Category Archives: Robotics

Last year, the warehouse automation market grew by more than 13% globally, reaching sales in excess of $12.5 billion. Warehouses continue to experience increased investment, driven by increasing levels of automation within the warehouse, as well as the integration of supply chains.

Compounding this are continued labor shortages in the logistics industry, with continued demand for goods via online purchasing. Robots and other automation systems are helping to address these shortages and to meet these increased demands for goods that arrive faster than ever before.

In this free report by LogisticsIQ, in cooperation with RoboBusiness (and Robotics Business Review), we will detail many of the predictions and statistics driving the need for more autonomous mobile robots in the space. In addition, we will highlight the key players and outline some of the new technologies expected to grow the market.

To receive this FREE report, please fill out the form below.

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Free Report: Rise of the Warehouse Robots - Robotics Business Review

The integration of Vex Robotics into the primary school curriculum, led by Dr Maeve Liston, won the Teaching Councils Collaboration Award, which recognises innovative, collaborative, change-making projects.

On Friday (4 October), the inaugural Teachers Inspire award ceremony was held in The Helix at Dublin City University.

There were four nominees shortlisted for the Teaching Councils Collaboration Award at Teachers Inspire. This award recognises innovative, collaborative and change-making projects in teaching that have the potential to be scaled nationally.

The four nominees were selected from a total of 50 projects showcased at last weeks FILTE event in NUI Galway.

These included an initiative to integrate Vex Robotics into the primary school curriculum; a peer collaboration project between primary and post-primary-level students in mathematics; a cross-curricular, collaborative approach to STEM teaching to encourage and increase participation from girls in DEIS schools; and a project called Virtual Reality Explorers, which helps children develop their reading, writing and oral language skills with the use of a VR headset.

The prize was awarded to the Vex Robotics programme. The project, led by Dr Maeve Liston of Mary Immaculate College with the help of mentors from Dell EMC in Limerick, supports teachers in introducing robotics across the primary school curriculum.

This is achieved through the delivery of summer courses and regular professional development sessions with teachers. The model of STEM educational outreach aims to build teachers content and pedagogy knowledge in STEM, influencing their confidence and ability to teach STEM skills.

Vex Robotics teaches school children over the age of eight the basics of STEM and how to apply these skills to the design, building and programming of robots. Teachers Inspire noted that the project also teaches the children valuable skills such as project management, presentation skills, teamwork and leadership.

Noelle Moran, chair of the Teaching Council, said: We are immensely impressed by the projects showcased at FILTE this year and choosing a shortlist for the Teachers Inspire awards was a difficult task.

Our finalists and other showcases showed teaching at its best: the willingness to go above and beyond the curriculum, selfless collaboration with others, change making for the greater good and the delivery of real and lasting initiatives for teachers and students.

I congratulate Dr Maeve Liston and her team on winning this award and look forward to seeing similar initiatives rolled out across Ireland.

Director of the Teaching Council, Toms Ruairc, added: STEM projects require a high level of creativity, collaboration and cross-functional learning.

The winning project exemplifies these benefits across a number of areas public and private sector, schools and third level, teachers across three counties and all integrating robotics into the primary curriculum, which is innovation and integration all in one!

The quality of all entries for the Teaching Councils Collaborative Award provides cause for great confidence in the teaching profession as it continually evolves to meet the needs of a modern and ever progressive society and economy.

Four teachers, one from each province in Ireland, also took home prizes for their contribution to Irish education and society. These were Seamas Cassidy, Nora Duffy, Sinead OMahony and Kelly Loughran.

President of DCU, Prof Brian MacCraith, said: The motivation behind Teachers Inspire was to create a platform that would highlight the work of our exceptional teachers, and give them the validation and recognition they deserve.

I am delighted to say that this idea has truly captured the publics imagination. We have received hundreds of nominations and heard incredible stories of teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and their communities.

MacCraith added: The nominations highlighted teachers dealing with issues such as homelessness, mental health, immigration, unplanned pregnancies, gender identity support, community regeneration and climate change.

They were submitted by schoolchildren, parents and people whose schooldays are long behind them but who remember their teachers with great fondness and gratitude.

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'Teaching at its best': Vex Robotics wins at Teachers Inspire awards - Siliconrepublic.com

Robotics education is becoming increasingly commonplace in schools. This is largely due to the fact that students in K12 schools will graduate into a workforce thats rife with technology, in an era where robots will become widely used in our everyday lives.

Even if these kids choose a career other than coding or robotics, learning robotics teaches them many important skills such as analytical thinking, programming, teamwork, collaborative thinking, innovation and more. It can be easily incorporated into STEAM education, which is becoming more popular in schools worldwide.

According to Acer for Education, Educational robotics strengthen and support students skills developing their knowledgethrough the creation, design, assembly, and operation of robots.

Children and young students find it funny and engaging because they feel free to interact directly with both electrical and mechanical processes and procedures.

In fact, the programming can be too difficult and boring when learned through the traditional abstract method. On the contrary, by having to control a physical robot and seeing what goes wrong, students learn what robots can and cant do with an immediate experience and understanding.

As robotics education is still in the early stages, theres plenty of room for it to grow and reach more students all over the world.

Here are some common robotics trends EdTech experts observed in K12 education, according to Dennis Pierce, who writes for eSchoolnews.

Due to the nature of robotics, its not a cheap feature for schools to invest in. This is why public schools in many countries have been slower to adopt robotics education, but international and private schools lead the way.

Companies are making robotics education more accessible so that more schools can afford to offer it to students.

According to Pierce, Two key barriers to integrating robotics into the general curriculum are cost and teacher capacity. Robotics manufacturers are taking several steps to reduce these barriers wherever possible.

For example, Edison is offering supporting materials to teachers for free, which includes lesson plans and guides that help teachers conduct a robotics lesson effectively.

Theres also the CoderZ platform that gives students a cost-effective way to learn about coding and robotics without needing expensive equipment. Students use a game-like interface to program virtual robots as they aim to solve various challenges.

Robotics education is also being targeted more towards girls due to the fact that women are largely underrepresented in STEM.

Many companies are also paying close attention to how their robotic devices are perceived and are trying to develop gender-neutral solutions, wrote Pierce.

For instance, BirdBrains original Finch robot was designed to resemble a bird so that it would engage both boys and girls. WiredreportsthatWonder Workshop tested the design of its gender-neutral robots, Dash and Cue, on boys and girls to make sure the devices appealed equally to both genders.

Not too long ago, robotics education was targeted towards students in secondary school, but Pierce has observed a growing trend in younger students learning about robotics.

Early exposure to STEAM education is beneficial for students, and as they are naturally curious, they enjoy taking things apart and re-assembling them in engaging ways.

Thats why so many companies are coming up with products that target younger students so they can learn more about how robotics work.

According to Pierce, KinderLab RoboticsKIBOis a screen-free robotics kit that enables children ages 4-7 to design, create, decorate, and bring their own robot to life.

Edisonis a programmable robot designed to teach coding and computational thinking skills to kids as young as four as well. And EduscapesPhoton is a robot whose five visual apps allow even non-readers to start learning to code at age five.

Its interesting to observe just how far education has come with the introduction of technology like robotics. The future looks even more exciting with the growth of robotics education and other emerging education technologies.

4 UK-based EdTech start-ups that are transforming the way we learn

Robots to the rescue: How technology helps chronically ill students keep up in school

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Robotics education: Key trends that are helping shape the future - Study International News

CHELMSFORD (CBS) They have been used at 9/11; the Fukushima nuclear disaster; the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; and the Boston Marathon bombings.

The robotic heroes of disaster response.

Our robots are saving lives every day. No question about it, said Tom Frost, general manager of FLIR, a robotics company based in Chelmsford that has developed robots that give soldiers and law enforcement eyes, ears and hazardous material sensors where they cant go.

The companys first is called the PACKBOT one of FLIRs most popular. Its about the size of a small bike and is able to trek across pretty much any terrain, even up and down stairs. Its equipped with multiple cameras, a long arm with an advanced gripping mechanism, and can be fitted with sensors to detect hazardous materials. When the Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred, PACKBOT ventured into the site to measure radiation levels.

If the military sees a mortar round on the ground or a suspicious bag in a car, they can bring the PACKBOT in; extend the arm; pick it up; and disable it.

It has become invaluable in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where IEDs became a primary threat. In fact, in FLIRs lobby in Chelmsford, the company has enlarged a post card from a soldier reading, You have saved lives today.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, daily we would be running tens of missions taking out those threats, Frost said.

FLIR has also developed this smaller robot called the FirstLook. It can do much of what PACKBOT can and its size allows it to travel into tight spaces. A police officer or a soldier who needs to get a look on the other side of a barrier can actually throw FirstLook right over the top. It will land on the other side and can then right itself and start driving around.

We were sending the robots into caves and into bunkers searching for bad guys and for booby traps, Frost said. They were locating ammo stores of the Taliban.

And FLIR is already building the next generation of robots ones that can operate completely autonomously and in tandem with one another.

We can actually put robots inside a building, set those robots off so they navigate those buildings on their own; they create a map of that building, Frost said. Where the staircases are; if they came across any bad guys or bad materials that can all be marked on the map and sent back outside to the operator.

If you want to see the robots in person, there will be an opportunity at the Robot Block Party in the Seaport on Sunday October 20. For more information visit http://www.MassRobotics.org

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Boston Next: Robotic Heroes Of Disaster Response - CBS Boston

What will work look like when everything is digitally transformed, artificial intelligence is optimally deployed and robots are embedded in every aspect of our economy? Thats hard to know, but one company thats focused on making work work better, and helping businesses digitally transform, is Box.

Box, which went public in 2015, still acts very much like a Silicon Valley startup. Except, of course, grown up, with partnerships with Google and IBM and just about any other important company you can think of.

Global communication network concept. Elements of this image furnished by NASA. 3D rendering.

And 95,000 customers, including 69% of the Fortune 500.

I had a chance to interview Box CEO Aaron Levie at BoxWorks, the companys annual conference where it unveils new products, new relationships and new ways of transforming the business of work.

This is a lightly-edited transcript of our discussion.

John Koetsier: You often talk about digital transformation. What percentage of the US economy do you think is digitally transformed?

Levie: I would say a very small percentage.

John Koetsier: Can you put a number to it?

Levie: No. False precision is a waste of time. I have no idea. I'm sorry to be lame. But I would say a very small percentage.

And I think that it's evidenced by the fact that the majority of our interactions with companies is still largely done in a fairly traditional manner. You know, I'm getting on the phone, I have a website that's not very interactive, things aren't personalized to me, I go into a store and it's still hard to navigate. And so I think we're probably still pretty early in this in this journey.

I mean, just the easiest example is trying to change an airplane flight.

How long would that take you ... would it take you two minutes? Or would it take you two hours? And given that the underlying operational work is only two minutes, until the user experience gets to two minutes, then we're not really digitally transformed, right?

So I think we're just very early in this journey right now.

John Koetsier: Same thing on the global economy, I'm assuming?

Levie: Yeah, it varies by country, right? Certainly, I think if you if you look at China, they're probably much further ahead in terms of consumer apps, in a lot of respects.

But now its still so very early, with a high degree of upcoming change.

If I think about the amount of investment and change that people are making to their business models and their cultures, I think we're in for a decade of transformation ahead.

John Koetsier: What changes when a company successfully becomes digital first?

Levie: The way I kind of think about it is how narrow of a gap is there between my time and energy, and my output.

Think about just how many hours in a day are you doing things that a computer could do more efficiently? Because the user experience of how you're interacting could just be way, way simpler, right? Like, how many hours a day do we have in wasted communication or searching for data? Were asking the system for answers ...

John Koetsier: Or doing something in five steps that should be one.

Levie: Exactly.

So imagine if you just got to the utopian state where the computer can do all the parts that it can do best, and the people do the parts that we do best ... and you've got a great kind of harmony. That's that's what I think a digitally transformed workplace looks like.

And with instant sharing and collaboration between teams and people to get access to data instantaneously. So I think we're seeing what that can look like.

I think small startups have an advantage because they can on day one adopt Slack and Box and Google and start working in as close to this modern way as possible. A Fortune 500 company, you know, might have two or three or five years of change. And some of that's going to be technological change.

But a lot of it is going to be cultural change.

For example, what happens in a world where I, as a user, have way more transparency around what my colleagues are working on? Does it change what the company prioritizes? Does it change the communication style of the organization? So theres a lot of cultural change on that front, and we always have to balance the technological change with the cultural change. And I think most companies are going through that.

