Anzu is offering inspection drones for the U.S. market. Source: Anzu Robotics

While drones from SZ DKI Technology Co. arguably dominate the U.S. market for enterprise drone applications, Anzu Robotics LLC is preparing to serve operators that might be affected by a ban on the Chinese-made systems.

The DJI Matrice and DJI Mavic products both offer a wide range of sensor and payload options suitable for use in applications such as inspection, mapping, surveying, and search and rescue operations. In the past year, DJI has increasingly come under criticism because it is a Chinese state-owned business, and many DJI drones are used to inspect and map critical U.S. infrastructure.

New legislation approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 20 is part of ongoing efforts by federal and state governments to limit the usage of DJI drones in the U.S. There was unanimous agreement among the committee members, as both Republicans and Democrats supported the proposed restrictions, citing national security concerns.

The bills, the Countering CCP Drones Act and the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (download PDFs), are now under consideration in the full U.S. House.

“Congress must use every tool at our disposal to stop communist China’s monopolistic control over the [U.S.] drone market,” stated Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York), the primary sponsor of the bills cleared by the committee.

However, many industry insiders are skeptical of the proposed DJI drone ban, due in part to the heavy lobbying of U.S.-based uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) manufacturers such as Skydio that would like to displace DJI.

Such companies hope to gain more market share within the U.S. market, as autonomous commercial drone applications grow in popularity. In August, 2023, Skydio ended all sales of its drones to consumers to focus 100% on the enterprise market.

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What’s the possible impact of a U.S. ban on DJI drones?

A lot of commercial drone operators, including fire departments and other public-safety groups, have said that the Countering CCP Drones bill would make it illegal for DJI drones to use U.S. communications infrastructure. This isn’t a complete ban, but it would make DJI drones useless in the U.S., especially for any business, state, or local government that might use a DJI drone, they said.

The potential approval of the legislation has sent the commercial drone industry into a panic, especially search-and-rescue teams that have heavily invested in DJI drones for their operations.

Enter Austin, Texas-based Anzu Robotics.

The company recently announced its entrance into the U.S. drone market and the launch of its new Raptor and Raptor T enterprise drones. CEO Randall Warnas is a veteran in the drone industry, having worked at Autel and FLiR Systems earlier in his career.

Warnas said he recognized the potential impact of a DJI ban in the U.S. and saw an opportunity to fill a real need in the industry.

Using his network, Warnas reached a licensing deal with DJI to manufacture the Raptor drones in Malaysia, using the core design and internal chipset of the DJI Mavic 3 platform. He could then import and sell the drones in the U.S. under the Anzu Robotics brand.

The Mavic 3 Enterprise series drones are not the latest generation of drones from DJI — that would be the Mavic 3 Pro — but the platform is proven and liked by many industry professionals today. It is one of the most successful generations of DJI drones to date, according to Warnas.

The Raptor drone and remote controller in their signature green color. | Credit: Anzu Robotics

Aloft software meets country of origin mandate

On the software side, Warnas signed a deal with U.S.-based Aloft AI (formerly Kittyhawk) to provide the flight control software on the controller. The Aloft software source effectively meets the requirements for U.S.-based ownership and control of flight data as defined in the Countering CCP Drones bill. By manufacturing drones in Malaysia, Anzu Robotics meets the requirements for country of origin.

“At Aloft, we recognize that our customers have diverse operational needs which demand that everything they fly must be securely and compliantly integrated into the airspace,” said Jon Hegranes, founder and CEO of Aloft. “Our collaboration with Anzu Robotics on the Raptor series extends our commitment to providing versatile, cutting-edge drone solutions that ensure top-tier security and compliance for all stakeholders.”

The Raptor does not have geofencing or other unofficial flight restrictions. All airspace information is authoritative and authentic, as Aloft is an UAS Service Supplier (USS) approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This comparison of the Anzu Robotics (left) and DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise (right) drones shows their similarities. | Credit: The Robot Report

Introducing the Anzu Robotics Raptor

Because Anzu’s drones are based on the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise platform, they are equipped with a 4/3 CMOS sensor 20 MP wide-angle camera with a 56x hybrid zoom camera for 12MP images. Raptor T (for thermal) combines 1/2-inch 48MP and 12MP cameras with a 640×512 high-resolution LWIR thermal imaging payload, also with 56x hybrid zoom capabilities.

Similar to the Mavic 3, the Raptor boasts 45 minutes of flight time, a 9-mile range, and an optional RTK module accessory. Raptor will be backward-compatible with the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery from the DJI Mavic 3 drone.

Raptor is priced at $5,100, while Raptor T will sell for $7,600 in the U.S. This is more expensive than its DJI-badged Mavic cousin, but more competitive than U.S.-made counterparts such as Skydio and BRINC.

Anzu Robotics is targeting enterprise applications with the Raptor, as this is not a consumer platform. The company plans to focus in the coming year on building its its sales and partner distribution channels.

If the proposed legislation is passed and DJI is banned in the U.S., Anzu Robotics said it expects that existing DJI distribution partners would immediately move to it.

The Pilot Institute interviewed Randall Warnas about the company’s strategy and plans for the coming year.

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Left: Vivian Chu and Andrea Thomaz, the co-founders of Diligent Robotics; right: Kathleen Brandes and Ros Shinkle, the co-founders of Adagy Robotics. | Sources: Diligent Robotics, Adagy Robotics

Almost half of all startups that began in 2021 were formed by women, according to human resources cloud software company Gusto. Within the robotics industry, however, it’s a different story. Women make up only 34% of the STEM workforce, according to the National Girls Collaborative Project, and they hold only 16% of robotics and engineering roles. 

Those numbers, however, don’t tell us how many women start robotics companies. There isn’t a lot of data about the number of startups that begin every year or how many robotics companies are operating, in general. Let alone about the backgrounds of the founders behind them. 

To get a picture of how many women are founders of robotics companies, I combed through our 2024 February and March funding recaps. Of the 78 robotics companies that raised money during those two months, and whose founders could be identified, only 10 had a woman on their founding team, just 12.8%.

Of course, this metric doesn’t tell us how many robotics companies in general have female founders, but it does give us a better idea of what that breakdown might look like. This is why I spoke to Ros Shinkle and Kathleen Brandes, the founders of Adagy Robotics, and Andrea Thomaz and Vivian Chu, the founders of Diligent Robotics, about their experiences within the industry. 

Founders talk about the early days of a startup

Diligent and Adagy are in two very different places as companies. Adagy launched earlier this year, and it specializes in remote intervention services. Shinkle and Brandes are at the beginning of their journey as founders and are part of Y Combinator, a startup accelerator. They’re currently the only employees of the company. 

“Adagy Robotics is currently a remote intervention service for rescuing robots,” said Brandes, the company’s chief technology officer (CTO).

“For example, when a tractor robot fails in the field, instead of calling out to the farmer who has a lot more important things to do in his day, that tractor robot can now call out to our trained operators,” she said. “They’ll take over, drive the robot to safety, and allow it to resume its autonomous operations.”

Adagy looks to a future with AI

Today, Adagy Robotics is starting out with fully human-driven operations, said Shinkle, CEO. In the future, however, the company is interested in layering machine learning and generative AI techniques to assist human operators and allow them to do their jobs more efficiently. The company is also exploring error-prevention techniques for robots. 

“We’re really excited about logistics and manufacturing right now,” Shinkle said. “In particular, I think AMRs [autonomous mobile robots] are widely used in logistics. And although they’re widely used, they still continue to face the same kinds of problems.”

“For example, they often rely on these sort of dense visual clues called fiducials or APR tags to help localize in a facility,” she noted. “If one of those is scuffed or torn or falls down, the robots can get lost. This is a great example of a situation in which we could come in and help the robots get back safely. We’re also excited about manipulation and failed picking tasks as well.”

Shinkle and Brandes described the early days of running a startup as challenging but fun. Every day is about putting out the most urgent fire, said Shinkle.

Ros Shinkle and Kathleen Brandes, the founders of Adagy Robotics, met at Boston Dynamics. Source: Y Combinator

Bringing a startup to maturity 

On the other hand, Diligent Robotics was founded in 2017. Like many robotics companies, Diligent started in a research lab. Thomaz, the company’s co-founder and CEO, was running a robotics lab that Chu, its co-founder and CTO, joined as a Ph.D. student in 2012.

