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From the Editor
Robots Continue to Support Manufacturing in New Ways
At this week’s IMTS 2022 manufacturing event in Chicago, thousands of attendees reviewed the latest offering in machining tools, manufacturing equipment, and yes, robots. Across the four halls of exhibits, robots were seen doing tasks to help manufacturers more efficiently perform tasks such as welding, machine tending, laser cutting, and more. Check back on the Robotics World website later this week to read my “trends from the show story,” but here’s a sneak peek: Robots are performing more tasks than before, programming a robot is getting simpler, and the equipment is aimed to help augment human workers, not replace them. It’s a similar theme that we’ve heard over the past few years, but worth repeating as the world comes out of the post-COVID era.
– Keith Shaw, Managing Editor. |
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IDS to Showcase 2D, 3D and AI Offerings at VISION Event
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IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, which manufactures industrial cameras and image processing technology, has announced it will display an array of new camera technologies at the VISION event in Stuttgart, Germany. The event is scheduled for Oct. 4-6, covering the latest in machine vision technologies. In addition to showing the expanded machine learning methods that include anomaly detection, the company will unveil the next stage of development for its new uEye Warp10 cameras, which combine a 10GigE interface and TFL mount, and large-format sensors with up to 45-megapixel resolution. |
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Flex Logix Unveils Mini-ITX System for Edge, Embedded AI Deployment
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Flex Logix Technologies, which supplies high-performance and efficient edge artificial intelligence inference accelerators, has announced the InferX Hawk – a hardware and software-ready mini-ITX x86 system designed to help customers customize, build and deploy edge and embedded AI systems. The InferX Hawk system includes the Flex Logix InferX X1 AI accelerator chip, AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 SoC, InferX Runtime software, and the EasyVision platform running Linux or Windows to deliver an integrated low-power, high-performance AI system. The AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 delivers performance per watt efficiency using "Zen+" core architecture and Radeon Graphics. |
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OnRobot Previews D:PLOY Software to Speed Robot Machine Cell Deployment
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OnRobot has announced it will preview its automated, application-centered D:PLOY software platform for robotic deployment at next week’s IMTS 2022 show in Chicago. The system can automatically discover and configure all the components in a robotic cell – including collaborative or light industrial robot arm and tools, as well as integrating external I/O from sensors and machines. At IMTS, OnRobot will preview D:PLOY in a machine tending application at its booth, using a UR5e cobot from Universal Robots. The application demonstrates how the entire application, including any leading cobot or light industrial arm, along with tooling, sensors and other devices, can be accessed and managed from the D:PLOY dashboard. |
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AeroVironment Launches All-Electric UAS for Heavy Payloads, Longer Distances
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AeroVironment has announced the launch of its next-generation VAPOR Helicopter unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the VAPOR 55 MX. With a completely redesigned modular autonomy framework, the VAPOR 55 MX enables increased endurance and expanded payload capacity to meet current and emerging needs of defense, commercial and industrial customers. The expanded modular payload bay can carry up to 12 pounds of payload with more than 70 minutes of flight endurance while still maintaining the 55-pound gross take-off weight (GTOW) restricted by the FAA for commercial customers. |
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Blendid Deploys Robotic Smoothie Kiosk at Love’s Travel Stops
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Blendid, which develops food automation systems through robotics, has announced a deployment of its Jamba by Blendid autonomous robotic kiosk at a Love’s Travel Stops store in California. Located at the rest area in Williams, Calif., just outside of Sacramento, the kiosk provides customers with smoothies on the go prepared by a robotic system. The kiosk combines smoothie options inspired by Jamba with the robotic solutions offered by Blendid. The system operates on Blendid’s contactless food automation platform foodOS, which combines machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence to provide customers with food options made on demand and customized to meet individual tastes. |
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Product Profile: Schunk JGP-P 2-Finger Parallel Gripper
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The JGP-P 2-finger parallel gripper can be used to load and unload machine tools, as well as work in clean and slightly dirty surroundings. It can be used in pick and place tasks for assembly work, as well as other related applications. The gripper is also suited for work in both clean and slightly dirty surroundings in the assembly and handling, and automotive industries, among others. It offers up to 50% higher gripping force and 30% longer gripper fingers than its predecessor, Schunk said. The increased surface area of the drive piston enables it to handle a higher workpiece weight than its predecessor. Ten compatible sensor systems offer a wide range of monitoring options. |
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In Case You Missed It
Uber, Nuro Announce 10-Year Partnership for Autonomous Food Delivery
Uber Technologies has announced a 10-year partnership with Nuro, which develops autonomous vehicles, to advance the use of autonomous food deliveries in the U.S. The partnership will kick off later this fall with deliveries in Houston, Texas, and Mountain View, California. The program will give Uber Eats consumers the option to order meals and goods delivered by Nuro’s zero-occupant autonomous delivery vehicles, which run on public roads and are built specifically to carry food and other goods. Both companies said they plan to expand the service to the greater Bay Area. Read More |
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Sponsored Content
BLV Series R Type Brushless DC Motors
The new BLV Series R motors feature high power with reduced size and weight and are designed for battery-powered input type applications, such as automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots and conveyors.
