CCTY Bearing will discuss how its technologies can help humanoid robots at the Robotics Summit & Expo. Source: CCTY

To help robot developers make humanoid robots that emulate the mobility and flexibility of human limbs, CCTY designs and manufactures bespoke parts tailored to the unique requirements of each project. At the Robotics Summit & Expo this week, the global motion-control supplier will highlight how its state-of-the-art bearings can enable robots to move articulating joints with lifelike grace.

These critical joints must replicate the natural range of motion found in the human body while remaining lightweight and durable, according to CCTY. The company today said its customized approach overcomes the limitations of conventional, off-the-shelf products.

“The development of humanoid robots has garnered significant attention,” stated Yaman Obaid, robotics engineer at CCTY. “Their seamless motion is enabled by a complex interplay of precision engineering, advanced materials, and cutting-edge technology, with bearings serving as the base that enables these movements.”

CCTY builds bearings to suit

CCTY specializes in custom bearing engineering and development. The company has a 1.8 million sq. ft. (167,000 sq. m) production facility in China and offices in Lake Zurich, Ill.; Schwebheim, Germany; Tokyo; and Gujarat, India.

For the robotics sector, CCTY designs motion-control components and assemblies specific to humanoid and industrial robot applications. They include rod ends, spherical plain bearings, COM bearings, bushings, and roller bearings that enable articulating joints to rotate freely and smoothly.

“At the forefront of innovation, CCTY collaborates closely with our customers to design, develop, and test application-specific humanoid robotic bearing solutions,” said Nik Jerinic, strategic account manager at CCTY. “We’re not like other bearing suppliers. We are problem-solvers who work side-by-side with our clients to create a custom design that meets an application’s precise requirements.”

In addition to custom bearings, CCTY said it develops full assemblies that yield customer benefits such as cost savings, streamlined products, and simplified vendor management. With its ability to manufacture small batches, the company said it is as a trusted engineering partner to businesses in the fast-paced robotics industry.

Learn more at the Robotics Summit & Expo

At Booth 234 in Hall C at the Robotics Summit & Expo on May 1 and 2, CCTY said it will demystify the process of bearing design and assembly for robotic applications. It said its expertise and customer partnerships have resulted in systems that will advance the future of humanoid robots.

During the event, CCTY experts will also discuss key robotics industry trends and themes, including the importance of:

• Seals in robotics applications
• Finding the right balance for minimizing torque and clearance
• Backlash and its impact on humanoid movement

“When speaking with new and potential customers, our engineers often find that they’re able to present or share a new idea or enhancement, for example a new design idea or material selection, that improves upon the customer’s existing idea,” said Jerinic. “This is the type of partner CCTY wants to be for our robotics customers: Someone who helps them raise the bar in this high potential and fast-growing industry.”

Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The summit will also feature keynotes and sessions with industry experts, more than 200 exhibitors, a MassRobotics Engineering Career Fair, and several networking opportunities.

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Forcen says its technology will help robotic manipulation advance as vision has. Source: Forcen

Forcen last week said it has closed a funding round of CAD $8.35 million ($6.1 million U.S.). The Toronto-based company plans to use the investment to scale up production to support more customers and to continue developing its force/torque sensing technology and edge intelligence.

“We’ve been focused on delivering custom solutions showcasing our world-first technology with world-class quality … and we’re excited for our customers to announce the robots they’ve been working on with our technology,” stated Robert Brooks, founder and CEO of Forcen. “Providing custom solutions has limited the number of customers we take on, but now we’re working to change that.”

Founded in 2015, Forcen said its goal is to enable businesses to easily deploy “(super)human” robotic manipulation in complex and unstructured applications. The company added that its technology is already moving into production with customers in surgical, logistics, humanoid, and space robotics.

Forcen offers two paths to robot manipulation

Forcen said its new customizable offering and off-the-shelf development kits will accelerate development for current customers and help new ones adopt its technology.

The rapidly customizable offering will use generative design and standard subassemblies, noted the company. This will allow customers to select the size, sensing range/sensitivity, overload protection, mounting bolt pattern, and connector type/location.

