Market trends and business perspectives
by Sam Francis
An unmanned spacecraft recently landed on Earth carrying a humanoid robot. But, perhaps disappointingly for UFO buffs, neither is alien in origin.
The spacecraft is the Soyuz MS-14 space capsule, which made a “first of its kind test flight” to the International Space Station.
The vehicle is Russian, and so is its passenger, a humanoid robot called Skybot F-850, also known as “Fedor”, apparently (main picture). [Read more…] about Strange spacecraft lands on Earth carrying humanoid robot
ThyssenKrupp’s material handling division is to invest more than €70 million in its European warehousing and logistics network.
The company – which claims to be “the western world’s biggest materials distributor” – says automation and digitalization will “significantly boost productivity”.
ThyssenKrupp Materials Services, the distribution and service provider of the ThyssenKrupp Group, says the €70 million investment in the modernization and expansion will include a state-of-the-art logistics center and new warehouses in Germany, Poland and Hungary. [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp to invest over €70 million in European warehouses
by Sam Francis
The International Space Station is creating new biological life forms using “cutting-edge 3D biomanufacturing”.
3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is a well-known method of making things here on Earth, and on the ISS, but this method uses materials such as plastics and metals.
However, 3D biomanufacturing uses biological materials such as new tissue or blood vessels. (See video below.) [Read more…] about International Space Station creating new biological life forms
by Mai Tao
A team of researchers at Kanazawa University has developed a robot control system – or fingertips – for grasping and releasing objects in dry and wet conditions.
The researchers say that the study was able to verify that “object grasping by soft surface fluid fingertips with high friction was controllable by applying a suitable lubricant”.
However, they added that it was necessary to do more experiments under various conditions in order to apply the current controlling technology to manufacturing environments. [Read more…] about Researchers develop robot fingertips for grasping and releasing objects in dry and wet conditions
Attabotics, a robotics company specialising in supply chain technology, has raised $25 million in Series B funding from financial and strategic investors.
Participants in the round included Coatue, Comcast Ventures, and Honeywell alongside returning early investors Forerunner Ventures and Werklund Growth Fund.
The new funding will go toward supporting Attabotics’ continued, explosive growth, including new hires, scaling manufacturing operations, the development of new technologies, and more. Attabotics has raised $32.7 million in funding to date. [Read more…] about Attabotics raises $25 million to ‘transform supply chains’
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS), more commonly referred to as drones, have been in the public eye for well over this decade and a hype cycle developed around its applications for the consumer and commercial space.
The high-profile failure of major drone manufacturers and software providers, such as US firm Airware in 2018, somewhat tempered initial enthusiasm, causing early projections from industry organizations such as the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) to look overly optimistic.
However, according to a new report from global tech market advisory, ABI Research, commercial drone usage, especially in the industrial space, will be a source of accelerating growth throughout the next decade with $101 billion in revenue being created annually by 2030 across the commercial, military, civil, and consumer sectors. [Read more…] about Drones expected to grow to $100 billion market as they take off in commercial and industrial sectors while delivery market beckons
by Sam Francis
Ultimation is targeting the new and growing market of vertical farming sector with its conveyor systems, technology it has been supplying for more than 30 years.
The company says that sustainable agricultural operations such as vertical and indoor farms are becoming more prevalent, and “conveyor technology systems can be part of the solution”.
Ultimation says vertical farms can potentially achieve higher yields for the surface area dedicated to production by controlling the light, temperature, humidity, water and nutrients the plants receive. [Read more…] about Ultimation reaches out to vertical farming sector with its conveyor systems
by Sam Francis
Most commentators and onlookers of the robotics industry hear of and understand the advertised value proposition of collaborative robots.
Cobots are smaller, more dexterous industrial robotic arms that open the possibility between human and machine collaboration without the need for complex programming or external safety infrastructure.
In reality, the value of current collaborative robotics is somewhat more modest. [Read more…] about Collaborative robots being bought at ‘feverish rate’
by Mai Tao
A Taiwanese food and beverage store called Babo Arms is now using a collaborative robot from Universal Robots to make and serve tea.
Universal Robots’ UR5 unit was chosen by Babo Arms to “add a twist of modernity” into their production process.
Babo Arms were searching for an automated device to enhance operations and address the ongoing recruitment issue faced by the food and beverage industry. [Read more…] about Taiwanese store employs robot to make and serve tea
By Frank Charles Cozza, founder and CEO of Gondola Skate
More square footage is not the only solution to maximizing space utilization; nor are second-level mezzanines. Even C-Suite executives, inclined to expand the DCs and warehouse footprint, quickly discover there is so little space availability.
According to Jennifer Smith, the logistics reporter for the Wall Street Journal, the hunt for warehouse space in the US and abroad will not get any easier in the coming years.
Smith reported that the availability of warehouse space fell to 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, the lowest point since 2000, and real-estate brokerage CBRE Group said the tight capacity that has driven up the costs of warehousing in recent years will remain a challenge for companies for the remainder of 2019. [Read more…] about Warehouse automation for the holidays starts with optimized flexible space utilization
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