Learn More HERE. |
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Featured Article
Busy Beaver Expands Badger Retail Robot Deployment
Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and developer of retail automation robotics systems, has announced a production rollout of its multipurpose autonomous robots with Busy Beaver Building Centers, operator of 25 full-line home improvement centers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The company began a pilot program with Busy Beaver in October 2021, in which robots worked at a store in Delmont, Pa., managing more than 33,000 SKUs to improve operations and shopping experiences. Busy Beaver said it fully embraced Electronic Shelf Labels to eliminate manual price changes, as well as more closely monitor in-store traffic and buying trends. Read More Read Case Study |
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Robotics News
- Addverb Opens R&D Center to Expand U.S. Presence for Robotics Research
Addverb Technologies, which develops automation solutions for warehouses and distribution centers, has announced the opening of a new Center of Excellence for Advanced Robotics Research and Development in Fremont, Calif. The center will focus on developing state-of-the-art platforms for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), as well as advanced algorithms for human-machine collaboration and biomedical robotics.
- German District Orders Navya Self-Driving Shuttle
Navya, which develops autonomous driving systems, has announced a sale of an EVO shuttle to Landkreis Kronach, a district in the German federal state of Bavaria. The new sale is the third shuttle to be ordered by the district, and comes as an addition to two ARMA shuttles, which were acquired as part of the Shuttle-Modellregion Oberfranken (SMO) project. The SMO project brings together 12 partners, including equipment supplier Valeo and the operator Omnibusverkehr Franken GmbH (a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn), and is the impetus behind the deployment of six Navya self-driving shuttles over the three north Bavarian towns of Hof, Kronach and Bad Steben, as well previously Rehau.
- Domino’s Pizza, Picnic to Trial Pizza Automation Outside of U.S.
The Picnic Pizza Station is an automated pizza assembly system within the functioning Domino’s store, with the ability to assemble the most popular pizzas by applying sauce, cheese, sliced pepperoni and other ingredients. The company said the demonstration aims to understand how automated pizza assembly can assist Domino's employees in creating fresh and consistent pizza as efficiently as possible. The new program is part of an initiative between Domino’s and Picnic that started in 2021, and has included research, product testing and multi-national planning.
- China’s Clearbot Raises Seed Funding for Robot Boat Development
Ocean mobility startup Clearbot has announced it closed on a seed funding round, led by the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF), with participation from CarbonX Global. Financial terms of the funding were not disclosed. Clearbot is designing and developing artificial intelligence-powered, all-electric and self-driving robotic boats. The company also provides robots-as-a-service (RaaS) to its clients to automate various maritime services, including trash collection, water quality monitoring and cargo movement. The company partnered with Razer in designing its latest version, Clearbot Neo, and has plans to expand its presence with seven robots deployed across locations such as Hong Kong, India, and Panama.
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Robotics Funding
Realtime Robotics Raises $14.4 Million to Scale Robot Planning Software
Realtime Robotics, which develops collision-free autonomous motion planning software for industrial robots, has announced it raised an additional $14.4 million in funding, led by Soundproof Ventures, Heroic Ventures and SIP Global Partners. The funding comes following the launch of the company’s latest RapidPlan software, which helps manufacturers design and deploy industrial automation faster and more efficiently. Through RapidPlan, customers are able to automate the programming, deployment and control of their industrial robots with applications in areas such as automotive or logistics. The software lets them create and choreograph all robot movements without the need for brand-specific robot programming. Read More |
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Indoor Robotics Raises $18M for Aerial Security Robot Development
Israel’s Champel Capital has announced it added Indoor Robotics to its investment portfolio, raising $18 million in Series A funding. Indoor Robotics is developing an autonomous, aerial indoor security robot. The company said developing an autonomous indoor security robot has challenged robotics designers for years. While some ground-based robots are commercially available, ordinary items such as chairs or steps can prevent them from securing an area. The Indoor Robotics’ Tando uses multiple sensors and proprietary algorithms to accurately map and navigate any indoor space, allowing it to autonomously navigate above or around any items in its path, enabling it to secure and monitor large areas. Read More |
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Aerial Robots
Reliable Robotics to Test Automated Aircraft Across Sub-Saharan Africa
Reliable Robotics, which is developing autonomous aircraft systems, has announced a strategic collaboration with Astral Aviation, a Kenya-based airline, with the goal of enhancing aviation safety and increasing air cargo connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa. The two companies will work together to develop operational, regulatory and business plans to launch automated aircraft operations in the region. The company is also working with the FAA to certify its automation system on the Cessna 208 Caravan, in order to begin commercial cargo operations in the U.S. The collaboration with Astral Aviation will enable the subsequent international expansion into Africa, where the Caravan is an essential utility aircraft with nearly 350 currently operating across the continent. Read More |
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MFE Inspection Solutions to Resell Emesent Drone Autonomy Payload
MFE Inspection Solutions has announced its appointment as a reseller of Emesent, which develops drone autonomy systems. The partnership will give MFE customers access to the full line of Emesent products, including their flagship product Hovermap ST, an autonomy and mapping payload. Hovermap is widely used in the mining, infrastructure, surveying, and mapping industries to scan complex environments quickly and safely. Read More |
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