Category Archives: Robotics

Robotics brings together different engineering fields, such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and biomedical engineering, along with other sciences such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, as well as disciplines such as mechanics, computer science, artificial intelligence, home automation, programming or telecommunications.

The Spanish Royal Academy (RAE) defines robotics as the technique that applies computer science to the design and use of devices that perform operations or work in place of people, usually in industrial facilities.

If we talk about robots, the RAE states that it is a programmable electronic machine or device capable of manipulating objects and performing various operations.

Robotics and robots have been implemented in industry for decades now, but their continuous development, even more so thanks to Artificial Intelligence, has become crucial to Industry 4.0.

The evolution of robots goes hand in hand with the evolution of technology, i.e. their growth has not stopped, the upshot of which is their increased complexity, with new elements such as movement sensors, video cameras, etc.

This means we have robots with greater autonomy, precision and sensitivity, thanks to tools such as Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, which is a great leap forward between those first robots and todays, which are much more sophisticated and prepared for all kinds of tasks.

Since the first electric robot was installed in Spain in 1979, much has happened in our country. Spain is among the leading European countries in the use of robotic engineering.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, in their report World Robotics 2021, it is the fourth European country with the most industrial robotics installations, after Germany, Italy and France, and the tenth country in the industrial ranking in terms of factory task automation.

Operating stocks totalled 38,007 robot units in 2020, 3% above the previous year. However, robot installations fell by 15% to 3,387 units. It was the second year of decline after four consecutive years of record numbers, with a peak value of 5,266 units in 2018.

Spain was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but according to the Spanish Robotics and Automation Association (AER), there was a strong growth in the demand for robots in the first half of 2021, +15% to +20% over the previous year.

However, there is a certain peculiarity in such data, as about 50% of robots in Spain are found in the automotive industry, which leads to the idea that there is still a large margin for the implementation of robots in the countrys economic activity.

In terms of robot density the number of robots installed per 10,000 workers in manufacturing industry, Spain has more than 200 robots per 10,000, above the world average.

Globally, the World Robotics 2021 report on industrial robots points to a record 3 million industrial robots operating in factories around the world, which translates into a 10% increase. Sales of new robots grew slightly, by 0.5%, despite the pandemic, with a total of 384,000 units shipped worldwide in 2020.

The fields of application of robotics are very broad, although they could be simplified into industrial, service and social.

Industrial robots are the ones we find in industries and factories, especially in the automotive and manufacturing sector. These are machines in automation processes, saving workers from the most burdensome tasks.

Service robotics are those robots whose function is related to a specific service purpose, usually to people.

These are machines that are very close to our everyday lives, and can be used for domestic tasks, such as the now famous hoover robots, those dedicated to research, whose scope of action is laboratories or hospitals, or those known as exploration robots, which are mobile robots used to inspect and track environments.

We could also refer to other fields, such as the social field, which is now in great demand thanks to voice assistants, which are increasingly common in homes.

The development of Artificial Intelligence and robotics go hand in hand, as AI is a step forward for robots in terms of autonomy. But it is also crucial for them to be able to make decisions about what to do in a given work environment and within predefined parameters.

Artificially intelligent robots are not there to replace humans but to complement them, in the sense that their mission should be to help people do their jobs better.

The advantages of this relationship include to avoid workers from having to perform risky or strenuous tasks, keep them from making mistakes or avoid them having to perform mechanical tasks.

It should be noted that when a robot has built-in AI algorithms, it does not wait to receive orders to make a decision but is able to work on its own. To do this, it has previously had to pass a training phase.

By means of machine learning, the robot is able to learn, solve, understand, reason or react optically.

The trend is not to have a robot capable of carrying weight, but to have mobile and autonomous robots that are able to collect, process and manage data intelligently and make the best decisions in terms of manufacturing or production.

In the development and expansion of these autonomous robots, 5G has emerged as a key player, a new generation that provides a boost in connectivity, thanks to a shorter delay in network transmission (latency), compared to 4G and previous generations.

With 5G technology, massive machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, increased capacity to manage simultaneous connections, high density of connected devices, real-time communication and virtualisation of network infrastructures will pave the way for robots to have more options to complement humans.

The Telefnica Foundations report Digital Society in Spain 2020-2021 has a section on robots and their future, one far removed from the confinement where they have been kept until now, in closed spaces such as warehouses and factories. These are automatons whose function will go beyond mechanical tasks on an assembly line.

In this sense, the report highlights that the deployment of 5G networks in combination with edge computing is decisive to driving and transforming the world of robotics in the coming years.

According to the report Autonomous Robotic Systems by the Accenture consulting firm, smart robots have great advantages to offer companies, such as increasing safety, cutting costs, increasing efficiency, improving productivity, performing routine tasks and solving labour shortages.

Last but not least, according to the report We, The post-digital people. Can your enterprise survive the tech-clash?, also by Accenture, within five years city dwellers will interact with autonomous devices between five and ten times a day.

