Lyft’s $2.2 billion IPO is getting a lot of attention, but it’s far from the only news in transportation today. Daimler Trucks and Buses Holding Inc., a unit of German automaker Daimler AG, has acquired a majority share in Torc Robotics Inc., which develops software for autonomous vehicles. “With the ever-rising demand for road transportation,…
Does AI need a humanoid form to interact with us? Some pros and cons
When most people think about robots, they think of the humanoids and androids of science fiction. Those with more real-world experience can cite industrial robots, drones, or nascent autonomous vehicles. While an expansive definition of robotics can include artificial intelligence and virtual assistants, do smart appliances such as Amazon Alexa need a humanoid form to…
Autonomous mobile robots grow beyond car manufacturing, get heavier loads
Last year, more than 20,000 autonomous mobile robots were shipped globally — more than double the amount in 2017, according to the latest quarterly report from Interact Analysis. Although all regions saw growth, Asia and China in particular were the largest drivers, noted Ash Sharma, research director for commercial drone and robotics research at Interact…
Drone inspection software, services from SiteAware offer construction quality control
An unmanned aerial vehicle recently flew around Salesforce Tower, the tallest building in San Francisco. Drone inspections are a growing alternative to other methods of inspection, but they need sophisticated software to make sense of the data gathered. Building owner Boston Properties Inc. turned to SiteAware Systems Ltd. for the drone inspection of Salesforce Tower.…
Mobile robots in e-commerce: Experts weigh in on tech advances, demand
Growing demand for rapid e-commerce order fulfillment is a major driver for the development and adoption for mobile robots. However, the market and the technologies that serve it are changing rapidly. The Robot Report asked the following five experts in mobile robotics about their observations (their responses have been edited for length): Tom Galluzzo, founder…
maxon precision motors opens new U.S. HQ, manufacturing with room to grow
TAUNTON, Mass. — maxon precision motors inc., the U.S. division of Switzerland-based maxon motor AG, today officially opened its new U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Taunton, Mass. Building the new headquarters was a two-year process, said Chris Blake, president of maxon precision motors. “Taunton was very welcoming in a business and a social sense,”…
Nord Modules builds modular systems with customer feedback, exec experience
Mobile robots have proliferated in factories and warehouses, and a key component is how they interface with production lines, conveyor belts, or human workers. Nord Modules last week announced its entry into the U.S. market with flexible systems that work with Mobile Industrial Robots’ MiR line of autonomous mobile robots. Such modular loading and lifting…
TORY inventory robot rolls out to European retail stores
After a three-year pilot, German clothing retailer ADLER Modemärkte AG this week said it is rolling out the TORY inventory robot to 40 of its stores. Ilmenau, Germany-based MetraLabs GmbH provides design services and makes the autonomous service robots. TORY checks inventory 10 times faster than humans, and a unit can run for up to 18…
Teamwork, mentoring keys to success, say 2019 Engelberger Robotics Award winners
This week, the Robotic Industries Association named this year’s recipients of the Engelberger Robotics Awards. The prestigious awards recognize people who have contributed to the advancement of automation for the benefit of humanity. They will be presented at a special dinner at Automate 2019. Howie Choset will receive the award for education. As a professor,…
6 advances in robotic grippers to watch
Robots have used multiple types of grippers for years, but the push for more manual dexterity has become more urgent because of rising demand from e-commerce order fulfillment and other applications. Human-level manipulation of various objects is a difficult technical challenge, and robotics developers and vendors have responded with a range of solutions. From…
Robotics investments February 2019
Robotics investments totaled at least $4.3 billion in February 2019 in a steep increase from January, which had about $1.4 billion. In addition, companies reported approximately $3.9 billion worth of acquisitions this past month. Any political or economic jitters have not yet harmed the mood for robot deals. The Robotic Industries Association noted yesterday that robot…
Agility Robotics’ Digit adds arms to Cassie’s bipedal design
