Category Archives: Robotics

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ganymed Robotics, a developer of computer vision algorithms and robotics technologies for orthopedic surgeons, announced it has appointed Michel Therin as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mike Lobinsky as Independent Board Member.

Michel Therin brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the medtech industry. Recently, he served as President of Advanced Therapies at Siemens Healthineers where he was instrumental in the acquisition of Corindus Vascular Robotics for $1.1 bn. Previously, he was Global Vice President/General Manager, General Surgery at Medtronic group. During the 12 years he spent at Medtronic, he held a number of positions in the General Surgery, Abdominal Wall Surgery, Biosurgery and Sutures divisions. Prior to its acquisition by Medtronic, Michel was in charge of research and advanced technologies for the surgical division of Covidien. Aside of its role as Chairman of Ganymed, Michel also serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Tissium, Keranova, SafeHeal, Affluent Medical and Betaglue Technologies.

Mike Lobinsky is an accomplished medical technology executive with more than 20 years of experience in the orthopedics and surgical robotics industry. He currently serves as President and CEO of iotaMotion. He served as CEO of EOS Imaging, which was acquired by Alphatec in 2021. Mike was previously Vice President of Robotics at Smith & Nephew, after their acquisition of Blue Belt Technologies, a surgical robotics company for orthopedics where he led the sales efforts from commercialization to exit. Earlier in his career, Mike built and managed sales and marketing teams at Stryker, Brainlab, and BioMedix.

Michel Therin said: Rarely have I seen in a medtech start-up the same combination of judgment, relevance and speed of execution. It has invented and validated radically new technologies at the core of the next surgical revolution: robotic assistance, artificial intelligence, and image-guidance. It is an honor to chair its Board and contribute to help the company, its stellar team and highly engaged KOLs execute on their ambitious vision.

Mike Lobinsky added: I am excited to join such a talented and visionary team. The innovative solutions developed by Ganymed Robotics have the potential to radically transform orthopedic surgery, and bring a new standard of care to the millions of patients worldwide in need of joint replacement.

Sophie Cahen, CEO and Cofounder of Ganymed Robotics, said: The arrival of Michel and Mike on our Board is terrific news as we are expanding our technology platform and preparing for commercialization. At such a strategic moment, their exceptional track record and deep knowledge of the medical device industry are an invaluable resource for the companys growth.

About Ganymed Robotics

Ganymed Robotics is a medical device company founded in 2018, developing the next generation of robotic assistance technologies for orthopedic surgery. The companys mission is to improve patient outcome, surgeon experience, and overall efficiency of care delivery for its target indications. Based in Paris, Ganymed Robotics currently employs 30 people who develop a proprietary technology platform combining computer vision, a branch of artificial intelligence, and mechatronics, in close collaboration with world-class clinicians and advisors. The first application is a robotic surgical assistant for knee arthroplasties, a common and fast-growing intervention associated with high dissatisfaction rates of above 20%. Ganymed Robotics intends to progressively deploy its technology to address several other orthopedics indications. Ganymed Robotics won national and international innovation awards, such as I-Lab, French Tech Emergence, Deep Tech Pioneer, EIT Health, Wilco, EIC Accelerator. For more information: http://www.ganymedrobotics.com

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Ganymed Robotics Appoints Michel Therin and Mike Lobinsky on its Board of Directors - Business Wire

Traditional FR4 PCBs and wires don't work for every application that needs electronics, especially not for those with soft surfaces. But even flexible PCBs and other flex circuits aren't always soft enough for some use cases.

The LOOMIA Electronic Layer (LEL) is used to make electronic textiles that conform easily to soft surfaces. It's more conformable than flex PCBs or other flex electronicsand can combine multiple functions in a single circuit, said Madison Maxey, founder and CEO of LOOMIA Technologies, in an interview with Design News. The LEL's flexibility is similar to that of printed ink on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), although it's not printed.

The technology is especially suited for flexible heating elementsas well as pressure sensors and matrices, said Maxey. Applications include heating and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) or "smart surfaces" in automotive. Others are end-effector sensing and cabling in robotics; several types of cabling, including in healthcare and wellness use cases such as wearables; in outdoor gear and sportswear; and for heating and lighting.

"As cabling, the LEL is generally used for wearable technology applications where you're trying to connect two sensors in a soft, flexible way," said Maxey. Garments made with the LEL can be configured to be sewn, washed, and even dried in a clothes dryer when optimized for robustness. Other LEL stackups can be optimized for lamination or lower cost.

A recent, widely publicized application for the LEL was heating the car seats in the AKXY2 concept car by Japanese materials firm Asahei Kasei Group. This car's design emphasizes sustainability in the automotive lifecycle to reduce its environmental impact,customer satisfaction such as pleasing appearance and physical comfort, and improving passenger safety. A third goal was to demonstrate the different benefits that cars bring to society, such as creating a mobile or stationary private space for individuals during pandemic-related lockdowns.

The AKYX2 concept car from Japanese materials firm Asahei Kasei uses the LOOMIA Electronic Layer (LEL) in a a fast-heating seat component.

Surface heating has become important in considering the transition to electric vehicles, said Maxey in a statement, so LOOMIA worked with Asahei-Kasei to develop the LEL as a fast-heating seat component. In an earlier concept car by Hyundai, the LEL was custom designed for both heating and a user interface.