Moreover, in seven years, a large fashion retail group will have been the first to introduce robotic customer service staff, and in ten years there will be the same proportion of robots as healthcare professionals in large hospitals.

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Robotics, a world with a world to discover - Telefnica

Amazon is shutting down two more divisions in the latest sign of budget-trimming from the e-commerce giant, which this week told employees they needed to "double down on frugality" in the face of rising costs and an uncertain economic climate.

Amazon is scrapping another warehouse-robotics team, ORCA, amid a larger reduction in robotics personnel. It's not clear how many people worked on the ORCA team. In addition, the company is ending Amazon Explore, a virtual-travel-experiences platform launched amid coronavirus-related restrictions in late 2020. The division has roughly 100 employees, according to a person familiar with the team.

Amazon had previously scaled back its investment in its Scout home-delivery robot and shuttered the Canvas warehouse-robotics group, which the company acquired for over $100 million in 2019.

Some of the employees on the affected teams will be offered assistance to move to other parts of the company, a representative said.

"At Amazon we think big, experiment, and invest in new ideas to delight customers," an Amazon representative, Brad Glasser, said in a statement. "We also continually evaluate the progress and potential of our products and services to deliver customer value, and we regularly make adjustments based on those assessments."

Amazon has scaled back in numerous divisions of late. Amazon downsized its internal moon-shots lab Grand Challenge. It discontinued Glow, a video-calling device for kids. It also implemented a broader hiring freeze in its retail business while slow-walking warehouse expansion plans.

But the company is simultaneously spending big to acquire established companies in some of those same business areas where it's rolling back its own ambitions.

Amazon's slashes to its robotics department come after the company announced plans to acquire iRobot, the maker of the Roomba vacuum, for $1.7 billion. And earlier this year, Amazon sunsetted its healthcare venture, Amazon Care, after announcing plans to buy the One Medical chain of clinics for $3.9 billion.

In an all-hands meeting this week, Amazon executives instructed employees to tighten their belts. Employees were told they needed to "accomplish more with less," including by adjusting hiring and reducing costs and inventory levels, according to leaked slides from an all-hands presentation obtained by Insider.

"We're going to be more streamlined in how we expand in 2023," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said at that meeting.

Work at Amazon? Got a tip? Contact the reporter Katherine Long via phone or the encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-206-375-9280) or email (klong@insider.com).

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Amazon Shutters Travel and Robotics Teams in Cost-Cutting Move - Business Insider

What a lot of people tell me is hardware is hard, Eliot Horowitz explains. I have a really big problem with that statement.

The Viam Robotics CEO and MongoDB co-founder describes purchasing a Universal Robotics UR5 robot arm and programming it to play chess. I dont think hardware is hard. I think hardware is not that hard. But if I asked my hardware designer to go build a thing, in three months, it will work.

The New York-based startups approach to the subject is that software is where things start to breakdown, and for lack of a better term, turn hard. Viams certainly not alone in this thought process, and the last few years have seen a big uptick in firms hoping to solve the robot software problem. Notable among them are names like Instrinsic, the Alphabet X offshoot looking to create a kind of universal software layer for industrial systems.

Fittingly, Viams space is littered with hardware. Its a large office, with an unbeatable birds eye view of Lincoln Center. Corners and cubicles house all manner of different robotics projects in various stages of disarray.

Image Credits: Viam Robotics

Today, the company is announcing the release of a public beta of its robotics platform. Its an effort to make a sort of one-stop, cloud-based repository for the sorts of tools required to prototype, code, deploy and scale systems. And like some of the competitors that have sprung up in recent years, Viam developed its system with a kind of hardware agnosticism in mind.

But unlike many firms that have focused on a low- or no-code solution designed for non-programmers/roboticists, Horowitz argues that the industry simply isnt there. He points to a web design software analogy.

Dreamweaver was, in some ways, ahead of its time. If you look at Webflow or Squarespace, theyre kind of doing what Dreamweaver was doing, but Dreamweaver came out at a time when the backends werent ready for a product of its nature. It was really just a product ahead of its time. The e-commerce space wasnt ready for no-code. I think robotics is in the same place. The benefit of a low-code solution, if it worked, would be great. I just think its impractical.

Horowitz adds that, in his vision, Viams software replaces the Robotic Operating System in mainstream, non-academic usage. ROS was designed for academic research, and its good for academic research. Its not a great production system. Its not great for people who want to get started quickly.

The beta version of the service is currently being offered for free. It promises hardware agnostic cloud-based robotics tools, developer APIs and enterprise security. On general availability, the company will offer consumption-based pricing for the service. The beta arrives some eight months after Viams $30 million Series A, which itself followed $12 million in seed funding the year prior.

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Viam rolls out a free beta of its cloud-based robotics tools - TechCrunch

By Todd Wilson, M.D., chief medical officer, EndoQuest Robotics

While there have been important advances in the use of robotic technologies in healthcare for more than a century, widespread adoption of robotics to support a range of medical and surgical needs started to expand rapidly in the mid-1980s. Many industry insiders cite the first use of the PUMA 560 robotic surgical arm to perform a non-laparoscopic neurosurgical biopsy as a landmark event that represents the dawn of the modern age in robotic surgery. Since that time, innovation in robotic technology has continued to progress rapidly, with applications across many different indications including general surgery and colon, spinal, gynecologic, and urologic surgeries.

The reasons for the rapid and continually expanding adoption of surgical robotics that enable minimally invasive surgery are well known. These technologies allow surgeons to perform many procedures and access target surgical sites through only a few small incisions in the body compared to traditional open body surgery that can result in much higher levels of trauma to healthy tissue and visible scarring. Some surgical robotics can now achieve levels of precision, flexibility, and mobility that are not possible with a human touch alone, especially in hard-to-access areas of the body. Robotic technologies are also supported by sophisticated cameras that can provide magnified, high-definition views of a surgical area and, more recently, 3D imaging that is far superior to the naked eye.

Based on these advantages, minimally invasive robotic surgery is now considered the gold standard for many forms of surgery. These technologies make it possible to access different sites in the body in ways that are safer and shown to provide better outcomes for patients. Advanced materials and manufacturing capabilities are producing robotic instruments that are small and flexible enough to reach even hard-to-access sites. In recent years, surgeons and advanced endoscopists have also developed strategies to use flexible robotic instruments to perform many procedures via the natural endoluminal cavities in the body, including the mouth, rectum, and vagina. Known as endoluminal surgery, this approach enables surgeons to perform different procedures without having to cut through healthy tissue, significantly reducing scar tissue and wound repair stress.

Substantial data collected since the 1980s confirm that minimally invasive robotic surgery can provide a wide range of benefits for patients, including less pain during recovery, lower risk of infection, reduced blood loss, and shorter hospital stays compared to traditional approaches. While minimally invasive robotic surgery is well documented, resulting in optimal clinical outcomes for patients, it is primarily used only at medical centers that can afford the technology and necessary staff training. But it is encouraging to see that the number of hospitals and outpatient centers offering these options continues to expand rapidly as patient demand grows. In addition, new technologies are also supporting broader opportunities in remote minimally invasive robotic surgery, with the potential to expand access to millions of new patients in the future. As a result, the robotic surgery market is expected to surpass $7 billion by 2025.1

As researchers and leaders in medical technology innovation have continued to explore new approaches in minimally invasive robotic surgery, they have led advances in several key areas including development of miniature robots, applications of machine learning, advanced data analytics, and new approaches in visualization technology. The following is an overview of advances currently being developed in robotic surgery innovation that can drive new levels of safety and patient benefits:

Endoluminal robotic surgery: Many surgeons have explored the use of endoluminal surgery, where they target sites via natural cavities or orifices of the body. While options in endoluminal robotic surgery have historically been limited because larger and less flexible instruments could only be used one at a time in a procedure, recently the technology has advanced to make it possible for physicians to use up to three specially engineered surgical tools simultaneously. Researchers are now testing these advanced technologies for endoluminal surgery in a range of upper and lower gastrointestinal indications, with the potential for future applications in a broader range of clinical procedures.

In vivo robots: Miniature in vivo surgical robots can allow surgeons to image surgical sites from many angles inside the body for better visualization. The technology is designed to provide additional viewpoints and unconstrained manipulators that can help improve safety and reduce patient trauma. They can also be engineered to play an active role in execution of some surgical procedures. Options include both fixed-base and mobile in vivo robots for use in a range of procedures including cholecystectomy, prostatectomy, and nephrectomy.

Capsule robots: Miniaturized endoscopes known as capsule robots can play a central role in supporting some surgical procedures as well as in diagnostic testing and targeted drug delivery. They are generally smaller than a traditional drug capsule, which can help reduce the risk of tissue trauma and allow for faster accessibility. They are comprised of biocompatible cases and electronic circuitry that can be used to capture and transmit images and perform testing such as in vivo body temperature detection and pH monitoring.

Microbots: Ranging in size from a millimeter down to a few microns, microbots can reach many target destinations in the body to support diagnosis and real-time monitoring of disease progression with access through the circulatory system. Some examples of potential applications include measuring glucose levels in a person with diabetes, delivering therapies directly to tumor sites, or helping to perform delicate surgeries in the eye or even in the brain.

Surgical robotics using machine learning: Researchers are also exploring the use of many new machine learning applications to improve the performance of surgical robotics in minimally invasive procedures. With machine learning, surgical technologies will one day monitor, record, and predict patient outcomes by evaluating data and recognizing patterns. This information can then be used to identify and confirm optimal strategies to reduce risk and improve outcomes in many different surgical procedures, in some cases in real time.

