Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Abdul Montaqim

Volvo and Autoliv to create joint venture to develop autonomous driving technology

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Autoliv, a provider of advanced driver assistance systems, and Volvo Cars, the car maker, have agreed to form a new jointly-owned company to develop next generation autonomous driving software.

The planned new company will have its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, and an initial workforce taken from both companies of around 200, increasing to over 600 in the medium term. The company is expected to start operations in early 2017.

Once finalized, the joint venture will be a new entrant in the growing global market for autonomous driving software systems. It will mark the first time a leading premium car maker has joined forces with a tier one supplier to develop new advanced driver assist systems and autonomous driving technologies.  [Read more…] about Volvo and Autoliv to create joint venture to develop autonomous driving technology

Continental expands advanced driver assistance systems business in Asia

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Continental is expanding its advanced driver assistance systems business in Asia and expects sales to reach $2.2 billion a year by 2020.

The company says it is on course to achieve €1 billion in sales this year, and is aiming to capitalise on this growth by developing its Asian operations.

Continental says it will increase production capacity for radar sensors in the Philippines and China, and accelerate its knowledge transfer and staff expansion.

Continental is estimated to be the market leader in advanced driver assistance systems, which is in essence autonomous car technology.

[Read more…] about Continental expands advanced driver assistance systems business in Asia

BMW reveals new autonomous Mini concept

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BMW has unveiled a new concept for its Mini model as part of its “Vision Next 100” project to steer the company into the future. 

The new Mini Cooperizer is designed as a computerized, electric, connected, and autonomous car, which is meant as part of the company’s own ride-sharing scheme.

BMW plans to locate Minis all over a town for people to hire as and when they want through its app.  [Read more…] about BMW reveals new autonomous Mini concept

Industrial Internet Consortium agrees security framework for robotics and automation systems connectivity

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Industry association says new standard is a comprehensive approach to protect the industrial internet

The Industrial Internet Consortium, the public-private organization formed to accelerate adoption of the industrial internet of things, has published its Industrial Internet Security Framework, a common security framework that addresses security issues in IIoT systems.

The organizations says IISF emphasizes the importance of five IIoT characteristics – safety, reliability, resilience, security and privacy – that help define “trustworthiness” in IIoT systems. The IISF also defines risk, assessments, threats, metrics and performance indicators to help business managers protect their organizations.

IIoT security cannot be considered in isolation, says IIC. It comprises a complex set of industrial processes and applications as well as significant safety and reliability requirements.  [Read more…] about Industrial Internet Consortium agrees security framework for robotics and automation systems connectivity

Industrial internet: ABB signs deal with Huawei to develop robotics and automation solutions

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ABB and Huawei say their agreement will help drive industries towards a ‘fully connected era’

Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has signed a memorandum of understanding with ABB to robotics and automation technologies, including solutions for the power generation sector.

Under the deal, agreed at the Huawei Connect event earlier this month, the two parties will integrate Huawei LTE-based OneAir products and technologies into ABB robots and industrial automation solutions.

The cooperative mission involves the realization of remote wireless robotic monitoring, management, configuration, big data applications, and visualized intelligent manufacturing to jointly promote full industrial connectivity.  [Read more…] about Industrial internet: ABB signs deal with Huawei to develop robotics and automation solutions

Investing in China: A quick step into the robotics and automation revolution

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Shanghai at night. Picture credit: Pixabay

China’s leaders are instituting a new industrial revolution with robotics at the centre, and are inviting investors from outside countries. But what’s it like to enter the dragon with your money? In this article, China-based investment expert Edward Tse, CEO of Gao Feng, outlines some things to consider

Broadly speaking, there are now three distinct groups of multinational companies (MNCs) in China we can classify according to their market views.

The first group includes MNCs who have come to China, made investments and being unsuccessful, decided that China is not their cup of tea. They generally found it difficult to be profitable and some have withdrawn from China.

The second group of companies are those operating in sectors with overcapacity – often quite significant ones – in China. These companies are typically in a wait-and-see mode, waiting to see if and when the overcapacity may be managed away.

The final group of companies are those who have found China to be a major, and often highly profitable, market. For them, China is one of their largest, if not the largest market in the world.  [Read more…] about Investing in China: A quick step into the robotics and automation revolution

Investing in robotics and automation – part one

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Picture credit: Flickr

Beginning a new series of articles about investing in robotics and automation, Brian Gahsman, managing partner and chief investment officer at GBSfunds.com, explains how his company, Gahsman Branton, approaches the market 

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Source: Gahsman Branton 

Check out realtime stock prices for companies in the robotics, automation and relating computing sectors

Robotics and Automation News: Tell us about GBS Funds and what its aims are. Tell us about the composite and investment fund for the “robotics revolution” as you call it.

Brian Gahsman: GBS Funds is an investment management company which was started by Rob Branton and myself this year. We are launching our first fund, the GBS Global Innovations Fund on October 1st 2016.

The fund’s main focus is investing in companies worldwide which play a critical role in the global robotics and automation revolution. The strategy will also invest in game changing innovations across other diverse industries and sectors.

In early 2014 I began to research the technological evolution of global robotics and automation comparative to capacity and demand which became a sub strategy of a previous fund that I co-managed.  [Read more…] about Investing in robotics and automation – part one

Exclusive: Comau has eyes on massive Asian market

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Exclusive interview with Maurizio Cremonini, head of marketing at Comau

As many readers of Robotics and Automation News will know, Comau (Consorzio Macchine Utensili) is the Italian manufacturer of industrial robotic arms utilised by all the leading automakers in the world. 

One of those automakers is the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Group, which happens to own Comau, as well as the famous Ferrari brand of supercars.

So, in a way, Comau could claim to be the Ferrari of industrial robot makers. If I were the company’s marketing boss, I would certainly make more of the Ferrari connection. Having said that, Comau robots do echo the beauty of Ferrari cars, both in their colour and their shapes, using a similar red to the classic body paint on a Ferrari such as the one pictured above, and lately using a silver/grey/brushed steel and black combination with curves perhaps borrowed from Ferrari cars.

Maurizio Cremonini is head of marketing at Comau, and he has made time to give Robotics and Automation News this exclusive, extensive and deep insight into Comau.  [Read more…] about Exclusive: Comau has eyes on massive Asian market

Fugitive robot found holed up on comet. Scientists demand the truth

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An escaped space robot has been found holed up inside a cave on a comet after going on the run for more than a year. 

Philae, a tiny robotic spacecraft, was sent by the European Space Agency as part of the Rosetta mission.

Philae was designed to autonomously explore and send back data to the main Rosetta spacecraft, but it apparently ran off and scientists have not been able to find it until now.

Matt Taylor, ESA’s Rosetta project scientist, is quoted by CNN as saying: “This wonderful news means that we now have the missing ‘ground-truth’ information needed to put Philae’s three days of science into proper context, now that we know where that ground actually is.”

Full story on CNN

Yaskawa to showcase new customer machines at IMTS

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Giant robot maker to provide platform to innovators using Yaskawa technology in their solutions

The banners and graphics of Yaskawa booth E-4154 at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) will clearly display the logo of Yaskawa America, but the most notable features of the company’s 2016 exhibit will not be operating under the Yaskawa name.

The focus will be on two machines from companies that are doing a particularly impressive job of putting the features of Yaskawa motion automation components to use.

MachMotion of Newburg, Missouri will be showing an engraver that makes use of Yaskawa’s new Sigma-7 servo systems and the latest MP3300iec motion controller.  [Read more…] about Yaskawa to showcase new customer machines at IMTS