Cybernic City is a development in Japan that will feature robot helpers that work in the medical, industrial and agricultural industries. Cyberdyne, the startup behind Cybernic City, wants to make visible progress by 2020.
FAA Drone Registration Faces Second Lawsuit
TechFreedom, a Washington, DC-based think tank, claims drone registration violates Section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
Moog announces agreement with Italian university for robotic development
Moog Inc. announced that it signed an agreement with IIT, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) for the creation of a new joint lab in Genoa, Italy—Moog@IIT—focusing on the development and application of next-generation actuation and control technologies for autonomous robots. Moog and IIT will work together over the next three years to […]
Robot orders, shipments set new records in 2015
Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2015, according to Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry’s trade group. A total of 31,464 robots valued at $1.8 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2015, an increase of 14% in units and 11% in dollars over 2014. Robot shipments also set […]
Scientists 3D Print Transplantable Human Bone
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine has built a 3D printer that makes human-sized muscle, cartilage, and bone that all grew and developed blood vessels after being implanted into mice.
System teaches human / robot teams to work better together
There’s been so much written lately about how the walls will be coming down—literally—between humans and robots in industrial settings. But most of that is dealing with the increased safety protocols written into the robot’s software. Now, MIT researchers are dealing with another potential snag to human-robot teamwork: robotic TMI. Robots performing a joint task […]
Varioflex bellows suction cups for material handling & packaging automation applications
FIPA Inc. has announced its Varioflex bellows suction cups for material handling and packaging automation applications. Made of oil-, ozone-, and wear-resistant polyurethane composite material, FIPA’s SP-BX Series Varioflex bellows suction cups feature a dimensionally stable body (60° shore) that prevents buckling over a broad range of shear forces, and a soft, extremely low-marking sealing […]
Drones a ‘Real Threat’ to Passenger Planes: IATA
IATA’s main concern is drones flying at low altitudes near airports, but the group also wants to ensure the radio spectrum used to control the drones does not interfere with air traffic control systems.
Amazon Echo Voice Commands Control Ecobee3 Thermostat
The Ecobee3 is the first thermostat to directly integrate with Amazon Echo, allowing you to set specific temperatures or just turn up the heat with simple voice commands.
ReWalk Exoskeleton Reluctantly Covered by Insurance Co.
An insurance company’s initial denial of coverage for a ReWalk Personal exoskeleton was overturned by an independent medical review organization that deemed the exoskeleton to be medically necessary.
Top 50 Robotics Companies of 2016
Robotics Business Review unveils its fifth annual RBR50 list of the most influential robotics companies in the world. Consumer robotics companies on the RBR50 include iRobot, Jibo, Softbank and more.
Teenager vs robotics kit
Design World’s Editorial Director Paul J. Heney and Senior Editor Miles Budimir introduce the Spartan Robot, which has 26 motor, servo and sensor ports, allowing programs to interact with the robot’s environment. Coupled with the company’s MATRIX building system, Spartan can complete endless challenges. Then, Heney’s 14-year-old son, Josh, is let loose on the kit, […]
System integrators, KEB America partner in new program
KEB America, Inc. has announced the launch of their System Integrator Program for the North American market. The program will partner talented system integrators with KEB engineers and application specialists. The goal is to pair KEB’s extensive automation product line with trusted local integrators. “Historically, KEB has worked with machine builder OEM’s in our target […]
Control Programming and Language
Like the Tower of Babel, control system programming in the past was the domain of many disparate languages that did not interact across disciplines. Programming has been a crucial element of control systems since the inception of automation itself. The early days of the PLC were built on the language of electrical wiring diagrams used to […]
Robit Home Robot Uses Apps to Help Around the House
Robit is a friendly home robot designed to help you around the house. Robit is built on an open-source platform and will have its own app store where you can purchase custom apps.
London Wants Drone-Hunting Eagles, Too
There are growing concerns in the UK over drones being used to commit crimes and near-misses at airports.
New in-camera image optimization PGI
The recently launched ace, dart and pulse models from camera manufacturer Basler are equipped with PGI, a unique new firmware feature set that allows real-time in-camera image optimization that won’t drag down performance. Basler has now equipped all new models in the ace series as well as all cameras in the dart and pulse series […]
Google Self-Driving Cars Are Legal Drivers, U.S. Rules
The NHTSA’s interpretation opens the door to rewriting regulations to allow for self-driving cars without steering wheels, pedals, and other human-operated systems.
NHTSA redefines “driver” of self-driving car
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) took an important step toward interpreting safety standards in ways that would expedite the path for self-driving cars to get into public hands: it said that computers that control those cars can be considered drivers just like humans. The NHTSA said that it would write guidelines for self-driving…
First look at 2015 stats from Intl Fed of Robotics
Worldwide robot sales grew again in 2015 and were 15% more than 2014 with explosive growth in the automotive industry and technological advances enabling small and medium size manufacturers (SMEs) to compete using collaborative robots. The Robotic Industries Association (RIA), representing North American robotics, reported similar results: 2015 set new records and showed a 14% increase in…
540 robots and 29 drones celebrate Chinese New Year
In a TV spectacle celebrating the Chinese New Year and seen by more than 640 million viewers, 540 Chinese-made robots danced in time to a song sung by a Chinese superstar while 29 neon-colored drones flew in unison overhead. To give you a point of comparison, 115 million Americans watched the Super Bowl; 640 million viewers…
Google Self-Driving Trucks Want to Deliver Your Packages
Google’s self-driving delivery trucks would bring packages straight to your door. The trucks would be fitted with lockers that could be unlocked via a PIN code sent to the customer or by using the customer’s credit card or an NFC reader.