Despite recent advances with bipedal robots, most are not graceful, and they have not been able manipulate objects with the dexterity of stationary robotic arms. Agility Robotics Inc. yesterday unveiled Digit, which builds on the design of its ostrich-like Cassie robot. Digit includes an upper torso, more sensors, and additional computing capabilities. Most importantly, it…
6 unique applications for cobots
By definition, collaborative robots are designed to be safer to operate around humans. Thanks to their smaller scale, affordability, and flexibility, cobots offer the benefits of industrial automation to new markets, including at small and midsize enterprises. Cobot arms, compliant grippers, and mobile platforms equipped with collision-avoidance capabilities take robots from inside fenced work cells…
Robotics cluster in Odense, Denmark, offers metrics for growth
What makes a robotics cluster successful? Proximity to university research and talent, government support of entrepreneurship, and a focus on industry end users are all important. Around the world, regions have proclaimed initiatives to become “the next Silicon Valley.” However, there have been relatively few metrics to describe robotics hubs — until now. This week,…
Toyota Mobility Unlimited Challenge finalists vie for $1M to aid people with disabilities
Ride-hailing services, electric vehicles, delivery robots, and self-driving cars and trucks are changing transportation at the fastest pace in decades. Toyota Motor Corp. has been a leader among automakers in expanding its focus to personal mobility. The Toyota Mobility Unlimited Challenge is a three-year, $4 million competition for improving mobility for people with disabilities. At…
Industrial exoskeletons expand worker capabilities, to help healthcare
Many of the most visible demonstrations of exoskeletons have been for assisting people with disabilities. However, limitations of weight, power, and cost have resulted in slow rates of adoption. In the meantime, the technology continues to advance, with industrial exoskeletons providing application experience. While the majority of today’s $130 million wearable robotics market is for…
Driverless investment tops $1.6B so far this month
After last week’s $582 million in funding for autonomous vehicle companies, you might think that driverless investment would coast for a while. However, this week saw more than $1 billion in support for developing self-driving cars and trucks. President’s Day is traditionally the time for car sales, but the automakers and big technology companies are…
Birth of a unicorn: Nuro gets $940M from SoftBank for driverless deliveries
Nuro.ai, which is working on self-driving vehicles, said today that it has received $940 million from the SoftBank Vision Fund. This marks a major push in the ground delivery space and another move by SoftBank to take leadership in automation. Other investors in Mountain View, Calif.-based Nuro include Greylock Partners and Gaorong Capital. The…
How a Chinese slowdown could help — or hurt — robotics
China is the most attractive market in the world for robotics suppliers, with a relatively low robot density, lots of manufacturing, and fewer regulations than in other countries. At the same time, there are plenty of things to discourage business, from worries about trade disputes and intellectual property to the recent Chinese slowdown. How should…
Aurora raises $530M Series B as Amazon joins self-driving car race
Self-driving startup Aurora Innovation Inc. today said it had raised $530 million in a Series B round led by Sequoia Capital. The most noteworthy investor is Amazon.com Inc. Other participants included Lightspeed Venture Partners, Geodesic, Shell Ventures, and Reinvent Capital, as well as previous investors Greylock and Index Ventures. Funds advised by T. Rowe Price…
Safety, speed, and collaboration featured in Staubli’s TX2 robots, CS9 controllers
ANAHEIM, Calif. — At ATX West here this week, Stäubli International AG showed off its robot arms and controllers, including its TX2 collaborative robots, for meeting Industry 4.0 automation demands. Switzerland-based Stäubli displayed the capabilities of its six-axis TX2, including cobots for sensitive environments, in a “Smart Factory” setting. One flex-feeding demonstration used the TX2…
Robots.Jobs addresses robotic skills shortage with a national approach
While the predictions of massive job displacement because of automation have yet to be proven, the more immediate problem of filling positions at companies developing or building robots remains urgent. Robots.Jobs is a new resource for matching specialized talent with employers in robotics, artificial intelligence, and related technologies across the U.S. “These emerging and…