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Plymouth university students design and build ‘scarecrow’ robots to protect wildlife

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Plymouth State University (PSU) students in their “Spring 2023 Industrial Robotics” course began work on a multi-semester project to bring new life to a pair of robots belonging to Casella Waste Systems, which has used six of these robots to ward off wildlife at their Bethlehem, New Hampshire landfill for roughly the past four years.

The project will continue during the next school year, providing a hands-on learning experience in a partnership that will benefit students, Casella, and ultimately regional wildlife.

The partnership between Plymouth State University’s first-in-the-state Robotics bachelor’s degree program and Casella was created in the hopes of bringing many of these robots, which use obsolete systems and have fallen into general disrepair, back into peak working order. [Read more…] about Plymouth university students design and build ‘scarecrow’ robots to protect wildlife

Nvidia CEO donates $50 million to Oregon State University, which promptly builds a $200 million supercomputing center

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Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang and his wife, Lori, have donated $50 million to their alma mater, Oregon State University, to advance research in AI, climate science and robotics. The university will use the donation to build an engineering complex with an AI supercomputer to help students and faculty address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

As a civil engineer, Scott Ashford used explosives to make the ground under Japan’s Sendai airport safer in an earthquake.

Now, as the dean of the engineering college at Oregon State University, he’s at ground zero of another seismic event.

In its biggest fundraising celebration in nearly a decade, Oregon State announced plans today for a $200 million center where faculty and students can plug into resources that will include one of the world’s fastest university supercomputers.

The 150,000-square-foot center, due to open in 2025, will accelerate work at Oregon State’s top-ranked programs in agriculture, computer sciences, climate science, forestry, oceanography, robotics, water resources, materials sciences and more with the help of AI. [Read more…] about Nvidia CEO donates $50 million to Oregon State University, which promptly builds a $200 million supercomputing center

Addverb partners with Purdue University to offer engineering students real-world experience of industrial automation

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Automation solutions provider Addverb has launched a smart factory with Purdue University’s School of Engineering Technology.

Addverb’s live automation system comprising both hardware and software will enable Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MFET) undergraduate students and faculty to interact with real-world applications of modern industrial automation in supply chain management and warehouse design.

Purdue University offers leading STEM undergraduate programs in the United States. Addverb’s on-campus smart factory will help students better understand how flexible automation works in various industry settings, and can scale to meet the needs of a specific factory or warehouse without significant infrastructural changes. [Read more…] about Addverb partners with Purdue University to offer engineering students real-world experience of industrial automation

Kiwibot and Sodexo bring food delivery robots to Shenandoah University

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Kiwibot, a robotic sidewalk delivery company, is now available at Shenandoah University to ensure an affordable on-campus food delivery service for students.

With 15 robots operating at Shenandoah University, students profit from speedy food delivery with zero carbon emissions, reducing the carbon footprint on campus.

Kiwibot’s proven track record is in part due to its ongoing partnership with Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company and Shenandoah’s dining partner. [Read more…] about Kiwibot and Sodexo bring food delivery robots to Shenandoah University

Florida university opens Blendid robotic smoothie kiosk

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Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has opened an autonomous robotic smoothie kiosk from Blendid, a robotic food service solutions company.

Antoinette Biffar, FGCU, says: “There is no denying the current robotics evolution in the food service industry, and we are thrilled to work with Blendid to give FGCU students access to these innovative, proven food service solutions.

“Today’s college students crave more meal service offerings, especially when it comes to fresh, nutritious options they can order easily from their phone and grab on-the-go. We are looking forward to seeing how our campus community embraces the new kiosk.” [Read more…] about Florida university opens Blendid robotic smoothie kiosk

Noah Medical unveils first trials of its Galaxy robotic surgical system in human patients

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Medical robotics innovator Noah Medical has unveiled its ongoing trial at Macquarie University Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

The Frontier study is a first-in-human trial focused on the safety and feasibility of the Galaxy System, which is designed to improve location accuracy and successful diagnosis of lung nodules using its proprietary TiLT+ Technology.

The study is enrolling a small cohort of patients with the goal of successfully navigating to and biopsying peripheral lung nodules. The Galaxy System’s unique navigation capabilities were created to enable improved diagnosis and quicker time to treatment. [Read more…] about Noah Medical unveils first trials of its Galaxy robotic surgical system in human patients

Starship Technologies launches robot delivery service at North Carolina university

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Starship Technologies, the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery services, announced today that its robots have started on-demand food deliveries at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte).

Starship’s fleet of 30 autonomous, on-demand robots are now delivering from Wendy’s, Bojangles and Shake Smart and will add more campus eateries throughout March, with 10 onboard by the end of the month.

The school’s nearly 30,000 students and faculty can now use the Starship Food Delivery app (iOS and Android) to order food and drinks from campus retailers to be delivered anywhere on campus, within minutes. [Read more…] about Starship Technologies launches robot delivery service at North Carolina university

Carnegie Mellon University’s new robot collaborates with humans to create art

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Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute has a new artist-in-residence.

FRIDA, a robotic arm with a paintbrush taped to it, uses artificial intelligence to collaborate with humans on works of art. Ask FRIDA to paint a picture, and it gets to work putting brush to canvas.

“There’s this one painting of a frog ballerina that I think turned out really nicely,” says Peter Schaldenbrand, a School of Computer Science PhD student in the Robotics Institute working with FRIDA and exploring AI and creativity. [Read more…] about Carnegie Mellon University’s new robot collaborates with humans to create art

Starship Technologies launches robot food delivery at University of Notre Dame

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The University of Notre Dame, Grubhub and Starship Technologies are introducing robot delivery via Starship’s fleet on campus.

During the initial launch, Starship’s fleet of up to 30 on-demand robots will deliver from six campus eateries: Au Bon Pain, Garbanzo, The Gilded Bean, Hagerty Family Cafe, Modern Market and Taco Bell.

The University’s more than 17,000 students, faculty and staff can now use the Grubhub app (iOS and Android) to order food and drinks from on-campus retailers to be delivered nearly anywhere on campus, within minutes. [Read more…] about Starship Technologies launches robot food delivery at University of Notre Dame

Robotic pollinator: A fairy-like robot flies by the power of wind and light

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The loss of pollinators, such as bees, is a huge challenge for global biodiversity and affects humanity by causing problems in food production. At Tampere University, researchers have now developed the first passively flying robot equipped with artificial muscle. Could this artificial fairy be utilised in pollination?

The development of stimuli-responsive polymers has brought about a wealth of material-related opportunities for next-generation small-scale, wirelessly controlled soft-bodied robots.

For some time now, engineers have known how to use these materials to make small robots that can walk, swim and jump. So far, no one has been able to make them fly.

Researchers of the Light Robots group at Tampere University are now researching how to make smart material fly. Hao Zeng, Academy Research Fellow and the group leader, and Jianfeng Yang, a doctoral researcher, have come up with a new design for their project called FAIRY – Flying Aero-robots based on Light Responsive Materials Assembly. They have developed a polymer-assembly robot that flies by wind and is controlled by light. [Read more…] about Robotic pollinator: A fairy-like robot flies by the power of wind and light