John Koetsier: Let's talk about the future of work. The future of work stresses a lot of people out: automation, robotics, AI, potential job loss ... does it stress you out?

Levie: I think it stresses me out that it stresses other people out. So I think I'm probably more of an optimist on this by default.

I was talking recently to a CEO of a major logistics and servicing company. And his number one problem and this is a Fortune 500 company, not a small business his number one problem was finding truck drivers.

Like literally, they cannot hire enough.

So I think that we've sort of painted this very bleak picture of a world of AI and world of jobs being completely disrupted. It's just my optimistic view but actually, I think what's going to happen is that individual tasks will be automated, but full jobs, it'll take far, far longer.

And that will give us more time than we think for the economy to evolve through this.

There's no question, there are certain jobs where it's just going to be really tough sledding. 20 years ago that would have been the travel agent on a telephone bank. That specific job did not have a bright future. So you have to find an industry that's growing as opposed to one that's declining because of technological transformation.

I think that we're going to see more surprising upside on jobs because of automation and advancements in AI. In many aspects of work today, if you could make the job more efficient, you wouldn't necessarily hire fewer people, you would just have those people go and work on more important things.

I rarely run into a company that is getting optimal output from its employees. There's a lot of areas of our lives where we're actually artificially under-consuming something ... and we would actually consume that service more if it was delivered more efficiently to us.

I think healthcare is a perfect example.

Personally, I try to avoid the healthcare system at all costs. If healthcare was in a much easier, more efficient experience, then maybe that wouldn't be the case. Maybe we would actually like getting more involved in the healthcare system.

John Koetsier: 30 years ago, Harvard Business School professor Shoshana Zuboff said that everything can be automated, will be. Agree?

Levie: Well, if you don't add a time frame, then I would say it's more right than not. But again, the time frame is the important part.

Because what tends to happen is you take one thing, and you automate that, and a new set of things occur because of that automation, that now are not automated. And then I go to automate those things. And it's literally never-ending. And so any individual tasks that we see today that can be automated probably will be automated, but the tasks that get created from those tasks being automated, will not be automated yet.

And so we're always in this ever evolving sort of race for more and more efficiency. And that's just what capitalism does.

John Koetsier: What processes should never be automated?

Levie: Well, I'm a new father. And so I think I actually have an increasing appreciation for parts of the economy that frankly, we have under-invested in. Childcare is a great example. Think about how many millions of people could have childcare if you could deliver it for more people.

That's a job that's not gonna be automated, that's not going to be an app, it's not gonna be a robot that rolls around. That's people. That's empathy. And that's creativity.

So much of this sort of AI myopia, I think, comes from Silicon Valley. We're just like, well, why wouldn't somebody want to interact with a computer for that task, instead of working with a human? But, actually, people like to interact with people. I mean, we're sort of a social species!

So the idea that you're going to go to a restaurant and never see a waiter, because it's just so efficient to do it from an iPad well, maybe in some cases but it will probably be a hybrid model for almost forever. Because there's probably going to be plenty of people that want human interaction.

John Koetsier: As we do automate more and more and add AI and robotics, do we need to change our economic model in some way to account for that? For instance, universal basic income, taxing robots and so on?

Levie: Well, I don't think the robot taxing makes sense, because I think that it's better to let businesses decide which things they need to make more efficient and not have an artificial constraint on how you would run an efficient business.

That being said, I think that it's very, very possible that the economy and how the economy runs in 50 years looks very different than today.

I think that it absolutely is our responsibility to make sure that people are protected in those types of situations. I would just say, though, that it's so hard to anticipate that stage because we're not yet seeing it. We only have anecdotal examples. And it's great to get ahead of it. So we should have lots of policy ideas and re-education programs, but I'm a little bit skeptical of getting overly negative and and dystopian around this future when we're just in the early stages.

But what Im seeing and what everybody I talk to says is that were actually running into a shortage of talent in many areas of our businesses.

John Koetsier: One last thing. YangGang?

Levie: I watch him with complete curious interest. I listen ... a lot of his policies are very provocative and very interesting.

Personally, I would love a world where you could run experiments on a Warren country, a Yang country, a Cory Booker country ... and then we could just see like, which one would work best.