The start of the company was slow, Thomaz said. She was still a professor and Chu a graduate student. Tomaz’s lab earned two National Science Foundation grants that gave Tomaz and Chu the opportunity to learn from around 150 people in the healthcare industry. 

“I don’t know that we would have been able to start this company as two men,” Thomaz said. “Because the thing that we did, for two years at least, was go and embed ourselves in nursing teams, with a robot, and ask nurses, who are 80% women, ‘What would you have this robot do?’”

“I’m not sure we would have been as accepted in that community as a couple of guys with their robot,” she continued. 

Once they had found a use case that would address the needs of the industry, Thomaz and Chu said they spent a summer pitching and looking for venture capital. In total, Thomaz said they spent a year and a half in the research stage before officially launching the company.

Last year, Diligent hit 90 robots working in the field. Its flagship robot, Moxi, aids hospital staffers by performing non-patient-facing tasks like running supplies, delivering lab samples, fetching items from a central supply, distributing personal protective equipment (PPE), and delivering medications. Moxi is now opening 100,000 doors every month across its various deployments.

Diligent is dedicated to diversity

As Diligent Robotics has grown, Thomaz and Chu said they’ve actively tried to keep the company diverse. 

“Early on, we recognized that it’s not only important to have a diverse team, but to have a diverse team at all levels,” Thomaz said. “It’s really good to make sure that your most junior people aren’t the most diverse, and then your more senior people are all one type of person.”

Chu also said the team focused on making job postings well-known among all intersections of the robotics community, instead of just relying on the applications that passively came in. Shinkle echoed similar sentiments when talking about building Adagy’s team as it grows. 

“We believe that diversity is a strength,” Shinkle said. “Diversity of background and diversity of thought leads to stronger problem solving, so that’s definitely a closely held company belief.” 

Female founders find community within the industry 

All four of the women I spoke to both emphasized the importance of finding mentors and a community within the industry. 

“One thing that’s been really helpful is the amazing community, unity, and friendship that women have within the industry,” Brandes said. “We’ve become great friends and are now starting a company together, as one example. And I think fostering that community and having that community continue to grow and expand has been a big component.” 

“For me, it was fantastic seeing these role models that blaze through all of the stereotypes,” Chu said. “It really gives me the confidence to do the same.”

“I’ve had friends that obviously didn’t have that experience, and it’s hard hearing what they’ve had to go through,” she acknolwedged. “I’ve been very lucky to have some amazing champions throughout a lot of my career.” 

The founders also had advice to share with women who are considering starting a robotics company. 

“Reach out to as many people for advice as possible, because there’s so many that have gone through the startup journey,” Chu said. “If you collect a wide variety of people that you can reach out to … you can just continually ask questions.”

“My advice would be to just do it,” Brandes said. “Be confident that your are strong enough and successful enough to do this.” 

“I think robotics is a great place for female leadership,” Thomaz said. “Historically, there’s been a lot of really great trailblazers, and some people who’ve really defined the field like Manuela Veloso and Maya Tarik, and there are a bunch of other people that I’m not naming.”

“But I think that in and of itself makes robotics a great place for women to lead the way in commercialization as well,” she concluded. “It’s a big, broad systems-level problem, which I think requires a diverse solution, and so that’s ripe for a really diverse team.”

Editor’s note: The Robotics Summit & Expo this week will be hosting a Women in Robotics Breakfast and the MassRobotics Engineering Career Fair, among other networking events.

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Titan Medical Inc. this week provided a progress update regarding its planned merger with Conavi Inc. They said the combined entity will continue working to commercialize Conanvi’s Novasight Hybrid system for guiding minimally invasive coronary procedures.

Toronto-based Conavi Medical designs, makes, and sells imaging technologies for guiding cardiovascular procedures. Novasight Hybrid combines intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to enable simultaneous and co-registered imaging of coronary arteries. The system has FDA 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Conavi and Titan said they are continuing work on the all-stock transaction under a definitive amalgamation agreement first announced last month. That includes the preparation of submissions to list Titan shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. That listing would follow de-listing from the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The companies said they also plan to complete Titan’s management information circular and related documents. Titan plans to hold a special meeting for shareholders to approve the transaction and related matters.

In addition, Conavi said it is preparing concurrent financing of subscription receipts worth at least $15 million and up to $20 million.

Titan Medical licenses IP, evaluates options

Toronto-based Titan Medical had developed patented technology for robot-assisted surgery (RAS), including through a single access point. This merger comes after more than a year of uncertainty around the future of the company.

In late 2022, Titan suspended a special meeting of shareholders meant to vote on a share consolidation plan. Management decided to begin a strategic review, and announced significant cost-cutting measures.

Titan went on to halt development of its ENOS surgical robot in February 2023. The company began selling assets and licensed much of its intellectual property (IP) to Intuitive Surgical to avoid insolvency.

The company said it is focused on “evaluating new opportunities to further develop and license its intellectual property while pursuing the completion of its agreed-upon merger with Conavi Medical.”

Editor’s note: This article was syndicated from The Robot Report sibling site MassDevice. Learn more about robots for surgery and other applications at next week’s Robotics Summit & Expo and co-located DeviceTalks Boston.

The events will include speakers from Medtronic, Asensus Surgical, Intuitive Surgical, and more, as well as the MassRobotics Healthcare Catalyst Showcase. Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo, which also features sessions and exhibits with industry leaders, an Engineering Career Fair, and networking opportunities.

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The Gentle Duo Mini soft grippers are suitable for food handling. Source: Ubiros

Reliable and delicate robotic grasping has long been a challenge, but Ubiros Inc. said it can solve the problem without the bulky pneumatics or complex coding of previous approaches.

The company’s electrically driven and modular grippers are easier to deploy and use than other soft grippers, according to Onder Ondemir, president of Ubiros. He is also a professor in the engineering department at Northeastern University.

Ubiros offers the Gentle Flex Module and Gentle Flex CC for users that want to build their own grippers. The spinout of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) also offers Gentle Duo with two soft fingers and Gentle Pro with four fingers, as well as Touch models for both that include force control, part sensing/confirmation, and a low-power mode.

The Natick, Mass.-based company said its compliant grippers are suitable for food handling and packaging, textiles, and some warehouse applications. Ubiros, which is a resident startup at MassRobotics, already has distributor agreements in China, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K., and the U.S.

Founder fascinated by technology

“I loved Knight Rider as a kid and asked my mom, ‘Who makes [smart car] KITT? What do I need to become to make something like that?’” recalled Ondemir. “She said ‘mechanical engineer.’”

“I grew up and became an industrial engineer, but I’ve always been fascinated with mechanical systems,” he told The Robot Report. “I worked at an insurance company modeling the capacity of systems and demand forecasts, and I became a vice president.”

Ondemir later ran into a friend [Cagdas Onal] who was doing post-doctoral associate work at MIT and collaborating with Harvard University researchers working on soft robotics.

“We knew the limitations of pneumatics – precision is low, control is hard, and the equipment needed to generate compressed air uses a lot of electricity,” he said. “After spending years in the lab, one day, he came to me and said, ‘Onder, I think I have groundbreaking technology for packaging and gripping in general, but I don’t want to run the company.’ Becoming the CEO was a no-brainer to fulfill my desire to build machines and work with my friend.”

Ubiros President Onder Ondemir at MassRobotics. Source: Ubiros

The genesis of Ubiros

Ubiros has largely focused on food handling.

Automating the handling of fruit and baked goods is not easy, because such delicate food items are easily damaged, Ondemir noted. Rigid grippers typically don’t have sufficient sensitivity, and many other companies are trying to solve problems such as object detection and singulation, he said.

“In farming, crops are being left to rot in the field, which is a huge waste,” added Ondemir. “A key barrier to getting automation is handling food with a soft touch.”

“But the real problem we’re solving is the worker shortage,” he said. “Harvesting and packing jobs aren’t interesting to people, and there are the issues of efficiency for the employer – most people work one shift – and also injuries and finally the cost of food.”