By fulfilling orders in as little as four to six weeks, Forcen claimed that it can replace the traditional lengthy catalog of sensors, so customers can get exactly what they need for their unique applications.

The company will launch its off-the-shelf development kits later this year. They will cover three degree-of-freedom (DoF) and 6 DoF force/torque sensors, as well as Forcen’s cross-roller, bearing-free 3 DoF joint torque sensor and 3 DoF gripper finger.

Off-the-shelf development kits will support different degrees of freedom. Source: Forcen

Force/torque sensors designed for complex applications

Complex and less-structured robotics applications are challenging for conventional force/torque sensing technologies because of the risk of repeated impact/overload, wide temperature ranges/changes, and extreme constraints on size and weight, explained Forcen. These applications are becoming increasingly common in surgical, logistics, agricultural/food, and underwater robotics.

Forcen added that its “full-stack” sensing systems are designed for such applications using three core proprietary technologies:

• ForceFilm — A monolithic thin-film transducer enabling sensing systems that are lighter, thinner, more stable across both drift and temperature, the company said. It is especially scalable for multi-dimensional sensing, Forcen said.
• Dedicated Overload — A protection structure that acts as a 6 DoF hard stop. The company said it allows sensitivity and overload protection to be designed separately and enables durable use of the overload structure for thousands of overload events while still achieving millions of sensing cycles.
• Synap — Forcen’s onboard edge intelligence comes factory compensated/calibrated and can connect to any standard digital bus (USB, CAN, Ethernet, EtherCAT). This can “create a full-stack force/torque sensing solution that is truly plug-and-play with a maintenance/calibration-free operation.

New offerings include features to support demanding robotics applications. Source: Forcen

Learn about Forcen at the Robotics Summit

Brightspark Ventures and BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund co-led Forcen’s funding round, with participation from Garage Capital and MaRS IAF, as well as returning investors including EmergingVC.

“Robotic vision has undergone a revolution over the past decade and is continuing to accelerate with new AI approaches,” said Mark Skapinker, co-founder and partner at Brightspark Ventures. “We expect robotic manipulation to quickly follow in the footsteps of robotic vision and Forcen’s technology to be a key enabler of ubiquitous human-level robotic manipulation.”

Forcen is returning to the Robotics Summit & Expo this week. It will have live demonstrations of its latest technology in Booth 113 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. 

CEO Brooks will be talking on May 1 at 4:15 p.m. EDT about “Designing (Super)Human-Level Haptic Sensing for Surgical Robotics.” Registration is now open for the event, which is co-located with DeviceTalks Boston and the Digital Transformation Forum.

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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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Sanctuary’s seventh-generation Phoenix includes both hardware and software improvements. | Source: Sanctuary AI

Sanctuary AI today unveiled the seventh generation of its Phoenix humanoid robot. The Vancouver-based company said its upgraded robot is bringing it closer to the creation of the world’s first “human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots.”

This announcement comes less than 12 months after the company launched its sixth-generation robot, and less than 16 months after it first commercially deployed its fifth-generation humanoid in January 2023.

In this week-long pilot deployment, Phoenix worked at a Mark’s retail store in Langley, British Columbia. In that trial, Phoenix successfully completed 110 retail-related tasks, claimed Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corp., which was founded in 2018 and does business as Sanctuary AI. 

The company said it made numerous improvements to both the robot’s hardware and its AI control system Carbon.

“It’s incredible to see the progress that has been made in just 11 months,” stated Geordie Rose, co-founder and CEO of Sanctuary AI. “With Generation 7, we have a system that we believe is the most closely analogous to a person of any available.”

“We see this as not only the cornerstone of general-purpose AI robotics but a critical step on the path to artificial general intelligence, and we’re thrilled to be leading the charge on it,” he added. “This all adds up to being able to capture increasing quantities of higher-quality, higher-fidelity human behavioral data, which in turn will expedite the development of foundational AI models and customer deployments.”

This generation of Phoenix excels at human behavioral data capture, giving Carbon access to some of the best training data available. the company asserted. 

