Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

technology

ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise expand industrial internet partnership

by

ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise have expanded their partnership in the industrial internet space and say they will “bring scalable connectivity to large industrial customers” by integrating ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology with Aruba Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled access points.

ABB and Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, will collaborate to deliver a scalable, high-performance wireless connectivity solution for large industrial customers.

Customers will be able to capture valuable data and insights from their equipment via ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology and access it via a web portal, a cloud interface or a mobile phone application, say the companies. [Read more…] about ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise expand industrial internet partnership

Daimler Trucks sets up global organisation for highly automated driving

by

Daimler Trucks is establishing the Autonomous Technology Group as a global organisation for automated driving, bringing together its worldwide expertise and activities, as of June 1.

The main tasks of the new unit comprise overall strategy and implementation of the automated driving roadmap, including research and development as well as setting up the required operations infrastructure and network, heading towards the series production of highly automated trucks (SAE level 4).

The newly established Autonomous Technology Group is part of Daimler Trucks’ global effort to put highly automated trucks onto the roads within a decade.

[Read more…] about Daimler Trucks sets up global organisation for highly automated driving

Sensor giant SICK partners with MassRobotics

by

SICK, a leading manufacturer of sensor solutions for industrial applications, is partnering with MassRobotics.

With this partnership, local and global robotics startups and corporations will have better access to innovative sensor and safety solutions from SICK.

MassRobotics is a nonprofit organization located in Boston, Mass. After seeing the massive growth in the robotics and automation industry, MassRobotics was created to provide an innovation hub and startup cluster focused on the needs of the robotics community. [Read more…] about Sensor giant SICK partners with MassRobotics

BMW establishes its ‘Startup Garage’ to gain early access to pioneering innovations

by

The BMW Startup Garage – part of the company’s Research, New Technologies and Innovations unit – has been tracking down the most innovative startups in the business for four years now, allowing the BMW Group to tap into their potential quickly and directly.

So far, more than 50 up-and-coming technology companies have completed its startup programme.

The BMW Startup Garage talks with over 1,500 startups from all over the world every year.

[Read more…] about BMW establishes its ‘Startup Garage’ to gain early access to pioneering innovations

Augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and smart glasses: ‘VIEW’ technology for the 2019 holiday season

by

By Seth Patin, founder and CEO, LogistiVIEW

Warehouse workers can be faster, safer, and more accurate this holiday season.

LogistiVIEW’s “Visual Input Enabled Wearable” (VIEW) technology improves workforce productivity and job satisfaction by making processes hands free and eyes focused.

Intuitive voice and visual instructions make work easy and training rapid. These benefits can all be accomplished in time for the 2019 holiday season thanks to LogistiVIEW’s Connected Worker Platform. [Read more…] about Augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and smart glasses: ‘VIEW’ technology for the 2019 holiday season

Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power acquires EnergyOr

by

Plug Power, a provider of hydrogen engines and fueling solutions enabling e-mobility, has acquired EnergyOr. 

The transaction involves technology, assets, and personnel, but the financial terms have not been disclosed.

EnergyOr is based in Montreal, Canada, and is the leader in advanced lightweight and compact PEM (proton-exchange membrane) hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) systems for robotics, small scale material handling and aerospace applications. [Read more…] about Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power acquires EnergyOr

ZF wins multi-billion-euro order for 8-speed automatic transmission

by

ZF Friedrichshafen has received a customer order with a double-digit billion euro value for its enhanced 8-speed automatic transmission. The business is planned to run over a period of several years.

The latest version of ZF’s 8-speed transmission – a technology which has been production since 2009 – has been improved by integrating an electric drive. This also includes a hybrid variant.

The new transmission generation will start series production in 2022 at ZF’s plant in Saarbrücken, the lead production facility for ZF’s automatic passenger car transmissions.

[Read more…] about ZF wins multi-billion-euro order for 8-speed automatic transmission

Six innovative companies nominated for grand prize at microtechnology trade show

by

Six innovative companies have been nominated for the grand prize at the microtechnology trade show EPHJ, the leading showcase for watchmaking, jewellery, and micro- and medical technologies sectors.

The jury of experts of the 2019 EPHJ-EPMT-SMT Trade Fair has selected six highly innovative projects for the Exhibitors’ Grand Prix to be voted on by the exhibitors to select and announce the winner at the show, which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from 18-21 June.

Levitation of machines, the green properties of supercritical CO2, machine learning algorithms, new hope for the 16 million people suffering from retinal vein occlusion, a machine that is mightier than a spark and a new fine-layer treatment process are just a few of the spectacular innovations proposed by the six nominees for the 2019 Exhibitors’ Grand Prix selected by the Jury for the EPHJ-EPMT-SMT Trade Show. [Read more…] about Six innovative companies nominated for grand prize at microtechnology trade show

Epson Robots wins Vision Systems Design 2019 Innovators award

by

Epson Robots was presented with a Silver-Honoree award in the Robotics category at the Fifth Annual Vision Systems Design Innovators Awards presentation, held recently in Chicago, Illinois.

The Epson Force Guide was recognized by a panel of esteemed experts from system integrator and end-user companies. The company was recognized the previous year for their Synthis T3 All-in-One SCARA robot.

Gregg Brunnick, director of product management for Epson Robots, says: “Vision Systems Design’s recognition of our new Force Guide underscores our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs for a revolutionary force control system that opens up possibilities for robot automation in areas that were not possible before. [Read more…] about Epson Robots wins Vision Systems Design 2019 Innovators award

Alstom to develop a driving simulator for Barcelona Metro

by

Alstom is to develop an S9000 train driving simulator for lines 9 and 10 of the Barcelona Metro, currently the only driverless lines in operation in Spain.

The solution will consist of a training system that incorporates the latest simulation technologies for routes, conditions and obstacles.

The simulator will create realistic scenarios employing virtual reality technology commonly used by video games developers.

[Read more…] about Alstom to develop a driving simulator for Barcelona Metro