Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Design

Alio says its Hybrid Hexapod addresses ‘critical weaknesses’ of traditional motion systems

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Alio Industries says its patented Hybrid Hexapod was developed by Alio to address the critical weaknesses of conventional legacy hexapod designs, as well as the weaknesses of stacked serial stages, and to achieve nanometer-level accuracy, repeatability, and high-integrity flatness and straightness during motion.

It utilizes a tripod parallel kinematics structure to deliver Z plane and tip/tilt motion, integrated with a monolithic serial kinematic structure for XY motion.

A rotary stage integrated into the top of the tripod (or underneath it, depending on application needs) provides 360-degree continuous Theta Z rotation. [Read more…] about Alio says its Hybrid Hexapod addresses ‘critical weaknesses’ of traditional motion systems

AImotive ‘first’ to gain ISO certification for its automated driving simulator

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AImotive claims it has become the “first” company to gain ISO26262 certification for its automated driving simulator.

AImotive relies on first ISO26262 certified simulator to power CI/CD (continuous integration and delivery) of automated driving

The company says the certification is the “essential first step” towards creating certifiable toolchain for advanced driver assistance system or automated driving development. [Read more…] about AImotive ‘first’ to gain ISO certification for its automated driving simulator

Visteon launches SmartCore cockpit for electric vehicles

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Visteon Corporation, a provider of automotive technologies, has demonstrated its newest SmartCore cockpit or virtual dashboard.

The company says it is the “world’s first production cockpit domain controller with a third-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platform”.

The new human-machine interface will be installed into Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group’s new pure electric vehicle platform, Aion LX. [Read more…] about Visteon launches SmartCore cockpit for electric vehicles

Volvo and Daimler to begin ‘large-scale production’ of hydrogen fuel cells

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Volvo and Daimler are to begin “large-scale production” of hydrogen fuel cells.

The companies say this enable them to “lead the development of sustainable transportation”.

Sharing the Green Deal vision of sustainable transport and a carbon neutral Europe by 2050, two leading companies in the commercial vehicle industry – Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group – have signed a preliminary non-binding agreement to establish a new joint venture. [Read more…] about Volvo and Daimler to begin ‘large-scale production’ of hydrogen fuel cells

nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

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nTopology has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to advance the capabilities of additive manufacturing through integrated software toolkits and embed ORNL expertise into nTop software.

The plan is for these capabilities to be made available commercially to the broader advanced-manufacturing market.

The collaboration incorporates foundational nTopology software with ORNL-developed machine control capabilities on large-scale polymer additive manufacturing systems. [Read more…] about nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

Five robotic technology innovations move to final phase of Esmera competition

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Five robotic technology experiments have moved into the final phase of a competition run by Esmera, the European Union-funded project set up to develop innovative technologies.

The five entrants are:

  • Nix;
  • Minotaur-R (energy sector);
  • Reflect;
  • Wire Cobots (manufacturing); and
  • Cobolleague (construction).

They have all been selected to move into the second phase of Esmera, which is an abbreviation of European SMEs Robotic Applications. [Read more…] about Five robotic technology innovations move to final phase of Esmera competition

Fanuc launches new vision sensor for robotic warehousing applications

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The world’s largest industrial robot maker Fanuc has launched a new vision sensor for robotic warehousing applications.

The company’s new 3DV/1600 vision sensor quickly finds and snaps boxes of varying sizes and shapes in a large bin – an ideal application for the warehousing, e-commerce and logistics markets.

Fanuc claims to be the leading supplier of robotics, CNCs, RoboMachines and industrial internet of things solutions in America. [Read more…] about Fanuc launches new vision sensor for robotic warehousing applications

Yanmar leads agricultural robotics project to develop ‘SMASH’ system

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Agriculture in the future will see increasing use of scientifically precise farming techniques, where automated “agro-bots” monitor, treat and work the land, using advanced technology designed to help maximise yields and minimise disease. 

With its extensive experience in automation and agricultural mechanisation, agritech specialist Yanmar is now showing the way in advanced field robotics research.

Time for change in our changing times?

It’s hard to think of a more important economic sector than agriculture. This is an industry that directly affects the lives of everyone the world over, despite being beset by challenges from all sides.

Changes in temperature and precipitation are influencing crop yields; farmers and agricultural workers are directly exposed to the effects of weather extremes, while millions more in food-related jobs are already feeling the impact of our changing climate. [Read more…] about Yanmar leads agricultural robotics project to develop ‘SMASH’ system

Math experts use drones to show it’s possible to ‘see’ perfectly using sound

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The discovery’s potential applications include self-driving cars, smartphones that can guide the visually impaired and drones that can help firefighters at night

As the industry for self-driving cars, robots and other unmanned vehicles quickly evolves – and engineers work to overcome the limitations of sensors that use visual, infrared or thermal information – math experts at Purdue University and the Technical University of Munich have proven there’s another, equally viable solution: using sound. 

Mireille “Mimi” Boutin, associate professor of mathematics at Purdue University, and Gregor Kemper, professor of algorithmic algebra at Technical University, found that a drone equipped with four microphones and a loudspeaker can precisely reconstruct the wall configuration of a room by listening to echoes, similar to how bats use echolocation to orient themselves.

Their work is significant because it demonstrates the feasibility of using sound for navigation in unmanned systems, leading to many potential applications such as cars, drones, underwater vehicles or even devices that people can carry, such as a smartphone.  [Read more…] about Math experts use drones to show it’s possible to ‘see’ perfectly using sound

Norfolk Southern introduces autonomous railtrack inspection system

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Norfolk Southern says it has achieved a breakthrough in track inspection technology that will “enhance railroad safety and operating efficiencies”. (See video below.)

The company claims that it is the first North American freight railroad to develop and deploy an autonomous track geometry measurement system that is mounted on a locomotive and combines “ingenuity and innovation”.

In contrast, says Norfolk Southern, autonomous track-inspection systems commercially available today are installed on converted freight or passenger rail cars, which require an external power source to operate and occupy space on a train that could be used to move revenue-producing freight. [Read more…] about Norfolk Southern introduces autonomous railtrack inspection system