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Starship robots to deliver lunch to 180,000 workers in Milton Keynes

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Robots made by Starship Technologies have expanded into central Milton Keynes, UK and are delivering lunch to 180,000 workers.

Customers in central Milton Keynes will have access to robot delivery for the first time from some of the town’s most popular brands, says the company.

Starship Technologies is celebrating two years of commercial operation in the UK, and the rollout of its robot delivery service in central Milton Keynes is part of its celebrations. [Read more…] about Starship robots to deliver lunch to 180,000 workers in Milton Keynes

Brain Corp and Dane Technologies partner to build autonomous delivery solutions

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Brain Corp, an artificial intelligence company specialising in robotics, and Dane Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of power assist solutions, have formed a technology partnership to manufacture autonomous material delivery robots for use in public and commercial applications.

Under the partnership, Dane Technologies will license BrainOS, a cloud-connected operating system for commercial autonomous robots, and begin building the delivery robots in Q2 2020. The two companies will pilot the robots with several major retailers this spring.

John Black, SVP of new product development for Brain Corp, says: “Dane Technologies has a successful track record of developing equipment for demanding retail and manufacturing environments, including the pioneering QuicKART shopping cart management system. [Read more…] about Brain Corp and Dane Technologies partner to build autonomous delivery solutions

Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

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Since 1965, when the first exoskeleton was produced for military use, exoskeletons have been increasingly popular in the manufacturing world, supporting workers and improving the quality of their working hours. (See video below.)

In 2018 more than 7,000 units were sold in manufacturing, according to ABI Research data.

However, the potential market need would be 60,000 units for all types of exoskeleton, with an estimated growth rate of more than 50 percent from 2019 to 2024. [Read more…] about Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

South Korea reaches new record of 300,000 industrial robots in operation

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South Korea has doubled the number of industrial robots over the past five years to reach a new record of 300,000 industrial robots in operation.

This is according to figures in the World Robotics report, released by the International Federation of Robotics.

The data shows a new record stock of about 300,000 operational industrial robots in the Republic of Korea – more commonly known as South Korea – in 2018, which is an increase of about 10 percent on the previous year. [Read more…] about South Korea reaches new record of 300,000 industrial robots in operation

Wagner Logistics implements inVia Robotics software in its Kansas warehouse

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inVia Robotics, a provider of warehouse robotics, has implemented its artificial intelligence-driven automation software in Wagner Logistics’ Edgerton, Kansas warehouse.

inVia’s software includes the newly introduced inVia PickMate tool which it says “increases warehouse workers’ productivity and accuracy” by directing them to the most efficient route through the warehouse to take products from inventory to pack out.

In the coming months, Wagner plans to deploy inVia Picker robots to work in tandem with its warehouse workers to further automate its order fulfillment process. [Read more…] about Wagner Logistics implements inVia Robotics software in its Kansas warehouse

New product launches to bring new dawn for industrial robotics

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The advent of robotics has been a boon for the industrial sector and new innovations have been offering improved efficiency, less downtime, and better products.

From implementing robots for mundane tasks to enhancing precision of existing tasks, industrial robotics has come a long way.

The advancements in technologies have enabled manufacturers to utilize robots that are lightweight, perform multiple tasks, and improve efficiency. [Read more…] about New product launches to bring new dawn for industrial robotics

GROUND unveils new autonomous mobile robot for warehouses

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GROUND has unveiled a new autonomous collaborative robot that will start selling in Japan at the end of 2019.

The autonomous mobile robot was exhibited at the Daiwa House Group booth at the “1st Kansai Logistics Exhibition” held at INTEX Osaka recently.

GROUND is jointly researching and developing the machine jointly with China’s leading robot company HIT Robot Group. [Read more…] about GROUND unveils new autonomous mobile robot for warehouses

Veo Robotics launches new solution that aims to make all industrial robots collaborative

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Startup company Veo Robotics has launched its first commercially available product – FreeMove, a hardware-and-software solution which is said to be able to transform standard or traditional industrial robots into collaborative robots. 

Traditionally, industrial robotic arms have been treated with some trepidation, and are still always caged off or otherwise kept separate from human workers.

Their size, weight and speed make industrial robotic arms potentially very dangerous, and without any programming about human workers and how to avoid endangering them, they can be lethal. [Read more…] about Veo Robotics launches new solution that aims to make all industrial robots collaborative

Universal Robots ‘future-proofs’ production processes at Vietnamese manufacturer with collaborative robots

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Universal Robots has helped Vietnam-based Vinacomin Motor Industry Joint Stock Company “future-proof” its production processes with collaborative robots.

VMIC is a subsidiary of the Vinacomin Group, a state-owned coal and mining giant.

VMIC, one of the first state-owned manufacturers to deploy cobots, has seen productivity increase two to three times, with improved product quality, leading to a 50 to 60 percent rise in orders. [Read more…] about Universal Robots ‘future-proofs’ production processes at Vietnamese manufacturer with collaborative robots

Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge

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By Richard Mawson, sales manager UK and Ireland at OnRobot

Since the mid-twentieth century, robots have been implemented by businesses worldwide to enhance efficiency and multiply productivity levels.

However, while the introduction of robotic equipment in industrial contexts undoubtedly helped organisations increase their profits and revenues, it also transformed the working environments.

Safety concerns inevitably arose. [Read more…] about Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge