News

Boston Dynamics Acquisition by Hyundai Motor Group From SoftBank Is Complete

June 21, 2021 · Hyundai Motor Group has completed its acquisition of a controlling share in humanoid and legged robot maker Boston Dynamics, and the companies plan to expand their product lines.

CNH Industrial Buys Precision Agriculture Firm Raven Industries

June 21, 2021 · CNH Industries and Raven Industries will explore synergies in their agricultural machine brands, including autonomous tractor development, and continue innovation work in South Dakota.

RobotLAB and SoftBank Robotics America Partner to Offer Pepper, NAO, and Whiz in North America

June 20, 2021 · SoftBank Robotics' Pepper and NAO humanoid service robots will be available for integration for educational and industrial use through RobotLAB, as will SoftBank's Whiz cleaning robots.

Researchers Make Maneuverable Miniature Robots Controlled With Magnetic Fields

June 19, 2021 · A team of scientists has developed millimeter-sized robots that can be controlled using magnetic fields to perform dexterous manipulations. This could have applications in biomedicine and manufacturing.

Good Machine Sustainability Projects Get Autonomous Lift From Plus Trucks

June 18, 2021 · Trucks could help protect the environment, as a project between autonomous vehicle developer Plus and sustainability venture firm Good Machines hauls wildfire detection gear.

Walmart Invests in DroneUp for Nationwide Drone Deliveries

June 18, 2021 · After completing hundreds of successful test flights in the past year, Walmart said it is expanding its partnership and investing in drone delivery and services provider DroneUp.

Pony.ai Claims to Be the First Company to Test Driverless Vehicles in Both the U.S. and China

June 17, 2021 · Pony.ai has obtained authorization to conduct testing of fully autonomous vehicles in preparation for offering robotaxi services in multiple cities in China and the U.S. next year.

Warehouses Require More Flexible Automation Than Conventional ASRS, Says Caja Robotics Exec

June 17, 2021 · Most automated storage and retrieval systems require warehouse operators to invest in infrastructure, notes Caja Robotics EVP Hanna Yanovsky. She claims Caja's systems offer more flexibility.

Soft Robotics Names AMP Automation as a Preferred System Integrator

June 17, 2021 · Soft Robotics, which makes the mGrip compliant gripper, 3D vision, and AI systems, is working with AMP Automation to expand robotics adoption in the European food and beverage market.

MachineMetrics Raises $20M Series B Funding for Autonomous Manufacturing

June 16, 2021 · Teradyne led the round for MachineMetrics, which said it applies Industrial IoT to machine monitoring to help manufacturers create the factory of the future with autonomous systems.

Waymo Raises $2.5B to Continue Autonomous Vehicle Development

June 16, 2021 · Waymo said it plans to use its funding to continue developing and commercializing its autonomous driving technology and to hire more staffers as it offers service in select cities.

Airwayz Partners With Digiland for AI-Driven Drone Fleet Management Services

June 16, 2021 · Airwayz, which has developed AI-based software for fleet management autonomous drones, is partnering with investment, operations, and consulting firm Digiland to deploy services worldwide.

Facility Management Company ISS Selects UVD Disinfection Robots for Global Distribution

June 16, 2021 · ISS World Services will offer Blue Ocean Robotics' autonomous UVD Robots to its more than 60,000 customers for disinfecting spaces such as hospitals, factories, and offices.

Why the U.S. Infrastructure Bill Must Respond to China’s Investment in High-Tech Manufacturing and Robotics

June 15, 2021 · China has made significant investments in technologies such as robotics, as well as in advanced manufacturing and global trade, so the U.S. needs the infrastructure bill to be competitive.

NVIDIA Releases Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial Module for Harsh Environments

June 15, 2021 · NVIDIA said its new NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier Industrial module is designed to enable multiple industries to deploy AI at the edge in environments where safety and reliability are critical.

Dusty Robotics Raises $16.5M Series A for Construction Automation

June 15, 2021 · Dusty Robotics, whose FieldPrinter robot can rapidly lay out plans following building information models, will use its investment to scale up to meet construction industry demand.

Scythe Robotics Emerges From Stealth With $18.6M in Series A Funding for Autonomous Mower

June 15, 2021 · Scythe Robotics has raised Series A funding and is offering its electric commercial lawnmower through a robotics-as-a-service model. It can also capture property and performance data.

FedEx, Nuro Enter Multi-Year Agreement to Test Autonomous Delivery Vehicles

June 15, 2021 · FedEx and Nuro said their multiyear partnership will test Nuro's autonomous delivery vehicle within FedEx operations, as Nuro expands into parcel logistics and FedEx offers new services.

Mobile Industrial Robots Launches MiR250 Hook for Towing Heavy Carts

June 15, 2021 · MiR said its patented autonomous mobile robot accessory offers high precision and performance when picking up, transporting, and delivering carts with payloads up to 1,100 lb.

RiACT Execs Aim for Cobots That Are Both Flexible and Simple to Use

June 15, 2021 · RiACT, a Danish startup that has developed software for abstracting collaborative robot actions and making them easier to program, has announced pre-seed funding.

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