Source: Robotic Gizmos In the past few months, we have covered plenty of interesting projects involving the Baxter Robot. This video shows how this robot can cooperate with humans to complete assembly tasks. The robot can pick parts and hold them in place to help the operator screw. A Kinect 2 is used for gesture and speech recognition. The code for Kinect 2 Server is available online.

Robotic Industries Association Posted 11/02/2016 (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) – Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in the first nine months of 2016, according to Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry’s trade group.   A total of 23,985 robots valued at $1.3 billion were ordered from North American companies in the first nine months of 2016, an increase of seven percent in units and three percent in dollars over the same period in 2015, which held the previous record. Robot shipments to North American customers through September totaled 22,050 robots valued at $1.3 billion, breaking the previous record set in 2015 by three percent in units and 11% in dollars. The record sales levels were driven primarily by strong growth in demand from automotive OE...

Photo: Disney Research Meet Jimmy, a robot puppet powered by fluid actuators. Like other Disney creations, Jimmy looks rather magical. While humanoid robots can be painfully slow, Jimmy moves with lifelike speed and grace. A video posted earlier this year shows the robot waving at people, doing a little dance, drumming on a table. Just as impressive, Jimmy can safely operate near people, and by “near” we mean in contact with them. In the video, the robot plays patty-cake with a kid and even pats her cheeks—something you don’t see very often in human-robot interaction experiments. There’s no magic, of course, just beautiful engineering. Jimmy is not powered by the bulky electric motors and gears commonly used in humanoid robots; instead, it relies on a new kind of actua...

Kawasaki Robotics (USA), Inc. Posted 09/07/2016 The next generation duAro robot is designed to work alongside humans on material handling, assembly, machine tending and dispensing applications. Kawasaki introduces the “duAro”, an innovative and collaborative robot, to the North American market to expand the breadth of applications that can efficiently and cost-effectively be automated with a robot. The dual-arm horizontal articulated robot has the flexibility to be applied to production lines with a short product cycle and frequent changeovers, and it can safely collaborate with humans in work operations. With a small footprint and low price tag, it offers robot automation possibilities to companies of all sizes. The duAro is the first dual-arm SCARA robot to operate on a single axis...

Chinese consumer manufacturer Midea, after having spent over $4 billion to acquire 94% of German robot maker Kuka, is planning to spend an additional $1.5 billion to turn itself into China's preeminent robot powerhouse.  It plans to build a factory located in Foshan City to expand its capacity to manufacture and assemble robots and robot components. Much of the production will be to produce automatons for homes and individuals - robots similar to SoftBank's Pepper - which consumers appear to be enamored of. Midea expects to ramp up production at the new facility from an initial 7,000 robots annually to 17,000 or more within 10 years. Midea is China’s biggest manufacturer of air conditioners, refrigerators and home appliances, employing around 135,000 people...

Locus Robotics founder Bruce Welty explains how his company is developing better warehouse robots from scratch

To enable safe and efficient human–robot collaboration in shared workspaces, it is important for the robot to predict how a human will move when performing a task. While predicting human motion for tasks not known a priori is very challenging, we argue that single-arm reaching motions for known tasks in collaborative settings (which are especially relevant for manufacturing) are indeed predictable. Two hypotheses underlie our approach for predicting such motions: First, that the trajectory the human performs is optimal with respect to an unknown cost function, and second, that human adaptation to their partner's motion can be captured well through iterative replanning with the above cost function. The key to our approach is thus to learn a cost function that “explains” the motion of ...

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have been largely used in manufacturing and supply chain management. With the development of Auto-ID technologies like radio frequency identification (RFID), AGVs’ positioning could be enhanced. This paper demonstrates using magnetic field lines in the AGVs for precise coverage locating based on the errors’ suppression positioning method. Dolph-Chebyshev antenna array is used to enable AGVs with more precise location implementation. It is observed that the far-field active RFID system positioning accuracy is higher, the movement is more stable, and the fluctuating rate is smaller.

