Robotics & Automation News

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Festo showcases robot dragonfly and swift

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Festo has been showcasing it flying robotic dragonfly and swift at the recent RoboBoston event – the MassRobotics sponsored 5th annual Robot Block Party.

The design of the Festo BionicOpter was inspired by the flight of the dragonfly. Like its natural role model, the ultra-light aircraft can move in all directions, hover on the spot, and sail without flapping its wings.

The BionicOpter for the first time makes it possible for a single model to carry out more flight maneuvers than helicopters and motorized and non-motorized gliders combined. [Read more…] about Festo showcases robot dragonfly and swift

Swift Navigation raises $100 million to bring its autonomous navigation systems to market

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Swift Navigation, a San Francisco-based tech firm developing GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and precise positioning technology for automotive ADAS (advanced driver-assistance systems) and autonomy, industrial machine control, commercial transportation, mobile and emerging mass-market applications, has completed a $100 million financing round.

The Series D Round was led by SK Inc and Potentum Partners with strong support from Swift’s existing investors, including New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Eclipse Ventures and EPIQ Capital Group.

The Series D Round included new investors: FM Capital, OVN Capital, TELUS Ventures, TWM Venture Co., Buckley Ventures, Schox Venture Capital and additional independent investors. To date, the company has raised over $200 million in funding. [Read more…] about Swift Navigation raises $100 million to bring its autonomous navigation systems to market

China expands testing of digital currency in case US bans yuan

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China is expanding the testing of digital yuan currency to prepare for any further restrictions on its companies by the US. 

So far, US President Donald Trump has effectively banned Huawei in the US and from doing business with US suppliers globally.

Huawei is the leading Chinese telecommunications equipment provider, supplying 5G systems to many countries abroad, and it offers a successful line of smartphones. [Read more…] about China expands testing of digital currency in case US bans yuan

IAM Robotics wins contract with global health and beauty retailer

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IAM Robotics, makers of autonomous mobile manipulation robots, has won a contract with new client A.S. Watson Group, one of the world’s largest international health and beauty retailers with over 15,700 stores in 25 markets.

A.S. Watson will implement a fleet of Swift robots from IAM Robotics at its Benelux e-commerce fulfillment center in the Netherlands to help solve labour and capacity constraints due to a fast-growing, high-volume health and beauty retail business.

Ed van de Weerd, CEO of A.S. Watson health and beauty Benelux, says: “Our business in e-commerce is growing rapidly, and we need a way to keep up with the growth while offering next-day delivery within our existing fulfillment center, which is important for us to deliver the group’s online and offline strategy. [Read more…] about IAM Robotics wins contract with global health and beauty retailer

Apple extends Swift programming language to support robotics

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Apple has updated Swift Playgrounds, its educational coding app for iPad, to include what the company describes as “new way to learn to code using robots, drones and musical instruments”.

Swift Playgrounds is aimed at students and beginners learning to code with Swift, Apple’s programming language for building apps.

Apple says it is working with leading device makers to make it easy to connect to Bluetooth-enabled robots within the Swift Playgrounds app, allowing users to program and control popular devices, including Lego Mindstorms Education EV3, the Sphero SPRK+, Parrot drones and more.  [Read more…] about Apple extends Swift programming language to support robotics

Startup launches desktop robot selling for less than $300

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These days, it seems barely a week goes by without someone somewhere building a robotic arm of some description. 

Using components which can be bought from almost anywhere online, and chipsets such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi, the “makers” of the world are launching more and more sophisticated pieces of equipment.

While there are internationally agreed codes about what defines a true “collaborative” robot and other industrial-standard machines, startups are bypassing those specifications and releasing products which may eventually require some sort of regulation of their own.  [Read more…] about Startup launches desktop robot selling for less than $300