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Scientists develop soft robot for exploration in the deepest underwater place on Earth

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Scientists at Zhejiang University in China have developed a soft robot which has been able to navigate the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth.

The research team led by Professor LI Tiefeng from the Center for X-Mechanics at the Zhejiang University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Zhejiang Lab conducted inter-disciplinary research with its partners and pioneered in proposing the principle of pressure adaptation in mechatronic systems, and their findings were reported in the journal Nature.

Typically, at such depths in the oceans, a vessel without a pressure-resilient “armor” would be “destroyed by the overwhelmingly hydrostatic pressure”. [Read more…] about Scientists develop soft robot for exploration in the deepest underwater place on Earth

Fujitsu to use ‘world’s fastest supercomputer’ for tsunami prediction

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Fujitsu, in partnership with other companies and academic institutions, has developed a computing system that will enable the prediction of tsunamis – massive, sudden floods caused by turbulence at sea. 

The International Research Institute of Disaster Science at Tohoku University, the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, and Fujitsu Laboratories have developed an artificial intelligence model that will empower disaster management teams with the ability to predict tsunami flooding in coastal areas in near real-time.

The system harnessed the computational power of what is claimed to be “the world’s fastest supercomputer”, Fugaku, jointly developed by Riken and Fujitsu. [Read more…] about Fujitsu to use ‘world’s fastest supercomputer’ for tsunami prediction

Starship completes ‘1 million autonomous deliveries’ and raises another $17 million

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Delivery robot maker Starship Technologies says it has completed “1 million autonomous deliveries” since its launch in 2014.

The company adds that its business continues to expand with new partners and customers being added all the time.

In a blog post, Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CTO at Starship Technologies, says: “I’m proud to announce we have reached one million autonomous deliveries, more than 6 years after founding the company in 2014. [Read more…] about Starship completes ‘1 million autonomous deliveries’ and raises another $17 million

AOT obtains CE certification for ‘world’s first human-approved contact-free laser cutting of bones with a robot’

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Swiss medical technology company AOT has obtained CE certification for what it says is the “world’s first human-approved contact-free laser cutting of bones with a robot”.

The patented Cold Ablation Robot-guided Laser Osteotome system – CARLO for short – is said to cut bones precisely and contact-free with a specialized laser using a robot.

The laser beam vaporizes the water inside the bone substrate within milliseconds, so the bone will be removed precisely in layers, leaving no residue, as deep as desired or until it is severed. [Read more…] about AOT obtains CE certification for ‘world’s first human-approved contact-free laser cutting of bones with a robot’

Swiss university developing mobile robot that learns on the job

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A team from the Autonomous Systems Lab at the public research university ETH Zurich in Switzerland is creating robots and intelligent systems that are able to learn on the job. (See video below.)

The team’s machine – which consists of a robotic arm mounted on a mobile platform – can “autonomously operate in complex and diverse environments”, says an article on Clearpath Robotics’ website.

Using a Clearpath Ridgeback as a base and equipped with a Franka Emika Panda manipulator arm (called RoyalPanda, that is Ridgeback + Panda), the team is experimenting with a series of different scenarios to develop best practices of how a robot could “learn”. [Read more…] about Swiss university developing mobile robot that learns on the job

ABB establishes new R&D center for electric vehicle technology

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ABB says it is “underlining its market leading position” in electric vehicle charging infrastructure by establishing a new E-mobility Innovation Lab, where it will house 120 specialists working on next generation solutions. (See video below.)

Designed to spur further innovations in e-mobility, the $10 million, 3,600 sq m facility is based on the Delft University of Technology campus, in the Netherlands and will drive ABB’s future portfolio development, as well as R&D projects for EVs. The University was ranked among the top 15 engineering and technology universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings in 2020.

Along with an investment of $30 million into a global Center of Excellence and production site for EV charging infrastructure, due to open next year in Italy, the facility in Delft underlines ABB’s plans to grow investments in sustaining its technology leadership. [Read more…] about ABB establishes new R&D center for electric vehicle technology

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute selects projects for multimillion-dollar awards

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The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute has selected eight new robotics technology projects aligned with the organization’s mission to strengthen US manufacturing and empower workers.

A total of $7.5 million will be contributed across these eight projects. ARM plans to award $2.9 million in project funding, and the participating organizations plan to contribute $4.6 million in cost share. To date, ARM has invested in more than 70 robotics technology and workforce development projects.

The ARM Institute, in partnership with its 270+ member organizations, identifies areas of need in manufacturing, which are used as strategic focus areas in its project calls. [Read more…] about Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute selects projects for multimillion-dollar awards

Robotic and Automation News Review: Indy Autonomous Challenge, ABB’s final trim system for automotive manufacturing, billion-dollar quantum and AI plan, microscopic robots, and much more…

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Robotic and Automation News Review Saturday 29 August 2020

This is a new, weekly column which rounds up all the most interesting news from the robotics and automation industry in the past seven days, in brief form.

Usually, we try to publish the review on Fridays, but because of technical problems last week, it has been delayed until today. Apologies for that.

This Robotics and Automation News Review is also available to view on our YouTube channel. (See video embedded below.)

Please support our website by subscribing to our YouTube channel, by sharing the stories we publish on social media, and by purchasing premium subscriptions to RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com, as well as through corporate sponsorships and advertising.

[Read more…] about Robotic and Automation News Review: Indy Autonomous Challenge, ABB’s final trim system for automotive manufacturing, billion-dollar quantum and AI plan, microscopic robots, and much more…

Indy Autonomous Challenge to use RTI software to build and race autonomous vehicles

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Real-Time Innovations (RTI), a software framework provider for smart machines and real-world systems, has joined the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), the two-year, $1.5 million university competition to advance autonomous mobility technologies and enable the next generation of mobility leaders.

RTI is providing software to more than 500 students globally to design and develop the control software to autonomously race full-size, modified Dallara IL-15 racecars.

The students are competing in the first-ever head-to-head, high-speed autonomous race on the world’s largest racing stage, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in October 2021. [Read more…] about Indy Autonomous Challenge to use RTI software to build and race autonomous vehicles

US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes

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The US government has launched a billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence scientific research institutes.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the US Department of Energy (DOE) will distribute the $1 billion in awards for the establishment of 12 new artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information science (QIS) research institutes nationwide.

The $1 billion will go towards NSF-led AI Research Institutes and DOE QIS Research Centers over five years, establishing 12 multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional national hubs for research and workforce development in these critical emerging technologies. [Read more…] about US launches billion-dollar plan to establish quantum computing and artificial intelligence institutes