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Aflac’s Robot Duck Reminds Us How Robots Can Be Good
While it’s great that we’re going to soon be living in a world where robot cars can drive us around, deliver packages and food, and help get our e-commerce orders filled within hours, there’s another area of robotics that often gets overlooked by a lot of media types (especially in the B2B space). Robots doing good things that help people, whether it’s robots to help children with autism or ones that help elderly patients with emotional and loneliness issues. Another example of this is Aflac and Sproutel, which developed the My Special Aflac Duck to help kids with cancer cope with their disease. The company is back with a version designed for children with sickle cell disease, a blood disorder that affects more than 100,000 Americans. It’s a great reminder of how robots can be good, compared to many of the images of “bad robots” that look to take over the world.
– Keith Shaw, Managing Editor |
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SICK Completes microScan3 Portfolio with Pro I/O Variant
SICK has announced its newest safety laser scanner, completing its microScan 3 portfolio. The microScan3 Pro I/O features an all-in-one design with universal I/O integration that can work with any safety controls, with an intelligent host/guest functionality that makes it possible to connect up to three guest scanners. In addition, the Pro I/O variant can do the work of four standard safety laser scanners with an industry-leading four pairs of OSSD outputs, the company said. Two encoder inputs directly in the safety laser scanner for speed-based case switching. |
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Cincoze Launches New Industrial Embedded Computer for AMRs
Cincoze has announced a new industrial embedded computer aimed at different smart factory applications. The DI-1100 is designed for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), ensuring on-time delivery of components to a production line or goods to warehouse racks, and suitable for 24/7 operation in outdoor remote monitoring systems. Cincoze said the computer is the most important part for integration of an AMR because it serves as the robot’s center, and interfaces with different devices and software interfaces. |
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Product Profile: ATI’s Mini43LP F/T Sensor
The Mini43LP provides reliable force sensing in a rugged, compact transducer. It is suited to small, delicate operations such as electronic component or optics assembly, research and testing, laboratory automation, and robotic surgery. |
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Yaskawa, Lorch Welding Team on Turnkey Robot Welding Cell
Germany’s Lorch Welding (Schweißtechnik) and Yaskawa have announced a portfolio of new, turnkey compact welding cells to enable small and midsize companies to experience robot-automated welding to produce small assemblies. The welding processes are controlled through a consistent operating interface to make production easier. The space-saving and efficient welding cells can be set up in minutes, the companies said. It includes a compact small footprint that also makes it easy to relocate. |
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Aflac Expands Social Robot Duck to Help Kids With Sickle Cell Disease
Insurance firm Aflac has created a new version of its award-winning robotic duck and is now distributing it to children with sickle cell disease, which impacts more than 100,000 Americans, primarily in the African-American community. The My Special Aflac Duck was developed in 2018, designed to help children with cancer through their journey. The company has delivered, free of charge, more than 13,000 ducks to children with cancer. |
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Pitsco Launches Virtual Robotics Simulation Software for Education
Pitsco Education has announced the TETRIX Virtual Robotics (VR) simulation software, a new digital/physical robotics experience that enables students to code a virtual TETRIX robot using Arduino C libraries. When used with the TETRIX MAX robotics building system, the VR software gives students the option to code virtually, and then test their code on a real robot. The company said the simulation software, powered by Robotify, and TETRIX hardware can be used separately, or in combination, giving learners the ability to function like real-world engineers, creating and operating digital and physical solutions. |
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In Case You Missed It
How Holographic Touch Screens Could Benefit Robots
Holograms in the world of film have been around for a long time, whether it’s Princess Leia asking Obi-Wan for help in the original Star Wars, or Tony Stark using a computer-generated 3D display to build a new Iron Man suit in a Marvel movie. But making these technologies for the real world have proven difficult, or companies have yet to find suitable use cases that make them practical. Holo Industries is aiming to change this by combining the concept of holographic displays with the ability to create a touchscreen that reacts to fingers or gestures in a 3D physical space. Read More |
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Featured Article
It’s Easier Than You Think: 5 Steps to Implement AMRs
The perception of AMRs as complex and time-consuming is rooted in the idea that they are automation technology, and automation projects typically come with a big budget and long timeline. But one of the key drivers of the adoption of AMRs is that they enable flexible automation in ways that are affordable and attainable for organizations of all sizes. AMR technology is a step along the automation evolution by enabling autonomous mobility without the time-consuming efforts characteristic of typical automation projects. Read More |
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Industry News
- InOrbit Launches Configuration as Code to Help Robot Developers
Robotics software developer InOrbit has announced the addition of Configuration as Code feature to its platform. The new feature lets engineers streamline their development workflow with software automation best practices to fit their specific needs. The tools are available on the InOrbit Developer Portal, which the company launched last year.
