Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Environment

Rosendin to showcase robotic solar installation system at Texas job site

by

Rosendin, which claims to be the largest employee-owned electrical contractor in the US, is preparing to publicly demonstrate a new robotic system designed to accelerate the construction of solar energy projects. (See video below.)

The showcase, scheduled for April 17 at a utility-scale solar site in West Texas, will feature a three-part autonomous robotic system developed to install photovoltaic (PV) panels more quickly and safely than traditional manual methods.

The robotics platform is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Rosendin’s Renewable Energy Group and ULC Technologies, a company known for its robotic innovations in the energy sector. [Read more…] about Rosendin to showcase robotic solar installation system at Texas job site

Fugro and Spoor to develop bird-monitoring solution for offshore renewable energy projects

by

Fugro and Spoor, a software company that helps renewable energy projects reduce their environmental impact, have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a new bird-monitoring solution for offshore renewable energy projects.

This innovative system will not only help protect bird populations but also supports the growth of renewable energy by making environmental assessments more affordable, cleaner, and safer.

The solution uses video cameras installed on Fugro’s SeaWatch Wind Lidar and other metocean buoys to record bird activity at wind farm locations. Spoor’s advanced computer vision and AI software then analyses these recordings to quickly and accurately identify bird species. [Read more…] about Fugro and Spoor to develop bird-monitoring solution for offshore renewable energy projects

Electric Vehicles are Part of the Future of Frugal Living

by

Electric cars are no longer a dream of the future; they are now the hype on the roads. With growing concerns over climate change and air quality, EVs promise a sustainable replacement for traditional gasoline-run automobiles.

In direct support of the values of frugal living, the move to electric mobility means minimum waste, expense, and living within one’s available resources. By embracing electric vehicles, we can significantly reduce our transportation costs, aligning with the core principles of frugal living.

Furthermore, utilizing other tools like budgeting apps and ride-sharing services can further enhance our financial well-being and help us live more economically. [Read more…] about Electric Vehicles are Part of the Future of Frugal Living

Carnegie Mellon develops Apple-inspired recycling robot

by

A researcher from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science is using robotics to improve e-waste recycling.

E-waste is one of the fastest-growing types of waste in the world, with an estimated 62 million tons produced in 2022 alone. But only about 20 percent of that was recycled. As reliance on tech devices grows, finding ways to salvage and recycle their components becomes critical.

Matt Travers, a senior systems scientist in the School of Computer Science’s Robotics Institute, has launched a new company, roboLoop, that uses technology inspired by his e-waste recycling research partnership with Apple to help disassemble flat panel displays. roboLoop’s robot was recently installed at a facility in State College, Pennsylvania. The new robot speeds up e-waste recycling for flat-screen displays. [Read more…] about Carnegie Mellon develops Apple-inspired recycling robot

Starship Technologies and Topanga partner to offer reusable packaging with campus food orders

by

Starship Technologies, a builder and provider of autonomous delivery robots, and Topanga.io, a reusable packaging management platform, are partnering to offer reusable packaging for food orders at US campuses.

George Mason University will be the first Starship campus to introduce the ReusePass integration and the first university to offer a fully integrated reusables experience for kiosks.

There are plans to expand the service to additional Starship campuses. Initially available for mobile pickup and kiosk orders, it will be available for robot deliveries after the launch. [Read more…] about Starship Technologies and Topanga partner to offer reusable packaging with campus food orders

Top 10 robotic insects: Can robotic bees save all plant life on Earth?

by

As someone who eats honey on toast almost every day, I’ve been quite interested over the past few years by stories about the supposed collapse of the global bee population.

Bees not only produce honey, they are, of course, nature’s great pollinators. Although not the only pollinators around, they’re the only ones who produce honey, as far as I know.

So, I thought I’d delve into this topic a little bit, in light of various academic institutions and companies developing tiny flying robots or drones that could potentially do the job of natural pollinators. [Read more…] about Top 10 robotic insects: Can robotic bees save all plant life on Earth?

Beatbot launches ‘RoboTurtle’ for disaster response and pool cleaner

by

Beatbot, the brand behind robotic pool cleaners, has unveiled two “transformative innovations” designed to redefine pool care and ecological sustainability.

The Amphibious RoboTurtle, a next-generation robotic marvel, is engineered for ecological research, aquatic preservation, and disaster response, featuring advanced capabilities such as water environment monitoring, biometric tracking, and AI-supported hazardous material sampling.

Meanwhile, the Shore Self-Docking & Charging Station revolutionizes pool maintenance with fully automated cleaning and charging, eliminating the need for manual intervention. [Read more…] about Beatbot launches ‘RoboTurtle’ for disaster response and pool cleaner

Segway showcases new robots to ‘revolutionise lawncare’

by

Segway Navimow, the robotic lawn mower arm of Segway, is showcasing its latest flagship, the Segway Navimow X3 Series, at the ongoing CES event in Las Vegas,  until January 12, 2025. 

The new premium model robot mowers, coming to market in spring 2025, are designed to maintain up to 2.5-acre lawns with unparalleled efficiency and expanded functionality, no matter the size or complexity of the yard.

The Segway Navimow X3 Series redefines efficiency with innovative improvements, featuring a larger cutting width and accelerated mowing speed for faster, more precise maintenance of a broader range of lawn sizes – up to 2.5 acres. [Read more…] about Segway showcases new robots to ‘revolutionise lawncare’

Autonomous snow-clearing vehicles: Solutions for winter’s challenges

by

Regardless of whether you believe in “global warming” or the various outlandish claims some environmentalists make, me personally, I’ve noticed that, over the course of my lifetime, the weather has become more and more crazy. 

I don’t think the mainstream news media covers the subject enough, preferring to cover the never-ending wars that repeatedly flare up here and there with the same kind of regularity that they did in biblical times.

Living in the UK, I’ve noticed that the north of England is often inundated with water because of unexpected and unprecedented flooding, or trashed by gale force winds that tear down fences and gates in the middle of the night, or snow that blankets entire towns and airports.

And yet, the news media – which is mostly based in the south, specifically London – appears to be oblivious to it all, preferring to keep their cameras on the dances of death by the current generation of warlords around the world. [Read more…] about Autonomous snow-clearing vehicles: Solutions for winter’s challenges