Opportunities to apply these and other important advances in robotic technology to a broader range of minimally invasive surgeries are likely to reach new levels of momentum in the years ahead. Physicians will have access to more robotic technologies to deliver even higher levels of insight, precision, and control while patients can undergo minimally invasive procedures with increased confidence about the potential risks and benefits, including reduced trauma, faster recovery, and, in many cases, no visible scars. To make these benefits a reality, medical device companies must be positioned to offer comprehensive training and support related to new robotic technologies that can enable physicians and healthcare facilities to rapidly and effectively adopt them. With those elements in place, it is likely that the applications of robotic technologies in surgery will grow exponentially in the years ahead.

Reference

About The Author:

Todd Wilson, M.D., earned his Doctor of Medicine degree and completed his residency at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston Texas Medical Center. He earned his B.S. in chemistry from the United States Naval Academy. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is currently an attending surgeon and medical director at Surgical Innovation and Robotic Institute at Memorial Hermann Hospital Texas Medical Center. He has served as lead author or co-author on more than 65 peer-reviewed publications and has presented at many global medical meetings focused on robotic surgery.

Excerpt from:

Robotic Tech's Opportunities To Revolutionize Surgery - Med Device Online

Industrial professionals know that various types of warehouse robots help get work done in giant facilities. Many customers never know what role the machines play in ensuring they receive items on time and in good condition.

Individuals considering using robots in industrial automation should spend adequate time learning about the capabilities and limitations of these high-tech machines. For example, some types of robots help carry products to different locations in a facility, while others assist with picking and packing items.

People worry robots will take over their jobs. Such anxieties are at least partly justified, especially for individuals in low-skilled roles. However, in the best cases, robotics allow humans to participate more-enjoyable activities that utilize their creativity and brainpower. Robots excel in repetitive tasks but dont have the depth of experience most humans naturally acquire throughout their careers and lifetimes. Some experts argue that robots must ideally support people instead of replacing them.

Regardless of how individuals feel about these machines, the fact remains that robots in industrial automation are here to stay. Here are the types of warehouse robots that typically provide the most value to the decision-makers who invest in them.

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are reliable options for transporting goods from one area to another. Its easy to see how convenient they are in huge facilities like warehouses. AGVs move in dedicated areas by utilizing wires or markings on the floor. Most models have onboard cameras and sensors to help with this task, ensuring they go to the right places while avoiding obstacles.

Engineers working in the warehouse can also program the AGVs to follow predetermined routes at certain times. These types of robots are particularly handy when decision-makers prioritize improving workflows.

In one instance, a manufacturer added AGVs to a generator production line. This improvement reportedly led to a tenfold production increase. Additionally, it boosted the quality of items sent to customers. Company leaders initially considered installing a conveyor belt with six month lead time. However, they ended up going with AGVs since they had a lead time of only two to four months.

Many warehouse leaders have also pursued AGVs to relieve labor-shortage pressures. Such usage of robots in industrial automation frees humans up to do more value-added tasks while the machines handle duties like moving and storing pallets.

People that invest in warehouse robots usually look for highly functional machines. Thats why many models have articulated arms that let them move similarly to human limbs. However, such robots have limited usefulness unless they can also pick up items without dropping them.

Fortunately, engineers have built feasible solutions to accommodate this requirement. A standalone layer-picking robot can lift up to 825 pounds per layer. These machines also tolerate a large temperature range, making them suitable for taking items from freezers or working in spaces without air conditioning.

Experts say that piece-picking robots have massively improved in just a few years. They can handle a wider variety of items than they once could, even if the products are oddly shaped. In 2021, researchers developed a miniature, multifunctional soft gripper inspired by human hands. Lab tests showed their creation could pick up items ranging from snail eggs to metal washers and polystyrene balls without harming them. Such versatility is vital in a warehouse that could have a tremendous assortment of items.

Amazon engineers are also working on a pinch-grasping robot. Tests showed a prototype achieved a tenfold reduction in product damage due to its gentle but secure grip. Many types of warehouse robots used within the e-commerce company also work with machine learning algorithms. Machines can identify certain items within a cluttered environment and determine the best ways to pick them up safely and effectively.

Most grasping robots used in todays warehouses utilize suction cups. They work reasonably well, but complications can result. A machines suction seal can fail, particularly if a robotic arm moves especially quickly or changes its angle. Plus, compensating for the problem by increasing the suction strength could make product packaging tear. The work done by Amazons team could change the future of robots in industrial automation.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are part of a larger category of robotic technology called cobots. These machines have various safety features that allow them to work around people without staying behind cages or other barriers. Some cobots stop people from suffering long-term arm damage from repetitive and physically taxing tasks.

However, AMRs are usually most valuable for saving people from walking so far during their warehouse shifts. They work similarly to AGVs, but autonomous mobile robots dont need any guides on the floor to influence their travel paths. Instead, they have advanced mapping technology that allows them to learn the specifics of a space, then navigate around it safely. Even better, these robots can handle spontaneous environmental changes, such as a person suddenly walking in front of them.

Some companies use these types of robots to handle various needs in a warehouse. C-StoreMaster, a convenience store distributor, shows a strong example of the possibilities. That business has a 135,000-square-foot distribution center in Alabama. AMRs take center stage there in helping operations run smoothly.

