Zyter Inc. today said it has collaborated with Qualcomm Technologies Inc. to support the demonstration of 5G private networks. The partners said they will provide network management services, a user interface/dashboard, and three initial applications. “Applications like lidar-based analytics require high-bandwidth, low-latency networks that can potentially support thousands of devices, render images in 3D, or enable autonomous mobile robots to react in milliseconds,” said Sanjay Govil, founder and CEO of Zyter. “The combination of Qualcomm Technologies’ platforms for 5G private networks with Zyter’s leading-edge applications offer a world of new possibilities for organizations that want more performance, ownership and control.”…
HAI Robotics yesterday announced that it will provide autonomous totes-to-person systems in Anta Sports Products Ltd.'s new warehouse in southern China. The robotics supplier and the apparel company said it is their third collaboration to date. As an official sponsor of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and Paralympics, Anta said it has experienced surging sales, putting warehouse logistics under mounting pressure. The company, which claimed to be one of the top three sportswear brands in the world, held its logistics partnership conference last week at its Jinjiang headquarters in China's Fujian Province. Anta named HAI Robotics “best strategic supplier”…
Discussions about using robotics for flexible manufacturing invariably begin with the automotive industry. Faced with fewer manufacturing plants, an increasing product mix, and consumer demand for greater customization, automakers have been forced to innovate beyond existing processes. Flexible automation is ideal for vehicle manufacturers' high product mix and high-volume assembly requirements. Yet, as the robotics industry matures, and sensors, software, and hardware become more accessible and affordable, many lessons from the automotive sector can apply to other industries as well. Here are four advantages of using robots for flexible manufacturing: 1. The ability to produce different products on the same…
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While robots are quickly spreading beyond automotive manufacturing to other sectors, most systems are still used in factories. The industrial automation industry continues to grow. In 2021, the global market for industrial automation was worth about $43.8 billion, according to Statista. By 2030, it could grow to $116 billion, estimated Allied Market Research. Demand for robots in places such as manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centers continues to increase as sensors, motion control, and software advance, making the hardware more capable and easier to use. Tasks or applications growing in popularity include machine tending and welding. Coupled with the labor…
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new attention to the need for laboratories to add automation at scale. Automata, which serves the life science industry with lab automation and the Eva robotic arm, this week said it has raised $50 million in Series B funding. The London-based company said it plans to use the funding to continue development of its offerings for scientists working across diagnostics, drug discovery, and biotechnology. “At Automata, we have always believed in the power of automation to support a variety of uses especially when deployed at scale,” stated Mostafa El Sayed, CEO of Automata. “We are…
At MODEX 2022, ABB Group said it plans to show some of its most advanced robotics technology for omnichannel commerce, including the EBOT 350 from ASTI Mobile Robotics, which it acquired in July 2021. The Zurich, Switzerland-based company said its recent acquisition of ASTI Mobile Robotics expanded its industrial automation offerings. ABB added that ASTI's autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) join its innovations for packing, moving, and delivering products for consumer goods producers and distributors. ABB announced several systems that it plans to exhibit in Atlanta next month. ASTI EBOT part of portfolio exhibit ABB said its exhibit at MODEX 2022…
More self-driving cars are hitting the roads as robotic taxicabs. Motional Inc. and Via Transportation Inc. yesterday announced that they have launched a free robotaxi service in downtown Las Vegas. The companies said they first partnered in 2020 with the goal of offering autonomous vehicles at scale to expand public access to transportation options. “Our partnership offers a new channel for members of the public to experience safe and convenient self-driving rides, with a focus on effectively integrating Motional's robotaxis with existing transit networks, “said Abe Ghabra, chief operating officer at Motional. “We look forward to learning from this service…
Logistics providers are turning to automation for efficiency and flexibility. Swisslog Holding AG this week said it has completed 300 integration projects with AutoStore's technology in more than 26 countries, featuring a total of more than 7 million storage bins and using at least 10,000 robots. “We are uniquely placed to help businesses transform their automated warehouse operations with everything from simple standalone AutoStore projects to some of the largest and most complex installations,” said Markus Kirchhoff, head of the AutoStore Europe business unit at Swisslog. “Demand for this technology is so strong that by June 2022, we expect to…
Design
Just as collaborative robot arms become useful for different applications depending on end-of-arm tooling, so too can mobile robots gain capabilities with new accessories. ROEQ recently launched a module and cart that will more than double the payload of Mobile Industrial Robots' MiR250. The TMS-C500 Ext module and the S-Cart500 Ext cart work together to increase MiR250’s payload from 250 to 500 kg (551 to 1,102 lb), according to ROEQ. The TMS-C500 Ext is placed on top of the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and slides into position under the S-Cart500 Ext. Founded in 2017, ROEQ develops and manufactures mobile robot…
As manufacturers and supply chains grapple with disruptions, smarter and more dexterous robots promise to help handle multiple applications, freeing scarce workers for more value-added tasks. RIOS Intelligent Machines Inc. today announced that it has raised $28 million in Series A equity funding and debt financing. “Bedrock sectors of our economy are crippled by a labor shortage problem that COVID turned into a full-blown crisis,” said Dr. Bernard Casse, CEO of RIOS. “Today, most factories in the world are labor-intensive, and with millions of jobs unfilled, manufacturers are unable to keep up with skyrocketing consumer demand – and they are…