John Koetsier: A/B testing presidents?

Levie: If we could do multivariate testing for presidents that'd be really fantastic. Because I think there's plenty of good ideas there. I have no idea what the unintended consequences of some of these things are.

I think that having more more regulation is a good thing. So a lot of what Warren is pushing for, I think it makes a lot of sense. I think a lot of what Yang is pushing for around jobs and thinking about the future of income, no matter what happens to you ... it makes a lot of sense to go and try out and see what are the results of that.

John Koetsier: Thank you for your time.

Original post:

Box CEO Aaron Levie On AI, Robotics, The Future Of Work, Digital Transformation And #YangGang - Forbes

60 mm Device Features > 13-Bit Accuracy, 19-Bit Resolution, and > 16-Bit Repeatability

MALVERN, Pa., Oct. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (VSH) today introduced a new high precision position sensor that offers more robust performance than existing absolute encoders and better resolution and accuracy than traditional Hall effect sensors for industrial robotics and other demanding applications. The new RAMK060 rotational absolute magnetic kit encoder uses advanced contactless technology to achieve > 13-bit accuracy, 19-bit resolution, and > 16-bit repeatability while maintaining robustness against external magnetic fields, moisture, airborne pollution, vibration, mechanical shock, and changes in temperature. The device features a useful electrical angle of 360 and works over a temperature range of -40 C to +85 C, with higher maximum temperatures available on request.

The rotor + stator kit design of the RAMK060, as well as its off-axis design (for hollow shaft mounting), slim ~6.5 mm profile, and light weight (< 55 g) make it ideal for applications where little space is available but an angular position needs to be detected with high accuracy. The RAMK060 has an outside diameter of 60 mm and inner diameter of 25 mm. Several multi-turn variants are available, including connection to a backup battery when system power is off. SPI, SSI, or Biss-C output signals are available.

Vishays patented design is particularly suited for applications calling for precise and repetitive motion such as arm joints for industrial robots and collaborative robots; steering wheels for automated guided vehicles; and machine tools used in printing, textile manufacturing, and milling.

The key advantages of the RAMK060 are:

This technology architecture provides the best performance with safety guarantees.

Samples and production quantities of the RAMK060 are available now, with a lead time of 16 weeks for larger orders. Customers may request samples by sending an email to mcbprecisionpot@vishay.com.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., a Fortune 1000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH), is one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors (diodes, MOSFETs, and infrared optoelectronics) and passive electronic components (resistors, inductors, and capacitors). These components are used in virtually all types of electronic devices and equipment, in the industrial, computing, automotive, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, power supplies, and medical markets. Vishays product innovations, successful acquisition strategy, and "one-stop shop" service have made it a global industry leader. Vishay can be found on the Internet at http://www.vishay.com.

Vishay on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VishayIntertechnology Vishay Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/vishayindust

Share it on Twitter: http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New @vishayindust position sensor offers robust, high-res performance for robotics and other precision industrial and military apps - http://bit.ly/356XpuL

Link to datasheet:http://www.vishay.com/ppg?32579 (RAMK060)

Link to product photo:https://www.flickr.com/photos/vishay/albums/72157711181091528

For more information please contact:Vishay IntertechnologyPeter Henrici, +1 408 567-8400peter.henrici@vishay.com orRedpinesBob Decker, +1 415 409-0233bob.decker@redpinesgroup.com

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New Vishay Intertechnology Position Sensor Offers Robust, High-Resolution Performance for Robotics and Other Precision Industrial and Military...

Robotics researchers from the Queensland University of Technology are working with a Brisbane-based technology company in order to advance the development of the worlds first remote-controlled load-management system, which removes human held taglines for crane operations.

According to a recent press release, the researchers will look at how robotics will transform the manufacture, operation and use of the companys R-Series load-management system.

This system is already being used for projects around the world.

About the initiative

The team is taking a multifaceted approach in identifying ways to further develop the systems.

The aim of the project is to make a traditional piece of equipment, like a crane, and turn it into a smart robot.

The new device will enable the wind farm industry to install wind turbine blades more safely and in more challenging environments.

Currently, it is not easy to install a blade, up to 100m in length, from a moving ship in high winds.

Professor Matt Dunbabin is working on the ways to improve the control system for the device.

