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Aptiv to buy Wind River for $4.3 billion

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Aptiv, a technology company developing mobility software and systems, is to acquire Wind River from TPG Capital, the private equity platform of global alternative asset management firm TPG, for $4.3 billion in cash.

Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for the intelligent edge. Used on over two billion edge devices across more than 1,700 customers globally, Wind River’s software enables the secure development, deployment, operations and servicing of mission-critical intelligent systems.

This edge-to-cloud software portfolio spans the aerospace and defense, telecommunications, industrial and automotive markets and is anchored by Wind River Studio, a highly versatile, comprehensive cloud-native intelligent systems software platform that enables full product lifecycle management for edge-to-cloud use cases. [Read more…] about Aptiv to buy Wind River for $4.3 billion

Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

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By Skip Snyder, senior partner, IBM Consulting and Mike Pollitt, chief sales officer, Boston Dynamics

The demand for AI-driven robotics is increasing in operations like those in manufacturing and warehouse settings to help organizations with data and analytics that identify problems in real time, improve decision making, and perform tasks more efficiently. But to experience the true benefits, these operations need AI as close to the origin of the data as possible.

According to an IBM Institute for Business Value survey, 56 percent of manufacturers have implemented AI-driven robotics to make autonomous decisions, while 83 percent agree intelligent automation will help their organization meet strategic challenges and improve business results. However, businesses point out that most edge and IoT devices today are stationary, inflexible and often incapable of responding to rapidly changing environments.

To address this challenge, IBM and Boston Dynamics have announced a new alliance focused on delivering data analysis at the edge to help industrial companies improve worker safety, optimize field operations, and boost maintenance productivity in environments like manufacturing facilities, power plants, warehouses and more. Enabled by AI and hybrid cloud innovations from IBM Research, IBM Consulting will develop edge payloads that integrate with Spot, the agile, mobile robot from Boston Dynamics. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

Emerson’s unveils new industrial edge-computing software for manufacturers

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Emerson has unveiled the PACEdge industrial edge platform designed to help manufacturers accelerate digital transformation projects by enabling users to quickly create and scale up performance-improving applications.

Emerson says the PACEdge platform simplifies application development by bringing together today’s leading open-source tools into a flexible, integrated and secure platform for utilising machine data and analytics.

The PACEdge release coincides with the launch of Emerson’s new PACSystems RXi2-BP edge computer, a small form-factor industrial PC that enables high-performance analytics to be run close to the machine. [Read more…] about Emerson’s unveils new industrial edge-computing software for manufacturers

Innodisk to release blockchain SSD securing edge data integrity

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The increasing ubiquity of AI in everyday applications brings with it concerns regarding data integrity and validation.

Innodisk’s new-patented blockchain technology brings to its latest SSD solution “InnoBTS SSD” and alleviates these concerns through sophisticated use of digital signature and blockchain that is fully software independent. [Read more…] about Innodisk to release blockchain SSD securing edge data integrity

ABB launches podcast about robotics and automation

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ABB is introducing a new series of podcasts that explore the world of robotics and automation, and their benefits to society in what the company describes as “the greatest shift in automation in a generation, brought on by the pandemic”.

Whether it’s collaborative robots working alongside humans in laboratories and SME businesses, or industrial robots working in large factories producing the next generation of electric vehicle, robots of all shapes and sizes are making work safer and more efficient for people and companies the world over.

Each episode of The Robot Podcast features a panel of experts and takes an in-depth look at some of the most interesting global case studies. [Read more…] about ABB launches podcast about robotics and automation

Hitachi launches new industrial edge computer

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Hitachi has launched a new industrial edge computer. The “Hitachi Industrial Edge Computer CE series Embedded AI model” was developed in collaboration with Intel.

The product, an integration of Intel’s artificial intelligence technology and Hitachi’s control system design and manufacturing technologies, is a new model that incorporates an image analysis execution platform using AI and deep learning.

Through providing this product, Hitachi contributes to the expansion of digital transformation, such as streamlining and automating tasks that rely on visual checks (the inspection process for finished products in the manufacturing industry) and solving management challenges using on-site data. [Read more…] about Hitachi launches new industrial edge computer

ATI launches end effector kits for Fanuc collaborative robots

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ATI Industrial Automation has developed CRX-Ready End-Effector Kits, providing Fanuc CRX cobot users a simple and effective way to increase the flexibility of collaborative robotic automation. (See video below.)

These all-in-one packages include robust options for automatic tool changing, force sensing, and material removal, and enable tasks such as assembly, machine tending, part inspection, surface preparation and others to be implemented and executed easily.

CRX-Ready End-Effector Kits include everything needed to get Fanuc CRX cobot applications up and running. In addition to the end-effector, the kit features all the hardware and software required for system connection. [Read more…] about ATI launches end effector kits for Fanuc collaborative robots

Automation and digitalization ‘competitive edge in volatile market’, says Siemens

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Automation and digitalization “offer a significant competitive edge in a volatile market environment”, according to Siemens.

Europe’s largest engineering company says the current situation creates major challenges for industrial companies worldwide – and shows that digitalized and highly automated production is more important than ever when it comes to gaining a competitive edge.

This is the only way that companies can react to current and future challenges with the required degree of flexibility, says Siemens. [Read more…] about Automation and digitalization ‘competitive edge in volatile market’, says Siemens

Siemens launches latest version of 3D design software Solid Edge

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Siemens Digital Industries Software has launched the 2021 version of Solid Edge 3D CAD modelling application. 

Europe’s largest engineering company says Solid Edge 2021 includes design capability enhancements such as new subdivision modeling and improved reverse engineering performance with new deviation analysis.

Solid Edge 2021 also includes a new artificial intelligence-powered adaptive user interface to predict next steps, and seamless integration with 3dfind.it, an intelligent 3D model search engine powered by CADENAS, a virtual library of 3D parts. [Read more…] about Siemens launches latest version of 3D design software Solid Edge

ADLINK teams up with Intel to launch ROS-based robotics technology

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ADLINK Technology, a provider of edge computing systems, has launched the ROScube-I with Intel, providing a real-time ROS 2 robot controller for advanced robotic applications.

The ADLINK ROScube-I Series is a ROS 2-enabled robotic controller based on Intel Xeon E, 9th Gen Intel Core i7/i3 and 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processors, and features exceptional I/O connectivity supporting a wide variety of sensors and actuators to meet the needs of a wide range of robotic applications.

The ROScube-I supports an extension box for convenient functional and performance expansion with Intel VPU cards and the Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit for computation of AI algorithms and inference. [Read more…] about ADLINK teams up with Intel to launch ROS-based robotics technology