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Sanctuary AI obtains IP toward general-purpose robots

In December 2023, Sanctuary AI announced that it had acquired intellectual property (IP), adding to its asset portfolio of touch and grasping technologies. At the time, the company said it expected the assets from Giant.AI Inc. and Tangible Research to play a pivotal role in its construction of general-purpose robots.

Sanctuary AI credited these IP assets with expanding its patent portfolio centered around grasping technology. These include visual servoing, real-time simulation of the grasping process, and mapping between visual and haptic data. While it not confirm whether they went into Phoenix, it seems likely.

Phoenix includes several upgrades 

Sanctuary listed the following the upgrades in its latest release:

• Phoenix now has increased uptime, which means that it has more time for training and data capture. 
• The robot also now has increased build and commissioning speed, allowing Sanctuary to bring more units online faster. 
• Sanctuary has reduced Phoenix’s bill of materials, reducing the cost of manufacture. 
• The company has increased range of motion in the wrists, hands, and elbows. It has also increased hand durability. 
• Sanctuary said it further miniaturized hydraulics, resulting in reduced weight, power consumption, and complexity, with increased hardware and software measures that exceed specified safety standards. 
• Phoenix has improved visual acuity and tactile sensing, leading to higher-fidelity data to train the AI control system. 
• The time it takes for new tasks to be automated has gone from weeks to less than 24 hours, marking a major inflection point in task automation speed and autonomous system capability.

Earlier this month, Sanctuary AI announced a strategic partnership with Magna International. Through this expanded partnership, the company plans to equip Magna’s automotive component factories with general-purpose AI robots. It also plans to engage Magna to manufacture the Phoenix robots under contract in the future. 

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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.

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HowToRobot is combining its marketplace with Gain & Co.’s expert advice. Credit: Adobe Stock

HowToRobot.com ApS, a provider of a global automation market platform, and Gain & Co., a robotics and automation advisor, announced a merger last week. The newly formed company has also received an investment from Sagitta Ventures, which will be taking a seat on its board. 

Now operating under the name “HowToRobot,” the combined company said that while the need for robotics is stronger than ever, most businesses still struggle to automate. By combining its automation market and vendor-independent advice, HowToRobot said it will support businesses with every aspect of their automation journeys.  

“Businesses need automation and robotics like never before to make up for labor shortages and supply chain disruptions and simply to protect them in the long run,” stated Søren Peters, now co-CEO of HowToRobot. “But without help, only few are able to fully take advantage of the technology. The merger and investment allow us to extend that help to every business that needs it.”

Founded in 2017, HowToRobot said it offers companies with an overview and easy access to automation and robotics suppliers globally. It also offers advisors that give guidance on everything from getting started with automation to technology selection and implementation.

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HowToRobot to help companies keep up with innovation

Global robot installations have more than tripled over the past decade, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). This demand has resulted in more innovation, making it difficult for prospective customers to keep up with the industry, said Peters. 

“Robotics is developing so fast that it can easily seem overwhelming,” he said. “What most need is often just someone to talk to who knows the market and who they can trust for reliable and impartial advice. By letting our two companies join forces, we can now provide all that in one place.”

The Copenhagen, Denmark-based company claimed that the new HowToRobot provides the support that businesses need when looking to automate. At the R-24 event earlier this year in Odense, Denmark, Gulshan Akhtar Din, a senior advisor then at Gain & Co., explained how it worked with hospitals to properly integrate automation with both physical infrastructure and business processes.

Despite global robot installations hitting a record high in 2022, according to the IFR, HowToRobot said it has found that the average business has explored only about 5% of its addressable potential for automation. Peters asserted that this is mainly due to limited expertise and knowledge about automation. 

“Most businesses have still only scratched the surface of what is possible and makes sense to automate,” he said. “With the right guidance and easy access to potential solutions, robot adoption can reach a whole new level.”

Inside the merger

With the merger, Peters, the former CEO of HowToRobot, and Søren Pap-Tolstrup, the former CEO of Gain & Co., will serve as co-CEOs. The company did not disclose financial details of the merger or investment from Sagitta Ventures. 

“The world of robotics is still new to many, and most need help to some extent – from technical advice to finding solutions and building the business case or simply finding the best place to start,” noted Pap-Tolstrup. “When combined, our platform and advisory have the depth, reach, and flexibility to support businesses where and when they most need it.”

