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From the Editor
Robotics Software Emerging as a Unique Differentiator, Market Accelerator
Companies that make robotics software took the spotlight this week, with several companies announcing partnerships or funding announcements that will help expand the deployment of robotics hardware. For example, Karcher has announced partnering with InOrbit to add its robot operations (aka RobOps) software to support its new KIRA B 50 autonomous floor scrubber. Meanwhile, companies such as Israel’s Cogniteam and Canada’s Vention have raised money to expand their software platforms that help to democratize robotics development and industrial automation planning efforts, to bring easier ways of creating new robotic and automation systems. While robot hardware continues to innovate with new shapes and sizes, for the most part robots will fit into one of a few different categories: robot arms, mobile, drones, humanoid, or vehicles (which technically could fall into mobile). The big differentiator for new robot companies will be how to make the software (and eventually data that the robot can collect) stand out in comparison to other robots in the market. – Keith Shaw, Managing Editor. |
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Axiomtek Launches AI-Powered PC via NVIDIA Jetson Edge Platform
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Axiomtek, which develops and manufactures industrial computer products, has announced the AIE900-XNX, its new edge computing system that uses the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX platform. The new system is aimed at vision AI applications including computer vision, vision-guided robotics, autonomous mobile robots, intelligent roadside units, workplace safety, obstacle detection and traffic management, among others. The system includes a 6-core NVIDIA Carmel ARM v8.2 (64-bit) processor and 384-core NVIDIA Volta architecture GPU, which delivers up to 21 trillions of operations per second (TOPS) to run modern AI workloads. In addition, the platform supports high-speed networking functions, such as a 5G module to drive AIoT innovation. |
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Kärcher Partners With InOrbit to Bring Robot Operations to Autonomous Cleaning
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InOrbit, which develops cloud-based robot operations software, has announced an integration with Alfred Kärcher SE & Co., which develops cleaning technology systems. The integration will add real-time observability, optimization and advanced operations functions to Kärcher’s autonomous equipment. The two companies worked closely together to support the KIRA B 50 autonomous floor scrubber, creating a joint solution for the efficient monitoring of robot health, advanced incident management, and the optimization of mission success. |
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EPC Expands Low-Voltage, Off-the-Shelf GaN Transistors
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Efficient Power Conversion Corp. (EPC) which develops enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGan) power FETs and ICs, has announced expanding its selection of low voltage, off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of the EPC2071 (1.7 mΩ typical, 100 V) GaN FET. The new model is ideal for applications with demanding requirements for high power density performance, including 48V-54V input DC-DC for new servers and artificial intelligence. The company said the EPC2071 is ideal for brushless DC (BLDC) motor drives for e-bikes, e-scooter, robots, drones, and power tools. |
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Berkshire Grey Upgrades BG FLEX Mobile Robot Platform
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Berkshire Grey, which develops artificial intelligence-enabled robots to help automate supply chain processes, has announced the general availability of its next-generation mobile robotic platform, BG FLEX. The platform includes dynamically controlled fleets of mobile robots that work together to induct, transport, sort, sequence, and fulfill items, cases, or containers of merchandise. The system now integrates with new high-density buffering capabilities and enhanced goods-to-person and goods-to-robot picking stations within a single modular package. |
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Amorphology, AddiTech Team up to Produce Multi-Metal Robotics Gear Components
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Amorphology, a NASA spinoff company created from technology developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Institute of Technology, has announced a partnership with Additive Technologies (AddiTech), which develops affordable multi-metal 3D printing systems. Together, the two companies are developing the additive manufacturing of multi-metal gear components for robotics. |
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Clearpath Robotics Launches TurtleBot 4 Learning Platform
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Clearpath Robotics, which manufactures mobile robotic platforms for research and development, and Open Robotics, the primary maintainer of the Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo simulator, have launched TurtleBot 4. The next-generation of the open-source robotics platform is a low-cost, fully expandable mobile robotics platform that includes improved sensing, increased payload capacity, ROS 2 support, and auto-docking capabilities. The system is aimed at educators, researchers and robotics developers. |
