product line “Agriculture” in the market of autonomous mobile robots. [Read more…] about Continental and Octiva to develop autonomous mobile robots for agriculture

Hai Robotics raises more than $100 million in D+ financing round

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Hai Robotics, the developer of its own Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems for warehouse logistics, has raised more than $100 million in a D+ round of financing.

The lead investor is Capital Today, and co-investors include a top US dollar fund and existing shareholders including 5Y Capital, Source Code Capital, Sequoia Capital and 01VC.

This is the third round of financing it has obtained within the past 12 months. [Read more…] about Hai Robotics raises more than $100 million in D+ financing round

Epson Robots introduces new SCARA robots

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Epson Robots, one of the leading SCARA robot manufacturers in the world, has launched the new GX Series robot lineup with the GX4 and GX8.

Built upon 40 years of expertise, the GX Series is a new class of high-power-density SCARA robots that delivers next level performance and flexibility ideal for medical device, electronics and consumer electronics industries. [Read more…] about Epson Robots introduces new SCARA robots