HowToRobot said its latest investment will enable it to expand its platform, advisor team, and partner network across the world, adding expertise and the capacity for conducting on-site automation screening. The company said it also plans to broaden its market understanding of robotics and automation to better provide expert advice.

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InOrbit has joined the Open Source Robotics Alliance to support community software development. | Source: InOrbit

InOrbit Inc. this month joined the Open Source Robotics Alliance, or OSRA. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said it is a milestone in its commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation within the robotics community.

“Having members like InOrbit is crucial to us because it’s an indicator of support from long-standing community members for our vision for the future of the ROS ecosystem,” stated Vanessa Yamzon Orsi, CEO of the Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF). She referred to the Robot Operating System. 

The OSRF last month launched the OSRA as an alliance of companies aimed at strengthening the governance of open-source robotics software projects. The OSRA said it has a mixed-membership, meritocratic model inspired by organizations such as the Linux Foundation. 

The OSRA invites community stakeholders to participate in the oversight, direction, development, and support of key open-source projects, including ROS, Gazebo, Open-RMF, and their infrastructure.

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

OSRA supports shared goal of industry collaboration

By joining the OSRA, InOrbit said it is reaffirming its commitment to advancing open-source projects and promoting collaborative innovation in the robotics industry.

“The open-source community has enabled great advancements in the development and deployment of robotics solutions in the past 15 years,” said Julian Cerruti, co-founder and chief technology officer of InOrbit. “As the robotics industry grows, it’s increasingly important to create the space and organize ourselves properly to support a consensus-based advancement of these technologies that multiple companies depend on.”

“At InOrbit, we greatly appreciate the work that OSRF has done over the years to support and promote this effort and are happy to lend our support by sponsoring and participating in this initiative,” he added about the OSRA.

InOrbit said its cloud platform enables efficient robot operations (RobOps) and provides observability through secure, real-time analytics and data collection, robot performance monitoring, incident response, and root-cause analysis.

Open-source is key to interoperability, says InOrbit

InOrbit said it has been working with open initiatives since its inception, supporting ROS and ROS 2, among others. The company said this supports its approach to interoperability.

As the landscape changes for mobile robot makers and users, interoperability is becoming a concern, noted InOrbit. The company said that as robot fleets grow, and organizations add more automation to work alongside or with existing systems, they need a new level of orchestration. 

InOrbit said interoperability as key to realizing more complex tasks and safely managing interactions with human collaborators and other robots in a given space. This need goes beyond traditional fleet management, it claimed.

The company added that it is a driving factor behind its ongoing support for emerging interoperability standards and tools like the Open Robotics Middleware Framework (Open-RMF). 

Last year, InOrbit announced the availability of the open-source InOrbit RMF Fleet Adaptor. The adaptor is available on GitHub and was created with Ekumen Labs, another OSRA member.

As a silver members of the OSRA, InOrbit said it expects to contribute to shaping the future of robotics and to exploring opportunities for advancing RobOps with the alliance.

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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.

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The new PixONE force-torque sensor on an industrial robot. | Source: Bota Systems

Bota Systems AG today released PixONE, a sensor that brings together high-performance electronics with a compact, lightweight design. Founded in 2020 as an ETH Zurch spin-off, the company specializes in multi-axis force-torque sensors. 

Zurich-based Bota said it designed its latest sensors for “seamless integration into robotic systems.” PixONE features a through-hole architecture facilitating internal cable routing to enhance robot agility and safety, claimed the company.

The sensor’s hollow shaft design makes it easier for users to connect a robot’s arm and end-of-arm tooling (EOT or EOAT) while maintaining the integrity of internal cable routing, said Bota Systems. It added that this design can be particularly helpful because many robot arm manufacturers are moving toward internal routing to eliminate cable tangles and motion restrictions. 

“Our objective is to equip robots with the sense of touch, making them not only safer and more user-friendly, but also more collaborative,” stated Klajd Lika, co-founder and CEO Bota Systems. “PixONE is an advanced, OEM-ready sensing solution that enables robot developers and integrators to effortlessly enhance any robot in development with minimal integration effort.”

