Under the watchful eyes of five high-speed cameras, a small, pale-blue bird named Gary waits for the signal to fly. Diana Chin, a graduate student at Stanford University and Gary’s trainer, points her finger to a perch about 20 inches away. The catch here is that the perch is covered in Teflon, making it…
Schunk EGP gripper designed for pick & place applications
Schunk has introduced a 24V gripper with IO-link called the Schunk EGP. It is designed for small components during fast-paced pick & place applications. The Schunk EGP electric gripper satisfies the IO-Link Class B Standard suitable for increased power consumption and can be directly connected with an IO-Link Class B Master. Schunk said the EGP…
Formant acquires Formation to integrate teleoperation into robotic fleet management
Formant, whose cloud- and Web-based software is designed to make it easier to manage robot fleets, is adding teleoperation from Formation to its Robotics-as-a-Service offerings.
ARM consortium welcomes FANUC America as 200th member
The ARM consortium, which is dedicated to advancing the state of robotics for manufacturing and empowering the American workforce, has grown to 200 organizations.
Scale AI raises $100M Series C for annotation services to train AI
Scale AI has raised Series C funding for its annotation services, which can help train machine learning for its customers. They include leader companies working on self-driving cars, robots, and other systems.
PH-series robots from Yaskasa provide long reach for press handling performance
Yaskawa Motoman’s new PH series robots are shelf-mounted and are available in tow models for different payloads and reach capacities.
SuperTrak brings batch size one to the metal industry
The metal industry is not immune to the global trend away from bulk annual orders toward small-batch customer orders with short lead times. To handle this type of individualized production in batch sizes as small as one, manufacturing systems must become much more flexible. B&R’s booth at EMO (Hall 9, Booth F50) will showcase track-based…
Roach-inspired robot shares insect’s speed, toughness
A new insect-sized robot from UC Berkeley can scurry across the floor nearly as fast as a roach, and it’s also difficult to crush. It could be useful for search-and-rescue missions, say researchers.
6 common step motor mistakes to avoid in automation applications
When specifying or using step motors, it’s easy to make incorrect assumptions. Applied Motion Products offers some suggestions on how to avoid common problems.
Wearable device could improve communication between humans, robots
Researchers at in Houston, Boulder, and Nanjing, China, have developed a soft nanomembrane that could help people with wearable devices operate them more smoothly.
Soft robots controlled by magnets, light in new research
North Carolina State University and Elon University researchers have found that light and magnets can be used to control a soft robot and even reconfigure it.
Robotics investments recap: July 2019
In July 2019, investments in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones increased, despite a decline in the number of transactions.
Keeping the bad guys out of industrial networks
To keep hackers from wreaking havoc in industrial networks, modern controllers employ measures that go far beyond ordinary firewalls. Laura Dickinson | Wago Corp. A few years ago, viewers of a TV series called Mr. Robot watched the main character try to destroy mag tape backups held at a data facility that was portrayed as…
Delta pick and place robots from Demaurex to get next gen Genesis Robotics drives
Genesis Robotics’ LiveDrive direct drive motors will be incorporated into Demaurex’s high-speed Delta pick-and-place robots.
OnRobot opens office in Los Angeles for cobot gripper R&D
As demand for collaborative robots grows, so too must suppliers of end-of-arm tooling. OnRobot, which makes the Gecko gripper, opened its first U.S. R&D office in California.
Trust is key to service robot design, says SoftBank Robotics
The key to social and service robots isn’t making them more humanoid, but making them useful and inspiring customer trust, explains SoftBank Robotics’ HRI lead.
PHD adds gripper options, transition plate to product line
PHD has released a new jaw-travel option for its GRR grippers, offered the Pneu-Connect X2 with dual grippers, and announced seventh-axis transition plates for its Series ESU and UR cobots.
ControlLogix CIP Safety I/O modules simplify large control applications
Machine designers can use the new Allen-Bradley ControlLogix CIP Safety I/O modules to reduce panel space and setup time in larger applications that require a high-density I/O solution. The modules provide local, in-chassis safety I/O for GuardLogix 5580 controllers, eliminating the need for adapters that require panel space and additional configuration time. If desired, the…
ASTM International proposes standards guide, center of excellence for exoskeletons
ASTM International is working on standards for assessing exoskeleton and exosuit usability.
Webinar: Robotics Clusters and Innovation Centers – August 21
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 2 pm ET / 11 am PT It is well documented that robotics clusters, groups of regionally localized robotics companies, enthusiastic investors, universities and research institutions, and other supporting organizations, act as facilitators and accelerators for robotics innovation, new business formation, job creation and regional wealth generation. For companies…
Microrobots activated by laser pulses could deliver medicine to tumors
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have demonstrated a robotic platform for delivering drugs in the human body.
Sea Machines Robotics to demonstrate autonomous spill response
Sea Machines and MARAD have agreed to demonstrate the capabilities of autonomous systems installed aboard an MSRC oil spill response vessel.
Neural Analytics partners with NGK Spark Plug to scale up medical robots
LOS ANGELES — Neural Analytics Inc., a medical robotics company developing and commercializing technologies to measure and track brain health, has announced a strategic partnership with NGK Spark Plug Co., a Japan-based company that specializes in comprehensive ceramics processing. Neural Analytics said the partnership will allow it to expand its manufacturing capabilities and global footprint.…
Tooling from XYZ Robotics designed to adapt to challenging warehouse cases
XYZ Robotics offers standalone vision systems for integrators in addition to turnkey solutions in addition to a compliant tool head for end users.
New components for conveyors
New Elesa conveyor components allow the creation of support structures for production lines in diverse industrial markets, such as bottling, packaging and material handling. Elesa now offers new roller sides and central guides, linear guide rails, also with shaped profile and a series of accessories. These have been added to the already available range of…