Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.60
February 06, 2017
When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight, your FedEx package might someday be delivered by a robot. Rob Carter, FedEx’s chief information officer, says the shipping giant is considering small vehicles that could drive around neighborhoods and make deliveries without human drivers. Carter is responsible for setting the technology agenda across FedEx’s various operating companies, including its planes-and-trucks Express shipping service and office-and-home Ground delivery service, which operate in 220 countries. He recently told MIT Technology Review about some of FedEx’s emerging technology initiatives in artificial intelligence and robotics. The investments FedEx makes in these technologies could shape…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.60
April 12, 2023
National Robotics Week is intended to inspire students to prepare for careeers in robotics and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM. One initiative is Amazon.com Inc.'s Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship program, which offers paid training to prepare its employees for electromechanical technician roles. Despite fears that robots and artificial intelligence will eliminate jobs, U.S. unemployment has remained low over the past several years as automation has increased, and researchers have found that it could increase employment opportunities. While 85 million jobs could be replaced, new technologies could create 97 million jobs, according to The World Economic Forum. But first,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.58
March 01, 2023
Customers in the materials handling and manufacturing sectors are turning to automation to increase throughputs and to address labor challenges, but robotics vendors and industry analysts have continued to argue that human workers will be key to drive progress. So if that’s true, how are these automated systems being designed with worker interactions in mind? Robotics 24/7 spoke with several robotics suppliers to learn how they take humans into consideration when designing their products. Vecna’s Pivotal takes humans and robots into consideration With its Pivotal orchestration software platform, Vecna Robotics said it is working to integrate humans and machines into…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.58
June 05, 2019
Autonomous Drone Technology When Amazon announced earlier this year that they were evolving their Prime two-day shipping offer in the U.S. to a one-day program, the response was terrific. But they (Amazon) know customers are always looking for something better, more convenient, and there may be times when one-day delivery may not be the right choice. Can Amazon Deliver Packages to Customers Even Faster? They think the answer is yes, and one way they’re pursuing that goal is by pioneering autonomous drone technology. Today at Amazon’s MARS Conference (Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics, and Space) in Las Vegas, they unveiled their…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.57
August 26, 2019
The use of robotics in warehousing, manufacturing and other sectors is increasing. Some countries, such as Japan, have long embraced robotics for a variety of uses. At the same time, there has also been a rise in “robophobia,” brought on by science fiction writers and filmmakers. Robophobia vs. fear of change Robophobia describes an irrational anxiety about robots and other advanced automation machines. Many famous figures, including Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk have expressed their concerns about robots taking over. Even the late Stephen Hawking told the BBC in 2014 that “development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.57
January 30, 2023
Autonomous shuttles and mobile robots can move items in a factory or distribution center, but fast and accurate picking is necessary to fulfill growing volumes of orders. RightHand Robotics Inc. has combined its RightPick 3 picking system, machine learning, and RightCare service to address that need. The New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA) this month named Somerville, Mass.-based RightHand the “Robotics Company of the Year” at its 10th annual NEVY Awards. Yaro Tenzer, co-founder and CEO of RightHand, thanked NEVCA and MassRobotics for nurturing innovative startups in the Massachusetts robotics cluster. Vince Martinelli, head of product and marketing at RightHand…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.56
January 29, 2024
Consumer cleaning robot manufacturer iRobot and e-commerce retailer Amazon recently announced they mutually agreed to forgo Amazon’s planned acquisition of iRobot. In a release, the companies announced they signed a termination agreement that resolves all outstanding transactional matters, including Amazon paying iRobot a previously agreed upon $94 million termination fee. The original $1.7 billion acquisition proposal was announced in August 2022. “Amazon and iRobot were excited to see what our teams could build together, and we're deeply grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to try and make this collaboration a reality,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon SVP and general counsel. “This…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.56
April 12, 2021
Deciding on which mobile robot to use is only the first step in getting a return on investment, or ROI. At ProMat DX tomorrow, Jeff Christensen, vice president of product at Seegrid Corp., will discuss “Handing Over the AMR Keys: Strategies for User Adoption and Unstoppable ROI.” “The pandemic put a spotlight on supply chains in a way that hasn't really happened in a long time,” Christensen told Robotics 24/7. “The economic drivers for automation are even stronger now than they were 12 months ago.” Pittsburgh-based Seegrid supplies vision-guided vehicles and recently reported that it has doubled revenue year over…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.56
October 17, 2022
It’s no secret that the pandemic caused and accelerated significant challenges and changes across global supply chains. Simultaneously, consumers embraced e-commerce with a vigor that surprised even its most optimistic proponents. Next-day delivery, made omnipresent by leaders such as Amazon, grew to include same-day delivery in many markets. Consumers also showed an eagerness to capitalize on the convenience e-commerce offers in new sectors. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s latest survey estimates that e-commerce accounted for 14.5% of all retail sales in the fourth quarter of 2021 and that online purchases were $870.8 billion for the year, a 14.2% increase over…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.54
May 19, 2021
Zebra Technologies Corp. yesterday launched a suite of systems to enable track-and-trace capabilities in warehouses and quality inspection in factories. The Lincolnshire, Ill.-based company has also acquired Adaptive Vision Sp. z o.o., which provides machine vision software to developers, systems integrators, and end users. “We are excited to introduce our first suite of MV [machine vision] and FIS [fixed industrial scanning] solutions for the industrial automation market,” stated Donato Montanari, vice president of machine vision solutions at Zebra Technologies. “These solutions will provide a simple, out-of-box experience and superior reliability that enables maximum visibility and the rapid transformation of image…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.53
February 17, 2021
The workforce keeps fulfillment on track Even with the growing use of warehouse automation, it’s the workforce that keeps fulfillment on track. From associates picking orders to a cart with direction from a mobile device, those on a voice-directed system, or an associate who is the “person” in a goods-to-person automation set-up, people remain essential to efficiently getting the orders out the door on time. That makes labor management systems (LMS) solutions increasingly important, even with the move to more automation. Add in the need to keep warehouse associates motivated and retained when warehouse labor remains challenging to find, and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.53
April 29, 2024
Sneaker and Sportswear Retailer’s New Mezzanine and Ground Floor Feature ResinDek Robotic Flooring To support organic growth and expansion via acquisition, a global retailer of sneakers and streetwear sought to increase throughput and optimize order fulfillment efficiency in its existing Philadelphia distribution center (DC). The operation, which supports both e-commerce and retail replenishment, has employee shifts nearly around the clock to keep up with demand. It also cross-docks shipments, when possible, to minimize handling. The retailer first engaged retail supply chain consultants Claris Solutions to define the optimal layout and technologies to meet their goals. Tony Chaplin, Claris Solutions’ Co-Founder…
