Warehouse automation requires a combination of hardware, software, and services optimized for each customer and facility. inVia Robotics Inc. today announced that it has made agreements with more than 10 companies as part of its channel partner program. Westlake Village, Calif.-based inVia said the joint technology offerings will supplement its direct-sales efforts through new channels, including international markets. In addition, the company said the program will expand its ability to provide its artificial intelligence-driven optimization software and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to e-commerce fulfillment centers facing accelerated customer demand. inVia Robotics named as certified partners Argon Consulting, Atlantic Packaging, Conveyor…
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated e-commerce demand, but it has also increased awareness of the need for safe and efficient food-handling automation. Soft Robotics Inc. today said it has raised a $10 million Series B extension to further expand its commercial operations. “Today's industrial robots are unable to deal with product variability or unstructured environments typically found across the labor-challenged food supply chain in areas such as agriculture, food processing, and logistics,” stated Mark Chiappetta, chief operating officer at Soft Robotics. “With our revolutionary soft grasping, 3D perception, and AI technologies, Soft Robotics unlocks robotic automation by augmenting…
Seegrid Corp. today announced that it is adding a robotics-as-a-service, or RaaS, subscription model for its autonomous mobile robots. The model will provide customers with more options for adopting Seegrid's Palion robots and enterprise software, said the Pittsburgh-based company. The RaaS model can reduce the upfront investment and enable customers to have access to the latest robotic fleet and enhancements, noted Seegrid. The company has recently updated its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) line for with the Palion Tow Tractor, Palion Pallet Truck, and its new Palion Lift. In addition, it has formed the Blue Labs in-house research and development team.…
Last week's collapse of part of the Champlain Towers South condominiums in Surfside, Fla., was a reminder of how structures can fail and suddenly affect human lives. More than 150 people are missing. As with other disasters, from wars to hurricanes, robots and drones can play a role in finding trapped or lost people, assessing the damage, and ultimately rebuilding and predicting future incidents. “Why, after another multistory building collapse, are we we not any better off operationally than 20 years ago?” asked Robin Murphy, Raytheon professor of computer science and engineering at Texas A&M University. “We need to get…
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CMR Surgical Ltd. today announced that it has raised £425 million ($600 million U.S.) in a Series D financing. The Cambridge, U.K.-based company claimed that it is “the largest ever medtech private funding round worldwide” and said it plans to use the funds to increase the commercialization of its Versius surgical robots and develop its digital ecosystem. “This latest financing equips CMR with significant funds to accelerate our mission of bringing Versius to hospitals worldwide, whilst providing full flexibility to achieve our goals,” stated Per Vegard Nerseth, CEO of CMR. “This major injection of capital that now values us at…
XPeng Inc. last week announced the launch of its initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Guangzhou, China-based automotive company is offering 85 million Class A ordinary shares in its global offering, and it could raise up to $2 billion (U.S.). XPeng said it designs, manufactures, and markets electric vehicles (EVs) to appeal to the large and growing base of middle-class consumers in China. The company is also developing full-stack autonomous driving technology and an in-car intelligent operating system, as well as core vehicle systems including powertrain and the electrification/electronic architecture. Also known as Xiaopeng Motors, the…
Boston Dynamics' Spot robot is continuing to find uses around the world. U.K.-based Createc, which provides systems to the civil nuclear, defense, rail, marine, and security markets, last week announced that it will serve as technical integrator and commercial reseller for Boston Dynamics. “We are very positive about the future for robotics for nuclear decommissioning and collaborating with a company like Boston Dynamics is in line with that vision,” stated Matt Mellor, CEO of Createc. “The opportunity for robots like Spot to do more and to take more people out of hazardous environments is a very good thing for society.…
One of the best use for robots is to go where people should not, such as nuclear sites. Forth Engineering has developed a remotely operated rescue robot built to help with disaster recovery in hazardous industrial environments. The Cumbria, U.K.-based firm developed the rescue robot for the Sellafield nuclear site. In the event of an incident, the robot can be sent in remotely and operated at a safe distance from a command-and-control center. “This is a first for Sellafield to have this type of remotely operated rescue robot,” stated Mark Telford, managing director of Forth. “It is important for operators…
American Robotics Inc. and Scientific Applications & Research Associates (SARA Inc.) yesterday said they are partnering to apply SARA's acoustics-based aircraft-detection technology with American Robotics' Scout drones for safe operations in U.S. airspace. The companies said this will “unlock the $100 billion commercial drone market by advancing beyond visual line-of-sight operations in the National Airspace System.” “The FAA has rigorous requirements for drone companies to prove they can operate safely in the NAS without visual observers or pilots on the ground, and with other manned aircraft,” stated Vijay Somandepalli, co-founder and chief technology officer of American Robotics. “For the drone…
From prosthetics to voice controls and artificial intelligence, advances in multiple technologies are helping robots and assistive devices to work more closely with humans. Speakers during a virtual event on “The Evolution of Human-Robot Interaction” produced by the Global Robot Cluster last night explained how these systems can augment human capabilities and improve both industrial productivity and the quality of life. In his opening remarks, Changho Kim, chairman of the Global Robot Cluster, noted that progress is being made worldwide in human-machine interfaces. The event involved experts from South Korea and Europe, as well as U.S. robotics clusters MassRobotics and…
Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are securities that can be bought or sold on a stock exchange and can be organized around thematic investments. A small but growing number of ETFs focus on robotics and artificial intelligence, providing a means for both startups and investors worldwide to support and benefit from emerging technologies. The Indxx Japan Robotics & AI Index began trading this week. “Japan has been at the leading edge of technological advancement for several decades, and Japanese companies are global leaders in the robotics and AI revolution that are disrupting sectors and industries on a global basis,” stated Rahul…