Waymo, the self-driving vehicle unit of Google parent Alphabet, is expanding its relationship with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The automaker will provide Waymo with “thousands” of Chrysler Pacifica minivans to help Waymo expand its self-driving tests. The first deliveries will start at the end of 2018. Both companies are being quiet about the exact number…

Attendees of ATX West in Anaheim, California next week will get hands-on experience of how user-friendly collaborative robots (cobots) safely and effortlessly automate some of the most common manufacturing tasks in the industry. Universal Robots’ ATX booth #4616 is the launch pad for the Zero Footprint Palletizer (ZFP), which is now ready for distribution in…

The digital micromirrors that make possible solid-state scanning lidar may soon give way to more capable MEMS devices able to do much more than just beam a laser across a scene. Leland Teschler | Executive Editor The Digital Micromirror Devices (DMD) now used for video projection also play an important role in autonomous vehicle technology.…

Epson Robots will be showcasing unique, innovative, high precision robotics setups designed for maximum efficiency and productivity for a wide variety of applications in factory automation at the Automation Technology show, ATX West. Visit Epson at the Anaheim Convention Center — Booth 4109 —  February 6 to 8, 2018. The showcase will feature the new…

Maarten Ruyssenaers, the CEO of Aquatic Drones and a TUS Expo presenter, describes his experience at the Resource Design Manufacturing in Rotterdam, his company’s autonomous boats, and the data service they offer.

The new Murrplastik R-TecLiner self-contained dress pack system is designed to guide energy packs from the third to the sixth axis on industrial robots. Murrplastik will showcase its robotic dress pack lineup at ATX West 2018 (booth #4355) at the Anaheim Convention Center — February 6 to 8, 2018. R-TecLiner’s unique spring return mechanism effectively…

This week’s Robot Investments Weekly looks at companies that successfully raised funds for aerial drones, driverless vehicles, and AI for business use.

Whether it be for package delivery, surveillance, data collection or entertainment, drones are expected to one day be a common sight in the skies. But to do so, drones will need to autonomously navigate unstructured environments. Most of today’s drones use GPS, which works great when the drones are flying at high altitudes. But according…

By retrofitting ride-on vehicles and stuffed toys, the University of North Florida is helping children with disabilities be more engaged with their surroundings.

This year’s CES was a great show for robots. “From the latest in self-driving vehicles, smart cities, AI, sports tech, robotics, health and fitness tech and more, the innovation at CES 2018 will further global business and spur new jobs and new markets around the world,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. But with that…

This week, we look at multiple drone deals, seed funds in the U.K. and elsewhere, new AI investments, and more transactions in global automation.

Honda (NYSE:HMC) said yesterday it won CE Mark approval in the European Union for its Honda Walking Assist Device designed for walking rehabilitation. The walking assist device uses cooperative control technology, based on Honda’s cumulative study of human walking, the Japanese company said.   Read the whole story on our sister site, MassDevice.com

The ZWS240RC-24 ac-dc power supply is rated at 240-W output power. This model is an addition to TDK-Lambda’s widely used long-life ZWS series of 10 to 300-W industrial power supplies. Certification to Over Voltage Category (OVC) III enables direct connection to the incoming ac distribution panel, saving the cost and space of an isolation transformer.…

Suhner has released its new ROBOTsander, a highly capable and adaptive surface treatment solution used in the automotive, aerospace, appliance, off-highway and outdoor power equipment market.  Operations that benefit from the ROBOTsander are material protection, surface brightening, paint preparations and CFRP activation. Applications include grinding, brightening, polishing, deburring and sanding. The ROBOTsander can safely be used on…

With four times as many as color receptors as humans, the Mantis shrimp has the most impressive eyes in nature.  Manufacturers have long relied on human vision for complex picking and assembly processes, but 3D vision systems are beginning to replicate the capability of human vision in robotics. Here, Nigel Smith, managing director of Toshiba…

Self-driving cars were the talk of Las Vegas during CES 2018. We recap the 10 best robots seen at CES.

Industry veteran tapped to guide and expand robotics and intelligent systems initiatives PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2017 Cleveland, OH—WTWH Media, LLC, a business-to-business publishing and event company, today announced Dan Kara, technology business analyst and integrated media veteran, has joined WTWH as Vice President, Robotics and Intelligent Systems. Kara will guide and…

Toshiba Machine partner, TM Robotics, will introduce the THE400, the latest Toshiba Machine SCARA robot, to the North American market Automation Technology (ATX) West alongside Futura Automation, the company’s sales agent for the West Coast. ATX West will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from February 6 to 8. TM Robotics will be…

Boeing recently completed initial flight tests of an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) unmanned cargo aerial vehicle (CAV) prototype. The platform is designed to test and evolve Boeing’s autonomy technology for future aerospace vehicles. In less than three months, Boeing engineers designed and built the CAV prototype, which stands 4 feet off the ground, measures 15 by…

The SecondHands project is developing a humanoid robot to work alongside people in warehouses. The Ocado team discusses its ambitious schedule, desirable tasks to automate, and the path to commercialization.

Autonomous or automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are those compact wheeled conveyances that tote, tow, trailer, lift, shift, rotate, rack and store, or otherwise transport goods along defined paths set by guidance systems. New iterations of these robotic designs are on the rise. In fact, AGVs — a relatively mature technology in the field of robotics…

Today’s e-commerce spurs demand for reduced response times in fulfillment centers; generally has fewer products per order; and is constantly changing — increasing system complexity and the need for flexibility in automation. Today’s warehouses and distribution centers are far more complex than they were 10 years ago and employee turnover remains high; with complexity comes higher wages…