PixONE minimalist design is lightweight

PixONE has a minimalistic two-piece design. Bota Systems said this simplifies the assembly and significantly reduces the sensor’s weight, making it 30% lighter than comparable sensors on the market. This is critical for dynamic systems such as fast-moving robots, where excess weight can impede performance and operational efficiency, it said. 

Bota Systems offers PixONE in various models with an external diameter starting at 2.36 in. (60 mm) and a through-hole diameter of 0.59 in. (15 mm). The sensors include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and have a IP67 waterproof rating. The company said these features make it suitable for a wide range of operational environments. 

“The PixONE offers a higher torque-to-force ratio than comparative sensors with integrated electronics, which gives integrators more freedom in EOT design, especially with larger tools,” said Ilias Patsiaouras, co-founder and chief technology officer of Bota Systems. “PixONE elevates the sensor integration by offering internal connection and cable passthrough, making it ideal for a wide spectrum of robotic applications, ranging from industrial to medical.”

The PixONE configurations can support payloads up to 551 lb. (250 kg). Bota said it maintained a uniform interface across all models to facilitate rapid integration.

The PixONE’s design also minimizes external connections and component count, enhancing system reliability, according to the company. PixONE uses EtherCAT technology for high-speed data communication and supports Power over Ethernet (PoE).

See Bota Systems at the Robotics Summit & Expo

Bota Systems is an official distribution and integration partner of Universal Robots and Mecademic. In October 2023, it added NEXT Robotics to its distributor network.

That same month, Bota Systems raised $2.5 million in seed funding. The company said it plans to use the funding to grow its team to address increasing demand by leading research labs and manufacturing companies. It also plans to accelerate its product roadmap.

To learn more about Bota Systems, visit the company at Booth 315 at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be on May 1 and 2 in Boston.

“Our vision is to equip robots with the sense of touch, making them not only safer and more user-friendly, but also more collaborative,” Klajd Lika, co-founder and CEO of Bota Systems, told The Robot Report. “We look forward to the Robotics Summit & Expo because it brings together the visionaries and brightest minds of the industry — this interaction is valuable for us to shape the development of our next generation of innovative sensors.” 

This will be the largest Robotics Summit ever. It 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. Registration is now open for the event.

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

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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.

The post Rockwell Automation partners with Microsoft on three projects appeared first on The Robot Report.

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.”

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

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. 

The post MDA Space lands $250M contract extension from CSA for space station robot appeared first on The Robot Report.

In this episode, we talk to Matt Casella from Richtech Robotics about the Adam bartending robot, and then to Chris Padwick from John Deere about creating vision models for spraying weeds in the field.

Both interviews occurred during NVIDIA’s GTC event last month, and both companies use NVIDIA technology in their AI-powered robots.

Show timeline

• 23:54: Interview with Matt Casella, President of Richtech Robotics
• 44:14: Interview with Chris Padwick, director of machine vision learning, from John Deere Autonomous Solutions

News from this week

Boston Dynamics unveils electric Atlas humanoid robot

On Tuesday, Boston Dynamics retired the previous version of Atlas after about 15 years of development. It paved the way for numerous other humanoid robots.

As you have probably seen on YouTube, Atlas was surprisingly agile, given its hydraulics and bulk. In fact, Atlas won an RBR50 award for its demonstration of running and delivering tools at a simulated construction site at the company’s headquarters in Waltham, Mass.

At the same time, the company has not been shy about showing the many falls and missteps on the way to increasingly robust locomotion and dexterous manipulation.

On Wednesday, Boston Dynamics announced a new, all-electric version intended for eventual commercial use. 

Mentee Robotics decloaks with its own AI-powered humanoid

Perhaps overshadowed by Boston Dynamics’ announcement the same day, Mentee Robotics came out of stealth and unveiled its first bipedal humanoid robot prototype. A team with experience in machine, computer vision, and other fields founded the Herzliya, Israel-based company in 2022.