Fingers versus suction cups

For most applications where similar items are picked, suction cups are sufficient, said Ondemir. However, when there’s clutter, such as in e-commerce bins, or tight spaces like bookshelves, picking then requires a combination of sensing to identify each object and the ability to singulate that object.

Suction cups are versatile, but porous, dusty, fragile, or oddly weighted items are not always suitable for suction cups, Ondemir observed.

“We’re proud to be one of the few companies developing individual finger actuation rather than the whole hand,” he said. “For singulation, it can provide alternatives in complex picking situations.”

Ubiros Gentle grippers promise benefits

Ubiros’ Gentle grippers use electric servo motors and a cable-driven system similar to the tendons of the human hand.

“The difficulty in designing the system was maintaining softness while mechanically operating the finger – that’s where our patent is,” Ondemir said. “Our technology allows the finger unit to be flexible in the grasping direction but very rigid in twisting or bending sideways.”

Electric end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) removes the need for tubes, valves, and compressors, he said. Also, while pneumatic systems need to cycle to attempt another grasp, an electric one can reposition more quickly.

In addition, electric grippers have instant torque rather than needing to build up pressure for heavy payloads as hydraulic or pneumatic systems do, said Ondemir.

Up to 35% of the electricity bill in factories is spent on pressurized air, and 40% of the battery life of a mobile manipulator is consumed by a suction cup, he asserted. Thus, Ubiros’ grippers could save a lot of battery power for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) or drones, Ondemir said.

Is Ubiros looking at mobile manipulation?

“We’ve had serious conversations with Staubli,” Ondemir replied. “Our gripper would be in addition to its existing arm and base, unlike others.”

In addition, United Robotics Group has integrated Ubiros’ gripper with a mobile manipulator that will be demonstrated at Automate.

Ondemir surveys tech trends

Beyond mobile manipulation, Ondemir relied on his experience in robotics development to comment on current tech trends.

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning allow us to implement predictive maintenance,” he said. “Our electrical micro-controller is partly a system for force control and partly sensing. It’s able to collect temperature data from inside the gripper, plus cycle counts and electric current to build models to predict failures. That’s in our roadmap.”

Ubiros is not currently working with digital twins because it’s difficult to know the actual deflection of soft objects and where something is in space, acknowledged Ondemir. A lot of research is being devoted to this topic, he said.

What about humanoids? “They’ll have to have soft components for safety and to guard against falling,” Ondemir said. “This will be a key use for soft robotics in general, not just soft grippers. Because we’re a spinoff of WPI, we already have soft 3D sensors and a patented design of a soft arm, but there’s a lot still to do.”

Mechanical intelligence for manipulation

“The idea behind what we call ‘mechanical intelligence’ is that if you can mechanically achieve something, you need expensive programming, motion control, and vision less,” said Ondemir. “We built something that is under-actuated, with fewer motors to move the joints. Electric actuation allows us to have full-bodied fingers rather than hollow ones that can be punctured or leak in otherwise sanitary environments.”

“Depending on the shape of the object, the gripper can automatically conform to it. It’s more forgiving of inaccuracies, and you don’t need extreme precision,” he continued. “Because the grippers bend themselves over an object like an egg or an apple, the force is distributed over a larger area.”

Ubiros did build some force control into its Gentle grippers, allowing users to increase or decrease pressure, but it’s not necessary in most cases, Ondemir said.

Ubiros and its partners recently participated in a MassRobotics Demo Day. Source: Ubiros

Ubiros looks ahead

The Gentle gripper is initially tackling labeling and grading of tomatoes and cucumbers, and Ubiros has received a lot of interest recently from bakeries, said Ondemir. A hygienic gripper could then address handling of raw beef, poultry, and fish.

To that end, Ubiros is looking for funding to make its grippers more hygienic and robust against cleaning agents. It is working on safe-food handling certifications.

On the industrial side, Ubiros is conducting a pilot with Mitsubishi to handle a variety of objects and manage robot grasping through Mitsubishi’s teach pendant.

“Down the road a few years, we want to focus more on the data side, allowing customers to access data through the end effectors,” Ondemir said. “We plan to eventually bring other patented technologies into the workplace – 3D sensors, haptic gloves, human-in-the-loop systems, remote manipulation, and soft arms.”

Ubiros will be at the Robotics Summit & Expo next week and Automate the week after that.

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The 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have recognized the Mushiny Intelligent 3D Sorter. Source: Mushiny

WTWH Media has named Mushiny Co. a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winner this month. It recognized the Suzhou, China-based company for its Intelligent 3D Sorter as an innovative technology.

“This recognition highlights China’s global innovation and marks a significant step for Mushiny in smart warehouse logistics,” said the company.

The annual RBR50 awards honor the top 50 robotics companies for their leadership in automation hardware and software, business models, and emerging applications.

“The incredible products of this year’s RBR50 winners represent the cutting edge of robotics technology and also raise the bar for the industry,” stated Steve Crowe, WTWH’s executive editor for robotics. WTWH Media produces The Robot Report, Mobile Robot Guide, and the Robotics Summit & Expo.

3D Sorter pioneers efficiency, flexibility

Mushiny has publicly shown that its Intelligent 3D Sorter can overcome sorting challenges beyond the capabilities of traditional methods, including handling spikes in business, sorting soft goods, documentation, fragile items such as books, and traceable pharmaceuticals and food. It said the system is innovative for the supply chain industry in three ways: high sorting efficiency, strong flexibility, and optimal return on investment (ROI).

The company cited the following potential benefits:

• Improvement in order-fulfilment efficiency, with the highest efficiency exceeding 10,000 picks per hour (up to 14,400 items per hour)
• Sorting efficiency increased by three to five times.
• Better ROI
• Save 70% of space compared with the traditional cross-belt sorter

“Mushiny’s Intelligent 3D Sorter automates the picking process and enables warehouse operations to grow their batch or wave sizes,” noted The Robot Report. “The Intelligent3D Sorter could fulfill many orders concurrently, as robots continuously transfer completed orders and buffer them as needed before dispatching. The combination of robots and human pickers could increase retail and e-commerce productivity, as well as efficiently process returns.”

Meet Mushiny at the Robotics Summit & Expo

Founded in 2016, Mushiny is a leading global provider of intelligent systems for logistics. The company operates across more than 20 countries and regions, with overseas markets making up 50% of its business.

Mushiny Intelligence has two business divisions: The Intelligent Warehousing Division offers clients bespoke intelligent intralogistics systems and guarantees 60-day delivery worldwide. The Standard Products Division specializes in customizing robot chassis, delivering a range of software and hardware services to partners and clients with development capabilities.

The company said it empowers global partners and users in e-commerce, postal and courier, automobiles, new energy, household appliances, 3C (computers, communications and consumer) electronics, and many other industrial and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) applications.

Mushiny will be at Booth 448-3 at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be on May 1 and 2 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The event will also include keynotes by industry leaders, more than 60 speakers in 40 sessions, 200 exhibitors, several networking opportunities, a MassRobotics Engineering Career Fair, and the co-located Digital Transformation Forum and DeviceTalks Boston.

This year’s RBR50 honorees will also be celebrated in the inaugural RBR50 Gala and a showcase on the expo floor. Registration is now open for next week’s summit.

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UR cobots are can now use SRCI, a standard interface between PLCs and robots. | Source: Universal Robots

Collaborative robots are designed to be easy to use, but they also need to work with other systems. Universal Robots A/S announced that it has integrated the Standard Robot Command Interface, or SRCI, into its software. The Odense, Denmark-based company claimed that it is among the first cobot vendors to offer this functionality.

“By having our robots connect seamlessly to a global industry leader like Siemens, we can now offer our partners and customers, both existing and prospective, faster integration and higher ease of use,“ stated Daniel Friedman, global director of strategic partnerships at Universal Robots. “We strive to make cobot automation as simple as possible for our customers, and this is yet another step in our commitment to provide automation for anyone, anywhere.”

Universal Robots said SRCI is available for its e-Series family of cobots and the next-generation UR20 and UR30. It can be installed and activated with PolyScope Version 5.15 or higher using the URcap software add-on. 

