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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…
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While robotic taxicabs are still being tested on the ground, some companies have loftier goals of autonomous passenger flights. Wisk Aero LLC this week said it has secured $450 million in funding from The Boeing Co. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said it plans to use the funding to advance development of its air taxi, prepare for large-scale manufacturing, and…
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FedEx Express yesterday announced the launched of the DoraSorter robot in collaboration with Dorabot Inc. The company said the artificial intelligence-powered sorting robot represents its latest push to digitize its operations and build a smart logistics network to handle growing volumes of e-commerce shipments in Asia. “With e-commerce taking center stage in the future of retail in our region, the…
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As supply chains add more automation, mobile robot providers continue to scale up to meet the demand. Vecna Robotics today announced that it has raised $65 million in Series C funding. The Waltham, Mass.-based company said it will use its latest financing to develop new software and robots, as well as fulfill new orders and expand operations. It noted that…
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SiteAware Ltd., which has developed digital construction verification, or DCV, technology, today announced a $15 million Series B financing round. The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company said it plans to use the funds to further scale its industry presence and to make its system the new standard for the U.S. construction industry. “SiteAware’s DCV error-prevention technology is disrupting the construction industry…
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Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corp. today announced that it has successfully completed assembly of the beta version of its Guardian XT mobile avatar system at the end of 2021, as scheduled. The Guardian XT robot is an upper-body variant of the award-winning Sarcos Guardian XO full-body, battery-powered industrial exoskeleton. “We are extremely pleased with the progress we’ve made in the…
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