The business uses different kinds to meet various needs. One handles pallets, another transports shelving, and a third places and retrieves totes from shelves up to 15 feet high. This exploration into the various types of warehouse robots came from leaders desire to create the best possible work environment for their team members. That meant keeping the work and site comfortable, air-conditioned, and ergonomically friendly.

The robotic workflow means people only have to touch goods three times. The first occurs when products are unloaded from incoming trucks, and the next happens during order picking. Finally, team members handle the goods during order consolidation before shipping. Otherwise, the AMRs do about 80% of the work.

Warehouse robots are increasingly advanced and safe. However, things can still go wrong. One example occurred when three robots collided with each other and started a fire in the London facility of a grocery delivery brand. The incident required 15 fire engines and approximately 100 firefighters to contain.

Most warehouse workers know injury risk comes with their roles. However, they tend to feel safer if they know robots have numerous features to stop them from accidentally hurting humans. All cobots include design choices such as soft components and moving parts that slow or stop when people get too close. Those are essential, but researchers are still pushing the boundaries to see what else is possible.

Work at KTH Royal Institute of Technology involves developing an artificial intelligence-driven system for robots that can respond to contextual clues. It can identify individual workers and their skeleton models. A robot then relies on this information to predict what an employee will do next. The machine would not necessarily need to disrupt the workflow by slowing down or stopping if people get in the way because it could proactively adjust its movements instead.

However, these types of warehouse robots are also commercially available from at least one company. Robust AIs Carter robot looks like a dolly but has a motorized base, touch screen, and periscope with several cameras. It uses cameras to scan its surroundings. However, the robot can also identify workers and try to infer what theyre doing from their poses.

Many decision-makers are on board with the prospect of deploying numerous types of warehouse robots in their facilities. However, they balk at the associated upfront costs. That hesitation is particularly likely when business leaders have no direct experience using robots.

Fortunately, providers that offer robots-as-a-service (RaaS) subscription plans can alleviate that anxiety. The specifics vary by company. Generally, though, customers pay per-usage rates for robots obtained through rental agreements. The client prices also often include essentials like installation costs, repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. When people can calculate what theyre likely to pay month to month and eliminate surprise expenses, theyre much more likely to be open to using robots in industrial automation efforts.

Locus Robotics pioneered this concept back in 2014. Thus, its not a new option but one thats quickly gaining momentum. Thats especially true as more people become familiar with warehouse robots and begin thinking strategically about how they might use them. The companys customers reportedly see full returns on investments within six to eight months of installation.

RaaS contracts typically run from nine months to four years. That means its easy for customers to decide how much of a commitment they want to make before signing a document and sealing the deal.

When decision-makers already feel confident about the payoffs of using warehouse robots, RaaS may not be the best option. However, when doubts remain, paying for the technology via a subscription plan could let people test the waters.

The five robot types discussed here are among those that appear in warehouses most frequently. However, other options exist, too. People are most likely to get the best results from their efforts to use robots if they think carefully about current shortcomings and how high-tech machines could target and improve them.

After they have those areas of focus, theyll be in an excellent position to research the options, evaluate their budgets, and take other practical steps to turn their plans into realities.

Warehouse robots wont solve every problem, but these examples show they can help company leaders make meaningful headway in overcoming obstacles and streamlining processes.

Oh, and warehouse robots dont look as scary as this great robot pic!

Featured Image Credit: Ichad Windhiagiri; Pexels; Thank you!

Emily Newton is a technical and industrial journalist. She regularly covers stories about how technology is changing the industrial sector.

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These Five Types of Robots Support Warehouse Workflows - ReadWrite

Wed, 10/12/2022 - 09:07am | By: Van Arnold

Sea Machines technologies installed on the R/V Ken Barbor as well as remote operator beltpack.

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise in Gulfport, Miss., in partnership with Sea Machines Robotics in Boston, Mass., has developed the Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar through USM's Center of Higher Learning at the John C. Stennis Space Center.

The seminar is the first maritime autonomy training program to allow the federal workforce to train on state-of-the-art, commercial, off-the-shelf autonomous technologies.

Participants plan missions that transform USM's R/V Ken Barbor, from a crewed to an uncrewed system designed to operate in various conditions, from shallow embayment with significant currents out to the open ocean. Learners will obtain an overview of maritime autonomy, how to use mission simulators, and deploy and operate uncrewed systems safely in coastal areas.

USM is a global leader in uncrewed maritime systems certifications. The five-week Uncrewed Maritime Systems Tier 1 and Tier 2 Certification Classes offered by USMs School of Ocean Science and Engineering have been a fantastic success for NOAA, USACE, and NAVOCEANO employees at Stennis Space Center.

The addition of the Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar builds on the tradition of success established by these academic credit classes as well as Ocean Enterprise's Stennis-based operational seminars (Maritime Cyber, Maritime Data Analysis, and Maritime Uncrewed Systems).

