Robotics & Automation News

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Saxony styles itself ‘Robot Valley’ and launches festival

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The German region of Saxony is styling itself as “Robot Valley” and has launched a festival to highlight robotics clusters in the cities of Dresden and Chemnitz.

Authorities in the region say that Robot Valley Saxony has established itself as a robotics location “of supra-regional importance”.

They say the region plays a vital role in a variety of sectors, from novel robotics applications in medicine to small and medium-sized enterprises and the skilled trades, and sniff bots for hazardous areas or the 80 robots working on the new Volkswagen ID4. [Read more…] about Saxony styles itself ‘Robot Valley’ and launches festival

Boston Dynamics’ dancing robots herald the end of the world as we know it

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Dumbstruck. Speechless. Those were our reactions when we first saw the new video of the dancing robots created by Boston Dynamics (see for yourself below). 

There’s not much we can say about this diabolical intrusion into our deep-seated and secure understanding of what the world is supposed to be like, but we must at least express our collective horror at the sheer spookiness of these humanoid and canine robots apparently auditioning to be in Mariah Carey’s next video. It’s just not right.

If we’ve ever seen videos of dancing robots before, this one has made us forget all of them. It’s an abomination. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics’ dancing robots herald the end of the world as we know it

Robotics one of the hottest investment sectors of the decade, says Silicon Valley Bank report

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Entrepreneurs have invested more money in robotics than all other sectors combined, according to a new report by Silicon Valley Bank.

In a report called The Future of Robotics, SVB says: “Investment in robotics has significantly outpaced the rest of venture (financing), making robotics one of the hottest sectors of the decade.”

SVB’s data shows that robotics venture capital funding represented 55 percent of all venture financing (see bar chart below). [Read more…] about Robotics one of the hottest investment sectors of the decade, says Silicon Valley Bank report

Autonomous vehicles simulator Applied Intuition raises $40 million in funding

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Applied Intuition, a provider of a simulation platform for autonomous vehicle development, has raised $40 million in Series B financing.

The funding round was led by General Catalyst with participation from Kleiner Perkins, M12 (Microsoft), Sozo Ventures, and La Famiglia.

Previous investors, Andreessen Horowitz, Lux Capital, and Floodgate, also participated in this round. [Read more…] about Autonomous vehicles simulator Applied Intuition raises $40 million in funding

US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

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United States Steel Corporation says it will make an additional investment of more than $1 billion into its Pennsylvania operations.

The investment will be used to construct a new sustainable endless casting and rolling facility at its Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and a cogeneration facility at its Clairton Plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, both part of the company’s Mon Valley Works.

The “cutting-edge” endless casting and rolling technology combines thin slab casting and hot rolled band production into one continuous process and will make Mon Valley Works “the first facility of this type” in the US and one of only a handful in the world, says the company.

[Read more…] about US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

A new dawn of car tech: customization through software, not hardware

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car

Three ways entrepreneurs can bring the rate of progress we’ve seen in computing and communication to car tech.

Throughout much of early-to-mid 20th century, cutting-edge design and technology found its way into cars. Following the invention of the integrated circuit, chips and bits started displacing pistons and gears in the hearts and minds of engineers.

Silicon Valley’s gravitational force began stripping Motor City of its talent, compounding with the success of every tech startup. Not long after the birth of the Internet, Silicon Valley experienced unencumbered prosperity, while Detroit struggled to hold on for dear life.

Full article: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/cpc/20765

ABB opens large, integrated new facility in Silicon Valley

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abb silicon valley campus

ABB says its new Silicon Valley Campus will help company usher in the next industrial revolution with connectivity and smart data

ABB is expanding its presence in Silicon Valley, which the company considers the heart of the world’s technology economy.

ABB has brought together robotics, solar, gas analyzers, software development, and wireless communications under one roof for better integrated development and customer interaction.

The new 94,170 square foot office and lab facility is 20,000 square feet larger than the previous cumulative locations and will ultimately house nearly 200 employees when at full capacity.  [Read more…] about ABB opens large, integrated new facility in Silicon Valley