Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

uk

Geek+ creates 20 jobs through establishment of headquarters in UK

by

Geek+, one of the world’s largest suppliers of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) technology, has revealed how opening its new UK headquarters in the Violet development at Sci-Tech Daresbury in 2022 has enabled its rapid expansion in the UK and across Europe and helped create a raft of high-quality tech jobs in the Liverpool City Region.

The strategically located headquarters is a hub for innovation, featuring a state-of-the-art robotics experience centre where clients can see Geek+ robots in action and explore cutting-edge solutions for automating logistics and warehouse operations.

Since entering the European market in 2019, Geek+ has deployed projects in over 30 countries, including key collaborations with major UK retailers in the apparel and grocery industries. [Read more…] about Geek+ creates 20 jobs through establishment of headquarters in UK

Locus Robotics expands presence in Europe and Central America

by

Locus Robotics, a provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for fulfilment warehouses, has increased its global presence with expansion across two continents.

In Europe, the US-based robotics supplier has announced an expanded commitment to Italy and Poland, while in Central America, lifestyle brand, Solo Brands has deployed the AI-enabled Locus AMR Solution at its fulfilment warehouse in Mexicali, Mexico.

The deal represents Locus’s first AMR deployment in the Mexico region.  [Read more…] about Locus Robotics expands presence in Europe and Central America

Summer Berry Company partners with Tortuga AgTech

by

Cibus Capital says one of its portfolio companies, UK berry grower The Summer Berry Company (TSBCo), has extended its partnership with Tortuga AgTech, a provider of commercial harvesting robot fleet.

TSBCo has deployed 52 Tortuga robots in its 26 ha of glasshouses and 140 ha of polytunnels in Southwest England to harvest strawberries, provide forecasting on yields, plant health as well as providing support to their agronomists in fighting pests via UV light application.

Cibus Capital advises on investments that support sustainable agricultural production and the incorporation of disruptive technologies into its portfolio companies is pivotal to its mission. [Read more…] about Summer Berry Company partners with Tortuga AgTech

Exotec manufactures milestone 5,000th robot in record time

by

Exotec, a warehouse robotics provider, has manufactured its 5,000th robot, just three months after the production of its 4,000th robot.

The company claims this is the “shortest time yet” between manufacturing milestones, signifying an increasing business momentum driven by the growing demand for warehouse automation.

The completion of the 5,000th robot, which will be named “Monu” (short for “Monumental”), is a landmark moment for the industrial unicorn, which has seen considerable growth across the UK, Europe and internationally. [Read more…] about Exotec manufactures milestone 5,000th robot in record time

SEKO Logistics partners with GreyOrange to scale up warehouse operations

by

SEKO Logistics, a global logistics provider, is today announcing a strategic partnership with GreyOrange, a global leader in automated robotic fulfilment and inventory optimization software, to help scale-up its warehouse operations.

The partnership, which will involve SEKO using a fleet of GreyOrange’s Ranger Assist Bots and GreyMatter fulfilment orchestration platform, will enable the company to both increase available capacity and throughput across its warehouse while also reducing operating costs.

GreyOrange’s solution will empower SEKO to scale its warehouse operations to meet changing demand without having to source additional labour. [Read more…] about SEKO Logistics partners with GreyOrange to scale up warehouse operations

Smith+Nephew launches handheld robotic-assisted surgical system

by

Smith+Nephew, the global medical technology business, has launched its CORI handheld surgical robot, an advanced robotic system for both total and partial knee arthroplasties.

The CORI system is a compact and fully mobile solution incorporating a 3-D intra-operative imaging system with an advanced robotic sculpting tool. The robotic system allows surgeons to measure, plan, and perform a knee surgery which is personalised to the patient’s individual anatomy in theatre.

The Smith+Nephew system is considerably more compact than alternative robotic systems, has minimal set up time, and is so portable it can be moved from theatre to theatre to optimise flow of patients through surgical units. [Read more…] about Smith+Nephew launches handheld robotic-assisted surgical system

What Barriers Still Impede Electric Vehicles?

by

Electric vehicles have been with us for a long time.

It’s only recently that they’re being touted as a serious replacement for the internal combustion engine and a (partial) answer to our climate crisis.

The UK government says that it’ll ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 – and you can reasonably expect any Labour government to be at least as ambitious, given their slightly greener voter-base.

By then, electric cars will need to be fairly ubiquitous. So what’s stopping this from happening right now? [Read more…] about What Barriers Still Impede Electric Vehicles?

Spacetime Labs and Small Robot Company to develop swarm robotics for agri-business in Latin America

by

SpaceTime Labs and Small Robot Company are partnering to co-develop swarms of fourth generation autonomous aerial and terrestrial robots to “transform” Latin American agriculture with “per plant farming solutions”.

The strategic partnership will focus on co-developing an on the ground, end-to-end “per plant” planting, weeds, pests and disease management and nutrition management “farming as a service” value propositions delivered through an integrated delivery “sense-predict-act” value chain for all key commercial crops in Latin America.

The companies will work with leading Brazilian and Argentinian farmers to prototype, test and scale Per Plant Farming – maximising yields whilst reducing the impact on the environment. [Read more…] about Spacetime Labs and Small Robot Company to develop swarm robotics for agri-business in Latin America

Manufacturing industry ‘optimistic’ about post-pandemic recovery

by

More than 60 percent of professionals in the UK manufacturing industry expect the sector to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and return to business as usual by mid-2021, according to a new survey by SteelScout.

However, they highlighted issues in the wider supply chain which might impact the recovery, with almost 30 percent unable to access the materials they need and 36 percent adding that it is taking longer just to receive a “winning quote”.

One key driver behind the confidence in recovery is that 62 percent of respondents reported having orders waiting to be fulfilled once lockdown rules have eased. [Read more…] about Manufacturing industry ‘optimistic’ about post-pandemic recovery

Opinion: Radical rethink of automotive R&D investment required in 2020

by

Continued disruption, restructuring and re-shaping of the automotive industry will be required to make increasing levels of R&D affordable whilst simultaneously representing a major growth opportunity in the year ahead, according to engineering consultancy Horiba Mira.

The proliferation of electrification and connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies will continue to be amongst the top automotive trends in 2020 which will continue to push up the already soaring costs of research and development.

Indeed, latest figures show European auto manufacturers spent a record £33.3 billion on R&D – 35 per cent more than the £24.6 billion spent in 2014/15. [Read more…] about Opinion: Radical rethink of automotive R&D investment required in 2020