Meanwhile, Dr Chris Lehnert is looking at how robotics can be used in the manufacture of the device and data analytics research.

Associate Professor Richi Nayak will be using machine learning to understand how the systems performance could improve, and the Institute for Future Environments will improve the energy use.

The CEO of the company shared that the two-year project will bring together experts in robotics and data analytics to further develop their R-Series systems.

To be involved in a project to adapt the development and manufacturing of the R-Series through the use of robotics is a compelling concept that has enormous potential.

Aside from enabling unprecedented safety for crane operations, the R-Series also improves efficiency and productivity.

The objective is for the product to be used all around the world. With the support and innovative expertise of the partners, the company is confident of achieving this goal.

Utilising technology

Digital transformation is the use of new, fast and frequently changing digital technology to solve problems. This includes Hybrid Cloud Computing in Internet of Things.

In this project, the researchers will be using sensors on the equipment, which will allow the performance of the cranes to be optimised.

This includes investigating ways to improve the energy management and storage capabilities of the device.

Industry 4.0 uses transformative technologies to connect the physical world with the digital world.

It is also characterised by the increased use of robotics, automation and data analytics, making it an exciting time to be involved in constructions and manufacturing.

By embracing digitalisation and integrating advanced manufacturing technologies such as smart robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT), the company will create and export new flexible load-management solutions that can be seamlessly integrated and applied across multiple sectors.

Together with the University, they will change industries because they see the benefits that their manufacturing research will create, not just for Australia but also globally.

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Robotics and IoT, key in optimising manufacturing's crane operations - OpenGov Asia

Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are two topics that are on the minds of many investors due to the segment's projected ability to disrupt how business is conducted in the future. In this article, we'll take a look at three chart patterns from across the sector that suggest the bulls are stepping in and that prices are poised to break higher from here.

Exchange-traded products are the vehicle of choice for active traders looking to gauge the short-term direction of any given niche. When it comes to robotics and artificial intelligence, the most popular fund is the Global X Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Thematic ETF (BOTZ), which comprises 37 holdings spanning industrial robotics, automation, semiconductors, and autonomous vehicles.

Taking a look at the chart below, you can see that the price of the fund has trended toward the long-term support of its 200-day moving average. The price action over the past several months suggests that the sector is undergoing a period of consolidation, and the move above the support levels suggests that a major reversal is underway. Based on the pattern, active traders will most likely set their stop-loss orders below $19.38 in case of a sudden sell-off and in an attempt to maximize the risk-to-reward setup.

When it comes to machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related subsectors, the company that is nearly impossible to ignore is NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA). Taking a look at the chart below, you'll notice that the stock has been trading within a period of consolidation during 2019 and looks well positioned to start a long-term move higher. The recent bullish crossover between the 50-day and 200-day moving averages is known as the golden crossover and is commonly used by active traders to mark the start of major uptrends. From a risk-management perspective, stop-loss orders will most likely be placed below $161.49 in case of a shift in sentiment and to take advantage of the lucrative risk-to-reward setup.

Another top holding of the BOTZ ETF that could be worth a closer look is ABB Ltd. (ABB), which is currently trading at the mid-point of a well-defined range. As you can see from the chart below, the price has recently bounced off of a major level of resistance and has found support near the 200-day moving average. Recent strength has triggered a bullish crossover between the moving averages, which suggests that the bulls are in control of the momentum and that prices could be poised to move toward the September highs and eventually beyond.

Robotics and artificial intelligence are lucrative fields to be sure and therefore deserve a position in almost any portfolio. Based on the patterns discussed above, it appears as though now could be an ideal time to buy.

At the time of writing, Casey Murphy did not own a position in any of the assets mentioned.

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Charts Look Positive for Robotics and AI Stocks - Investopedia

One University of Louisville study has found that robots can help autistic children with their emotions and behavior in the classroom. A new study aims to take that research several steps further.

Three UofL faculty Dan Popa, Karla Welch and Greg Barnes along with a researcher from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, have received a four year, $1.2 million award from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health to study robots impact on autistic kids. UofL is one of a handful of institutions to receive a joint NSF/NIH grant through a program called Smart and Connected Health.