Mentee Robotics said its AI-powered robot will understand natural-language commands and be based on a simulation-to-reality model. The company acknowledged that more work is to be done and said it is aiming for the household and warehouse markets. Like Boston Dynamics, it is aiming to have more robots to show in 2025.

Locus Robotics surpasses 3B picks mere months after last milestone

Locus Robotics Corp. this week said it has surpassed 3 billion total picks across its global customer deployments. The Wilmington, Mass.-based company reached this milestone just 33 weeks after it recorded its 2 billionth pick.

Locus claimed that the achievement underscores its continued rapid growth and solidifies its position as a leader in AI-powered robots for the warehouse.

California committee passes AV ban

On Wednesday, the California Senate Committee on Local Government passed legislation allowing local municipalities to ban and tax autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment.

Last year was one of California’s deadliest for roadway fatalities, largely because of human behaviors including distracted driving, drunk driving, and speeding. The legislation by Sen. Dave Cortese takes control away from state-level agencies like the DMV and California Public Utilities Commission, which have approved the rollout of AVs.

The post From the barn to the bar: AI powered robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

The MOTOMAN NEXT series, which is powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin and Wind River Linux. | Source: Yaskawa Electric

Wind River Systems Inc. this week announced that Yaskawa Electric Corp. is using Wind River Linux in the development of its new product MOTOMAN NEXT. The company said its software will enable Yaskawa’s industrial robots to autonomously adapt to their environment and make judgments with advanced artificial intelligence. 

MOTOMAN NEXT is powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin and Wind River Linux. Yaskawa claimed that these systems will help the robot “realize new levels of intelligence and autonomy.”

Founded in 1915, Yaskawa Electric said it has transformed from a motor manufacturer and an automation company to a mechatronics company. The Katakyushu, Japan-based business provides servo motors, controllers, AC drives, and industrial robots.

AI opens new possibilities, says Wind River

“AI is opening exciting new pathways,” stated Amit Ronen, chief customer officer at Wind River. “We are pleased to support the next generation of AI-capable robotics from an industry leader such as Yaskawa in combination with Wind River Linux and NVIDIA Jetson.”

“Together with Yaskawa and NVIDIA, we can help teams rapidly innovate in machine learning and AI to deliver more intelligent systems,” he added.

Wind River Linux helps teams develop, deploy, and operate robust, reliable, and secure embedded systems running on a purpose-built Linux operating system, according to Wind River. The Alameda, Ca.-based company said it offers high stability and security to meet high-performance needs for mission-critical applications.

Yaskawa MOTOMAN NEXT gains perception, judgement 

Wind River and Yaskawa Electric said that MOTOMAN NEXT can handle challenging tasks in unstructured environments. This allows it to drive automation into new application areas that were previously challenging because of the need for human-level perception and judgment capabilities. 

MOTOMAN NEXT can execute tasks based on its understanding of changes in its surrounding environment and the system’s status, claimed the companies. This includes accounting for other robots and peripheral devices.

The robot can perform complex tasks, like navigating an optimal path to avoid obstacles or sorting and boxing items of varying color and shape. Yaskawa and Wind River said the robot can also handle tasks with many variables and uncertain elements. 

MOTOMAN NEXT’s autonomous control unit uses Wind River Linux and runs on NVIDIA Jetson Orin, a platform for edge AI, embedded intelligence, and robotics applications. 

NVIDIA said Jetson provides scalable software, a modern AI stack, production-ready ROS packages, and application-specific AI workflows. The company added that it can share AI software and cloud-native workflows while delivering the power-efficiency required for building software-defined autonomous machines and edge AI systems.

The companies added that the combination of Wind River Linux and the NVIDIA Jetson platform enables advanced AI edge applications. 

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

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Jennifer Apicella (left) of the PRN and Fady Saad (right) of Cybernetix Ventures have announced a strategic partnership. | Source: Pittsburgh Robotics Network

Cybernetix Ventures yesterday announced a strategic partnership with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network. The early-stage venture capital firm said it is part of its long-term robotics cluster engagement efforts. 

The partnership is a joint initiative to set Pittsburgh’s robotics startups up for success, and bring more of the cluster’s investable robotics opportunities to global markets. The Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering innovation and growth in southwestern Pennsylvania. 