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In Case You Missed It
Purdue Athletics Tests Drone Delivery for Food and Beverages
Purdue Athletics has teamed up with its hospitality partner Levy, DBK Studio, Chicago-based Valqari and USOG to pilot a drone-delivered food and beverage service at its sports and entertainment venue. The pilot program took place from April 27-30 at Alexander Field, home of Purdue Baseball. The program involved a select fan base ordering food and beverages, with orders prepared at another on-campus athletic venue, delivered by drone, and placed in a pick-up locker for guests in an open-air space at Alexander Field. The program aimed to test the user experience, food quality, and delivery accuracy. Throughout the test, drones delivered orders of hot dogs, bottles of water, and chips to prepare and pressure-test the delivery experience for higher fan volume at future events. Read More |
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Featured Article
DHL Reports Successful Robot Sorting Pilot in Atlanta Warehouse
DHL eCommerce Solutions has announced it conducted a successful one-year pilot of two DoraSorter robotic systems at its Atlanta distribution center. The robotic sortation systems are one of the projects that are part of DHL’s $100 million, five-year automation investment plan. The company partnered with Dorabot, an AI-powered robotic solutions provider for logistics, e-commerce, supply chain, consumer goods and other industries. Two configurations were used – Sort-to-Bag and Sort-to-Gaylord, which were each capable of sorting more than 1,000 parcels and packages per hour weighing up to 15 lbs with a near zero error rate, DHL said. The DoraSorters are equipped with 3D and barcode cameras to scan a package, informing the robotic arm about the package’s location and which bag or container to place the item. Read More |
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Industry News
- TurfBot Launches Robotic Mowing as a Service in U.S. Markets
TurfBot has announced launching the first franchised robotic mowing as a service company in the U.S. The Canada-based company will be offering lawn mowing services to local homeowners using zero-emission robotic technology. The concept provides easy access to robotic mowing by offering it as a paid service with an affordable monthly fee. Mowers remain at customers’ homes throughout the entire mowing season, and can be pre-programmed to mow on certain days and times or started on demand via a mobile app. Customers also receive monthly maintenance visits from a TurfBot technician to ensure the mower is “always in peak form.” In addition, trimming and edging can be added to any mowing program.
- Michigan School District Deploys Germ-Zapping Robot for Classrooms
The Southgate Community School District has announced it is the first school in Michigan to utilize the Xenex Disinfection Services’ germ-zapping robots to quickly destroy germs throughout the building. The Southgate Community Schools recently partnered with Forefront to provide comprehensive custodial services for the eight schools within the district. Forefront, which also serves more than 40 hospitals and senior living communities in 14 states, discovered a rising number of Covid-19 cases among students and staff members. It decided to bring in Xenex’s UV technologies to help destroy SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
- AMP Robotics Launches Automated Secondary Sortation Facilities in Atlanta, Cleveland
AMP Robotics, which develops artificial intelligence, robotics and infrastructure for the waste and recycling industry, has opened two new high-diversion production facilities for advanced secondary sortation. The company-owned facilities, located outside of Atlanta and Cleveland, are designed to economically process and aggregate low volumes of difficult-to-recycle mixed plastics, paper, and metals sourced from residue supplied by primary materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and other material providers. AMP said the strength of its AI systems makes secondary sortation technically and economically feasible. The AMP Neuron platform recognizes 50 billion objects on an annual basis – which continues to exponentially increase as the company’s installed base expands.
- U.S.-based Robotics Groups Team up for Automation Advocacy
Three of the largest robotics clusters in the U.S. have joined to form the United States Alliance of Robotics Clusters (USARC), which aims to support the development, commercialization and scaling of robotics through collaborating with government and industry stakeholders. Members include MassRobotics, based in Boston, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, and Silicon Valley Robotics. The groups said USARC will develop and drive U.S. robotics mandates to deliver increased collaboration and communication across U.S. robotics clusters; enhanced support and success for stakeholders and startups; and focused advocacy for the robotics and artificial intelligence industries.
