Robotics & Automation News

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Nidec to showcase latest robotic components and haptic devices

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Leading components supplier gearing up for CES 2019

Autonomous machines are set to play an indispensable role in the future – not only in factories and warehouses, but also in people’s homes.

In addition to improving the efficiency of manufacturing lines, robots also have the potential to make our lives more comfortable by taking care of menial tasks, or augmenting human capabilities through technologies like powered exoskeletons.

Highly sophisticated robots use dozens – sometimes even hundreds – of motors and gearboxes.  [Read more…] about Nidec to showcase latest robotic components and haptic devices

Centimetres make all the difference for safe automated driving, says Bosch

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Automated driving is about more than just sensors, control units, and lots of computing power, says Bosch. It also requires a host of smart services, without which no vehicle will ever be able to drive autonomously.

“Services are at least as important for automated driving as the hardware and software,” says the Bosch board of management member Dr. Dirk Hoheisel. “We must pursue all three paths simultaneously to get self-driving cars safely and reliably onto our roads.”

Self-driving vehicles can drive safely only if they know down to the nearest centimetre exactly where they are at any given time, says Bosch. To achieve this, the company offers a  localisation package.

[Read more…] about Centimetres make all the difference for safe automated driving, says Bosch

Webcast: Artificial intelligence in the manufacturing sector

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In this interview, Humera Malik, founder and CEO of Canvass Analytics, provides an insight into her company.

Canvass Analytics is a startup backed by Google Ventures, among others. A data analytics company, it specialises in helping large manufacturers apply artificial intelligence to their operations.

Malik provides an overview of the industrial market from her point of view, as well as insights into the adoption rate of this new way of streamlining processes to make them more efficient and productive.  [Read more…] about Webcast: Artificial intelligence in the manufacturing sector

How to improve workflow with technology

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We rely heavily on technology to get us through our daily lives and with every change and introduction of new innovations, it’s no surprise that technology has created a huge impact on us.

Could you imagine trying to get hold of a business that doesn’t have a phone system or email to contact?

Well, not too long ago computers and technology were not viewed as compulsory. But, modern technology has proved necessary countless times over the years and has presented us with numerous ways to enhance business performance and workflow.  [Read more…] about How to improve workflow with technology

Sarcos Robotics says it has overcome ‘major obstacle’ to commercial deployment of its exoskeletons

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Sarcos Robotics says it has overcome a “major obstacle” to the commercial deployment of its exoskeletons.

Sarcos says a number of significant technology advancements for its highly anticipated Guardianä XO Max full-body, powered industrial exoskeleton robotic system.

The company, which plans to start shipping the Guardian XO Max to customers in early 2020, has completed the assembly of the world’s first all-electric, battery-powered, full-body industrial exoskeleton capable of enabling a human operator to safely lift and manipulate up to 200 pounds for extended work sessions.  [Read more…] about Sarcos Robotics says it has overcome ‘major obstacle’ to commercial deployment of its exoskeletons

Occupational safety: Where workers fear to tread

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Even now, after decades of government-directed safety regulations, factories and industrial environments can still be extremely dangerous places for humans to work in.

Despite the current trend towards collaborative robots and the largely conceptual framework of all-pervasive cyber-physical systems, where previously dangerous machines – such as industrial robotic arms and autonomous mobile vehicles – are increasingly designed to be inherently safe for humans to work directly with, thousands of deaths and injuries still occur in workshops and on the shop floor.

Statistics released by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration show that more than 5,000 workers were killed on the job over the course of 2016 in the US alone, although this figure includes data from many different sectors, not just manufacturing, logistics and industry.  [Read more…] about Occupational safety: Where workers fear to tread

Flexible collaborative robots boost capacity at Swedish machine shop

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FT-Produktion turned to flexible collaborative robots – cobots – to boost productivity without adding personnel. The new technology also elevated job satisfaction by bringing variation to daily routines – a key advantage in an industry battling to attract and retain qualified labour.

No machine shop in its right mind would turn down global leaders like Volvo, Renault and Scania when they come calling with orders – even if it means pushing capacity and productivity to the limit. But in a labour market where recruiting qualified employees is easier said than done, it takes innovation to increase output capacity.

To meet growing market demand, the Swedish machine shop FT-Produktion turned to specialised robot technology designed to meet the automation needs of small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses.  [Read more…] about Flexible collaborative robots boost capacity at Swedish machine shop

Robotic Process Automation: How ‘software robots’ are finding their niche

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A simple introduction to a complex subject

At Robotics and Automation News, we like real robots, ones that you can see and touch, that are preferably made of metal. However, we might have been remiss in not talking about another kind, the “software robot” that sits inside your computer, watches what you are doing, and learns how to do it for you.

Software developers automate tasks by analysing them in detail, and writing programmes that carry out the task step by step, and then writing something called an Application Programming Interface (API) to link the task into an organisation’s computer system.

The drawbacks here are the usual – some tasks don’t justify the cost of designing a special software system, yet nonetheless many hours of laborious manual inputting needs doing. It is here that Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and software robots are coming into their own.  [Read more…] about Robotic Process Automation: How ‘software robots’ are finding their niche

Webcast: Interview with Ricardo Tellez, CEO, TheConstructSim

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In this presentation and interview, Ricardo Tellez, CEO of TheConstructSim, introduces a new system for creating and sharing ROS projects, which the company has developed. (See video below.)

Called “ROSjects”, the method is said to simplify the process of sharing code for robot simulation.

TheConstructSim is believed to be the only online, browser-based robot simulation application in the world, and is currently used by robot enthusiasts and large, established robot companies alike.  [Read more…] about Webcast: Interview with Ricardo Tellez, CEO, TheConstructSim