“The Pittsburgh Robotics Network is one of the top robotics clusters in the U.S., with a powerhouse team and strong robotics innovators emerging,” stated Fady Saad, founder and general partner of Cybernetix Ventures. “Like our firm, the PRN is focused on markets-driven, actionable, scalable use cases for robotics. We are excited to amplify their efforts and connect the cluster further with the larger investment community.”

Founded in 2021, Cybernetix focuses on robotics, automation, and industrial AI investments. The venture capital firm works with robotics clusters around the world to elevate the most promising robotics founders and startups to the global stage. 

Cybernetix expands robotics focus

Cybernetix aims to connect the PRN’s startups with the firm’s diverse ecosystem of potential customers, later-stage investors, financial institutions, and acquirers. The company will join forces with the PRN as a Leader Premier Partner to provide advice to startups. 

“Cybernetix Ventures is a premier investment firm for robotics, and this partnership represents a unique opportunity for not only robotics companies, but for accelerating the commercial adoption of robotics solutions overall,” added Jennifer Apicella, executive director of the PRN.

“Both Cybernetix Ventures and the PRN share a set of aligned values that promise to bring significant benefits to robotics companies on the path to commercialization,” she said. “We admire their unique expertise and understanding of how robotics will directly contribute to the advancement of specific industries, both now and into the future.”

The partners announced their collaboration at the Agriculture & Robotics Summit, where the PRN welcomed innovators, investors, and industry to Pittsburgh to explore the future of smart agriculture. Cybernetix, which has focused on vertical robotics applications in manufacturing, logistics, construction, and healthcare since its inception, participated in the event as a launchpad for its expanded focus on agriculture and climate robotics.

“The new use cases and overall necessity for robotics innovation in agriculture have accelerated the sector’s investment potential, and we will explore investments in agriculture and climate robotics to add to our solid portfolio,” Saad said.

PRN head to speak at the Robotics Summit

Apicella will be taking part in a panel discussion at the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo, which takes place on May 1 and 2 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. She will be joined by Stephen M. Muck, executive chairman of Advanced Construction Robotics; Brandon Contino, CEO of Four Growers; and Andy McMillan, chair of the board of directors at Cirtronics.

During the session, “Paving the Road to Success in Robotics Commercialization,” attendees can learn how the four industry leaders have conquered obstacles, scaled operations, and transformed ideas into viable products. 

This will be the largest Robotics Summit ever. It 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 PRN is also a sponsor of the Robotics Summit. Registration is now open for the event.

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Interested attendees have only today left to register for the first-ever RBR50 Gala held at the Robotics Summit & Expo. At the event, attendees will have the opportunity to network and learn from roboticists working on the most cutting-edge technology in the industry.  

The inaugural RBR50 Gala will be on May 1 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. EDT at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at the end of the first day of the Robotics Summit & Expo. The RBR50 Gala offers a chance to connect with the world’s leading robotics innovators. It’s also an evening of celebration to honor leading roboticists and their impressive achievements. 

The event will include a cocktail hour, a plated dinner, photo opportunities, and the chance to hear from the Robot of the Year, Startup of the Year, and Application of the Year winners. Each RBR50 winner will receive two complimentary tickets to the Robotics Summit and RBR50 Gala. A limited number of tickets is also available to summit attendees. 

In addition to the RBR50 Gala, the Robotics Summit will have a dedicated area on the show floor for current and previous RBR50 winners to showcase their technologies. This year, the showcase will feature demonstrations from Agility Robotics, Brightpick, HEBI, Capra Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Electric Sheep, Opteran, Indoor Robotics, Instock, Mushiny, Locus Robotics, Relay Robotics, and Mecademic.

Learn from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and many more.

More about the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo

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.

Keynotes will feature luminaries from Agility Robotics, Amazon Robotics, Teradyne, Disney Research, and Medtronic. The event will also include various networking opportunities, a startup showcase, a career fair, and more!

The Robotics Summit will be co-located with DeviceTalks, an event focused on medical devices, and the inaugural Digital Transformation Forum. Registration is now open for the event.

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