Apple kicked off today’s event by introducing a free recycling program featuring Liam, its California-developed robot that will take old phones apart

ETH Zurich spin-off Aerotain has created the most agile balloon you’ve ever seen

Universal Robots, the Danish manufacturer of a line of collaborative robots (also called "co-bots"), recently published financial statements which provide valuable insights into the growth potential of collaborative robots. At present, sales of collaborative robots represent just 5% of the overall robot market. The collaborative robotics sector, according to multiple pay-for research reports, is expected to increase roughly tenfold between 2015 and 2020, reaching over $1 billion from approximately $95 million in 2014.  Universal Robots In financial statements released in February, Universal Robots (UR) reported 2015 revenue of $61.44 million, a 91% increase over 2014, and net profit of $9.6 million before taxes for the year, up 122% over 2014. Unit sales, which began in 2009, ha...

The automation of the fourth industrial revolution is accelerating: By 2018, around 1.3 million industrial robots will be entering service in factories around the world. In the high-revenue automotive sector, global investments in industrial robots increased by a record-breaking 43 percent (2013-2014) within one year. Viewed on a cross-sector basis, the international market value for robotic systems now lies at around 32 billion US dollars. So says the 2015 World Robot Statistics, issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

We are very glad to welcome our new IFR Association member the Russian Association of Robotics (RAR) and IFR Robot Supplier member Carl Cloos Schweisstechnik, who just joined the International Federation of Robotics.

The global federation of robot manufacturers, IFR, mourns the loss of Joseph Engelberger. The father of robotics founded the company, Unimation Inc. in 1961, where he developed the first industrial robot, Unimate. So it was, that he launched the global revolution in industrial manufacturing.

3-5 Feb, 2016 A3 Business Forum Registration is now open for the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Business Forum. More than 500 global leaders from the robotics, machine vision, motion controls, motors, and other automation industries are expected to attend. more

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Audi is developing a “Smart Factory” where robots will work together with humans to build cars. The German automaker first talked about its Smart Factory last year, envisioning a plant with human-robot collaboration, 3D printed parts, drone material transport and piloted cars that drive themselves off the production lines. A new video has been released that gives us a glimpse into that factory, proving that it’s not as far-fetched as you might think. In fact, Audi appears to be making great progress with drones transporting steering wheels, although it may not seem very effective in the video. SEE ALSO: Watch the Nissan GT-R Face a Drone on a Race Track The company also previews other high-tech features like using virtual reality headsets and metal 3D printing to enhance the p...

Mercedes-Benz is experimenting with small bots to carry cargo over that last, pesky mile to the customer, using a human-driven van to ferry the them over the previous stretch. The two kinds of bots, aerial and terrestrial, are being supplied by companies we’ve already written about. Matternet is providing its slick M2 quadcopter, several of which would perch on the van’s roof. Starship Technologies is providing its six-wheel robot, eight of which can fit inside a van. The idea is that the driver of the Mercedes Sprinter van would load up the bots with their various payloads, take an optimized route from one customer to the next, and unleash the automatons. Then, after the bots have made their rounds, the van would pick them up again at some convenient point, carry...

ABB Inc. Posted 08/30/2016 Over twelve demos to showcase the Collaboration, Simplification and Digitalization that are the hallmarks of the flexible, agile and efficient factory of the future Auburn, Hills, Mich. - ABB will feature more than a dozen innovative robotic demos at the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), September 12-17 at McCormick Place in Chicago.  Occurring every two years, IMTS is one of the largest industrial fairs in the world, featuring the widest range of the latest manufacturing technology under one roof, for six full days.  The theme of the ABB booth (# N-6251) is Collaboration, Simplification and Digitalization, as ABB showcases its latest technology designed to provide manufacturers the flexibility and agility necessary to truly build the �...

