Robotics & Automation News

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Scientists unveil robotic grippers ‘delicate enough to lift egg yolks and precise enough to lift a human hair’

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Engineering researchers from North Carolina State University have demonstrated a new type of flexible, robotic grippers that they say “are able to lift delicate egg yolks without breaking them, and that are precise enough to lift a human hair”. (See video below.)

The work has applications for both soft robotics and biomedical technologies.

The work draws on the art of kirigami, which involves both cutting and folding two-dimensional (2D) sheets of material to form three-dimensional (3D) shapes. [Read more…] about Scientists unveil robotic grippers ‘delicate enough to lift egg yolks and precise enough to lift a human hair’

4 Ways Businesses Can Improve Accessibility

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These days, almost everyone relies on the World Wide Web for information, goods, and services. For this reason, businesses across all industries build online domains that draw in prospective customers quickly.

In other words, websites enable companies to create exposure for their brands and attract a more incredible following, increasing sales and revenue.

But despite the benefits of the Internet on both entrepreneurial ventures and consumers alike, many Web pages remain inaccessible to people who have disabilities. [Read more…] about 4 Ways Businesses Can Improve Accessibility

Artificial skin brings robots closer to ‘touching’ human lives

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Modern-day robots are often required to interact with humans intelligently and efficiently, which can be enabled by providing them the ability to perceive touch.

However, previous attempts at mimicking human skin have involved bulky and complex electronics, wiring, and a risk of damage.

In a recent study, researchers from Japan sidestep these difficulties by constructing a 3D vision-guided artificial skin that enables tactile sensing with high performance, opening doors to innumerable applications in medicine, healthcare, and industry. [Read more…] about Artificial skin brings robots closer to ‘touching’ human lives

Autonomous boats could be your next ride

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Five years in the making, MIT’s autonomous floating vessels get an upgrade in size and learn a new way to communicate aboard the waters

The feverish race to produce the shiniest, safest, speediest self-driving car has spilled over into our wheelchairs, scooters, and even golf carts.

Moreover, recently, there’s been movement from land to sea, as marine autonomy stands to change the canals of our cities, with the potential to deliver goods and services and collect waste across our waterways.

In an update to a five-year project from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Senseable City Lab, researchers have been developing the world’s first fleet of autonomous boats for the city of Amsterdam, and have recently added a new, larger vessel to the group: “Roboat II”. (See video below.) [Read more…] about Autonomous boats could be your next ride

Warehouse automation company Attabotics raises $50 million in new funding

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Attabotics, a warehouse automation company, has raised $50 million in Series C funding.

The investment round was led by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board through its Teachers’ Innovation Platform, along with existing investor Honeywell, and brings Attabotics’ total funding to $82.7 million,

Attabotics says the new money will be used to “further accelerate its commercialization, invest in new technologies, scale manufacturing operations, and more”. [Read more…] about Warehouse automation company Attabotics raises $50 million in new funding

Hyundai launches technical training in collaborative robotics

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Newly created company Hyundai Robotics has launched technical training programmes to teach people about collaborative robotics.

The compnay held its first “collaborative robot technical training” recently for dealers and employees, and used Hyundai’s own new collaborative robot, the YL012 (main picture and below).

The training was led by researchers who are developing collaborative robots and focuses on the unique features of Hyundai cobots compared to third party products. [Read more…] about Hyundai launches technical training in collaborative robotics

Airbus inaugurates ‘highly automated’ assembly line in Germany

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Airbus has inaugurated its “highly automated” fuselage structure assembly line for A320 Family aircraft in Hamburg, showcasing an evolution in Airbus’ industrial production system.

With a special focus on manufacturing longer sections for the A321LR, the new facility features 20 robots, a new logistics concept, automated positioning by laser measurement as well as a digital data acquisition system.

These will further support Airbus’ drive to improve both quality and efficiency while bringing an enhanced level of digitalisation to its industrial production system. [Read more…] about Airbus inaugurates ‘highly automated’ assembly line in Germany

Cornell scientists develop new material to give robots more sensitive touch

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A new synthetic material created by a scientist at Cornell University is said to give robots a “softer touch”.

Developed by PhD student Patricia Xu, at Cornell’s Organic Robotics Lab, the “sensory network” – also dubbed “optical lace” – is said to be similar to the human biological nervous system.

The lab’s paper, Optical Lace for Synthetic Afferent Neural Networks, was published in Science Robotics. [Read more…] about Cornell scientists develop new material to give robots more sensitive touch

Attabotics raises $25 million to ‘transform supply chains’

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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’

B&R software better utilises the potential of robots

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B&R Automation has added new functions to its mapp Motion software package. It is now possible to represent the structure of a complex machine intuitively in the configuration.

The various subsystems of a machine can be linked together. The movements of robots can be easily synchronised with gantry systems or workpiece tables with no additional programming.

The “Frame hierarchy” function can be used to represent the actual structure of a machine. Coordinate systems can be positioned at key points, such as the tool mounting flange.

[Read more…] about B&R software better utilises the potential of robots