Students gave Pope Francis a drone custom painted in the colors of the Vatican flag that bears the papal emblem. So what will the Pope do with his new toy?
Robotic warehouse system competitors
As sales via online retailers steadily increase, so too does the speed with which customers want their goods delivered. Amazon, eBay, and Google all have massive and speedy robotic warehouse systems attempting to meet those needs. Amazon Robotics (previously Kiva Systems) Amazon changed their warehouse pick and pack operations from man-to-goods to goods-to-man using robots…
Watch a Micro Robot Pull 2,000 Times its Weight
Researchers are looking to scale this technology up to larger robots to carry very heavy goods.
Paralyzed Man to Walk Marathon with Exoskeleton
Nathan Kirwan, paralyzed from the chest down, is taking 55,000 steps over the next five months, with the help of an exoskeleton, to raise money and help Ireland keep its only publicly-available exoskeleton.
Nepal Earthquake: Drones Helping Recovery Efforts
Drone imagery will be processed into 3D models of the terrain below to give responders more detailed information about the destruction.
Overheard at RoboBusiness Europe 2015
Presenters and attendees discuss the state of European robotics and things to improve.
Robot R&D
Breakthroughs in robotics continue to make headlines. Most of the interest generated by the dramatic reduction in system cost for the new class of “human safe” robots. Most people understand, even if they are not economists, that if something costs less, it will sell more. So as robot manufacturers have broken the $30,000 barrier, which […]
Chinese shopping for global robotics ventures
April has seen four instances of Chinese VCs acquiring robotic ventures, buying out competitors, seeking funding to scale up production, and shoring up industry gaps. Beijing-based Ninebot, a Segway competitor, acquired Segway; Chinese venture fund Cybernaut plans to invest $200 million into Russia's Skolkovo Center to incubate Russian inventions manufactured and marketed in China; China…
Wounded US Soldier Receives 3D Printed Robot Hand
Taylor Morris, a quadruple amputee who lost his limbs in an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, receives an affordable 3D printed robotic hand.
Drones Hunting for Dinosaurs in Australia
Drones are capturing footage of dinosaur footprints left over 100 million years ago in Australia to help explain their movements.
Meet Me in Milan: RoboBusiness Europe 2015
At this year’s conference in Milan, your intrepid reporter hopes to learn about current challenges and successes of the European robotics industry.
Video describes accelerating robot deployment in China
In response to rising labor costs combined with a shortage of workers, China has begun to provide incentives to encourage businesses to utilize robots to replace factory workers. In a video interview for The NY Times, Peng Zhang, Vice Director of the Economy, for Shunde (a city of 2.4 million) in Guandong Province, China, says that…
Commercial drones market to grow at 109% CAGR
Markets and Markets, a Dallas, TX research firm, in an 189-page $4,650 report, is projecting that the global commercial drones market will grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 109.3% and reach $1.27 billion by 2020. Another recent research report from IDTechEx, supports Markets and Markets’ estimates: Electric Drones: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)…
Vecna CTO Talks About Nurturing Roboticists
Qualified roboticists are hard to find, but talent and altruism can be developed.
Watch: Boy Surprised with Blue Man Group Robot Arm
Twelve-year-old Wyatt Farlardeau received a 3D printed robot arm in the iconic blue paint-splattered look of his favorite music group.
6 Robot Deals You’ll Love
Here are some hot deals on drones and toy robots that are too good to pass up.
A Drone’s Eye View of the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial
For the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, CNN used a drone to capture video of the memorial that stands on the site today.
Get a Load of this Sword-Fighting Robot
How could anyone possibly think it’s a good idea to create a sword-fighting robot?
Watch a Robot Encounter a Sperm Whale 2K Feet Below the Sea
At about 2,000 feet below the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, the ROV Hercules encountered a magnificent sperm whale. And it’s all caught on tape.
ABB acquires Gomtec
ABB announced today it acquired Gomtec GmbH to expand its offering in the field of collaborative robots. The parties agreed not to disclose financial terms of the transaction. Gomtec, based near Munich, Germany, is a privately held company that develops mechatronic systems combining mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, control and computer engineering for customers in diverse industries. […]
Watch a Chimp Smash a Drone with a Stick
A 23-year-old chimpanzee is not pleased when a drone flies in for a close-up, swatting the $2,100 drone out of the sky with a branch.
Position sensors enhance motion system accuracy
by Steve Meyer, Contributing Editor Improved position sensors can reduce motion system cost and increase performance. Motion control is, first and foremost, about control. The old engineering adage applies; you cannot control what you cannot measure. Rotary and linear position sensors play the crucial role of providing the mechanism to measure motion. Understanding how feedback […]