"By being very surgical and designing for enrollment in multiple sessions with adaptable content, we believe we can rapidly reach hundreds of potential learners, especially transitioning military personnel looking to enter the uncrewed systems field for the first time, said Dr. Jason McKenna, Director of RDT&E and Training for the Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise at USM. Furthermore, this new eight-hour self-paced/eight-hour in-person operational seminar Ocean Enterprise is offered through CHL and complements our three existing operational seminars by providing hands-on training for those interested in exploring maritime autonomous technology.

Added McKenna: By getting some stick time, on a state-of-the-art optionally crewed vessel, federal employees will be better prepared to integrate uncrewed autonomous capabilities into their fleet."

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is the home to significant operations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Navy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a result, it provides numerous opportunities for collaboration between USM, Government, and industry.

"NOAA is highly supportive of USM's workforce development efforts, specifically focused on uncrewed maritime systems (UMS). We partner with USM's Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise on several projects, and we believe that offering these types of very hands-on, short-duration training to the federal community along the Gulf Coast will help meet the real, growing need for this workforce development in this area both regionally and nationally," said Philip Hoffman, Uncrewed Maritime Systems R&D Coordinator for NOAA Ocean Exploration.

Matthew Thompson, Technical Lead, Hydrographic Department, Naval Oceanographic Office, notes that opportunities provided by USM's Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise are enabling his team to field more efficient and effective operational capabilities in support of U.S. interests.

"As the Naval Oceanographic Office continues pursuit of Uncrewed Maritime Systems (UMS) for oceanographic and seafloor characterization, it is critical that we collaborate with academia, industry and other federal organizations to advance technology and expertise, said Thompson.

Erik Hedval, Business Development Manager Government, Sea Machines Robotics, points out that working with USM has been a logical and important next step for Sea Machines as the demand for operator training increases.

The adoption of autonomous systems continues to grow in the government and commercial sectors, and it is important to us to help support the infrastructure surrounding it with the appropriate education and tools, said Hedval.

Hedval continued: Sea Machines various teams are comprised of several Mariners and Captains, so we understand the real-world applications and benefits in terms of productivity and safety and are excited to continue to expand this knowledge with USM.

For more information on this and other maritime operational seminars, please visit The Center for Higher Learning at The University of Southern Mississippi https://www.chl.state.ms.us/usm-maritime-systems-seminars. Each seminar is "on demand" and can be made available to interested parties beginning in September 2022. Costs vary depending on the number of students, fuel costs, etc. For questions, contact Jason McKenna at jason.mckennaFREEMississippi or Keith Long at keith.longFREEMississippi

About the Roger F. Center for Ocean Enterprise

Ocean Enterprise is a comprehensive research and development partnership program focused on uncrewed maritime systems and blue technology innovation that provides the facilities, equipment, access, support, and expertise to advance new technologies to the market.

About Sea Machines Robotics

Headquartered in Massachusetts, Sea Machines is the leader in pioneering autonomous command and control and advanced perception systems for the marine industries. Founded in 2015, the company builds autonomous vessel software and systems, which increases the safety, efficiency, and performance of ships, workboats, and commercial passenger vessels. Learn more about Sea Machines at http://www.sea-machines.com.

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USMs Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise and Sea Machines Robotics Launch Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar - The University of Southern...

Visitors will be able to watch and interact with mixed palletizing robots.

September 29th, Seattle, WA Today, CMES Robotics and BHS robotics announced that they will be demonstrating mixed case palletizing of various box sizes utilizing an ABB midrange 6-axis robot at Pack Expo International 2022. The event will take place October 23 -26 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Until now, robotic automation has faced technical challenges with conventional palletizing, as it can only manage a limited number of case sizes with known stacking sequences, said Alex Choe, President of CMES Robotics. CMES Robotics has created a flexible and dependable solution for mixed case palletizer by providing a software that works with popular industrial robots.

Combining technologies of CMES Robotics robot vision and AI algorithm, BHS Robotics depalletizing platform and an ABB IRB 2600 robot, the mixed palletizing solution can handle almost any type of boxes, cartons, bags, and pallet types. Additionally, the mixed palletizing software helps address labor shortages and reduce worker injuries related to stressful and tedious manual labor.

Customer requirements are changing when it comes to mixed packages and the ability to properly palletize and de-palletize skids of products with varying sizes, said Christopher Clark, President of BHS Robotics. Robotic automation needs to be technically advanced using robots, vision, software and hardware together to make a smart and flexible system to handle this challenge.

