Robotics & Automation News

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Logistics

Seegrid expands Supervisor API to provide interoperability across automation systems

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Seegrid, a provider of flexible automated materials handling solutions, has expanded its Supervisor application programming interface to offer more advanced, connected solutions for customers.

Seegrid says the new API delivers on the promise of automation beyond materials movement, providing real-time interoperability to improve facility operations.

Interconnectedness is critical for automation systems, and Supervisor’s API addresses that growing demand, says Seegrid.  [Read more…] about Seegrid expands Supervisor API to provide interoperability across automation systems

Carton recycling robot 50 per cent more productive, claim researchers

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carton recycling robot

Project uses artificial intelligence to identify, grab, and separate food and beverage cartons

The Carton Council of North America says that it has been conducting a pilot program that uses artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of carton recycling.

Its research concluded that the system was 50 per cent more productive.

Through a collaboration led by the Carton Council with two Denver-based companies, AMP Robotics and Alpine Waste & Recycling, a robotic system has learned to identify the wide variety of food and beverage cartons in order to grab and separate them from the recycling stream.

The AMP Cortex, nicknamed “Clarke” after the sci-fi author and futurist Arthur C. Clarke, has spider-like arms with specially designed grippers to pick up and separate cartons at a materials recovery facility.

Clarke was installed in late 2016 and, through fine-tuning and adjustments, has achieved a pickup rate of 60 cartons per minute. This is a considerable increase from the human average of 40 picks per minute.  [Read more…] about Carton recycling robot 50 per cent more productive, claim researchers

KernPack signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics experts Skilled Group

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kernpack industrial robot small

Signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics and laser guided vehicle specialist Skilled Group

KernPack, a distributor of specialist packaging machinery and solutions, has signed an exclusive UK and Ireland distribution deal with Skilled Group, enabling it to sell the company’s complete range of robotic palletising systems and automatic guided vehicles.

Part of KernPack’s strategy to widen its capabilities, by adding end-of-line warehouse automation to its packaging and mailing solutions, the deal also takes the company into the warehouse and logistics market.

Designed for automated warehousing and truck loading, Skilled Group’s products are already used around the world by Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Nestlè, Kraft, Unilever and Johnson & Johnson in installations costing up to €10m.

The company’s wide range of robotic equipment includes articulated robotic arms, gantry and SCARA robots for the automatic palletising of products or pallet handling and automatic guided vehicles, or AGVs, for any situation where a traditional forklift truck is used.  [Read more…] about KernPack signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics experts Skilled Group

UPS completes testing of drone delivery system developed by Workhorse

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UPS says it has successfully tested a drone that launches from the top of a UPS package car, autonomously delivers a package to a home and then returns to the vehicle while the delivery driver continues along the route to make a separate delivery.

UPS conducted the test on Monday in Tampa, Florida with Workhorse Group, an Ohio-based battery-electric truck and drone developer. Workhorse built the drone and the electric UPS package car used in the test.

Mark Wallace, senior vice-president of global engineering and sustainability at UPS, says: “This test is different than anything we’ve done with drones so far. It has implications for future deliveries, especially in rural locations where our package cars often have to travel kilometres to make a single delivery.

“Imagine a triangular delivery route where the stops are kilometres apart by road. Sending a drone from a package car to make just one of those deliveries can reduce costly kilometres driven. This is a big step toward bolstering efficiency in our network and reducing our emissions at the same time.” [Read more…] about UPS completes testing of drone delivery system developed by Workhorse

MiR reports 500 per cent growth in sales of logistics robots

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Mobile Industrial Robots, a developer and manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots, claims it has seen “an astounding 500 percent growth in sales” in 2016, with over 200 MiR100 robots and accessories installed in more than 30 countries.

The company says it has an “ambitious” plan, and has recently expanded its global presence, establishing regional offices in New York and Shanghai.

