Mech-Mind Robotics today announced that it recently completed a Series C funding round. The Beijing-based machine vision company said the latest investment brings its total funding to more than $100 million (U.S.), making it one of the world's most funded artificial intelligence and industrial automation startups. “Our products are designed to fundamentally reframe the manufacturing pain points by utilizing the practice of AI and human-robotics interaction,” stated Tianlan Shao, founder and CEO of Mech-Mind Robotics. “Our products and service already create visible business returns for nearly 1,000 clients worldwide.” Manufacturing remains the largest adopter of industrial automation globally, according to…
InOrbit, Inc.
RightHand Robotics Inc., which makes data-driven, autonomous robotic picking systems for order fulfillment, today announced the opening of its RightPick Center Europe in Nürnberg, Germany. The company said the new center will expand its continued global presence in Europe and strengthen its business in a market characterized by accelerating adoption of warehouse automation and the development of increasingly sophisticated supply chains. With a growing number of customers and partners based in Europe, the new RightPick Center will provide a collaborative space for meetings, system integrations, automation testing, and robot demos, similar to the first RightPick Center at the company’s headquarters…
Desktop Metal Inc. said today that it has acquired Adaptive3D Technologies LLC, a provider of elastomeric solutions for additive manufacturing. Adaptive3D's products enable the high-volume production of end-use parts through additive manufacturing using odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant, and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials. Adaptive3D offers additive manufacturing polymer resins and specialty polymers to companies around the world in the consumer, healthcare, industrial, transportation, and oil and gas sectors. The company claimed to be a leader in printing and processing rubber-like materials, damping materials, and low-cure stress photopolymers. “The acquisition of Adaptive3D advances Desktop Metal’s vertical integration strategy to grow our…
The Raymond Corporation yesterday announced an intralogistics suite that it said can help materials handling operations stay efficient and productive in today's competitive landscape. From forklifts and telematics to operator-assist technologies and energy system, the Greene, N.Y.-based company said it is a single source for innovative products, best-in-class service, and software-based, data-powered solutions. “Our total-solutions approach empowers all facets of an operation to succeed by providing complete facility visibility through smarter, more connected and more efficient processes and technologies,” stated Michael Field, president and CEO of Raymond. “We're excited to demonstrate that Raymond is much more than a forklift company…
As the number and types of autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, from different vendors have grown in warehouses, factories, and other facilities, the need for them to communicate has also grown. MassRobotics is one of the organizations leading efforts to develop interoperability standards. After a year of monthly meetings, the MassRobotics AMR Interoperability Working Group has defined what data should be shared in standard messages. The global market for AMRs and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) will reach $14 billion by 2026, with more than 270 vendors in the space, according to Logistic IQ. Adoption of AMRs will experience a compound…
BALYO SA, which has developed autonomous navigation systems for forklifts, today said it has signed a strategic customer agreement with Ouster Inc. to deploy Ouster's 3D digital lidar sensors in its robotic lift trucks. As part of the multi-year agreement, Ouster will supply its OS0 sensor to BALYO, adding functionality to BALYO's vehicles. “BALYO chose to work with Ouster due to benefits from the wide field of view and high resolution of its OS0 sensor, as well as a high level of reliability that justified our investment in increased levels of autonomy that will bring additional value to our innovative…
Universal Robots A/S today launching an updated version of its UR10e collaborative robot arm. The Odense, Denmark-based cobot leader said the UR10e's increased payload capacity of 12.5kg (27.55 lb.) came in response to customer feedback and expands potential applications such as palletizing, machine tending, and packaging. The robot’s price remains unchanged, said Universal Robots. “Universal Robots is committed to continuous improvement based on meaningful conversations with customers and our ability to address critical market opportunities,” stated Kim Povlsen, president of Universal Robots. “Our customers have already deployed UR cobots on a wide variety of palletizing applications.” “Over time, they have…
Starship
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of e-commerce, but it has also increased demand for delivery robots. Starship Technologies said last week that its robotic deliveries have quadrupled globally since the beginning of the pandemic. “This past year has been a game changer for autonomous delivery, moving adoption ahead by years,” stated Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies. “When we launched commercial delivery three years ago, we didn’t expect to be at the point we are today.” “We marked the significant milestone of 1 million deliveries in January 2021, and we’ve since surpassed 1.5 million…
End-user
TRINAMIC Motion Control GmbH & Co. KG today introduced the TMCM-1321, which it claimed is the smallest and lowest-power single-axis servo controller and driver module with integrated motion control. The module enables two-phase bipolar stepper motors in robotics and automation equipment to optimize speed and synchronization of axes for quicker throughput while also reducing power loss by 75%, said the company. The TMCM-1321 features an on-board magnetic encoder and digital inputs for an optical encoder to simplify servo control for advanced feedback and diagnostics, improving productivity, TRINAMIC said. “When selecting an energy-efficient drive, engineers tend to look at servo drives,”…