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Robotics Funding
Vention Raises $95M for Cloud Manufacturing Automation Platform
Montreal-based Vention, which develops a digital manufacturing automation platform (MAP), has announced raising $95 million in Series C financing. The company said it will use the new funds to grow its go-to-market, expand its global distribution footprint, and accelerate the development of its hardware and software platform. Founded in 2016, Vention empowers high-mix manufactures to implement industrial automation through cloud software and a modular hardware ecosystem. The self-service platform combines easy-to-use engineering software and plug-and-play automation components. This lets manufacturing professionals design, order, and deploy automated equipment by themselves directly from their web browser. Read More |
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Dusty Robotics Raises $45M to Reduce Construction Errors
Dusty Robotics, which creates robotics for the construction industry, has announced it raised $45 million in a Series B funding round. The company said it plans to use the funds to grow its team, expand its product offerings, and accelerate manufacturing with a goal of deploying Dusty products on all construction sites in the U.S. The FieldPrinter solution from Dusty aims to eliminate a common source of conflict on construction projects: incorrect hand-drawn layout using a chalk line process. The FieldPrinter automates the process of taking digital floor plans onto construction sites by printing them full-size on the floor through a combination of hardware, software, and services. Read More
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Southie Autonomy Raises $2.5M to Expand Smart Robot Automation
Boston-based Southie Autonomy, which develops intelligent robotic automation software, has announced raising $2.5 million in seed funding. The company also announced an additional $5 million in venture lease funding to support Southie’s robot-as-a-service business model. The company’s no-code robotic arm software solution uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to automate highly variable contract packaging tasks, which include kitting, packing and palletizing, to enable daily line changeovers. The robotic arm can be configured within minutes, eliminating the setup burden for companies. Read More
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Cogniteam Raises $5.6M for Low-Code AI Robotics Platform
Israel-based Cogniteam has announced raising $5.6 million in a Series A funding round, to help expand its Nimbus robotics AI operating platform for robotics developers. The funding was provided by previous investors Seabarn Management (Andrew Owens), and the U.K.-based Pantera family office members. The company said developing modern robotics is traditionally time-consuming, with software engineers yielding development to hardware engineers until they complete the buildout of physical systems needed to meet project specifications. Because of this, a full robotics concept-to-deployment can take up to six years, which often makes the technology obsolete as hardware, software and control systems advance technologically. Read More |
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Autonomous Trucks
Volvo Partners with DHL for Autonomous Trucking in North America
Volvo Autonomous Solutions (VAS), a division of Volvo Group, has announced it will offer a new hub-to-hub autonomous transport solution that aims to serve four main customer segments: shippers, carriers, logistics service providers and freight brokers. The company also announced it will partner with DHL Supply Chain as its first customer to pilot the system, in order to develop a business model with customers that addresses the steps required to bring its autonomous solutions to market with a safe, sustainable approach. VAS, in collaboration with Aurora, said it has been working on a technical solution to offer autonomous trucks in the U.S., while also developing a complete Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS) solution for integrated and scalable autonomous freight capacity for highway applications. Read More View Video |
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Meet the SD1, a Long-Haul Truck Designed for Autonomous Driving
Solo Advanced Vehicle Technologies (Solo AVT) has revealed the design and specifications of the SD1, its long-haul, battery-electric Class 8 truck tailored specifically for autonomous driving. The SD1 was designed from the ground up and includes aerospace-level system redundancy and the lowest drag coefficient of any Class 8 truck on the road, enabled by a complete redesign that removes the human onboard, Solo AVT said. The SD1 features a range of 500+ miles, active aerodynamics, tires designed to minimize rolling resistance, exterior lighting to communicate to pedestrians and other road users, a unique sound signature, modular design for better serviceability, and multi-speed tandem e-axles with integrated electric motors. Read More |
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