- Curtiss-Wright, Teledyne FLIR to Provide Unmanned Systems to DOE
Curtiss-Wright has announced an agreement with Teledyne FLIR Defense to supply unmanned systems and integrated solutions to the U.S. nuclear power market and Department of Energy. Systems will include mobile unmanned systems (MUS) such as drones, robots, and submersibles, which play a critical role in industrial and defense applications by automating operations and eliminating the need for humans to perform tasks in hazardous conditions.
- NASA Awards Lockheed Martin Space Contract for Mars Sample Return Rocket
NASA has announced awarding a contract to Lockheed Martin Space of Littleton, Colo., to build the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a small lightweight rocket to launch rock, sediment, and atmospheric samples from the surface of Mars. The space agency said the award brings it closer to the first robotic round trip to bring samples safely to Earth through the Mars Sample Return Program.
- ThayerMahan Partners with UNH for Coastal, Ocean Mapping Projects
ThayerMahan, which develops autonomous maritime systems, has announced a collaborative partnership with the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / Joint Hydrographic Center (CCOM/JHC) at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The partnership will help advance the sonar-based SeaScout system, for high-speed and high-resolution surveys of coastal and oceans.
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Robotics Funding
Micropsi Raises $30M to Scale Automation through Motion-Trained Robots
Germany-based Micropsi Industries has announced raising $30 million in a Series B funding round. The company develops ready-to-use artificial intelligence systems that can control industrial robots to help automate manufacturing processes that could previously not be automated. Through the use of cameras and sensors that react in real time to workspace conditions, Micropsi-powered robots can be trained by humans to perform hand-eye coordinated actions. The MIRAI software does not create programs, but rather skills that are collected intuitions of human movement that MIRAI then intelligently transfers to robots. Read More |
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Tokinomo Raises $1.7M to Expand In-Store Robotic Marketing System
Tokinomo, a startup focusing on interactive in-store brand activation systems, has announced it raised $1.7 million to expand its product line and fuel global expansion. The company is building solutions for consumer goods companies and retailers that engage, advertise and capture data at the point of sale. Its main product is a robotic point-of-sale (POS) display system that promotes products in grocery stores that “results in brand awareness, brand recall, and sales lift.” Read More |
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MORAI Raises $20M to Expand Simulation for Autonomous Vehicles
South Korea’s MORAI, which develops full-stack autonomous vehicle simulation technology, has announced it raised $20 million in Series B funding. Founded in 2018 by three autonomous driving researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIS), MORAI has developed technology that can automatically convert HD map data into digital twins, providing large-scale simulation environments. Read More
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Robotics News
TXAI Completes Trial of Self-Driving Taxis in UAE
Bayanat, a G42 company and developer of geospatial intelligence, data analytics and artificial intelligence, has announced the successful completion of phase 1 trials of its autonomous taxi service, called TXAI. WeRide, which develops Level 4 autonomous driving technologies, provides TXAI with its advanced full stack software and hardware solutions. Bayanat said it worked closely with other collaborators, including the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Integrated Transport Center and Mirai Asset Management, to run the operation. Read More |
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Outrider Launches Autonomous Backing for Semi-Trailers
Outrider, which develops autonomous yard operations for logistic hubs, has announced fully autonomous trailer backing capabilities for its fleet. The proprietary technology enables autonomous yard trucks to back trailers into tight spaces with precision, and without modification to trailers. The new capabilities are now available as part of the Outrider System, which automates distribution yards for large, logistics-dependent enterprises. Read More |
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Coco Expands Robot Delivery Service to Austin, Texas
Coco, a Los Angeles-based remotely piloted delivery service, has announced service for customers in Austin, Texas. The company said it also plans to expand to Dallas, Houston, and Miami in the next few months, supported by its recent Series A funding round of $56 million. Compared to traditional delivery methods, Coco said it has a 30% decrease in time-to-customer and an on-time delivery rate of 97%. The company has been operating across several major L.A. neighborhoods with its robots. Read More |
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