SRCI offers a universal interface for robot makers

Siemens said SRCI is a new standard for robot manufacturers that aims to create a single interface between programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and robots. It aims to reduce service and maintenance complexity through a single robot library and enhanced connectivity. 

Universal Robots added that the uniform cross-platform data interface of the SRCI will make robot implementation interoperable. It also standardizes definitions and robot commands between UR collaborative robots and Siemens PLCs.

“This allows for easier and quicker setup and simplifies the deployment of UR robots into existing and new Siemens ecosystem-based production lines,” the company said. Earlier this month, Siemens, Universal Robots, and 3D camera vendor Zivid said they have joined forces to help automate intralogistics fulfillment.

Siemens asserted that it “is the first — and currently only — PLC vendor supporting SRCI in the automation market.” 

“We are encouraged that cobots from Universal Robots can now be controlled via the SRCI and can be programmed by Simatic users,” said Rolf Heinsohn, senior vice president of factory automation segment control at Siemens.

“We want to accelerate factory automation and scale the use of robots in industry by making them simple and available to all our customers` employees,” he added. “It is a great advantage for our customers to be able to easily integrate and use UR’s robots together with the Siemens PLCs in their production.”

Catch up with Teradyne at the Robotics Summit

Universal Robots is a subsidiary of Teradyne Inc. Ujjwal Kumar, group president of Teradyne Robotics, will be giving a keynote presentation at the Robotics Summit & Expo next week. In it, he will share some lessons he has learned and how they can be applied to accelerate the transformation of industry with robotics.

An RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award Winner, Universal Robots will be among the organizations honored at the inaugural RBR50 Gala.

Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be on May 1 and 2 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The event will include more than 200 exhibitors, various networking opportunities, a Women in Robotics breakfast, a career fair, an engineering theater, a startup showcase, and more.

The post Universal Robots integrates cobots with Siemens PLCs appeared first on The Robot Report.

Outrider has obtained more patents to automate movement of semi-trailers. Source: Outrider

Between the automated warehouse and self-driving long-haul vehicles, there is the opportunity to add robotics to yard management. Outrider Technologies Inc. today announced that it has received its latest patent, which covers the task of determining where a trailer is in respect to a self-driving tractor.

U.S. Patent No. 11,927,676, for the “Systems and Methods for Determining an Articulated Trailer Angle,” will facilitate safe and accurate autonomous trailer movement in all weather conditions, claimed the Brighton, Colo.-based company.

“Outrider’s patent portfolio covers the numerous inventions, innovations, and technologies our team developed to re-define the logistics yard,” stated Andrew Smith, founder and CEO of Outrider. “In 2017, we recognized that autonomously moving 50,000-lb. semi-trailers day and night in all weather conditions would require unique inventions to dramatically improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the global supply chain.”

“One of the biggest pain points we learned about was losing trailers,” he told The Robot Report at Manifest. “Yard operations have been the same for decades, and there’s pent-up demand because of labor turnover, the need for safety, and hundreds of billions of dollars tied up in warehouses.”

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Outrider builds robotics portfolio

Once trucks get to the yard, hitching and unhitching trailers can be hazardous and repetitive, noted Outrider. The private company said its customers represent more than 20% of all yard trucks operating in North America.

In January, Outrider raised $73 million in Series C financing. It has employees in 10 countries developing and supporting its industrial-grade technology.

“Over-the-road trucks may wait up to four hours to get a trailer, during which drivers don’t get paid, and that’s dead time for just-in-time fulfillment,” Smith said. “We’ve been training deep learning models with data from hundreds of yards.”

The company’s electric systems could reduce idling of diesel-powered vehicles, which in North America alone could save 3.8 billion metric tons of carbon, he asserted.

The latest patent joins a portfolio covering “the core technologies required for automating yards,” said Outrider. It has one or more patents or patents pending covering the following:

Autonomous yard operations

Outrider said it invented an “end-to-end system for safely moving trailers autonomously.” This includes navigating obstacles in complex environments, hitching and unhitching from trailers using autonomous fifth wheel movement, and connecting and disconnecting brake lines.

The system also enables precise backing to warehouse dock doors and parking spots. In addition, it can track trailer inventory, monitor electric yard-truck charging, and manage autonomous operations.

Robotic connection of air brake and electrical lines 

TrailerConnect is Outrider’s branded adapter-based and adapterless method for connecting and disconnecting air brake and electrical lines on autonomous yard trucks to modified or unmodified semi-trailers and chassis.

Using deep learning, the commercial robotic arm will rapidly connect and disconnect to unmodified trailers in less than 30 seconds, said the company. Trailers outfitted with low-cost adapters will connect within seconds, it said. 

Loading dock operations

Outrider explained that its innovations focus on safe, autonomous operations at the loading dock – the connection point between the inside and outside of the facility. Autonomous yard trucks communicate with proprietary dock door safety systems to determine whether a dock is ready for loading or unloading.

The company’s dock door modifications allow swing doors on trailers and shipping containers on chassis to be opened and resealed inside the facility while the trailer remains at the loading dock. Outrider said this and subsequent patents will allow it to solve the challenge of opening and closing swing doors when operating automated yard trucks.

Outrider said its systems integrate with warehouse, yard, and transportation management systems.

TrailerConnect uses a robotic arm to connect air brake and electrical lines. Source: Outrider

Outrider patent efforts advance

Outrider now has 11 issued patents and over 50 pending patents in the U.S. and internationally. Shortly after its first patent was issued in August 2021, the company used its proprietary technology to perform fully autonomous trailer moves at Georgia-Pacific in November 2021.

Since then, Outrider said it has completed tens of thousands of autonomous trailer moves for customers in the package shipping, consumer packaged goods, automotive manufacturing, retail and e-commerce, and intermodal industries. 

“This patent portfolio demonstrates the Outrider team’s continued commitment to automating the vast array of manual, repetitive tasks involved in inhospitable yard environments,” said Vittorio Ziparo, chief technology officer and executive vice president of engineering at Outrider. “These inventions, combined with relentless attention to the safety, reliability, and scalability of our technology, are changing the transportation and logistics of the global supply chain.”

Outrider said its patents for autonomous trailer movement complement its integration with warehouse, yard, and transportation management systems. In the second half of 2024, the company plans to begin shipping its commercial system to top Fortune 500 customers.

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UR cobots at the Peugeot assembly plant in France. | Source: Teradyne

My LinkedIn inbox has been busier than usual over the last couple of weeks, since I shared an opinion piece in Forbes titled “The Reinvention of the Manufacturing Industry,” exploring how a new generation of advanced robotics is helping to democratize manufacturing, making robots affordable for companies of all sizes.

Several of my professional contacts have reached out to ask: Are collaborative robots really just for small and medium-sized companies then? We know this is not true, and so I need to offer some further explanation.

Since the inception of mechanization and mass-production processes at the start of the last century, the tools large manufacturers have used to drive competitiveness and efficiency have been geared towards using size as an advantage — economies of scale, large industrial robots for high-volume low-mix tasks, large budgets to fund efficiency programs like lean and six sigma, and the ability to outsource labor at scale to anywhere with ease.

However, these levers designed for big companies didn’t work for smaller businesses. That’s why “new age” robotics, led by collaborative robots and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), has been a game changer for many small to midsize enterprises. But it’s not where the cobot story ends. Or ironically, even began.

For the large manufacturers, competitive pressure drove need for differentiation, which increased product variations. You can feel that on every one of their assembly lines today.

But several large manufacturers are still stuck with the old tools designed for low-mix, high-volume manufacturing in this new reality, where each of their factories and warehouses have increasingly high-mix and smaller batch sizes. Manufacturers are increasingly using advanced technologies like cobots and AMRs to make their operations nimbler and more flexible while speeding up time to market.

The origin of the cobot

Few people today realize that collaborative robots were first designed with large companies in mind.

The founders of Universal Robots (UR) examined businesses already using industrial robots and set themselves the challenge of creating something that was more easily reprogrammable for different functions across factory floors. With the competition that manufacturers face today, the need for product variations for differentiation matters greatly That feeling is palpable when I walk their assembly line.

