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The global automotive industry is retooling for electric and increasingly autonomous vehicles. JIDU, the intelligent vehicle division of Baidu Inc., last week announced that it had closed a Series A round of almost $400 million (U.S.). The Beijing-based company plans to use the financing to continue research and development of its Robocar concept with the goal of launching a mass-produced…
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While robots are changing materials handling, they have operational constraints because of safety requirements. NEC Corp. last week said it has developed a control technology that doubles the efficiency of autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, in warehouses while maintaining a high level of safety. The Tokyo-based company plans to put the technology into practical use by March 2024 and to…
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While Boston Dynamics Inc. is best known for videos of its legged robots, the company has continued to pursue commercial applications. DHL Supply Chain last week announced that it is investing $15 million in robots from Boston Dynamics to further automate its North American warehouses. According to their multiyear agreement, the companies will start with Stretch, a robot designed for…
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Starship Technologies Inc. this week announced that it has made a €50 million ($55.7 million U.S.) quasi-equity facility agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The San Francisco-based company said it will use the funding for research and development at its innovation facility in Tallinn, Estonia. “We’re proud of our European roots as well as the growing team there that…
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The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute today announced the selection of eight new robotics technology projects for funding. The consortium said it chose projects that respond to urgent needs in U.S. manufacturing and that address modernization priorities of the U.S. Department of Defense. “The ARM Institute is pleased to announce these eight new development projects,” stated Dr. Charles…
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Multifunction robots are rolling out. Sam’s Club today announced that it will deploy the Inventory Scan accessory to its existing fleet of robotic floor scrubbers nationwide. The Walmart Inc. division said the chainwide rollout will be Brain Corp's largest and fastest to date, in partnership with Tennant Co. “Sam’s Club is hyper-focused on making sure our members have a seamless…
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Decathlon SA and Geekplus Technology Co. this week announced that they have successfully deployed hundreds of mobile robots in three European distribution centers. The companies said the modernization and automation of the warehouses builds on their successful partnership in Asia. “The past two years represent a turning point in how people engage with e-commerce, and we have to provide service…
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Mobile robots typically use a combination of 2D cameras, time-of-flight infrared depth cameras, and 2D lidar, but they have limitations. Velodyne Lidar Inc. claimed that its 3D sensors can improve robot perception as such systems enter more diverse environments. Lighting conditions, resolution, and range can all affect the ability of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to safely perceive objects and obstacles,…
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Knightscope Inc. today announced that it has raised $22.36 million through the sale of 2.2 million shares of its Class A common stock priced at $10 per share. The company, which has developed mobile security robots, plans to use the funding to continue scaling its fleet. “We’ve brought on thousands and thousands of new investors in Knightscope as we embark…
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While robot-assisted surgical procedures are typically supervised by physicians, fully automated surgery is progressing. A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University yesterday announced that the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot, or STAR, has performed laparoscopic surgery on the soft tissue of a pig without human guidance. The researchers described their work in Science Robotics. “Our findings show that we can…
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Universal Robots A/S, the leading producer of collaborative robot arms, today reported record revenue for 2021 of $311 million (U.S.). The Odense, Denmark-based company said its revenue increased by 41% over 2020 and was 23% over its 2019 pre-pandemic results. “Universal Robots has had a great year,” stated Kim Povlsen, president of Universal Robots. “In a company like ours, which…
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Demand for autonomous mobile robots continues to grow worldwide. Mobile Industrial Robots ApS today said that its sales last year increased by 40% over 2020. The Odense, Denmark-based company noted that it set a record in December 2021, with close to 300 robots shipped, more than in any previous month. “We grew significantly in 2021 despite component shortages as customers…
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Businesses are experiencing an array of material handling problems from labor shortages to increased demand and customization. Automation has moved from nice-to-have to must have, but one of the most challenging tasks to automate is material handling because business needs and facility conditions are constantly changing. Even the most automated facilities still move material manually. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are…
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Distalmotion yesterday announced that it has closed $90 million (U.S.) in Series E financing to support the global commercialization of its Dexter surgical robot. The Epalinges, Switzerland-based company said its system combines the affordability of laparoscopy with the benefits of robotic surgery. “Dexter combines the best of both worlds—laparoscopy and robotics—to make sense of robotic surgery,” said Michael Friedrich, CEO…
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Seegrid Corp. yesterday announced that it will showcase its newest autonomous lift truck, the Seegrid Palion Lift, for the first time at MODEX 2022. Attendees at the Atlanta event in March will be able to observe demonstrations of Seegrid Palion Lift working with other Seegrid IQ-powered vehicles, interact with Seegrid’s Fleet Central software suite, and meet with company experts. Pittsburgh-based…
GENISOM AI makes ICRA debut at conference in Vienna
World's first omni-modal evaluation including tactile sensing for…
Ultrasonic sensing enhances robotics perception
North America’s largest automation and robotics event takes place June 22-25