CMES Robotics Palletizing Solutions consist of:

CMES Robotics Vision Sensor & AI Software

BHS Robotics Palletizing Platform Design and Integration

ABB IRB 2600 with a reach of 1.65 meters and payload of 20 kilograms

Capable of 600 Cartoons per Hour (CPH)

Fast Mobile Deployment

To learn more about CMES AI Vision solution, visit them at PackExpo booth #N-5469 and check out https://www.cmesrobotics.com

About CMES Robotics Inc. (Seattle, WA)

Powered by AI, CMES Robotics enables 3D vision for factory robots. CMES AI vision software enables robots to recognize unstructured, flexible, or deformed objects, pick them up, and loading, and unloading. CMES Vision software has been deployed worldwide for random palletization and depalletization along with void filling applications. CMES Robotics automates your warehouse, logistics and supply chain. CMES Robotics is the North American subsidiary of CMES Inc. For more information, please visit: cmesrobotics.com or email [emailprotected].

About BHS Robotics (Hanover Park, IL)

BHS Robotics, founded in 1910 as Chicago Electric, has always been a leader in drive and control technology. Now a leader in automation systems, robot & logistic solutions, integration including electronic guided vehicles, automated Vision-Guided robotic pick and place systems and complete machine solutions to improve productivity. Our extensive experience with a broad range of innovative Industrial 4.0 solutions, enables us to provide custom automation solutions for a wider range of industries including corrugated, ecommerce, logistics, packaging, medical, automotive, and heavy-duty manufacturing. With thousands of systems installed worldwide, BHS Robotics has the knowledge and experience to make our customers more productive. For more information, please visit: bhs-robotics.com or email [emailprotected].

About ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation (Auburn Hill, MI)

ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation is a pioneer in robotics, machine automation and digital services, providing innovative solutions for a diverse range of industries, from automotive to electronics to logistics. As one of the worlds leading robotics and machine automation suppliers, we have shipped more than 500,000 robot solutions. We help our customers of all sizes to increase productivity, flexibility and simplicity and to improve output quality. We support their transition towards the connected and collaborative factory of the future. ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation employs more than 11,000 people at over 100 locations in more than 53 countries. For more information, please visit: go.abb/robotics.

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CMES Robotics & BHS Robotics to Demonstrate Mixed Case Palletizing Solution at Pack Expo 2022 - Food Industry Executive

Researchers from the University of Graz, Czech Technical University, and the Middle East Technical University are working towards "ecosystem hacking" via robotic honeybees, infiltrating a colony and interacting with its queen to influence the behavior of the entire colony.

"Honey bees live in colonies of thousands of individuals, that not only need to collaborate with each other but also to interact intensively with their ecosystem," the researchers explain in an article brought to our attention by MIT Technology Review. "A small group of robots operating in a honey bee colony and interacting with the queen bee, a central colony element, has the potential to change the collective behavior of the entire colony and thus also improve its interaction with the surrounding ecosystem. Such a system can be used to study and understand many elements of bee behavior within hives that have not been adequately researched."

Researchers are experimenting with robotic bees, designed to offer a route to "ecosystem hacking." (: Tim Landgraf/Hiveopolis)

While the idea of making robotic bees isn't new and turned out to have some unpleasant consequences when explored in the fictional dystopic anthology series Black Mirror the team's approach doesn't aim to replace nature with robotics outright. Instead, the researchers propose a "minimally invasive form of conservation" in which a small number of robots operate within the colony to impact the dynamics of the queen bee's court not only allowing for the bees' behavior to be monitored in more detail than ever before but directly influenced.

"Our model is intended to serve as an AI-enhanceable coordination software for future robotic court bee surrogates and as a hardware controller for generating nature-like behavior patterns for such a robotic ensemble," the team explains. "It is the first step towards a team of robots working in a bio-compatible way to study honey bees and to increase their pollination performance, thus achieving a stabilizing effect at the ecosystem level."

Proposals from researchers include the replacement of a queen's court with robots, to improve colony health. (: Stefanec et al)

The work is taking place in two separate but related programs, dubbed Hiveopolis and RoboRoyale. The former focuses on the creation of "a modern society of honey bee colonies, which is fully adapted to present-day challenges such as pesticides, parasites, climate change, or urban environments" through technology including "an inbuilt dance robot" designed to direct forager bees away from harmful food sources and towards better locations; the latter works to create technologies, both robotic and biological, which can support the queen bee's well-being in everything from feeding and grooming to pheromone transfer.

The team's model is explained in detail in the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI under open-access terms; additional information on Hiveopolis and RoboRoyale are available on their respective websites.

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Researchers Propose AI-Assisted Robotics to Help "Hack" Honeybees, Improve the Ecosystem - Hackster.io

OurWomen in Roboticslist turns 10 this year and we are delighted to introduce you to another amazing 50 women in robotics you need to know about as we also celebrateAda Lovelace Day. We have now profiled more than 300 women AND non-binary people making important contributions to robotics since the list began in 2013. This year our 50 come from robotics companies (small and large), self-driving car companies, governments, research organizations and the media. The list covers the globe, with the chosen ones having nationalities from the EU, UK, USA, Australia, China, Turkey, India and Kenya. A number of women come from influential companies that are household names such as NASA, ABB, GE, Toyota and the Wall Street Journal. As the number of women on the list grows so does the combined global impact of their efforts, increasing the visibility of women in the field who may otherwise go unrecognized. We publish this list to overcome the unconscious perception that women arent making significant contributions. We encourage you to use our lists to help find women for keynotes, panels, interviews and to cite their work and include them in curricula.