The solution that UR came up with? The world’s first commercially viable cobot – a child of two separate university research projects.

The first project sought to create a toy robot so easy to program that a child could do it in half an hour.

The second project focused on the needs of the food industry in Denmark, which at the time was looking for a more flexible approach to automation that would allow factory employees to reconfigure production lines to accommodate new products. Engineers that tried to build that flexibility into traditional industrial robots got nowhere – it was simply impossible for workers on the factory floor to learn how to reprogram the technology that existed.

The above projects came together, and the rest, as they say, is history. The result was an easily programable, highly versatile robot.

The use of cobots in large organizations today

The global market for collaborative robots was expected to hit $1.6 billion at the end of 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 26% to 2026, as predicted by Research and Markets. It attributed this increase to a rise in smart factories and growing demand in the Asia-Pacific region.

While it’s true that cobots are democratizing robotics, they have always been of great use to large companies. But I believe that large manufacturers are yet to fully embrace the capabilities they offer.

Solid economic drivers for increased uptake are present, including labor and skills shortages, as recent research suggests large companies have the tallest hill to climb when it comes to employee retention.

It’s no wonder that many large companies – including major global corporations like Siemens, Toyota, and Novo Nordisk – have fully integrated cobot technology to make their operations more nimble.

The time has now come for the industry to do this across the board. In a competitive world, large companies have no choice but to increase agility at every turn. Slow down, and they risk falling foul to more nimble competition.

New-age robotics offers greater efficiency and speed to market, and enterprises need to board this train today or risk getting left behind on the platform.

The integration of cobots and industrial automation

Here too, it’s really exciting to witness how collaborative robots are now working with traditional industrial robots.

Retrofitting a production line with cobots tends to be fairly straightforward, partly because of the system’s small footprint. Deeper integration between cobots and traditional industrial robots is also now often possible through the programmable logic controller (PLC).

But so much more can be done. The potential opportunities awaiting large players in 2024 are colossal, and I can’t wait to see more embracing an all-encompassing automation process in manufacturing, positioning cobots to increase productivity, product quality, and safety.

Looking to the future: AI-enabled cobots and more sophisticated applications

As machine learning and AI-enabled cobot applications become more widely available, larger businesses are perfectly positioned to leverage this cutting-edge tech to support their complex and sophisticated business needs. From quality inspection using computer vision to handling high-mix applications on the production floor, I see companies using cobots to improve costs and enhance customer satisfaction.

Cobots have become user-friendly enough for even the smallest businesses, helping to democratize manufacturing. But they are also being paired with some of the world’s most sophisticated technologies, supporting global-scale companies in becoming more productive than ever.

About the author

Ujjwal Kumar is group president of Teradyne Robotics. Over his 25-plus-year career, Kumar has successfully scaled businesses at major multinationals including General Motors, General Electric, and Honeywell.

Kumar will be giving a keynote presentation at the Robotics Summit & Expo next week. In it, he will share some lessons he has learned and how they can be applied to accelerate the transformation of industry with robotics. Registration is now open for the event, which will be on May 1 and 2 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

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Magna International will manufacture more delivery robots. Source: Serve Robotics

Serve Robotics Inc. today said it has expanded its existing partnership with Magna International Inc. to increase production of Serve’s sidewalk delivery robots. Under the terms of the new production and purchase agreement, Magna is the exclusive contract manufacturer of Serve’s autonomous systems, supporting its plan to deploy up to 2,000 robots on the Uber Eats platform across multiple U.S. markets.

“Magna is excited to continue collaborating with Serve, leveraging our manufacturing and technical expertise to help fuel Serve’s growth potential,” stated Matteo Del Sorbo, executive vice president for New Mobility globally at Magna.

Aurora, Ontario-based Magna is one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers. The new agreement extends a previously disclosed agreement effective Feb. 20, under which Serve granted the company a non-exclusive license to its technologies and expertise, enabling Magna to further develop new products in the robotics and logistics space.

Serve Robotics builds on IPO

The announcement came less than a week after Serve Robotics went public, raising $40 million.

“Serve is a leader in creating robots that navigate complex human environments,” said Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics. “Following our successful public offering, we are excited to start working to scale our robotic fleet with Magna’s world-class manufacturing capabilities.”

“This collaboration supports the natural progression of our business beyond food delivery and positions our proprietary robotics technology as a platform upon which new robots can be built,” he added. “Magna is a valuable partner in this effort.”

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Investors, customers fuel delivery robot rollout

Redwood City, Calif.-based Serve Robotics spun out of Uber Technologies Inc. in 2021. The company claimed that its low-emissions robots using artificial intelligence for Level 4 autonomy will make delivery more sustainable and economical. It has backing from NVIDIA and Uber subsidiary Postmates, among others.

Since 2022, Serve said it has completed thousands of deliveries for customers including Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Uber Eats. The company offers its mobile robots through a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model.

The global market for robotic last-mile delivery could grow from $70 million in 2022 to $670 million by 2030, predicted ABI Research. It attributed this expansion to labor and vehicle costs, improving autonomy technologies, inflation, and consumer expectations of rapid service.

The post Magna to manufacture more Serve Robotics last-mile delivery systems appeared first on The Robot Report.

New offerings include the igusGO AI-driven app and more low-cost automation. Source: igus

At its annual press conference last week, igus GmbH previewed numerous new products in advance of the Hannover Messe trade show. The Cologne, Germany-based company announced 247 new products, including  lubrication-free drives using motion plastics and new robots for educational, service, and industrial applications.

“We’re offering a mobile manipulator for small companies,” said Alexander Mühlens, head of automation technology and robotics at igus. He touted the company’s low-cost automation approach.

“ReBeL on Wheels” combines a collaborative robot arm with an autonomous mobile robot for €17,999 ($19,202 U.S.). An educational version is available for €14,699 ($15,682). igus said that is 10x more affordable than other models, and it is starting to offer the systems in the German market. 

The company, whose U.S. headquarters are in Rumford, R.I., won a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for a finger gripper to go with the ReBeL cobot. igus will be exhibiting at next week’s Robotics Summit & Expo at Booth 414 in Hall C in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

In addition, Mühlens will present a session at 2:45 p.m. EDT in Room 50 on Wednesday, May 1, on “Automate Your Factory for $2,799.” Registration is now open for the event.

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Tools make robots easier for SMEs to configure

Users can easily add sensors, the igus Robot Control programming software, and a sound bar to ReBeL on Wheels, said Mühlens. The mobile manipulator includes gearboxes using the company’s patented motion plastics.

To help people “try before you buy,” igus allows for free remote testing. “You can scan a QR code into your mobile phone for to test the robot butler,” Mühlens noted.

In addition, the “Envisioner” in igus Robot Control can help robotics developers and integrators, he said. The Configurator in the RBTX online marketplace shows the center of gravity for every part in a delta robot cell, allowing the system to easily pick and place them.

“It automatically knows the center of gravity, and you can just buy the webcam for under €100 [$106.67],” said Mühlens. “We’ll be picking RBTX chocolates at Hannover Messe.”

“Everyone is looking for solutions for screwing and gluing in the furniture industry, for instance,” he said. “Now with RBTX and our 3D machine planner, you can combine robots with grippers and conveyors into cells for one fixed price.”

In fact, igus uses AI so that if a user uploads a photo, it can give a 3D recommendation.

“With the Configurator, a customer can take a few steps and get a live price,” Mühlens explained. “For example, you could choose ReBeL and a gripper for a cell, get measurements within the program, download files, and check out all the parts and prices. You can also choose an installation and buildup service or do it yourself.”

igus said its new machine planner offers small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) the ability to define cobot workspaces, build around its robots, and choose robot housings.

Motion-plastic parts get four-year guarantee

Machine failures due to insufficient lubrication cost $750 billion annually, and more than 24 million tons of lubricant seep into water and soil every year, according to igus. The company said its self-lubricating, high-performance polymers, as well as the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality in design, can reduce such costly waste.

This year, igus is extending its four-year product guarantee to all of its dry-tech products. It also offers free replacement of bearings, drives, 3D-printed parts, and linear actuators.

