Applied Automation said this week it acquired precision toolmaker PTG Precision Engineers for an undisclosed amount. Newly acquired PTG Precision Engineers will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Automation and will operate as a division of the company, with 2 members of Applied Automation joining PTG’s management team. “I feel sure this acquisition…
NIOSH to launch Center for Occupational Robotics Research
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said this week it is launching the Center for Occupational Robotics Research. The newly founded center aims to explore the potential benefits and risks of robotic workers and develop appropriate guidance for safe interactions between humans and robots. “Robots working collaboratively with humans present a new workplace…
Intuitive Surgical buys $6m NC facility in close proximity to TransEnterix
Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) paid $6 million to acquire a 60,000-square-foot building in Durham, N.C. just a few miles down the road from rival surgical robot maker TransEnterix (NYSE:TRXC), according to a Triangle Business Journal report. The new acquisition joins a smaller facility Intuitive has in the region at N.C. State University’s Centennial Campus, according to the report. The…
Report: New shear-force detecting skin could improve robot sensitivity
A new flexible, sensing “skin” could allow robots to more accurately sense when objects are slipping out of its grasp, according to a new report. Researchers from the University of Washington and UCLA say they ahve developed such a flexible sensor skin that can be stretched over any part of a robot’s body to allow…
ReWalk shares slide on Q3 prelim release
ReWalk Robotics today saw shares dip slightly after releasing preliminary financial results for its 3rd quarter despite posting revenues ahead of consensus on Wall Street. The Israel-based company said it expects to post sales of $1.7 million for the 3 months ended Sept. 30, up 21.4% from the $1.4 million the company posted for the…
Study: New soft-robotic skin mimics cephalapod camouflage
A new camouflage technology could allow the next generation of soft robots to take cover in plain view, according to a report from The Verge. The camouflage takes inspiration from octopuses, and involves a silicone ‘skin’ placed over a fiber mesh that is designed to mimic muscle. The mesh is then cut away to allow…
Report: Robotic platforms could see battlefield use by next year
Armed, unmanned ground robots could see time on the battlefield by next year, according to a BigThink report. Ukrainian military officials said they plan to use the experimental Phantom robotic platform in their conflict against Russian-backed forces next year, and demonstrated the system in action earlier this month, according to the report. The platform, which…
Google X teases robotic projects, machine-learning and AI collaborations
Google’s X moonshot program late last week teased at its internal robotics projects, mentioning that the combination of machine learning and robotics will be at the heart of many of its ventures. While no distinct details were released, Google X said that its robotics arm is closely collaborating with its Google Brain deep learning artificial…
ReWalk Robotics aims for 2018 release for Restore softsuit robotic exoskeleton
ReWalk Robotics said today it completed all internal processes related to its Restore robotic rehabilitation softsuit exoskeleton and is ready to initiate clinical trials of the device in 2018, with hopes for a commercial launch in the same year. The Restore softsuit is designed to transmit power to key joints in the legs with cable…
Synaptive adds digital microscopy to BrightMatter robot-assisted surgery platform
Medtech company Synaptive Medical said this week it released the Modus V, a 2nd-gen digital microscope and robotic arm designed to work with its BrightMatter robot-assisted surgical platform. The Toronto-based company said the Modus V includes advanced instrument tracking and automatic focus to enable greater surgical efficiency and hands-free control. “This product release marks a…
Omron’s ping-pong bot wants to soften the robot-human interaction
Japanese robotics company Omron has developed a robotic ping-pong system that looks to approach the human-robot interaction on a gentler level, according to a report from The Verge. The Forpheus robot, in its 4th generation, was recently shown at the CEATAC trade show with updates that include a companion arm to serve balls in the…
MIT researchers develop VR teleoperation robot control system
Researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed a virtual-reality system to allow remote operation of complex robotic machinery through the use of an Oculus Rift headset, according to a report from MIT. The platform functions around a VR control room that allows the operator to control the robot by taking the…
Robotic hair transplant dev Restoration Robotics raises $25m in IPO
Robotic hair restoration company Restoration Robotics raised $25 million in an initial public offering and saw its shares rise nearly 40% after its debut, according to a Silicone Valley Business Journal report. The 91-person company, co-founded by surgical robotics pioneer Fred Moll, sold 3.6 million shares at $7 each, then proceeded to open at $8.55…
Robotic rehab-focused exoskeleton dev Wandercraft raises $18m Series B
Robotic exoskeleton developer Wandercraft has raised $17.8 million in a Series B funding round, according to a ZDNet report. Funds from the round are slated to support certifications and regulatory clearances necessary to bring the exoskeleton to market, according to the report. The Paris-based company claims that its exoskeleton is the 1st to have managed…
Robotic food-prep biz Zume raises $48m in Series B
Robotic food-preparation business Zume has raised $48 million in a Series B round of financing, according to an SEC filing posted by the company. The Mountain View, Calif.-based start-up is looking to raise a total of $50 million to support its robotics platform, according to a TechCrunch report. “We’ve recently closed a round from leading…
GM picks up lidar dev Strobe
General Motors last week purchased Pasadena, Calif.-based startup Strobe and its laser-based lidar imaging technology, according to an LA Times report. Lidar technology is an essential part of autonomous vehicle’s navigation platforms, and allow for identifying objects and avoiding collisions, but has been costly and kept self-driving cars from seeing larger deployment, according to GM…
Un-man the Decks: How autonomous shipping vessels could reshape the waterways
Autonomous transportation isn’t only hitting the roads and airways, but the vast oceans and seas of the world – and its bringing with it the potential to significantly lower costs and improve safety for the nearly $350 billion shipping industry, according to a CBInsights report. Industrious entrepreneurs, large corporations and government bodies are beginning to…
Intuitive Surgical can’t slip shareholder suit
Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) wasn’t able to dodge a proposed class action suit against it claiming it misrepresented the safety of its robotic surgical equipment and caused stock price to drop after a California federal judge kept the motion alive late last month. US District Judge Edward Davila said that investors in the case had sufficiently plead…
Experimental UK robotic farm completes 1st autonomous harvest
The Hands Free Hectare experimental robotic farm has completed its 1st autonomous harvest without any human labor, according to a LiveScience report. The farm, which is run by researchers at Harper Adams University, harvested approximately 5 tons of spring barley. Every step in the process, including sowing, fertilizing, collecting samples and harvesting, was completed by…
Nano robot that detects molecules developed by Univ of Manchester
Researchers at the University of Manchester have created a nanorobot designed to completed basic chemical tasks including building molecules, according to a Mancunion report. The robot is a millionth of a millimeter in size, according to a report, and operates through the use of a tiny robotic arm which can be programmed to carry out…
BioRobotics spin-off Iuvo to develop intelligent wearable robotic exoskeleton tech
The BioRobotics Institute spin-off Iuvo has received an undisclosed joint investment from automation company Comau and orthopedics group Össur to support the development of wearable intelligent robotic exoskeletons. The spin-off, founded in 2015, looks to focus initially on research and development and an eventual launch of new wearable robotic technologies, according to a release from…
Charges filed by US in Medrobotics trade secret case after CEO spots suspect in secured office
An individual has been arrested and charged with entering robotic medtech firm Medrobotics‘ headquarters in an attempt to steal trade secrets, according to court documents from the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts filed this week. Court documents identify the suspect as 44-year old Dong Liu, who “appears to be a dual citizen…