Robotics & Automation News

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Wright-K Technology acquired by Koops Automation Systems

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Mergers and acquisitions service company NuVescor Group has completed the “successful sale” of Wright-K Technology, based in Saginaw, Michigan, to Koops Automation Systems, of Holland, Michigan.

Both companies design and build custom industrial machinery, with Koops’ specialty being innovative automation systems and equipment for manufacturers.

Paul Brinks, president and CEO of Koops, said Wright-K Technology is a good match for Koops because of its technical expertise and strong employee culture. [Read more…] about Wright-K Technology acquired by Koops Automation Systems

Essential steps to kick off your HR recruitment process

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Long gone are the days of hiring by impression. You used to set up an interview and chat with the prospects after you have read over their application and resume.

Many times, you would not even feel the need to call on references because you get a gut feeling that the person in front of you will be a good fit, and a great asset to your business.

People wanted to work, they wanted a steady employer, so hiring was taking the best applications and then using your own gut instincts. [Read more…] about Essential steps to kick off your HR recruitment process

Austrian start-up Sodex automates essential construction processes

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Sodex Innovations has released a range of new technologies to automate the construction industry.

The company says that, through this system, the surveying, documentation and billing of each excavation will be largely automated.

Effort, time and costs are to be minimized for construction companies in the area of administration. And this with an assistance system mounted directly on the excavator. [Read more…] about Austrian start-up Sodex automates essential construction processes

Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation to acquire RE2

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation has reached a definitive merger agreement to acquire Pittsburgh-based RE2, a developer of autonomous and teleoperated mobile robotic systems for use in the aviation, construction, defense, energy and medical industries.

This transaction brings together two leading commercial robotics teams focused on industrial robotic technologies that improve worker safety and productivity.

Consideration for the transaction is $100 million, consisting of $30 million in cash, which Sarcos expects to fund with cash on hand, and $70 million of Sarcos common stock. [Read more…] about Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation to acquire RE2

Jacksonville awards Balfour Beatty, Beep and V2R Team ‘largest-ever’ public sector autonomous shuttle project

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The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has selected the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality Team and Beep, a developer of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions, to deliver Phase I of the Ultimate Urban Circulator project, the Bay Street Innovation Corridor in Downtown Jacksonville.

Nathaniel Ford Sr, JTA CEO, says: “As the first phase of the U2C program, The Bay Street Innovation Corridor lays the foundation for the U2C vision by introducing autonomous vehicles and enhanced technology to Downtown Jacksonville’s premier mobility corridor.

“We are proud to collaborate with the Balfour Beatty V2R Team and its consortium of world-class and leading firms like BJaceep. [Read more…] about Jacksonville awards Balfour Beatty, Beep and V2R Team ‘largest-ever’ public sector autonomous shuttle project

Purdue scientists build a chip that makes connections like a human brain

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An electronic chip that can be reprogrammed on demand may enable artificial intelligence to learn more continuously like the human brain does, researchers have discovered.

When the human brain learns something new, it adapts. But when artificial intelligence learns something new, it tends to forget information it already learned.

As companies use more and more data to improve how AI recognizes images, learns languages and carries out other complex tasks, a paper published in Science this week shows a way that computer chips could dynamically rewire themselves to take in new data like the brain does, helping AI to keep learning over time. [Read more…] about Purdue scientists build a chip that makes connections like a human brain

White Castle orders 100 fast-food robots from Miso Robotics

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White Castle, an American fast-food restaurant chain specialising in burgers and fries, has ordered 100 “Flippy 2” robotic frying cells from Miso Robotics, a company which has developed a range of robotic systems for the catering industry. (See video below.)

White Castle has almost 400 locations across the US and approximately 10,000 employees. With the installation of the robots – mainly the “Flippy 2” model (main picture) – many of its employees who were on frying duty will be put to different tasks. The company has been testing Miso robots since September 2020, and upgraded to Flippy 2 in November last year. .

Jeff Carper, chief operating officer at White Castle, says: “Our partnership with Miso continues to lead the way on what’s next for back of house restaurant operations looking to empower team members with technology to better satisfy customers. [Read more…] about White Castle orders 100 fast-food robots from Miso Robotics

PTC provides Onshape design software to MassRobotics for robotic startups

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PTC, a provider of software for digital industry, is partnering with MassRobotics, a Massachusetts-based organization that provides support and resources to startups in the robotics sector.

The new collaboration will see PTC provide free licenses of Onshape, its cloud-native product development platform, to MassRobotics and its resident startups.

With Onshape, MassRobotics’ community of future-minded startups can leverage the latest in cloud product design software for robotics development. [Read more…] about PTC provides Onshape design software to MassRobotics for robotic startups

New soft robot morphs from a ground to air vehicle using liquid metal

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Imagine a small autonomous vehicle that could drive over land, stop, and flatten itself into a quadcopter. The rotors start spinning, and the vehicle flies away.

Looking at it more closely, what do you think you would see? What mechanisms have caused it to morph from a land vehicle into a flying quadcopter? You might imagine gears and belts, perhaps a series of tiny servo motors that pulled all its pieces into place.

If this mechanism was designed by a team at Virginia Tech led by Michael Bartlett, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, you would see a new approach for shape changing at the material level. [Read more…] about New soft robot morphs from a ground to air vehicle using liquid metal

Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’

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Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), an agency of the US military akin to Darpa, is funding a $4.8 million project spearheaded by Boston University College of Engineering, the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Lightmatter, a startup developing “photonic supercomputing” chips.

Electro-photonic computing, or optical computing, is thought to hold the promise of solving one of the biggest technical hurdles that self-driving cars face today – delivering high performance, low latency computing power that is also energy efficient.

At the end of the IARPA-funded experiment, the scientists hope to have “a fully functioning prototype of a self-driving car that runs on light”. [Read more…] about Startup awarded $5 million to build autonomous car that ‘runs on light’