These moves demonstrate the company’s confidence in their long service life and consciousness of the importance of sustainability in Industry 4.0, said Stefan Niermann, vice president and head of the drylin division, and Rainer Rössel, vice president and head of the chainflex division at igus.

“The performance of motion plastics is often underestimated,” added Lars Butenschön, business unit manager for iglidur bearings at igus. He cited their utility in construction and agriculture. The company is also offering new high-load bearings for heavy machinery in its “Zero Lubrication” range. 

In addition, lubrication-free bearings are suitable for food and packaging applications, said Michael Offner, vice president and head of industry management at the family-owned company.

“An enormous range of applications could use them,” noted Tobias Vogel, igus’ CEO of bearings and linear technology. With the igusGO app, machine builders can use voice controls and AI chat to configure excavators with such parts, he said.

As electrification garners more interest worldwide, particularly in e-mobility, battery production, and shore power, motion plastics can be an enabling technology, asserted Martin Tiling, head of igus’ shore power business unit.

igus reports €1.13B turnover, launches bike brand

After generating €1.15 billion ($1.23 billion) in 2022, igus reported €1.13 billion ($1.21 billion) for 2023. While the global economic slowdown affected the company, it is still approaching its goal of 1 million industrial customers per year, stated Michael Blass, managing director of e-chain systems.

“We are therefore pleased that we have at least come a little closer to this goal in a difficult year,” he said. “We have invested €433 million [$464.6 million] in this plan over the last three years, €210 million [$224.8 million] of which at the Cologne site.”

igus has invested in expanded production in Germany and the U.S., accelerating fulfillment of orders to within a few days, and continuing research and development, according to Blass. It is also planning construction in China, Taiwan, India, Italy, Spain, Poland, Mexico, and Turkey.

To demonstrate its motion plastics at human rather than industrial scale, the company has developed the igus:bike from recycled materials. The bicycle, which won’t rust and can be recycled itself, is now going into serial production under the new brand name RCYL. It will go on the market in Germany for €1,200 ($1,284) this year.

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Rockwell works with partners to streamline automated manufacturing. Source: Business Wire

Rockwell Automation yesterday announced that it is working with Microsoft “to enable intelligent factories by simplifying complexity and helping empower customers to achieve sustainability goals and operational excellence.” The companies said their innovations will be on display this week at Hannover Messe.

Late last year, Rockwell added Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to its FactoryTalk Design Studio to accelerate time to market for its customers. The partners said they “will provide cutting-edge industrial transformation systems across the value chain, rapidly, and at scale with AI-assisted design, connected data, and agile production optimization.”

“Rockwell’s partnership with Microsoft is a shared vision of creating and delivering the best solutions to empower the future of industrial operations,” stated Nicole Denil, global vice president of market access at Rockwell Automation. “We simplify complexity in how manufacturers design, operate, and maintain their enterprises and empower their people.”

Rockwell Automation develops industrial automation and digital transformation systems. The Milwaukee-based company employs approximately 29,000 people in more than 100 countries.

In 2021, it made $7 billion in sales, over $3 billion of which were in intelligent devices. In September 2023, Rockwell acquired mobile robot maker Clearpath Robotics and its OTTO Motors unit.

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Partners to apply AI to design, simulation

Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Design Studio is a cloud-based, software-defined industrial automation design environment. The company said it enables developers to improve their collaboration and productivity with a simplified way to work.

Microsoft and Rockwell said the integration of Azure OpenAI Service into FactoryTalk Design Studio will help engineers generate code using natural language prompts, automate routine tasks, and improve design efficiency. Manufacturers will have access to edge AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and automation systems to allow people, processes, and technology to operate seamlessly between physical and digital twin environments, they asserted. 

Microsoft claimed that Azure’s adaptive cloud approach will enable manufacturers to unify and streamline siloed teams, sites, and systems with FactoryTalk edge and cloud systems while scaling applications and insights. 

“Manufacturers are always looking for ways to drive modernization, optimize efficiency, and reduce costs,” said Dominik Wee, corporate vice president of manufacturing and mobility at Microsoft. “By combining Microsoft’s AI capabilities and trusted cloud platform with Rockwell’s industrial automation solutions, manufacturers will have the tools they need to speed up these objectives and create smart factories of the future.”

The companies are also building on their recently announced partnership with NVIDIA. The trio said it’s working to allow the creation, real-time management, and simulation of digital twins that will be accelerated using Microsoft’s AI-assisted tools and cloud technology. 

In addition, the companies are integrating Rockwell’s Plex manufacturing execution system (MES) with FactoryTalk Data Mosaix and Microsoft’s Cloud for Manufacturing. Manufacturers will benefit from AI tools that help drive productivity, safety, and quality, said the partners. All of these tools focus on resolving quality issues with corrective actions and root-cause analysis. 

See Rockwell Automation at the Robotics Summit

Ryan Gariepy, the co-founder and chief technology officer of Clearpath Robotics, a subsidiary of Rockwell Automation, will be speaking at the Robotics Summit & Expo on May 2 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

His talk, “The Bots Are Here. What’s Next?” will take a look at how companies and organizations can take advantage of the latest robotics trends to shape their futures.

The Robotics Summit & Expo focuses on the design, development, and scaling of commercial robots. WTWH Media, which also produces The Robot Report, said it expects a record 5,000 attendees and more than 200 exhibitors. This year’s event will also include an Automated Warehouse track and pavilion. Register now for the event.

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Custom user interface for Flexiv Rizon 4 sanding robot. Source: Flexiv Robotics

By integrating sensing, robotics, and artificial intelligence, Flexiv Robotics Inc. claimed that it can improve multiple industrial processes, from sanding to sortation. It develops and manufactures general-purpose, adaptive robots.

Founded in 2016, Flexiv produces the Rizon arm with seven degrees of freedom and the Moonlight force-controlled parallel robot. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has offices in China, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Last month, Red Bluff, Calif.-based systems integrator DOCO Engineering partnered with Flexiv to further expand its presence in North America. More recently, Flexiv shared a case study and Earth Day initiatives.

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EsVata Shutter chooses, quickly installs Rizon 4

Flexiv Robotics recently helped Rosemead, Calif.-based EsVata Shutter automate sanding of window blinds. The company said its adaptive technology sped up the sanding process by 80% and increased the quality and consistency of surface finishing.

“Our commitment to quality led us to select the Rizon 4 from a sea of competitors,” stated Paul Hsieh, founder of EsVata. “Its exceptional precision, powered by advanced force sensors in each of its seven joints, made it the ideal solution for our sanding needs.”

Flexiv said it combined its robotic arm and sensing technology with an OnRobot Sander to free employees for more value-added tasks.

Howard Huang, operations director for North America at Flexiv, replied to the following questions from The Robot Report:

What was required to integrate Flexiv and EsVata’s systems?

Huang: The integration of Flexiv’s Rizon 4 sanding solution within EsVata’s production facility required a customized approach due to EsVata’s lack of a PLC [programmable logic controller] or an existing automated production environment.

Understanding that EsVata is a smaller manufacturer that values modularity and customizability, we implemented a standalone system to boost EsVata’s production capabilities that didn’t necessitate a comprehensive revamp or modification of their current infrastructure, enabling a smooth, trouble-free integration.

How long did it take to set up?

Huang: Integrating Flexiv’s technology into EsVata’s manufacturing operations was achieved in a relatively brief period. The initial setup, which included the installation, configuration, and calibration of the robotic system, was completed in about three days.

This quick deployment reflects the system’s inherent useability and ease of programming, as well as the effective collaboration between Flexiv’s and EsVata’s technical teams. With the installation completed over a long weekend, starting on the Saturday, production was able to resume on Tuesday.

Rizon has automated shutter sanding at EsVata. Source: Flexiv Robotics

System reduces staff effort, production time

What do the people who previously did this sanding do now? Do they supervise the robots, or what other tasks can they do?

Huang: With the sanding solution incorporated into the production line, some staff members have transitioned into supervisory roles to monitor the automated processes or have been assigned to specialized sanding tasks that require a human touch, such as fine corner sanding, which the robot is not programmed to handle.

This redistribution of labor has safeguarded jobs by increasing production efficiency and improved job satisfaction by reducing the physical strain and the monotony associated with manual sanding tasks.

