3D Robotics’ Solo Smart Drone tries to lessen the learning curve with shooting aerial footage.
ABB launches YuMi and acquires gomTec
ABB leapt into the collaborative robotics space at the Hannover Messe trade show by launching their two-armed YuMi robot and simultaneously announcing their acquisition of German startup gomTec whose one-armed co-bot was a hit at last years AUTOMATICA. Lightweight flexible robot arms that are innexpensive and safe to work alongside human workers are one of the hottest topics in industrial…
Internet Factorynet
The Internet of Things has spawned a lot of hype in the last couple of years. Lately there have been a number of themes around specific segments and how the Internet can be applied as a solution. The Industrial Internet as coined by General Electric may be one of the biggest segments and one of […]
Falling Fuel Prices Boost Undersea Robots
Offshore oil companies worldwide are looking ahead to robotics even as a current slump has led to layoffs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Amazon Prime Air gets an updated FAA exemption
In a 9-page legal letter, with 28 itemized conditions and limitations, the FAA issued an exemption to Amazon to enable Prime Air to test in US airspace. The FAA letter, dated April 8th, was filled with pages of legal gobbledegoo but still limits testing to VLOS (visual line of sight) instead of autonomous flight, and flight…
2014 was another record year for robotics
2014 was another record year for robotics. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) estimates that about 225,000 robots sold in 2014, 27% more than 2013âs best-year-ever record. All regions did well but China and South Korea reached new peak levels. In total, about 140,000 units were sold in the region, by far the highest volume ever…
Watch These Robot Flowers You Control with Your Brain
NeuroFlowers uses an EEG headset to read electrical currents from the surface of your head to determine different mental states and make the robotic flowers open its petals and change colors.
Amazon Drone Delivery OK’d for US Testing
Amazon must fly the drones under 400 feet and at speeds that don’t exceed 100 miles per hour.
The U.K., France Partner on Anti-Mine Robots
An international contract calls for development of a cluster of automated vessels for mine removal.
Watch a Drone Crash & Burn Delivering Asparagus
A restaurant owner tries to deliver asparagus using a drone. But shortly after takeoff, the drone crashed and burned, reminding us all that drone delivery isn’t yet ready for prime time.
Parrot grows both consumer and commercial drone business
Previously known for consumer products for smartphones, tablets and cars, Paris-based Parrot recently branched into both the consumer and commercial drone businesses. Parrot created the AR.Drone quadcopter and revealed it at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. Since then they have sold over a million of them – 700M in 2014 alone! In 2014, drones generated 34% of Parrot’s…
Mini Self-Driving Cars Race at MIT
Mini self-driving cars race through tunnels at MIT. Watch the fastest car in the group and one that repeatedly crashes.
Can Drones Plant 1 Billion Trees Per Year?
Drones use detailed terrain data to build high resolution 3D maps of the areas to be reforested then fire a pregerminated seed pod into the soil with pressurized air
How a Robot Glove Helps Stroke Victims
Stroke survivors may soon be able to improve their rehab success at home with the SCRIPT robot glove that allows therapists to remotely treat patients.
Exoskeleton Boots Make Walking Easier for Stroke Victims
A new unpowered exoskeleton boot makes walking more efficient, by engaging a spring in parallel with the Achilles tendon.
The Future of Work: Robots, Unions and Globalization
Last week Bloomberg News asked the question: What’s destroying middle-class wages? and suggested three hypotheses: robots, unions and China. This week SingularityHUB launched a series exploring the topic of The Future of Work and plans to cover: How organizations will function and innovate during this period of change What workers must do to seek new skills…
March money flow recap
The first three months of 2015 are doing quite well for robotics-related companies. March fundings and acquisitions to CyPhy Works, Hansen Medical, Clearpath Robotics, DroneDeploy, JR Automation and Lacquey are detailed. Debt and Equity Funding: CyPhy Works received $2.5 million in debt financing from Motorola Solutions Venture Capital, according to a post in CrunchBase. Combined…
Patents and Patenting
Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying “The Patent system adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius.” It was the intent of the American Patent system to provide protection for the inventor to profit from his invention. In the 200 years that the US Patent Office has been operating the basic intent has […]
Back to the Future: Autonomous Driving in 1995
How far have self-driving cars come? You’d be surprised. Todd Jochem shares his memories of a 2,849-mile trip in an autonomous Pontiac Trans Sport minivan that he co-invented back in 1995.
GuardBot Rolls From Martian Plans to Sentry Duty
The round GuardBot robot has a rugged design and potential military and civilian applications.
When is an ice cube not an ice cube?
Japanese advertising agency wins award for Suntory Whisky ad campaign using CNC-milled ice cubes and a 3D printing app from Autodesk. In 2014, Tokyo-based advertising agency TBWA\HAKUHODO created an ad for Suntory Whisky which included the most gorgeous ice cubes you’ll ever see. The ad won 6 awards at this year’s Asia Pacific Ad Festival (AdFest) in Thailand. The ice cubes…
igus celebrates National Robotics Week at the 2nd annual Rhode Island Robot Block Party
igus, founder of the yes (Young Engineers Support) Program, will be wrapping up National Robotics Week with an educational celebration at the 2nd annual Robot Block Party, April 11th at Brown University’s Pizzitola Sports Center, from 12-4 PM. At the party, igus will have a number of exciting robot giveaways for students, as well as […]