Robotics & Automation News

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terminals

Embark and US Xpress partner to build nationwide terminal network for autonomous trucks

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Embark Trucks, a developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, says US Xpress has joined the Embark Partner Development Program and plans to add its terminals to the Embark Coverage Map.

This partnership marks a significant milestone by adding a fleet’s properties into an autonomous truck developer’s transfer point network.

Embark pioneered the transfer point model in 2019 when the company unveiled its first sites in Los Angeles and Phoenix. Transfer points are used to move freight from driverless, long-haul trucks to driver-enabled trucks for first- and last-mile delivery. [Read more…] about Embark and US Xpress partner to build nationwide terminal network for autonomous trucks

Volvo Trucks autonomous vehicle to link logistics centre and Gothenburg port

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Volvo Trucks’ electric, connected and autonomous vehicle Vera will form part of an integrated solution to transport goods from a logistics centre to a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The assignment is a result of a new collaboration between Volvo Trucks and the ferry and logistics company, DFDS.

The purpose of the collaboration is to use Vera in a real application, enabling a connected system for a continuous flow of goods, from a DFDS’ logistics centre to an APM Terminals port facility in Gothenburg, for distribution across the world.

[Read more…] about Volvo Trucks autonomous vehicle to link logistics centre and Gothenburg port

Nokia partners on wireless digitalisation infrastructure for ports and terminals

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Kalmar, part of Cargotec, a pioneer in terminal automation and energy-efficient cargo handling, and Ukkoverkot, leading private LTE network provider, have signed a two-year co-operation agreement with Nokia to design, build and operate a private LTE network.

Nokia brings the digital automation platform that is well suited for mobile machinery and industrial Internet of Things.

A test network reflecting an actual terminal environment will be built for research and development purposes.

[Read more…] about Nokia partners on wireless digitalisation infrastructure for ports and terminals

Second SpaceDataHighway satellite to launch in July

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The EDRS-C satellite, the second node of the SpaceDataHighway network (also known as EDRS), will be launched into geostationary orbit at 31° East on 24 July 2019 by an Ariane 5 launcher.

Once positioned above Europe, it will provide redundant back-up for the SpaceDataHighway system, double transmission capacity and be able to relay the data from two observation satellites simultaneously.

This second satellite will be joining EDRS-A which transmits the images of Earth acquired by the Copernicus programme’s four Sentinel observation satellites on a daily basis.

[Read more…] about Second SpaceDataHighway satellite to launch in July

Ports and docks prepare for new phase of robotics and automation

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When you think of the technology at docks and ports, the first things that may spring to mind are the giant cranes that pick containers off the ships and place them somewhere on the dock.

These “gantry cranes” as they’re called stand taller than the ships at several tens of metres high and have lifting capacities of several tens of tons. But they’re all manually operated – just like the cranes you might see on construction sites.

In fact, there’s very little automation let alone machine autonomy present at the vast majority of docks and ports and ports around the world, which perhaps is not surprising given the history of docks as a massive employer of manpower. The work was always done by humans and was essentially simple – lift and move boxes. [Read more…] about Ports and docks prepare for new phase of robotics and automation