Popa said the grant will allow his Next Generation robotics team and the UofL Autism Center to do three things:

Popa said the goal is to come up with a robot thats a diagnostic tool as well as a friend to kids with autism beginning at age six. Currently, Popa said, there is no objective, quantitative way to assess the severity of a childs autism. He thinks robotics and artificial intelligence could change that.

A robot could potentially be used in group and one-on-one therapy sessions with the child also taking their friendly, non-threatening partner home with them. The robot could continue to collect data on the childs behavior and cognition at home.

Studies show autistic kids interact with technology as well as non-autistic children by the time theyre 18 years old Popa said. If we give them a robot it could help them develop social skills comparable to the robot and, ultimately, other kids.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have too many connections between the part of the brain that controls their motor skills and the part that controls their sensory, social and emotional skills.

With the help of robot peers, we seek to understand not only how these areas influence motor actions but also how those connections influence the social skills, communication, perception of sensations and expression of emotions in people with autism, said Barnes, director of the UofL Autism Center. These advances will help us better understand how to design therapies, using technology, for people with ASD.

Check out the previous story andvideo about UofL research on robots and children with autism.

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UofL research on robots and autistic children expands - uoflnews.com

Osaro, a San Francisco startup developing AI-based solutions for industrial robots, today announced that its closed a $16 million series B funding round led by King River Capital (KRC), with participation from Alpha Intelligence Capital, Founders Fund, Pegasus Tech Ventures, GiTV Fund, and existing and strategic investors. It brings the startups total raised to $29.3 million coming after a $10 million series A in April 2017, which cofounder and CEO Derik Pridmore said will bolster Osaros hiring, international deployment, and R&D efforts.

Alongside the funding round, Osaro revealed that Applied Digital Access, Mahi Networks, and Calix veteran Kevin Pope has joined as VP of engineering. Chiefly, hell support the company in scaling its solutions worldwide.

A key element of our competitive advantage is Osaros deep learning algorithms, said Pridmore, an MIT computer science and electrical engineering graduate who cofounded Osaro in 2015 with a team hailing from UC Berkeley, Stanford, and the University of Massachusetts. These algorithms generalize picking tasks with minimal training data and no SKU registration for quick, scalable solutions. In addition, as a software company, we support a wide array of commodity hardware and robotic arms which lets our customers select options that best fit their needs.

Osaro works directly with partners to procure the machines with which it integrates its software, including those bound for grocery distribution centers, food packaging plants, and ecommerce fulfillment centers. Its machine learning algorithms which Osaro trains using reinforcement learning, a technique that employs rewards to drive software policies toward goals recognize, sort, kit, pack, and assemble objects even in the face of imprecise container placement, jumbled items, and variable lighting. Moreover, they tap a cloud-based and GPU-accelerated backend to self-improve, so that they become more robust over time.

Osaros flagship product, Pick, automates stationary picking stations in distribution centers. But the company intends to tackle more dynamic fulfillment scenarios in the future as it expands into industries like electronics, apparel, groceries, and pharmaceutical.

[Our] approach of developing hardware-agnostic AI software for industrial robotics allows us to work in close collaboration with our customers, integrating Osaro products for their specific use cases, with a focus on scalability and robustness, providing our customers with a long-term competitive advantage, said Pope. Our focus in the next year will be to increase our deployments in North America, Australia, Korea, China, Japan, and Germany.

King River Capital partner Megan Guy, who plans to join Osaros board of directors, added, We are very excited to be leading this funding round. It is rare and exciting to work with a team that has both world class deep learning talent and a highly commercial orientation. Osaros perception and control software enables full automation of some of the most difficult vision, picking, and manufacturing problems, and its ability to integrate with a wide range of robotics hardware means that it can be deployed not only in greenfield environments but also as a retrofit solution to transform industrial automation.

Investment in warehouse and logistics automation is anticipated to climb from $8.3 billion in 2018 to $30.8 billion by 2022, according to Tractica. Amazon acquired robotics company Kiva Systems for $775 million in March 2012, and last November, DHL announced it would invest $300 million to modernize its warehouses in North America with internet of things sensors and robots. Separately, startups like Attobocits and CommonSense Robotics have raised tens of millions of dollars for compact automated fulfillment centers that can slot into tight spaces like underground garages.

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Osaro raises $16 million to make warehouse robots smarter with AI - VentureBeat