Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.30
July 23, 2021
…for store managers. In fact, at Walmart [which uses SoftBank's Whiz cleaning robots powered by BrainOS], it's good ROI if technology is not displacing people. It increased its number of robots this year by 200. What other applications besides cleaning does Brain enable? Thomason: We strategize a lot. We have extended, paid-for pilot with Sam's Club to do shelf scanning in 11 stores today. We are doing daily runs of shelf analytics with partners. We handle the data collection and localization, and they do OCR [optical character recognition] ad image analysis. We can do very precisely located images, which they've…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 14.71
July 08, 2021
…the company has subsidiaries in Canada and Japan, where it is building a third-party logistics service (3PL) facility with SoftBank Robotics Corp. “The new center complements other design and test facilities in the region and provides a focal point for customers, investors, and technical activities,” said Berkshire Grey. In February, Berkshire Grey entered into a definitive agreement with Revolution Acceleration Acquisition Corp. (RAAC), a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The merger is expected to result in Berkshire Grey becoming a publicly listed company early in the third quarter of this year, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 21.24
June 28, 2021
…provide insights to ultimately improve surgical care, said CMR. SoftBank Vision Fund 2ii leads round SoftBank Vision Fund 2ii led CMR's Series D round, which was co-led by Ally Bridge Group. Other new international investors included RPMI Railpen, Tencent, and Chimera, broadening the geographic scope of the company's shareholder base. “Demand for minimally invasive robotic surgery is growing rapidly among surgeons and patients, yet high costs have historically hindered adoption,” said Yanni Pipilis, managing partner for SoftBank Investment Advisers. “CMR Surgical is transforming surgical robotics to convert underpenetrated open and laparoscopic procedures in new international markets where robotic surgeries are…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 33.66
June 21, 2021
…of a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics Inc. from SoftBank Group Corp., following the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The deal valued the Waltham, Mass.-based mobile robot company at $1.1 billion, and additional financial details were not disclosed. Seoul, South Korea-based Hyundai now holds an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, while Tokyo-based SoftBank retains the remaining 20% through one of its affiliates. Hyundai reportedly spent $880 million on the acquisition. “By acquiring Boston Dynamics and securing a leading presence in the field of robotics, the group takes another major step toward its strategic transformation into a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 35.37
June 20, 2021
RobotLAB Inc. and SoftBank Robotics America last week announced that SoftBank' Pepper and NAO humanoid robots are now available in North America exclusively through RobotLAB. The partnership also expands Pepper's educational and industrial focus areas to a broader range of applications, and it marks RobotLAB's debut as a integrator for SoftBank's Whiz cleaning robots. The companies said their collaboration builds on their long-standing partnership in advancing automation and bringing SoftBank Robotics America's (SBRA) business-to-business systems to market. San Francisco-based RobotLAB has already deployed and supported thousands of robots in the field, including Pepper and NAO. “We are pleased to expand…
Found in Robotics Companies & Businesses, with a score of 62.33
June 09, 2021
Founded in 2012, SoftBank Robotics Group said it is driving technology forward by becoming a worldwide leader in robotics solutions. The company is constantly exploring and commercializing robots to help make people’s lives easier, safer, more connected, and more extraordinary. The unit of SoftBank Group Corp. has offices in Tokyo, Paris, London, San Francisco, Boston, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney, Australia. More than 35,000 SoftBank Robotics systems, including the Pepper and NAO humanoids and the Whiz cleaning robots, are in use in more than 70 countries. They serve applications in retail, tourism, healthcare, finance, education, facilities management,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 37.52
June 09, 2021
…America Inc. today announced a new strategic collaboration with SoftBank Robotics America. The alliance will focus on commercializing robotics and integrated automation as part of Canon Solutions America’s larger Workplace Health Solutions portfolio, starting with the Whiz cleaning robot. “Our alliance with Canon Solutions America speaks to the speed and scale of demand for robotics under the reinvention of what it means to share and trust indoor space,” stated Brady Watkins, senior vice president and general manager of SoftBank Robotics America. “It’s a new era for the workplace, one where robotics, automation, and data are helping to safely welcome people…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.91
May 28, 2021
…3PLs and others to invest in automation. Last month, SoftBank invested NOK 25 billion ($2.8 billion U.S.) in AutoStore, increasing the company's valuation to NOK 65 billion ($7.7 billion). “The demand for automated solutions in the retail trade and an increasing uptake of e-commerce by consumers means that the market for automated warehousing solutions is strong,” said Lier. “In addition to the fact that AutoStore represents a unique and efficient technology, it is actually players such as DSV that are the main argument for AutoStore and Element Logic’s eManager software. Our technology is flexible and scalable. Companies using our solution…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 27.46
May 20, 2021
…has raised a $150 million Series E led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, doubling its valuation to $2 billion. The Somerville, Mass.-based company said it will use the funds to continue to grow its portfolio of 3D printing technologies and grow its team across its offices in Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Hungary, and North Carolina. “The industry is undergoing a renaissance, and Formlabs is leading the way,” stated Max Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs. “The 3D printing industry market size is expected to reach $51.77 billion by 2026, and Formlabs is the company to drive this growth forward. Where…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.72
May 17, 2021
…Master Fund Ltd., SB Management Limited (a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp and manager to SB Northstar LP), Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, and Alyeska Investment Group, have committed to invest $205 million in the form of a private investment in public equity (PIPE) at a price of $10 per share of SCVX, immediately prior to the closing of the transaction. XN, SCVX’s sponsor, and certain other SCVX stockholders will be restricted from transferring or selling their shares until 180 days after the closing of the merger, subject to the satisfaction of certain equity performance thresholds, or one year…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 30.25
May 07, 2021
…such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, and Germany. SoftBank leads round SoftBank Ventures Asia led the latest investment round in Youibot. Founded in 2000, SoftBank Ventures Asia is the global early-stage venture arm of SoftBank Group. The firm invests in technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, software, and consumer brands. SoftBank Ventures Asia has invested in more than 250 companies in 10 countries and regions and has offices in Seoul, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Beijing, Singapore, and elsewhere. Youibot attracted investor attention because of its “closed-loop solution from hardware products to service software,” its strong technical…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 30.94
April 21, 2021
SoftBank Robotics Corp. and its SB Logistics Corp. subsidiary, along with Berkshire Grey Inc., announced yesterday that they have partnered to offer “the most technically advanced” third-party logistics service for e-commerce fulfillment. SB Logistics said its 3PL offering includes Berkshire Grey’s Intelligent Enterprise Robotics systems, including robots using artificial intelligence to autonomously pick, place, and pack customer orders for the demanding Japanese market. SoftBank Robotics is a unit of Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp. It has produced more than 35,000 robots, including the Pepper and NAO humanoid service robots and the Whiz cleaning robot, which are used in more than 70…
