About one week after issuing two rules that could finally open up the commercial drone industry, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has appointed new members to its Drone Advisory Committee (DAC). The committee gives the FAA advice on key drone integration issues by helping to identify challenges and prioritize improvements. The new mmbers are executives…
How AMP Robotics is changing recycling; Festo wins gripper challenge
Welcome to Episode 29 of The Robot Report Podcast, which brings conversations with robotics innovators straight to you. Join us each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community. You can subscribe to The Robot Report Podcast on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, SoundCloud, Spotify and more. Please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a…
Oxbotica raises $47M to scale autonomous vehicle software
Oxbotica’s Selenium platform handles an autonomous vehicle’s navigation, mapping, perception, and machine learning. Oxbotica said Selenium doesn’t need to rely on external infrastructure such as GPS, lane markings or pre-existing HD maps.
maxon’s IDX integrated servo motors feature IP65 protection
maxon’s new IDX compact integrated servo gearmotor + drive combines a powerful, brushless EC-i motor and an EPOS4 positioning controller, which can be complemented with a maxon planetary gearhead when required. This integrated motor features high torque density, high efficiency, maintenance-free components, and a high-quality industrial housing providing IP65 protection. The IDX also features configurable…
Stryker acquires OrthoSensor to enhance Mako surgical robots
Stryker said OrthoSensor’s Verasense intraoperative sensor technology will further boost Mako surgical robots, enhancing workflow through one complete data-driven feedback mechanism.
Teledyne acquiring FLIR for $8B in major merger
Both companies make cameras, sensor systems and unmanned systems, among other products, but there is not much overlap.
Shape-changing robots could create new swarms
Predicting when and how collections of particles, robots, or animals become orderly remains a challenge across science and engineering. In the 19th century, scientists and engineers developed the discipline of statistical mechanics, which predicts how groups of simple particles transition between order and disorder, as when a collection of randomly colliding atoms freezes to form a…
The state of industrial robotics: challenges & opportunities
AMP Robotics raises $55M for recycling robots
The pick-and-place robots can sort materials by color, size, shape, opacity, consumer brand, and more, storing data about each item it perceives.
The Robot Report Podcast: 10 most popular episodes of 2020
Without the ability to gather for in-person events and meetings, our team launched the weekly The Robot Report Podcast to keep the robotics community talking. Over the span of six months and 28 episodes, we’ve spent nearly 35 hours talking to leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community. We analyzed…
Top 10 robotics stories of December 2020
What a month it was for robotics. Whether it was Boston Dynamics being acquired by Hyundai for nearly $1 billion or Jürgen von Hollen announcing he is stepping down after four-plus years serving as president of Universal Robots, there was no shortage of robotics stories to cover in December. Here are the Top 10 most popular…
Exoskeleton developer ReWalk Robotics looking to raise $6.2M
ReWalk Robotics, a developer of exoskeletons for people with lower-limb disabilities, is seeking to sell nearly 5.6 million ordinary shares, plus more, worth about $6.2 million. Marlborough, Mass.-based ReWalk is also offering more than 4.5 million ordinary shares which are issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants, according to a news release. ReWalk is also…
Flexiv raises more than $100M for adaptive robots
Flexiv competes with collaborative robotics makers such as ABB, Doosan Robotics, KUKA, Universal Robots and more.
Long-awaited FAA rules clear commercial drones for takeoff
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued two new rules for U.S. drone operators, a potential significant step forward for the commercial drone industry. The FAA will allow small drones to operate at night and over people and will require remote identification of the drones. Remote ID will be required for all drones weighing 0.55 lb…
4 robotics applications accelerated by COVID-19
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has dominated 2020, affecting daily lives and every industry around the world. Early in the year, it aggravated a manufacturing slowdown that was the result of both expected economic cycles and trade tensions between China and the U.S. At the same time, COVID-19 has accelerated demand for robotics in supply chain and…
Distalmotion Dexter surgical robot receives European CE Mark
Distalmotion, a Swiss-based medical device startup, received the European CE Mark for its Dexter surgical robot. Manufactured in Switzerland, Dexter combines the affordability of laparoscopy with the benefits of robotic surgery for minimally-invasive surgical care. Dexter features two robotic arms that can be individually re-aligned to change trocar sites during surgery. The system also features…
Study: chronic use of robotic hand doesn’t remap sense of touch
A new study highlights the importance of electrode placement when implanting sensory arrays for patients using a robotic hand.
ABB introduces a new ROS driver for its robots
A new ROS driver for ABB robots was introduced at the recent ROS-Industrial Conference. The driver, which is now available on GitHub, is designed to ease interaction between ABB robot controllers and ROS-based systems by providing ready-to-run ROS nodes. Here is a look at the included (principal) packages are brief descriptions for each: abb_rws_state_publisher: Provides…
Inside the SPAC craze and its potential impact on robotics
A SPAC offers startups quicker access to capital and greater liquidity, which can help drive innovation in advance of greater adoption.
The future is bright for autonomous delivery, says Refraction AI CEO
The CEO of an autonomous delivery company looks at trends for the coming year and predicts increasing technology adoption and company consolidation.
ReStore exo-suit donated by ReWalk to support stroke survivors at Brooks Rehabilitation
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to the need for innovative systems for stroke rehabilitation, said ReWalk Robotics, which donated a ReStore exo-suit to Brooks Rehabilitation.
WeRide raises $200M, partners with Yutong in Chinese autonomous driving deal
WeRide, a leading autonomous vehicle company in China, has strengthened its partnership with bus maker Yutong Group, receiving $200 million in Series B1 funding.