Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.73
…robotics, is sure to continue attracting investment. Self-driving cars, COVID-19 shape robotics We've talked before about the potential for robotics in general to benefit from the money currently pouring into AV development. Have you seen any of that happen yet? Sharma: The field of robotics has immense application in the development of autonomous vehicles. As such, investments in the AV market have benefited companies primarily engaged in robotics. Self-driving technologies such as ADAS [advanced driver-assist systems] and lidar have boosted investment in robotics. Large automakers such as Ford, BMW, Honda, and General Motors have been investing heavily in the development…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.69
…advice We've seen macroeconomic headwinds including trade conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages, and now inflation and less-available venture capital. How can startups proceed? Singh: We invest for long-term trends, but they have to be mindful of the need to raise money every 18 to 24 months. We continue to look for new approaches and make investments, but we need to make sure there's demonstrable success in the short term. It's harder to raise money for people already in the middle of it. Their companies might have raised funding four to six years ago but didn't have technical proof or…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.66
…Interest in intralogistics has grown because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, persistent labor shortages, spiking e-commerce orders, and ever-evolving consumer preferences. The exhibition hall at the recent MODEX trade show, one of the leading materials handling events in the world, brought the current state of warehouse robotics into clear focus, all under one roof. There, hundreds of vendors from all over the world were showcasing their innovations, most of which were directly or indirectly related to automation and robotics. Are you currently using or considering other types of large-scale logistics automation like conveyors, sortation, storage/retrieval, or shuttle systems? Source: Peerless…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.60
…cost-effectively solve equity, mobility, and connectivity problems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, observers have said that people would leave cities and never come back, but people are coming back. The conventional wisdom that everything's going to happen one way or another is wrong. Sean Harrington, Optimus Ride CEO Harrington: We have a very specific focus around AVs, and one of the most valuable things we can get from the advisory board is perspective and a broader view from the members' time in the private and public sector. We can “pressure test” ideas so that we're not missing something at urban transportation…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.56
…associates and operators, the labor shortage that predated the COVID-19 pandemic has led to improvements in working conditions, according to a study by Zebra Technologies Corp. The global “Warehouse Vision Study” found that companies are investing in ways to better fulfill the needs of both customers and workers. “We’re seeing a positive shift occurring in the supply chain and, specifically, within warehouses,” stated Mark Wheeler, director of supply chain solutions at Zebra Technologies. “Most decision makers believe investments in automation far outweigh the risk of doing nothing, and they are becoming more comfortable integrating all sorts of new technologies into…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.52
…in Alzheimer’s and dementia deaths with the advent of COVID-19. As the U.S. grapples with an aging population, dementia is becoming one of the largest killers of seniors, greater than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One in three people over the age of 65 die of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Assocation. The most tragic aspect of the disease is the limited means of treating it. Many nursing homes have introduced animal therapy sessions for patients. Numerous research studies have found that animals (especially dogs) have improved moods and increased social interaction with residents,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.49
…still a logistics pain point While trade conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the e-commerce boom and not-quite bust have come and gone, employment rates remain high despite inflationary and other economic pressures. “Labor shortages continue to be one of the biggest challenges facing our customers in the warehousing and logistics industry,” said Kait Peterson, senior director of product marketing at Locus Robotics. “That’s why it’s critical to optimize the existing workforce productivity while also improving worker ergonomics and overall workplace quality.” “By collaborating with human workers, our robots minimize unproductive walking time, pulling heavy carts and lifting to free up…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.46
…year or early in 2022. “This summer, because of COVID-19, we're planning to arrange online streams from the field in different languages to show how our robots actually work,” said Emelyanov. A vision of future farming Not only is technology changing how farmers manage crops; it's also changing the nature of the business, according to Emelyanov. “The farmer used to own his land and his machines, and he took on all the risks of food manufacturing, defined by time spent seeding, spraying, and harvesting,” he said. “He would use his own experience and that handed down by his Uncle Frank.”…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.45
…other hand, for on-site deployment of AR/VR, the need to sanitize shared goggles is an important factor during the COVID era.
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.45
…have sent people who walked on the moon. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unexpected reduction in the budgets allocated by many countries for space programs in 2021, but the reduction wasn’t very significant for any of them. Click on image to enlarge. Source: Euroconsult Still, the opportunities for space robotics to grow are huge. In fact, the market for space robotics could grow from $3.16 billion in 2023 to $4.75 billion in 2027, according to a report by Stratview Research. Due to factors both economic and experiential, not many private-sector players have made significant progress in this field. Even…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.44
…was starting to make bigger investments in robotics. Then COVID-19 hit, and for a while, there was a break in the action, but that all quickly changed. “The pandemic put the brakes on a lot of stuff early in 2020, but by the end of the year, it was rocketing back. The pandemic accelerated companies' decisions. They were looking at how to automate beforehand.” — Jeff Burnstein, president, A3 So what are some of the key things that are driving this push for robotics as we come out of the pandemic? How will more robotics, not only in our workplaces,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.42
…their operations. “Demand is not down,” Koffarnus said. “The [COVID-19] pandemic, if anything, increased demand to a new level. We still need to move the same amount of goods with less labor, and you have to rely on technology to be able to do that. There’s no other way to do it.” Augmenting labor top of mind for food and bev The food and beverage market is growing fast. In the “Food and Beverages Global Market Report 2023,” The Business Research Co. said it expects it to reach to $9.23 billion by 2027. To keep up with this demand, deliver…