Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

tech

How AI Could Boost Business Customer Service

by

From forecasts to spam filters, artificial intelligence has long been used to help companies across industries. Within recent years, it’s begun to play a key role in a major business area: customer service. 

Though it’s widely seen as a human-led sector, this form of tech could simplify a number of B2C tasks, likely boosting overall client experience as a result. In turn, this may very well improve brand reputation as well as profit turnover.

Let’s explore the main ways in which AI stands to enhance customer service within a business. [Read more…] about How AI Could Boost Business Customer Service

Techman Robot signs up Accu Tech USA as new distributor

by

Accu Tech USA, a provider of automation and motion solutions in the US, has signed a distribution agreement with Techman Robot, a provider of collaborative robots and vision technologies.

Under the agreement, Accu Tech USA will provide the complete range of collaborative robots offered by TM Robot to its US customers. Products have been available to order from Accu Tech USA as of last month.

Ed Lee, president of Accu Tech USA, says: “Accu Tech USA has a longstanding history of delivering affordable, cutting edge automation and motion technology to the US market. [Read more…] about Techman Robot signs up Accu Tech USA as new distributor

UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

by

United Technologies (UTC) has recently launched the advanced projects group within the company, which moves at speed to build and pilot ambitious product and service demonstrators.

The group’s first product demonstrator is a hybrid-electric X-plane under the project name, Project 804.

The number “804” represents the straight-line mileage between the Pratt & Whitney facility in Longueuil, Québec, and the Collins Aerospace facility in Rockford, Illinois.

[Read more…] about UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

Okuma and Hartwig open tech centre in Houston

by

Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tool manufacturing, and Okuma distributor Hartwig, have opened a new Okuma Tech Center at Hartwig Houston in Texas, USA.

The 23,000 sq ft showroom which features more than 20 machine tools – including larger machines specifically built for the oil and gas industry.

Wade Anderson, Okuma Product Specialists Sales Manager and Tech Centers Manager, said: “The new space allows us to show the larger machines that are significant to the oil and gas industry, and our customers can see live-cutting applications demonstrated on these Okuma machine tools.”

AI and robotics stocks outperforming other shares on markets

by

Artificial intelligence and robotics stocks are performing better than many other investments on the stock market, according to a report on CNBC. 

The website says robotics and AI stocks are “crushing” the old economy and is up by 30 per cent compared with under 10 per cent for other stocks.

In particular, the Global X Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) and the ROBO Global Robotics and Automation Index (ROBO) have done well.  [Read more…] about AI and robotics stocks outperforming other shares on markets

How China’s ‘copycat’ tech companies are now the ones to beat

by

made in china label

By Edward Tse, CEO of Gao Feng 

For a long time, Chinese companies have been known for copying market-proven products, brands and business models from the West and adapting them for the local market with only minor modifications. Such a phenomenon is known as shanzhai, a Chinese term that was originally used to describe a bandit stronghold outside government control. In today’s slang, it refers to businesses based on fake or pirated products.

Shanzhai has been prevalent in China in recent decades and this has earned China the reputation of being a “copycat nation”. Western media report that China’s preferential policies and regulations to restrict market access, such as the the “Great Firewall” in the internet industry, and the lack of intellectual property protection, give Chinese companies an unfair home advantage to create copies.

While shanzhai is common across a range of products and services, it is particularly prevalent in the internet sector. Chinese internet companies are often compared to their Western counterparts based on the similarity of their business models. For example, Baidu is known as the “Google of China”, Alibaba as the “eBay of China”, and Xiaomi as the “Apple of China”, just to name a few.  [Read more…] about How China’s ‘copycat’ tech companies are now the ones to beat

Robots are taking over the world. Run for the hills now, or cash in quick – the choice is yours

by

money face

In this guest article, supplied by SKS Media, the spectre of high-net worth individuals teaming up with robots offer a terrifying vision of the future, with some hapless humans finding themselves in the nightmare situation of having mountains of money but not enough opportunities to spend it 

The word exponential is often used to describe the pace of technological change which has come to define the world we live in. And with new technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D printing and virtual reality only just warming up, the pace is unlikely to let up.

In this environment is it easy to become convinced that, when competing in a global marketplace, speed is the greatest of virtues. Indeed, in The Great Acceleration, author Robert Colvile argues that speed has become the defining feature of the modern economy, the driving force behind wealth creation in the 21st century.  [Read more…] about Robots are taking over the world. Run for the hills now, or cash in quick – the choice is yours

IoT Tech Expo Global 2017 lines up keynote speakers

by

iot tech expo global 2017

The IoT Tech Expo Global conference has announced keynote speakers for the upcoming global event in London 2017. 

Taking place on January 23-24th at the Olympia venue, the event will feature keynote speakers from the likes of Shell, Rolls-Royce, SSE, Maersk, Thyssenkrupp, Sky, Nest, Ford, Heathrow Airport and more.

The two-day event will cover a range of industries from manufacturing to healthcare, transportation to government, logistics to retail, with a total of 7 conference tracks covering the entire Internet of Things ecosystem.  [Read more…] about IoT Tech Expo Global 2017 lines up keynote speakers

Can foreign tech companies win in China?

by

tech in asia
Picture by Andre Gunawan, Tech in Asia

China-based investment expert Edward Tse, CEO of Gao Feng, considers the fortunes of outside tech companies entering China

Clearly, China’s regulatory regime regarding the internet, in particular social media, is far more restrictive than that of the US and many other western countries in general.

The “Great Firewall” has proven itself repeatedly to be a thorn in the side of foreign companies, and not all have been able to overcome this hurdle.

Most have tried, but with varying degrees of success.  [Read more…] about Can foreign tech companies win in China?