Dan Kara

The capabilities spectrum for robotics systems has been expanded from fixed manipulators and teleoperated mobile robots to now include their intersection – mobile manipulation systems. To reach their full potential, however, mobile manipulation robots must be able to move, interact, see, think, and communicate.

Robotics Business Review reviews Dive Technologies’ recent equity funding round.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 25, 2020 to December 31, 2020 include notices from Flexiv, Distalmotion, EHang, Alpine 4 Technologies, Vayu, IISART, and the FAA.

As this Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM) project illustrates, ARM is placing a great amount of emphasis on sewing and textile handling. The reason is completely in keeping with ARM’s charter to “accelerate transformative robotic technologies to increase U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness.”

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 18, 2020 to December 24, 2020 include notices from Nuro, Ike Robotics, Ouster, Colonnade Acquisition Corporation, Unikie, Promotives, Dive Technologies, DJI, ADLINK Technology, EASA, Velodyne Lidar, Motional, PAL Robotics, and PERSEO.

Software and services provider PickNik Robotics leverages commercial and open source software, including Robot Operating, to provide its customers with advanced motion control and manipulation solutions.

Boston Dynamics’ VP Michael Patrick Perry discusses plans for the Spot quadruped and Hyundai’s acquisition of the company. Also, DARPA’s Timothy Chung reviews the DARPA SubT Challenge.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from December 11, 2020 to December 18, 2020 include notices from Flyability, Fellow AI, Berkshire Grey, Locus Robotics, AutoGuide Mobile Robots, German Bionic, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, Innoviz Technologies and Universal Robots.

The construction sector is huge, but famously stubborn in its adoption of new technology. That is changing as advances in construction automation continue apace… including the development of construction robotics solutions. Challenges remain, but they are being addressed.

In this Robot Report podcast, the Pittsburgh robotics cluster, Aurora’s acquisition of Uber ATG, AutoX’s driverless fleet and the security of robotics vacuums are the subjects of discussion.

In this RoboBusiness Direct session, Maria Shepherd, President of Medi-Vantage discuss what the next generation of surgical robotics systems could and should provide. In a follow-on session, maxon’s Carsten Horn reviews solutions that enable robotic surgery.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, robotics deployments in retail environments were growing steadily, proving their efficacy, generating ‘value’ and delivering solid ROI in the process. Covid has acted as an accelerant, so much so that in 2021 robotics technologies will transform the retail sector.

Expected Biden administration infrastructure initiatives, combined with favorable autonomous vehicle (AV) regulatory and testing environments in the U.S. are expected to spur AV deployments.

In this Robot Report podcast, Terradepth’s founders discuss their autonomous, underwater data collection solution. Also, Exyn Technologies’ CEO describes the company’s autonomous aerial system for data collection in GPS-denied environments.

Sustainability initiatives, workforce uncertainty and productivity requirements are key demands drivers for Monarch’s electric, autonomous, tractor solution, a harbinger of the emerging era of data driven, digital farming.

In this RoboBusiness Direct session, Motional CTO Laura Major and MIT’s Julie Shah will review how social behaviors can incorporated into robots, and systems optimized for safe and beneficial human robot interaction (HRI).

Artificial intelligence (AI) can improve many operational aspects of AGVs and AMRs, and increase worker satisfaction. As such, AI must be a fundamental building block in robotics design and harnessed by management.

Distribution Centers are exploiting data and using Labor Management Software (LMS) to optimize processes, overcome labor challenges, and drive automation deployments, including robotics systems.

Flexiv provides turnkey automation solutions based on adaptive robots powered by advanced force control, computer vision and AI technologies.

The FarmWise agricultural weeding-as-a-service solution, which leverages computer vision, machine learning and robotics technologies, can be optimized for different crops, soil types, and growth stages.

Unloading shipping containers is a difficult task to automate, but one with a very compelling business case and consequent mandate by logistics and shipping companies. In this Robot Report podcast, Evan Drumwright, CEO of Dexterous Robotics discusses his company’s unique approach to identifying, grasping and manipulation objects in shipping containers. Other news and discussion follows.

Southie Autonomy’s solution enables programming of industrial robots via a gesture-based interface, no robotics expertise or even programming skills required. The value proposition? Simplified programming, rapid development, support for high-mix and/or low-volume applications, more.

FedEx’s Aaron Prather discusses the four critical steps robotics start-ups must take to in order to have their solutions reviewed, acquired and successfully deployed by Global 2000 businesses.

Walmart’s decision to end its five year experiment with Bossa Nova Robotics and their in-store robot program was unexpected, but upon further analysis not without merit, at least in the short term. Other robotics companies servicing the retail sector are progressing, but they must continue to innovate to be successful.

DreamVu’s single-sensor solution simplifies robotics systems development, reduces computational load for image processing, and provides precise, omnidirectional, 3D visioning.