How long did it take for EsVata to realize the time savings on the shutter sanding?

Huang: EsVata recognized the time savings immediately, as the efficiency gains were apparent from the onset of the system’s initiation. With the massive reduction in the time taken to sand a shutter, it was clear that our sanding solution could not only replicate the human sanding process, but also do it far quicker and to a higher standard.

To get consistency of output with manual labor requires a time investment, whereas for a robot, replicating a precise set of actions to achieve a predetermined outcome is simple. As the robot never tires or makes a mistake, it was obvious that the automated system would be faster, but both EsVata and ourselves were surprised at the 80% time decrease.

What are the next steps in this deployment?

Huang: While the current project is complete, EsVata is contemplating installing further adaptive automation solutions within its factory to boost production capacity. This decision is being carefully considered, taking into account a return-on-investment [ROI] analysis, prevailing market conditions, and EsVata’s strategic expansion goals.

An EnVata worker supervises the Rizon sanding robot. Source: Flexiv Robotics

Flexiv Robotics gripper, cleaning station to aid recycling  

Last week, Flexiv Robotics said it has modified the Grav Enhanced robotic gripper to be cleaned in its Grav Enhanced Automated Cleaning Station. The company said this helps the gripper retain its effectiveness in picking up objects weighing up to 5 kg (11 lb.) and those covered with dust.

For Earth Day today, Flexiv showed off a combination of its Grave Enhanced Gecko Gripper, a Rizon 4 adaptive robot, a 3D depth camera, and its AnyGrasp algorithm to identify and sort household waste for recycling (see video below). The company added that the new cleaning station has helped expand its product capabilities.

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The PUDU T300 mobile robot dis designed for use in tight aisles with heavy payloads. Source: Pudu Robotics

Pudu Technology Co. said today at Hannover Messe that it is expanding from service robots into supply chain applications with the new PUDU T300 mobile robot. The Shenzhen, China-based company said its new robot offers maneuverability, a “map-and-go” feature, and flexible deployment to help manufacturers worldwide.

“There is a huge demand from industrial clients for automated, flexible robotics solutions that can operate continuously to meet high production rates and improve operational efficiency,” stated Felix Zhang, founder and CEO of Pudu Robotics.

“As manufacturers struggle to attract and retain talent, the T300 fills the immediate gap by seamlessly integrating with facilities’ current processes, as well as optimizing operations to spur sector-wide innovation,” he said.

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Pudu said that it holds nearly 1,000 patents worldwide and that it has shipped more than 70,000 units to retail, dining, hospitality, healthcare, entertainment, and education customers. The company also specified the following capabilities:

• VSLAM+ navigation: The new mobile robot can adapt to environments with ceilings up to 30 m (98.4 ft.).
• Internet of Things (loT): PUDU T300 includes secure door access, elevator control, a self-configuring network with call options, and production-line material requests via an app for integration into production processes.
• Multimodal interaction: High-brightness operation-indicator lights and traffic-signal lights display PUDU T300’s position and cruising intentions, with customizable buttons for collaboration and audible alerts for reminders.
• Efficient charging: Pudu said the T300 features automatic recharging in about two hours and quick battery-swapping capabilities, allowing for continuous 24/7 operation to cater to different customer requirements.
• Safety compliance: PUDU T300 adheres to ISO 3691-4 industrial safety requirements and includes lidar, depth camera, collision-protection edges, and emergency stop buttons.

Zhang replied to the following questions from The Robot Report:

Pudu Robotics sets its sights on manufacturers

Since there are already numerous mobile robot providers serving manufacturing and warehousing, why did Pudu decide now to get into that space?

Zhang: Pudu Robotics decided to venture into the industrial mobile robot market due to the recognition of a significant demand for lightweight material transportation within industrial settings.

These environments often present complex challenges such as narrow pathways, mixed-traffic scenarios with both humans and machines, and areas with suspended obstacles that require robots to operate safely and flexibly. Unfortunately, there is a gap in the market, as existing products do not adequately fulfill the needs of these specific applications.

Our experience in the foodservice industry, where similar demands for safety, flexibility, and advanced navigation exist, has allowed us to accumulate a wealth of technical expertise, such as SLAM technology and a robust supply chain system. We believe that these skills and resources are directly transferable and highly beneficial to the industrial domain.

Moreover, the industrial robotics market presents several favorable conditions for Pudu Robotics:

• The market potential is vast.
• The frequency of item delivery in the industrial sector is much higher, with a stronger need for such services. A single robot can perform over 200 delivery tasks per day compared with the food service industry, where a robot performing over 70 tasks a day is already considered significant.
• The acceptance of robot deliveries in the industrial sector is higher due to the commonality of automated transportation and manufacturing processes.
• Our market research and practice have shown that by selling standardized products, we can successfully cater to industrial customers.

What was the biggest difference in developing mobile robots for manufacturing in comparison with the service robots that Pudu is known for?

PUDU T300 moving a box in standard mode. Source; Pudu Robotics

Zhang: The biggest difference in developing robots for manufacturing in comparison to service robots lies within the distinct market needs and opportunities of the industrial sector. Manufacturing allows for more standardization, higher frequency of use, and stronger customer demand than the service industry.

Yet the value-added is similar. Both manufacturing and service industries turn to automation to alleviate labor shortages, bolster workplace safety and productivity, and adapt to an evolving market. Pudu can easily leverage its expertise in one to innovate within the other.

What’s the biggest differentiator between the T300 and other companies’ robots?

Zhang: PUDU T300 features automatic recharging and quick battery-swapping capabilities. This allows for continuous 24/7 operation and allows customers to expedite production.

With its ability to navigate through spaces as narrow as 60 cm [23.6 in.], the T300 can shuttle between production lines, delivering supplies without hindrance.

T300 also supports several key functions like PUDU VSLAM+, a fusion of laser SLAM and visual SLAM for positioning, which PUDU has extensive experience in, this lets the robot adapt to its environment and update its map in real time.

PUDU T300 can tow a cart. Source: Pudu Robotics

PUDU T300 will work with PUDUlink platform

What’s the new robot‘s payload capacity? What sorts of goods is the T300 designed to move — machine parts, pallets, or something else?

Zhang: The PUDU T300 has a payload capacity of 300 kg [661.3 lb.] and is specifically designed to serve in the material logistics of discrete manufacturing, handling tasks like delivering supplies to production lines, transferring materials between different production areas, and assisting in the delivery of samples for quality inspection.

The PUDU T300 is capable of transporting raw materials, cardboard boxes, material bins, material racks, and more.

PUDU T300 in lifting mode. Source: Pudu Robotics

Since the new robots are designed for narrow aisles, are they capable of backing up if they encounter obstacles?

Zhang: The T300 has exceptional maneuverability, remaining agile if it encounters obstacles. The robot is able to cross 0.7 in. [1.7 cm] thresholds and 1.3 in. [3.3 cm] gutters, as well as to leverage laser and visual SLAM for positioning in spaces up to 200,000 sq. m [2.1 million sq. ft.].

In addition to these capabilities, the T300 is also designed with a reverse function, enabling it to back up and disengage from any impediments it may encounter.

In addition to the VSLAM capabilities, how will Pudu’s latest robots be monitored — will the company offer fleet management software, or will it work with third-party platforms?

Zhang: The PUDU T300 will be monitored using our proprietary distributed scheduling system, which allows for efficient management and coordination of the robot fleet.

Additionally, the T300 supports PUDUlink, a platform developed by Pudu Robotics for remote device management. This platform enables operators to monitor, control, and update the robots from a centralized location, ensuring smooth operation and quick response to any issues that may arise.

Furthermore, for those clients who wish to integrate the T300 with their existing third-party fleet management or scheduling systems, the T300 is designed to be compatible with third-party APIs [application programming interfaces]. This ensures that our robots can be seamlessly incorporated into a wide range of industrial and logistical environments, providing flexibility to users who already have established systems in place.

What customers did Pudu work with in developing this robot, and is it in trials or is it already available?

Zhang: T300 was developed specifically for customers within the industrial sector. Target customers include entities within manufacturing, such as 3C [computer, communication, and consumer] electronics manufactures, automotive parts processing facilities, metalworking and hardware processing enterprises, and more.

