Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.49
January 25, 2022
…others, is experiencing extreme labor shortages, and for us, COVID-19 has only exacerbated a pre-existing problem,” said Matt Menoni of Apex Landscaping in Hawthorn Woods, Ill. “The automation of our mowing work allows our teams to redirect their focus onto more specialized work at our clients’ properties—the stuff they actually get excited about.” “We’re also big believers that this opens the door for young people to get excited about horticulture,” he said. “This technology provides unique opportunities for the next generation to be engaged in an industry they might not normally consider.” Menoni also praised Dexter's efficiency. “I’m able to…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.24
January 25, 2022
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital-acquired infections were a serious concern because of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Numerous companies have developed disinfection robots to address the demand, and a few have partnered to offer systems to healthcare customers. UVD Robots today said it is working with Ecolab Inc. to distribute its UV-C systems worldwide. “We are thrilled that this collaboration now expands to benefit healthcare facilities on a global scale,” stated Per Juul Nielsen, CEO of UVD Robots. Founded in 2016, UVD Robots is a subsidiary of Odense, Denmark-based “venture factory” Blue Ocean Robotics ApS. It was based on research conducted by…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.49
January 21, 2022
…annual turnover often exceeding 90%, and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the problem is only getting worse, said Phantom Auto. By decoupling labor from location, the company said it can increase labor access and retention, safety, productivity, and resilience. With Phantom, operators can tap into drivers from anywhere — connecting people who want to work with jobs that need to be filled. The teleoperations provider noted that the large orders from ArcBest and NFI, along with its existing commercial traction in the material handling industry, indicate that demand is growing quickly remote-enabled forklifts. To meet this supply chain and logistics…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.51
January 17, 2022
…could add functions such as a temperature-screening assistant for COVID-19 workplace screening, health companions, and tools for supporting children with autism. The Boulder, Colo.-based startup said it is building “the first professional-grade platform robot, Misty II,” with the vision of enabling developers “to build for and accelerate the opportunity for robots to do useful things in business, home, research, and educational use.” Acquisition to help social robots scale Furhat Robotics said its acquisition of Misty Robotics for an undisclosed sum will enable it to establish a U.S. base of operations. The company's systems are already used by brands including Disney,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.36
January 17, 2022
…by 2025 to accelerate development of its technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to inventory delays and port congestion, and industry analysts expect these challenges to increase in frequency and severity, noted Exotec, which has opened a U.S. office in Atlanta. Supply chain disruptions have increased by 67% year over year, according to a recent report from Resilinc. “Following the most significant supply chain disruptions of the modern era, there’s only room left for innovation,” said Romain Moulin, co-founder and CEO of Exotec. “While the entire logistics sector is fraught with uncertainty, one of the most prevalent challenges is ongoing…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.40
January 16, 2022
…robots received? Kim: It went well. Our team got COVID-19 tests every morning. In the demonstration at our booth, we let people plug in their mobile phones to control the NINA cobot in a “Make Your Own Movie” challenge. We have video of people dancing. Collaborative robots are finding more and more applications—how did you decide on NINA's target market? Kim: We wanted to expand the boundaries of cobots from the manufacturing industry into entertainment. That's why we started the NINA project. We've been in business for five years. Last year, we got No. 1 in cobot market share in…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.60
January 14, 2022
…warehouse workers and modernize our operations,” Hardenberg said. The COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing labor challenges, and shifts in consumer habits require seamless online and brick-and-mortar fulfillment, according to Körber. The company said that it has seen a rapid increase in deployments of AMRs in retail environments and that it can help supply chains of all sizes. “Körber aspires to be a trusted partner for customers to strengthen their supply chains,” said Bill Ryan, CEO of Software North America at Körber Business Area Supply Chain. “Our solutions, extensive experience, and know-how create clear advantages for business performance, employees, and end customers.” “Unlike…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.24
January 11, 2022
…about his background, how Universal Robots has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and the company's plans for innovations in 2022. You came to Universal Robots from Schneider Electric—how familiar were you with robotics before becoming CEO? Povlsen: I grew up in Odense and went to the University of Southern Denmark, where the whole cobot thing started. I'm a robotics engineer and studied at the same place as UR's three co-founders. There wasn't that much of a robotics community when I was studying, but a lot of our professors were helping to launch startups. When I was done with my studies, I…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.68
January 09, 2022
…look for proven technology Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain problems, the complexity and spread of e-commerce, and recurring labor shortages have changed the adoption of automation from a cost-cutting exercise to a vital factor for growth. At the same time, logistics managers are seeking proven technologies to reduce workloads. Automated forklifts are one promising technology, and DHL Supply Chain is aiming to automate a third of its 20,000 pieces of equipment globally, according to Markus Voss, global chief information officer and chief operating officer at the company. Seegrid's Palion Lift AMR is its first autonomous lift…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.24
January 07, 2022
…open to CES attendees but scaled back due to COVID-19. Going back to the IMS, we showcased where the 19 teams were in their journey toward eventual head-to-head racing. Based on a variety of conditions, like weather, we didn't feel that putting multiple cars on track was a safe bet at that time. We wanted to first show that autonomous cars could go fast in a safe but exciting environment, so we had a time-trial format. We did include things like pylons for obstacle avoidance. It was important to ensure that teams couldn't just program vehicles to stay on a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.70
January 05, 2022
…options,” he added, noting the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “Our company culture has been strengthened based on these valuable contributions.” Pittsburgh-based RE2 Robotics provides the RE2 Sapien family of robotic arms, RE2 Detect computer vision software, and RE2 Intellect autonomy software to enable mobile manipulation systems that operate in a variety of complex indoor and outdoor environments. The company said its systems help the aviation, construction, defense, energy, and healthcare industries to enable remote operations, improve worker safety and efficiency, and reduce operational costs. RE2 touts 2021 successes In 2021, RE2 said it achieved numerous significant technical and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 0.32
January 04, 2022
…up with accelerated e-commerce demand amid worker shortages and COVID-19 restrictions, said NVIDIA. The AI and computing challenges of AMRs are similar to those of autonomous vehicles, according to the company. In industrial facilities, robots “travel miles of aisles to roll up millions of products to assist teams of moving people,” it said. “Obstacles are ever-present.” As manufacturing centers and warehouses are reconfigured or scaled up to meet changing demand, the path planning and re-routing of AMRs must be tightly coordinated, said NVIDIA. “At industrial scale, even small routing optimizations can save billions of dollars in the $10 trillion logistics…
