Despite the ongoing pandemic, robotics investment and acquisition activity did not slow down in August 2020, with funding flowing to autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and drones.

In August 2020, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation for manufacturing and supply chains, and healthcare robotics continued to receive funding.

Robotics fundings, mergers, and acquisitions in July 2020 stayed at comparable levels with transactions from a year ago and June.

WiBotic said it has received the first FCC authorization for up to 300 watts of wireless power transmission for robots, drones, underwater vehicles, and industrial automation.

Sea Machines Robotics closed $15 million in financing. The investment marks one of the largest venture rounds for an advanced maritime technology company.

WiBotic, a leader in wireless charging for mobile robots, said it plans to use its investment to expand its product offerings and enhance customer support.

Olis Robotics, whose Olis Master Controller uses machine learning for more precise controls, is working with remotely operated vehicle maker Aleron Subsea to offer easy ROV upgrades.

Remotely operated vehicles used by the oil and gas sector can be enhanced to gather more scientific data, according to Australian researchers.

As the COVID-19 pandemic slowed global manufacturing and trade, investments in robots, drones, and self-driving cars continued in March 2020, with both more shutdowns and an eventual recovery to come.

Hydroid, a developer of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) for the defense and maritime markets, is being acquired by shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) for $350 million. The acquisition is subject to regulatory review and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Pocasset, Mass.-based Hydroid will become part of HII’s Technical Solutions division.…

In January 2020, robotics investments and mergers and acquisitions showed continued strength across applications, even as economic challenges affected manufacturing and food service robots.

The Mayflower Autonomous Ship will repeat the trans-Atlantic voyage of the Pilgrim ship Mayflower 400 years ago.

Researchers at the University of East Anglia is working with AutoNaut Ltd. on a combination of a unmanned surface vessel and an autonomous underwater vehicle to explore difficult-to-reach portions of the ocean.

Autonomous vehicles, sensors, food preparation, and surgical robots received funding in November 2019.

Advanced Navigation has raised Series A funding to expand its business and accelerate research and development of precise navigation technologies based on machine learning.

Olis Robtics and Forum Energy Technologies have successfully demonstrated a digital controller for undersea remotely operated vehicles that replaces prior analog models.

The Sprint Robotics Awards, presented at a conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, recognized three leaders in developing inspection and maintenance robotics systems.

MIT researchers have added capabilities to ‘roboats,’ allowing them to form pop-up bridges, stages, and other structures.

A new ultra-soft underwater gripper developed at Harvard’s Wyss Institute safely catches and releases jellyfish without damage.

Sea Machines and MARAD have agreed to demonstrate the capabilities of autonomous systems installed aboard an MSRC oil spill response vessel.

The biggest mystery in the universe could possibly be right here on Earth. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as much as 95% of the oceans and 99% of the ocean floor has yet to be explored. Given more than 70% of the planet is covered by water, the promise for unmanned…

Toyota AI Ventures is looking for innovative startups for its second $100 million fund. Learn about its criteria, the types of companies receiving investment, and Toyota’s outlook for the short and long term.