With substantial increases in hiring in 2016, MiR also tripled the size of its Denmark headquarters, relocating to a new location that will support its ongoing expansion.

In 2017, the front-runner expects to further consolidate its leadership position with a new product that will be launched in Chicago on April 3, 2017 at Automate, North America’s largest automation trade show. [Read more…] about MiR reports 500 per cent growth in sales of logistics robots

uShip raises $25 million to fund logistics automation plan

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uship

uShip, the online shipping marketplace and freight automation software provider, has closed a $25 million Series D round led by DB Schenker, one of the world’s largest logistics companies and an existing uShip partner.

DB Schenker’s funding comes on the heels of unprecedented investment in logistics and supply chain technology.

Since 2015, top pure-play logistics corporations have made 26 investments and/or acquisitions – totalling 13 each year – while logistics tech startups were on pace to raise $5 billion through over 300 deals in 2016, according to CB Insights.  [Read more…] about uShip raises $25 million to fund logistics automation plan

Audi obsessively improving its logistics robot

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Audi is continuously obsessing about how to improve its Ray autonomous logistics robot, which is used to lift and move cars, and park them in specified places. 

The company says the Ray driverless transport system is “continuously being developed further – their weather resistance, for example” and in other ways.

Developed in partnership with Serva Transport Systems, Audi currently has a total of 18 of the parking robots.  [Read more…] about Audi obsessively improving its logistics robot

ZF unveils AI driving system which could be used for forklift trucks, while Toyota adopts the fuel cell

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toyota fuel cell forklift truck

ZF teams up with Nvidia on artificial intelligence system for autonomous cars, trucks and industrial applications

ZF says its ProAI system for automated driving is built on high-performance Nvidia Drive PX 2 AI computing platform, and will enable vehicles to “see, think, and act”. 

ZF is one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers and a global leader in active and passive safety technology, and has been working with Nvidia to develop artificial intelligence systems for the transportation industry for some time.

The two companies are looking at various sectors, including:

  • automated and autonomous driving systems for passenger cars;
  • commercial trucks; and
  • industrial applications.

The ZF ProAI for highway automated driving is ZF’s first system developed using Nvidia AI technology.  [Read more…] about ZF unveils AI driving system which could be used for forklift trucks, while Toyota adopts the fuel cell

Omron launches website to promote AI-equipped mobile robots

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Omron has unveiled a promotional website for the artificial intelligence-equipped autonomous vehicles for logistics. 

The Omron Mobile Robot LD Series is a family of what the company calls “autonomous intelligent vehicles”, or AIVs, which it says is a “significant step towards achieving human-machine harmony in manufacturing”.

Since the LD Series was announced in October last year, customers from a number of industries, ranging from automotive and electronics to foods and pharmaceuticals, have begun deploying the mobile robots in their manufacturing facilities.  [Read more…] about Omron launches website to promote AI-equipped mobile robots

Piaggio, maker of Vespa, launches mobile robot as part of its newly created robotics-oriented business unit

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piaggio gita
Gita, the object-carrying mobile robot from Piaggio, being driven round the bend

Piaggio, the company behind the iconic Vespa motor bikes, is launching a cylindrical mobile robot with a carrying capacity of 40 lb 

Piaggio Group, which claims to be the largest European manufacturer of two-wheel motor vehicles such as the famous Vespa, has launched Piaggio Fast Forward, a newly-established company based in the US formed to pioneer future robotics-oriented technology.

Piaggio was founded over 130 years ago, but the company says its new division is aiming to “fundamentally rethinking the movement of people and goods”.

Michele Colaninno, chairman of PFF, says: “We have established Piaggio Fast Forward to reinvent the future of mobility and this is best accomplished with PFF as a separate entity, but with the backing and experience of the Piaggio Group. You can expect to find Piaggio Fast Forward blurring the lines between transportation, robotics, and urban environments.”  [Read more…] about Piaggio, maker of Vespa, launches mobile robot as part of its newly created robotics-oriented business unit