Sacrificial ink-writing technique developed at Harvard allows 3D printed organs to include large, vascularized building blocks.
Robotics investments recap: August 2019
Automation transactions in August 2019 included a major surgical robotics acquisitions, as well as funding for welding robots, cleaning drones, AI, and autonomous trucks.
Labor and robotics needed for the future of manufacturing, says KUKA exec
Labor and automation aren’t forces in opposition, notes KUKA CRO Joe Gemma. He says that industry needs to understand the benefits of robotics, and academia and government need to work more closely together.
Obstacle avoidance to get sharper vision with UMass Amherst research
In the Introspective Vision for Obstacle Avoidance, UMass Lowell researchers are using a Jackal UGV from Clearpath to train machine learning for obstacle avoidance.
3D printing delivers precise medical models fast
“We needed a reliable multi-material 3D printing technology to produce ultra-accurate surgical guides and simulators, and we’ve found exactly that accuracy in the Stratasys J750,” says Jérémy Adam, Founder and President of the Paris-based French manufacturer, Bone 3D. “Since its installation, it has quite literally transformed what we’re able to achieve and the speed with […]
Robotic thread from MIT could worm its way into brain blood vessels
Magnetically controlled robotic thread could deliver clot-reducing therapies in response to stroke or other brain blockages, said MIT researchers.
Jellyfish unharmed by new soft robotic underwater gripper
A new ultra-soft underwater gripper developed at Harvard’s Wyss Institute safely catches and releases jellyfish without damage.
Blue Ocean acquires Beam telepresence robot from Suitable Technologies
Blue Ocean Robotics has continued its evolution to being an international provider of service robots with its purchase of the Beam telepresence robot from Suitable Technologies.
Astro robot dog learns new tricks using AI
What would you get if you combined Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa with Boston Dynamic’s quadruped robots? You’d get “Astro,” the four-legged seeing and hearing intelligent robot dog. Using deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI), scientists from Florida Atlantic University’s Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Laboratory (MPCR) in the Center for Complex Systems and Brain…
Sphero buys littleBits to take the lead in STEAM education
Sphero is acquiring littleBits, which makes modular electronics, and other technology companies as its seeks leadership in STEAM education.
CMU, OSU team wins first event in DARPA Subterranean Challenge
A team from CMU and OSU beat 10 competitors in the Tunnel Circuit stage of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. The robots conducted a mock search-and-rescue scenario.
Self-folding ‘Rollbot’ paves way for untethered soft robots
The majority of soft robots today rely on external power and control, keeping them tethered to off-board systems or rigged with hard components. Now, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Caltech have developed soft robotic systems, inspired by origami, that can move and change shape in…
Starship Technologies raises $40M Series A, expands campus services
Starship Technologies has closed Series A funding and said that it has completed 100,000 deliveries and will be expanding service to 100 university campuses.
Exosuit successfully makes the transition from walking to running
Harvard and University of Nebraska Omaha researchers have developed a lightweight exosuit that assists both walking and running, highlighting the potential for wearable robots outside the lab.
Georgia Tech robots learn to ‘MacGyver’ simple tools
Thanks to new technology that enables them to create simple tools, robots may be on the verge of their own version of the Stone Age. Using a novel capability to reason about shape, function, and attachment of unrelated parts, researchers have for the first time successfully trained an intelligent agent to create basic tools by…
Helios announces Charlotte gear school
Helios Gear Products has announced the 2019 Regional Gear School that will be co-presented by the Kapp Niles company. This school will be held September 25, 2019 in Charlotte, N.C. For more than 30 years, Helios Gear Products has provided quality education to the gear industry. As part of its corporate mission, Helios believes that…
CMU names Martial Hebert Dean of School of Computer Science
Martial Hebert, a leading researcher in computer vision and robotics, has been named dean of Carnegie Mellon University’s world-renowned School of Computer Science (SCS), effective August 15. Hebert, director of the Robotics Institute in SCS since 2014, will lead a school with more than 270 faculty members and approximately 2,300 students. He has been a…
Researchers study birds to improve how aerial robots land
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…
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.
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.
How roller-screw and ball-screw actuators compare in high-force applications
As electric rod-style actuators overtake fluid power in a variety of high-force applications, it is important to understand how different screw technologies compare in the search for optimum performance and low life-cycle cost. By Daniel Schmit • Product Manager | Tolomatic Inc. Electric-rod actuators with either roller-screw or ball-screw technology are playing an expanding role […]
Park Place Technologies sponsors Irish students in U.S. with Inspiring Women in Stem
Park Place Technologies is hosting two students from Cork, Ireland, in the United States for its first externship sponsorship with I WISH (Inspiring Women in STEM). I Wish (Inspiring Women In Stem) is an initiative to inspire, encourage and motivate young female students to pursue careers in STEM. I Wish has grown over the past…
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.
PTDA 2019 Industry Summit amplifies industry connections in Austin
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is expecting 550 delegates in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry at the PTDA 2019 Industry Summit in Austin, Texas. Representing over 200 PTDA distributor and manufacturer companies, delegates will attend for cross-channel networking, shared learning and collaborative experiences at this year’s Industry Summit, themed Amplify. Those registering before August […]
Motlow State Community College now an ABB robotics education affiliate
Motlow State Community College (MSCC.edu) in McMinnville, Tenn. is a new member of the ABB Robotics Affiliate Education Program. In May 2019, ABB instructors began teaching certificate training classes at the recently built Automation & Robotic Training Center (ARTC) adjacent to the Motlow campus. The 12,500 sq-ft ARTC has a dedicated ABB Robotics lab equipped…