Guiding collaborative robot design By Bélanger-Barrette Mathieu In recent years, many disruptive technologies have emerged. For example, driverless cars have gathered a lot of attention, because they are so different from what we are used to seeing. In fact, driverless cars have a bunch of sensors that make them safe. All these sensors allow the car to predict upcoming dangers and avoid crashing into other objects. However, even if they appear to be really safe, they are not yet completely allowed on the roads. They need to be tested and approved first. The same thing is happening for collaborative robot technology. In fact, these robots have been on the market for a couple of years now and just recently have been the main subject of an International Organization for Standardization (I...

Source: Engineering and Technology Magazine Workers at Ford’s production plant in Cologne, Germany, now have some new colleagues assisting them on the Fiesta assembly line: collaborative robots. The collaborative robots, known as co-bots, are working directly alongside human workers, helping to fit shock absorbers to Fiesta cars. The task requires pinpoint accuracy, strength and a high level of dexterity, so the Ford human employees work hand in hand with the robots to ensure a perfect fit every time. The trial at Ford’s assembly plant in Cologne, Germany, is part of the company’s investigations into Industry 4.0, the term coined to describe a fourth industrial revolution embracing automation, data exchange and manufacturing technologies. Ford sought feedback directly from over 1,0...

International Data Corporation (IDC) has awarded five pioneering players in the warehouse robotics market with the 2016 IDC Innovators Award. Companies selected met the following criteria: revenue of less than $50 million with an innovative technology, or a groundbreaking new business model, or both. IDC is a global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. Each year they award hundreds of innovator companies in trending industry segments. 2016’s broad trending segments included:     Internet of...

Beginning with the production of flow regulators in 1976, Dr. Werner Wittmann laid the cornerstone for a success story like no other in the plastics processing industry - and one that continues to this day. On June 8 and 9, 2016, customers and business partners of the WITTMANN Group were invited to Vienna to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the company. 1,650 guests were welcomed.

But don't expect these robots to steer themselves through the body any time soon

The maker of advanced humanoid and 4-legged robots (BigDog and Atlas), Boston Dynamics, is up for sale. According to the Financial Times, "this is one of those discordant moments that makes you question easy assumptions... and the current state of Alphabet and of robots." Google acquired Boston Dynamics in late 2013 as part of Andy Rubin's 9-company shopping spree. At the time the company had 80 employes and many millions of dollars of research contracts from DARPA and the DoD. Although no financial information was provided at the time, various sources have estimated that Google paid $60 million plus extensive stock options. A more recent guesstimate from The Dallas Business Journal was $500 million.  Andy Rubin left the company in October 2014. After this the robot initiative w...

Your weekly selection of awesome robot videos

Machines have been beating humans for many years in games and contests: Chess, Scrabble, Checkers, Jeopardy! and today, the Chinese board game Go. Google's AI machine won 4 out of 5 games in a $1.3 million contest with Korean Lee Se-Dol, rated as the world's best Go player. "I didn't expect to lose. I didn't think AlphaGo would play the game in such a perfect manner. Personally, I am regretful about the result, but would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supported and encouraged me throughout the match," Sedol said to ABC News at a post-game press conference. Google's Go-playing supercomputer, AlphaGo, was designed and operated by Google's London-based DeepMind AI team headed by Demis Hassabis. The 2,500-year-old board game is purported to be more complex than chess. It is pl...

A wireless brain-machine interface allows primates to guide a wheelchair to a reward using their mind

Mitsubishi says it has finished the robot that will install the Thirty Meter Telescope's huge mirrors

Don't miss the deadline! Applications for the IERA Award must be submitted not later than 15 March 2016. On 21 June 2016, the finalists of the IFR/IEEE Invention & Entrepreneurship Award will present their applications at the International Symposium on Robotics ISR in Munich, Germany.

A mobile fleet of Universal Robots will now receive daily work orders to solve ever-changing tasks with high mix - low volume electronics manufacturer Scott Fetzer Electrical Group (SFEG) in Tennessee. The collaborative robots have optimized production by 20 percent, taking over monotonous and potentially hazardous tasks from employees.