Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the University of Michigan have developed a technique for a miniature antenna to enhance bandwidth for networking among multiple robots.
9 automation projects for COVID-19 recovery announced by ARM Institute
About $5 million in Department of Defense funding dedicated to projects that advance the use of robotics to respond to current and future pandemics
Guardian XO exoskeleton maker Sarcos Robotics raises Series C funding
Sarcos Robotics, which has been bringing its Guardian XO industrial exoskeleton to market, has raised $40 million and added members to its board of directors.
Easy Aerial raises Series A funding to scale autonomous drone services internationally
Easy Aerial, which provides ruggedized drones as a service for commercial, government, and military uses, has raised funding that it said will help support its global expansion.
ARM Institute picks 5 Robotics in Sustainment projects for military maintenance
The ARM Institute announced the selection of five sustainment projects focused on strengthening U.S. Department of Defense equipment maintenance with robotics.
Robotics investments recap: July 2020
In July 2020, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and surgical robots continued to receive funding at steady levels in comparison with the same period last year.
Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning helping Army advance drone swarms
Army researchers developed a reinforcement learning approach that allows swarms of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles to optimally accomplish various missions while minimizing performance uncertainty. Swarming is a method of operations where multiple autonomous systems act as a cohesive unit by actively coordinating their actions. Army researchers said future multi-domain battles will require swarms of…
MAVNet communication system enables remote piloting of drones over the Internet
Startup Horizon31 has licensed a global communications system called MAVnet from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that it said could enable remote drone operations over the Internet.
Sarcos Defense wins Marine Corps contract for Alpha version of Guardian XO exoskeleton
Sarcos Defense has won a contract for the Guardian XO Alpha exoskeleton, which is designed to multiply the wearer’s strength and be safe to operate for a full shift.
How the U.S. Army is improving soldier-robot interaction
Researchers from the U.S. Army and USC developed the Joint Understanding and Dialogue Interface to improve soldier-robot interaction.
ARM Institute, which promotes automation and manufacturing, surpasses 250 members
The Pittsburgh-based ARM Institute, a public-private consortium, attributed its significant growth to an increase in interest in robotics during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
ANYmal C from ANYbotics is a robot with four legs and three brains
ANYbotics’ ANYmal C is a multi-module machine designed to handle varied terrain. The company’s executives explain the computing architecture enabling the quadruped robot’s motion and missions.
Skydio raises Series C funding for enterprise, public sector, consumer drones
Skydio has raised $100 million in Series C funding as the U.S. drone maker expands its offerings to enterprise and government markets. The company also named new executives.
MFE Rentals to resell and rent Sarcos Robotics Guardian S inspection robot
MFE Rentals, which provides inspection equipment, is an official rental and resale partner of Sarcos Robotics for its Guardian S robot, which is designed to remotely communicate from a variety of environments.
PatrolBot autonomous security robot works with workforce management, says Badger Technologies
Badger Technologies has added the PatrolBot to its retail robotics portfolio. It is also building a partner ecosystem to integrate the autonomous robot with security workforce management systems.
ForceFilm from Forcen brings thin-film sensitivity to robots, surgical instruments
Forcen has developed an award-winning haptic sensor called ForceFilm that can resist extreme heat and cold, is paper-thin, and provides sensitive feedback for devices such as surgical robots.
Landmine detection could improve with drones and machine learning, say Binghamton University researchers
Landmines continue to pose a lethal danger long after a war’s end. Binghamton University researchers have applied convolutional neural networks to drone data to better spot the “butterfly” landmine.
Here’s what Sphero spinoff Company Six could be building
Sphero, which makes small mobile robots, has spun off Company Six to serve personnel in hazardous environments. CO6 has not shared many details yet of its plans.
GE building worm-like robots to dig military tunnels
GE Research is developing worm-like robots that rapidly dig tunnels for the military. This project is part of a 15-month, $2.5-million DARPA project.
Rocos to add remote management to Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot
Boston Dynamics has built partnerships to add capabilities to its Spot quadruped robot. The Rocos cloud-based management platform allows for greater autonomy as well as remote control.
Robotic rover uses ‘rear rotor pedaling’ to avoid sand traps
Researchers at Georgia Tech have combined limbs that can move up and down with loose wheels for innovative gaits to help propel a NASA rover that could conduct exploration in the sandy hills of the moon or Mars.
RMUS to distribute Sarcos Robotics’ Guardian S crawler robot in North America
RMUS, or Rocky Mountain Unmanned Systems, will distribute, integrate, and service Sarcos Robotics’ Guardian S robotic crawler system. The mobile robot is designed to be a rugged platform for industrial inspection, public safety, and more.