According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term “reliant” is an adjective that means “dependent on someone or something.” Let’s flip that around. How about if someone - say an operations manager in a warehouse - is depending on something Reliant to not let a truck hit anything. Enter Yale Lift Truck Technologies’ Reliant operator assist system and autonomous lift truck lineup. Lidar keeps humans safe and vehicles in motion With both Reliant and the autonomous vehicles from Yale, lidar plays an integral role in object detection, precise movements and safely navigating the potential hazards of the warehouse. “From an…
San Francisco-based Rapid Robotics continues to evolve. The message of the company remains the same in solving the labor crisis and helping manufacturing companies thrive. The vision, specifically of the machine variety, is where the biggest change has occurred. RaaS to RapidID When Rapid Robotics was founded in 2019, it was primarily a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) provider and integrator for companies looking to automate portions of their manufacturing processes. But by 2023, and largely spearheaded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company shifted its focus from hardware to software. “The pandemic gave us the ability to deploy all these robots because everybody…
COVAL SAS, a France-based manufacturer of vacuum systems and components, has announced the second generation of its CVGC carbon vacuum gripper. The gripper is designed for collaborative robots. The new release, according to COVAL, looks to optimize its modularity and compatibility while simultaneously enhancing its performance. New design comes from user feedback COVAL has redesigned the CVGC carbon vacuum gripper based on feedback from customers, integrators, manufacturers and operators. This new generation also takes into account current and future trends in the collaborative robot market: greater application diversity, growth in the number of manufacturers, increased co-presence with operators and handling…
Flexiv, a general-purpose robotic offering provider, announced its collaboration with O-DEAR, a Taiwan-based automation supplier and integrator. The announcement came during the 37th Taipei International Robotics and Automation Show (TAiROS). The event, held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall, also saw the debut of Flexiv’s Moonlight three-axis parallel adaptive delta robot for the first time within Taiwan. O-DEAR, Flexiv demonstrate delta robot at show O-DEAR, working closely with Flexiv, will showcase a range of applications at the show, including Flexiv’s ball balancing demo, FPC connection application and Flexiv's massage application that replicates the techniques of a trained masseur. These demonstrations…
Tasks that are easy for humans can be difficult for robots. Pallet handling is a perfect example. Human operators are great at picking pallets of all shapes and sizes, even if there is plastic wrap covering the pockets, or if the pallets are skewed in the rack. Automated lift trucks work best when pallets are clean, in good condition, and oriented neatly. Conversely, repetitive tasks requiring precision are easy for robots, but human forklift operators can find it challenging to deliver the same level of precision. Automated lift trucks can place down pallets with consistent, miniscule gaps between units, while…
Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Fla. recently completed its first robotic-assisted, minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), making it one of only two hospitals in the Tampa Bay area to offer robotic-assisted CABG. Cardiothoracic Surgeon Michael Kayatta, MD, and his partner, Cardiovascular Surgeon John Ofenloch, MD, performed the procedure earlier this week, with the assistance of their highly skilled surgical team. Robotic medical devices in use CABG surgery is needed when plaque has built up in arteries carrying blood to the heart causing the arteries to be severely narrowed. The surgeon creates a new path for blood to flow…
Motion plastics component provider igus GmbH recently announced its participation in the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024. The trade show will be held Sept. 9-14 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. This year, igus will showcase its latest advancements at two booths, 236557 and 236230, which the company said will highlight its commitment to improving motion control and automating factories efficiently and cost-effectively. “IMTS is a pivotal event for igus, and we are thrilled to present our latest innovations that push the boundaries of engineering and automation,” said Felix Brockmeyer, igus, Inc. CEO “Our themes this year reflect our…