PUDU T300 in shelf mode. Source: Pudu Robotics

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Advanced Navigation’s Hydrus micro autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) deployed. | Source: Advanced Navigation

Advanced Navigation is bringing humans closer to the ocean with Hydrus, a relatively small underwater drone. The company recently sent Hydrus to the depths of the Rottnest ship graveyard, located in the Indian Ocean and just off the coast of Western Australia. 

The Sydney, Australia-based developer of AI robotics and navigation technology said that upon seeing the gathered data, the team discovered a 210-ft. (64-m) shipwreck scattered across the sea floor. This means the wreck was more than twice the size of a blue whale. 

“We’ve found through all of our testing that Hydrus is very reliable, and it will complete its mission and come to the surface or come to its designated return point,” Alec McGregor, Advanced Navigation’s photogrammetry specialist, told The Robot Report. “And then you can just scoop it up with a net from the side of the boat.”

Robot can brave the ocean’s unexplored depths

Humans have only explored and charted 24% of the ocean, according to Advanced Navigation. The unexplored parts are home to more than 3 million undiscovered shipwrecks, and 1,819 recorded wrecks are lying off Western Australia’s shore alone.

These shipwrecks can hold keys to our understanding of past culture, history, and science, said the company.

The Rottnest graveyard is a particularly dense area for these abandoned ships. Beginning in the 1900s, the area became a burial ground for ships, naval vessels, aircraft, and secretive submarines. A majority of these wrecks haven’t been discovered because the depth ranges from 164 to 656 ft. (50 to 200 m). 

Traditionally, there are two ways of gathering information from the deep sea, explained McGregor. The first is divers, who have to be specially trained to reach the depths Advanced Navigation is interested in studying. 

“Some of the wrecks that we’ve been looking at are in very deep water, so 60 m [196.8 ft.] for this particular wreck, which is outside of the recreational diving limit,” McGregor said. “So, you actually have to go into tech diving.”

“And when you go deeper with all of this extra equipment, it tends to just increase the risks associated with going to depth,” he said. “So, you need to have special training, you need to have support vessels, and you also have to be down in the water for a long period of time.”

The second option is to use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). While this method doesn’t involve putting people at risk, it can still be expensive. 

“Some of the drawbacks with using traditional methods include having to have big support vessels,” McGregor said. “And getting the actual ROVs in and out of the water sometimes requires a crane, whereas with the Hydrus, you can just chuck it off the side of the boat.”

“So, with Hydrus, you’re able to reduce the costs of operation,” he added. “You’re also able to get underwater data super easily and super quickly by just chucking a Hydrus off the boat. It can be operated with one person.”

Advanced Navigation uses ‘wet electronics’

One of the biggest challenges with underwater robotics, McGregor said, is keeping important electronics dry. Conventional ROVs do this with pressure chambers. 

“Traditional ROVs have big chambers which basically keep all the electronics dry,” he noted. “But from a mechanical point of view, if you want to go deeper, you need to have thicker walls so that they can resist the pressure at depth.”

“If you need thicker walls, that increases the weight of the robot,” said McGregor. “And if you increase the weight, but you still want the robot to be buoyant, you have to increase the size. It’s just this kind of spiral of increasing the size to increase the buoyancy.”

“What we’ve managed to do with Hydrus is we have designed pressure-tolerant electronics, and we use a method of actually having what we call ‘wet electronics,'” McGregor said. “This involves basically potting the electronics in a plastic material. And we don’t use it to keep the structural integrity of the robot. So we don’t need a pressure vessel because we’ve managed to protect our electronics that way.” 

Once it’s underwater, Hydrus operates fully autonomously. Unlike traditional ROVs, the system doesn’t require a tether to navigate underwater, and the Advanced Navigation team has limited real-time communication capabilities. 

“We do have very limited communication with Hydrus through acoustic communications,” McGregor said. “The issue with acoustic communications is that there’s not a lot of data that can be transferred. We can get data such as the position of Hydrus, and we can also send simple commands such as ‘abort mission’ or ‘hold position’ or ‘pause mission,’ but we can’t physically control it.”

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Hydrus provides high-resolution data

While Hydrus has impressive autonomous capabilities, it doesn’t find wrecks all on its own. In this case, McGregor said, Advanced Navigation worked closely with the Western Australian (WA) Museum to find the wreck.

The museum gave the company a rough idea of where a shipwreck could be. Then the team sent Hydrus on a reconnaissance mission to determine the wreck’s exact location. 

“When we got Hydrus back on board, we were able to offload all the data and reconstruct the mission based on the images and from that, we were then able to see where the shipwreck was,” McGregor said. “One of the good things about Hydrus is that we can actually get geo-referenced data onto the water with auxiliary systems that we have on the boat.”

Hydrus gathered 4K geo-referenced imagery and video footage. Curtin University HIVE, which specializes in shipwreck photogrammetry, used this data to rebuild a high-resolution 3D digital twin of the wreck. Ross Anderson, a curator at the WA Museum, closely examined the digital twin. 

Anderson found that the wreck was an over 100-year-old coal hulk from Fremantle Port’s bygone days. Historically, these old iron ships were used to service steamships in Western Australia. 

In the future, the team is interested in exploring other shipwrecks, like the SS Koombana, an ultra-luxury passenger ship. The ship ferried more than 150 passengers before it vanished into a cyclone in 1912.

However, Advanced Navigation isn’t just interested in gaining information from shipwrecks. 

“Another thing we’re doing with a lot of this data is actually coral reef monitoring. So we’re making 3D reconstructions of coral reefs, and we’re working with quite a few customers to do this,” McGregor said.  

Hydrus reduced the surveying costs for this particular mission by up to 75%, according to the company. This enabled the team to conduct more frequent and extensive surveying of the wreck in a shorter period of time. 

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MDA Space’s Canadarm2 onboard the ISS in 2021. | Source: MDA Space

MDA Space this week announced that it has received a $250 million contract extension from the Canadian Space Agency. The contract will allow the company to continue supporting robotics operations on the International Space Station, or ISS, from 2025 to 2030. 

Brampton, Ontario-based MDA Space specializes in satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The company said it has 55 years of experience as a mission partner to the space industry, and it has completed more than 450 missions. 

MDA Space said it will add the contract extension to its backlog in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024.

Robot to fulfill flight-controller duties

As part of the contract, MDA Space will fulfill robotics flight-controller duties to support mission operations on the ISS. The company has worked alongside the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and its international partners since 2001 to provide operational readiness for the Mobile Servicing System (MSS). 

“Robotic flight controllers are the pilots in the control room who make real-time decisions and plan exactly how robotics on the ISS are utilized and executed to support immediate and long-term mission plans,” stated Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space.

“We’re honored to be taking on this important role,” he added. “This further solidifies MDA Space as a trusted mission partner and global leader in mission-critical space robotics operations and strategically positions our team to offer mission operations as a commercial service to customers globally.”

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MDA Space co-developed Canadarm2, MSS

Canadarm2, the first key part of the MSS, is a 57.7-ft. (17.6 m)-long robotic arm that MDA Space developed with the CSA. Each end of the arm features an identical manipulator known as a Latching End Effector (LEE).

The LEEs contain cables that tighten to ensure strong grip. This allows the robotic arm to firmly grasp objects to latch itself to the station. Either end of Canadarm2 can be used as an anchor point, while the other end remains free to carry out tasks. 

The next part of the system is Dextre, or the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. The robotic hand performs maintenance on the ISS, like changing batteries and replacing cameras outside of the station. 

Dextre is equipped with lights, video equipment, a tool platform, and four tool holders. It has a dual-arm design, reducing the need for spacewalks. 

The last part of the system is the Mobile Base System (MBS), which provides a movable work platform for Canadarm2 and Dextre. MBS moves along the Mobile Transporter rail car along truss rails covering the space station. This allows it to traverse the main trusses to access the eight workstations that have power connections for the base. 

Earlier this month, MDA Space released its MDA Skymaker product line. The company said this latest release is a line of space robotics purpose-built to meet the diverse needs of its customers. 

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