To ensure cables on industrial robots can be guided in motion safely, easily and compactly, igus developed the four-dimensional triflex TRX energy chain. The new design study replaces classic robot hose packages and retraction systems. igus said the system offers a 40% retraction length ensured by a unique telescopic mechanism inside the chain. This allows…
Einride raises $110M to autonomous truck development
Einride, a developer of electric, autonomous trucks, raised $110 million in Series B funding today. New investors Temasek, Soros Fund Management, Northzone, Maersk Growth and Build Capital led the round. Existing investors EQT Ventures, Plum Alley Investments, Norrsken VC, Ericsson and NordicNinja VC also participated. It should be noted that Moller-Maersk is the world’s largest…
Robot orders for non-automotive industries surge in Q1
Robot orders in Q1 2021 were up 20% over the same period in 2020, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). There were substantial increases in purchases coming from non-automotive industries, including metals (up 86%), life sciences/pharmaceutical/biomed (up 72%), food & consumer goods (up 32%), and others (12%). A3 said North American companies purchased…
Drone helps disinfect Churchill Downs before Kentucky Derby
The race was on – safely – for more than 50,000 spectators Saturday at the 147th Kentucky Derby in part thanks to Pittsburgh-based AERAS. The company used its patented charged-electrostatic drone technology to sanitize Churchill Downs against COVID-19. This in part helped allow fans to return to the oldest sporting event in the United States.…
Embodied acquires conversational AI startup Kami Computing
Kami will strengthen Embodied’s Moxie robot by adding memory of past conversations context, consistent personality, common sense reasoning.
JASCI Software acquires AMR provider NextShift
JASCI Software acquires AMR provider NextShift Robotics and forms a new warehouse automation company: JASCI Robotics.
Beta version of ROS 2 driver for UR cobots now available
Some new features enabled by ROS 2 include decreased latency, improved security, and more flexibility with middleware configuration.
MassRobotics, MassTLC hosting virtual robotics & AI career fair
MassRobotics and MassTLC are hosting a virtual career fair on Wednesday, May 19 from 4:00-6:00 PM Eastern for those interested in careers in robotics and AI. This targeted event is designed for all industry jobseekers, including both recent graduates and seasoned engineers, computer scientists, vision specialists, mechatronics experts, AI professionals and all others seeking career…
Robotics investments recap – April 2021
The Robot Report tracked 38 robotics investments worth more than $4.8 billion in April 2021. This is quite the rebound from the same time last year when, amidst the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, robotics companies raised about $600 million. This marks a 700-plus percent increase in robotics investments year-over-year. There also were eight…
Microsure closes $3.26M in Series B funding
Microsure closes $3.26M of its Series B funding round and begins clinical evaluations of its MUSA micro-surgical robot.
DARPA Subterranean Challenge announces systems competition teams for final event
The DARPA Subterranean Challenge enters the homestretch as the final 8 teams are announced for the last competition event.
Ingenuity Helicopter prepping for new demo phase on Mars
Ingenuity could soon embark on a new operation, exploring how aerial scouting could benefit future exploration of Mars and other worlds.
Path Robotics closes $56M Series B for automated welding
Path Robotics today raised $56 million in Series B funding for its autonomous welding system. Founded in 2014, the Columbus, Ohio-based company has now raised $71 million in funding. This latest round was led by Addition and saw participation from returning investors Drive Capital, Basis Set, and Lemnos Lab. The company’s robotic welding systems use…
Fetch Robotics announces full conformance with R15.08 and continues to set the goal line for market leadership
Fetch Robotics announces that its product line of AMRs is now compliant with the new ANSI/RIA R15.08 safety standard.
OSARO launches new suite of integrated products and solutions
OSARO announces a refined strategy and suite of products that offers complete, dedicated, and integrated solutions packages for e-commerce, cosmetics and grocery fulfillment.
Teradyne’s robotics portfolio grows revenue 33% in Q1
If the first quarter of 2021 is a sign of things to come, it’s going to be a great year for Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) and Universal Robots (UR). Both companies are owned by Teradyne, which saw its industrial automation group earn $80 million in Q1 revenue. This represents a 33% increase year-over-year and 21%…
Overcoming 4 major roadblocks to building a drone program for DOTs
By Sally Huynh, Senior Customer Marketing Manager at Skyward, A Verizon company As of December 2020, the United States Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration reported drones to be among the fastest-growing segment in the entire transportation sector. Today, regional DOTs are increasingly turning to drones to save time and money. According to a…
EasyMile raises $66M for autonomous vehicles in closed environments
EasyMile, a French developer of autonomous vehicles, raised $66 million (€55 million) in Series B funding. The funds will help it scale deployments of autonomous vehicles in closed-campus environments. The oversubscribed round will also allow EasyMile to invest in its long-term strategy of deploying autonomous shuttles on public transportation networks. The Series B round was…
Universal Robots names 4 integrators to deploy ActiNav
ActiNav combines real-time autonomous motion control, UR cobots, vision and sensor systems to automate bin picking tasks or machine tending applications.
Exyn drones achieve Level 4 autonomy
Exyn drones are now capable of free-flight exploration of highly complex spaces like mines with no necessity for fallback-ready human operators. This capability opens up new markets including search and rescue operations.
Plus One Robotics raises $33M to scale vision software for logistics robots
Plus One Robotics, a developer of vision software for logistics robots, raised $33 million in Series B funding. McRock Capital and TransLink Ventures co-led the round, with participation from BMW i Ventures, Kensington Capital Partners, Perot Jain, and Ironspring Ventures alongside existing investors. Whitney Rockley of McRock Capital and Toshi Otani of TransLink will join…
Lyft sells self-driving unit to Toyota for $550M
The consolidation of the capital-intensive autonomous vehicle industry continued today. While Lyft is the latest company to abandon the development of autonomous vehicles, it won’t be the last. Lyft sold its self-driving unit, Level 5, to Toyota subsidiary Woven Planet Holdings for $550 million in cash. Lyft will receive $200 million upfront and $350 million…