The role models these 50 women represent are diverse, ranging from emeritus to early career stage. Role models are important. Countess Ada Lovelace, the worlds first computer programmer and an extraordinary mathematician, faced an uphill battle in the days when women were not encouraged to pursue a career in science. Fast forward 200 years and there are still not enough women in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). One key reason is clear: the lack of visible female role models and so we continue to run ourwomen in robotics photo challenge, to showcasereal women building real robots. Women in STEM need to be equally represented at conferences, keynotes, magazine covers, or stories about technology. Although this is starting to change, the change is not happening quickly enough. You can help. Spread the word and use this resource to inspire others to consider a career in robotics. As you will see there are many different ways the women we profile are making a difference.

We hope you are inspired by these profiles, and if you want to work in robotics too, please join us atWomen in Robotics. We are now a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, but even so, this post wouldnt be possible if not for the hard work of volunteers and the Women in Robotics Board of Directors.

Want to keep reading? There are more than 300 other stories on our 2013 to 2021 lists (and their updates):

Please share this and cite Women in Robotics as the author. Why not nominate a woman or non-binary person working in roboticsfor inclusion next year! Tweet this.

Women In Robotics is a global community for women working in robotics, or who aspire to work in robotics

Andra Keay is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics, founder of Women in Robotics and is a mentor, investor and advisor to startups, accelerators and think tanks, with a strong interest in commercializing socially positive robotics and AI.

Jeana diNatale is a Board Member of Women in Robotics

Sue Keay is Chief Operating Officer for the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision

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50 women in robotics you need to know about 2022 - Robohub

This acquisition comes at a critical time as the market for robotics is experiencing 25 percent and higher growth per year in certain industries, said Tony Wisniewski, CEO at T.I.E.

LAVERGNE, Tenn. (PRWEB) October 13, 2022

T.I.E. Industrial, the leading aftermarket supplier of CNC parts, refurbished Industrial robots and general automation repair, announces today it has acquired Robots.com and the RobotWorx name. The asset acquisition expands the T.I.E. brand family, leveraging decades of experience in robotic equipment sales, repair and service to position Robots.com as an end-to-end partner in manufacturing automation. Robots.com is one of the worlds most popular resources to research and source automation solutions from multiple manufacturers. T.I.E.s tradition of excellence in robot refurbishment and customizing hardware and software makes integration faster, easier and more cost effective for smaller manufacturers looking to automate.

This acquisition comes at a critical time as the market for robotics is experiencing 25 percent and higher growth per year in certain industries, said Tony Wisniewski, CEO at T.I.E. Our company is uniquely positioned to take advantage of that growth with a proven, repeatable solution to help ease supply chain delays and labor shortages. Automation increases productivity and worker safety for manufacturers of all sizes. According to Zion Market Research, the global industrial robotics market is estimated to grow to $81.4 billion by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11.8 percent. Customers will need resources like Robots.com to explore robotic equipment and T.I.E. Industrial is ready to assist users in adopting or expanding automation in their factories.

T.I.E. directly contributes to the circular economy by reusing, recycling and refurbishing robotic equipment and parts providing a cost advantage to users. T.I.E. is the worlds largest supplier of refurbished FANUC Robot and CNC parts at fanucworld.com. The companys Integration Ready approach to refurbished robot sales helps lower cost of ownership while deploying faster automation and seamless installation. T.I.E.s tradition of excellence spans 35 years expertly diagnosing and repairing CNC and general automation parts from FANUC, Siemens, Mitsubishi, ABB and more than 200 top manufacturers.

NCT, Inc. President, Norbert Christ stated, T.I.E. is our main supplier for refurbished and new robotics equipment. We have partnered with them for three years and depend on their responsiveness, technical support and on time delivery to remain competitive. With current very long lead times at most robotics companies, T.I.E. Master Robotics has most of what we need in stock or can deliver it within pre-COVID lead times.

T.I.E. acquired MASTER Robotics in 2018 and The Parker Group of Companies in 2016 expanding its capabilities among the largest OEMs in the industry. Learn more at https://tieindustrial.com/.

ABOUT T.I.E. INDUSTRIALHeadquartered in LaVergne, Tenn., T.I.E. Industrial is a leading aftermarket supplier of FANUC CNC component parts and repair services. T.I.E. has a tradition of excellence for 35 years offering the worlds largest supply of refurbished FANUC Robot and CNC parts at fanucworld.com. T.I.E.s Integration-Ready approach to refurbished robot sales lowers cost of ownership. In 2022, T.I.E. acquired Robots.com and the RobotWorx name becoming the end-to-end partner in manufacturing automation.

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T.I.E. Industrial Expands Brand Family with Purchase of Robots.com and RobotWorx Name - PR Web