The LEL technology was also used in a 2020 project by famous robotics designer Festo. Thanks to this technology, the Bionic Mobile Assistant could be equipped with a hand that gives the robot a sense of touch, via LOOMIA's 113-point analog pressure matrix.

LOOMIA also designed and fabricated the robot hand's glove and delivered a fully integrated glove and sensor system that could be plugged directly into the robotic arm's control unit.

Exactly how the LEL works is proprietary, but Maxey did say it uses a mesh conductor, which provides low resistance, good mechanical stability, and more stress and strain without cracking, in other words, robustness not usually possible with printed ink on TPU.

The fact that it's not printed allows lower resistance conductors that don't easily change their resistance when stretched, according to the datasheet. Although the technology is not inherently stretchable, it can become stretchy when arranged in a serpentine geometry.

Example of a flexible textile heat pad incorporating the LOOMIA Electronic Layer (LEL) for heating.

"In heating and lighting for outdoor gear, we're now developing a heated glove insert and heated sleeve to be used in highly tactile handwear for both commercial and military customers," Maxey said. "These will give users warmth and high dexterity in cold environments."

The company is also doing a lot of new work in automotive interiors, including smart surfaces and smart design for aesthetic purposes, like new seat designs, and functional purposes, like comfort, she said. "We're also working on some consumer products we can't discuss. But in many cases, our technology is an enabler."

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Electronic Textiles Flex to Fit Automotive, Robotics, & Wearable Applications - Design News

Nina Joss njoss@coloradocommunitymedia.com

In 2018, Joan Ryans doctors found an abnormal growth in her lungs, near her spleen.

With the goal of retrieving a sample of the tumor without hitting her spleen, her doctors at Sky Ridge Medical Center carefully conducted a needle biopsy, a procedure that involves inserting a fine needle into the chest. Unfortunately, the procedure did not result in a substantial sample, so Ryan had to undergo a second needle biopsy.

After these two scary and unpleasant procedures, she received a lung cancer diagnosis.

Today, a new technology at Sky Ridge called the MONARCH Platform uses robotics to improve diagnostic processes for lung cancer, preventing other patients from having to endure multiple invasive procedures like Ryan did.

At a community event on Aug. 29, Sky Ridge celebrated the 100th case of using the MONARCH Platform, which the hospital began to use in the spring of 2021.

Had that machine been available it would have saved me the time and the money to have those two needle biopsies and for me to endure that pain, Ryan said.

The MONARCH Platform from Johnson and Johnson has been on the market since 2018 and is used at over 120 sites nationwide, said Johnson and Johnson Regional Manager Gabe Garabato. Sky Ridge is the only hospital in Douglas County that uses the groundbreaking technology, according to Linda Watson, director of marketing and public relations at Sky Ridge.

The MONARCH Platform conducts a procedure called robotic bronchoscopy.

During a bronchoscopy, a doctor inserts a thin, tube-like instrument with a viewing lens through the nose or mouth to examine the inside of a persons trachea, air passages and lungs, according to the National Cancer Institute. When lung cancer is suspected due to an abnormal growth in the lungs (referred to as a nodule or a mass, depending on its size), bronchoscopy may be used to take tissue samples for diagnostic purposes as a lower-risk alternative to a needle biopsy or surgery, Garabato said.

He said traditional bronchoscopy, however, has a diagnostic yield of only 40 to 60%, meaning that an average of 40 to 60% of the procedures come back with an answer about the patients diagnosis. This low yield happens for a variety of reasons, including limited vision capabilities and the difficult manual control method of traditional bronchoscopy technology, he said.

So even though it's a safe procedure, more often than not, youre not gonna figure out what's wrong with you, he said.

The MONARCH Platform improves upon the traditional model of bronchoscopy by using robotics to offer better vision, reach and control, Garabato said. Diagnostic yield studies for the new technology are currently showing yields in the high 80% to low 90% range, he said.

In a MONARCH robotic bronchoscopy, the lens provides a peripheral view so doctors can see their tool interacting with the lung tissues and better understand where it is in the organ, he said. In addition, a dynamic virtual rendering of the patients airways gives doctors the ability to follow an on-screen path to the nodule they want to examine.

Doctors use a video-game style controller to drive the scope through the airways, making tight turns and detailed adjustments that are not possible with a traditional manually-controlled bronchoscope, Garabato said.

In addition to making the procedure easier to conduct and more accurate, the technology is also detecting lung cancer earlier for many patients, Garabato said. Early detection of lung cancer is important because the disease is not symptomatic until its late stages, when the chances of survival are very low, he said.

Sky Ridges lung nodule screening program offers screening for patients who are at-risk for developing lung cancer, even if they are not yet showing symptoms, according to the program description. If a CT scan comes back with potentially concerning results, the MONARCH Platform provides a fast and easy opportunity to get more information about the patients situation, said Liz Palmieri, account manager for Johnson and Johnson.

The old protocol was more like watch and wait, like You see something? Let's see if it gets bigger, she said. But with technology like this, if you see something, they can go straight to it, they can biopsy it.

If the nodule is determined to be cancer, doctors can sooner determine what stage it is and start to develop a treatment plan, Palmieri said.

It just gives people a much better chance at survival, she said.

Garabato said Johnson and Johnson is currently conducting studies through its lung cancer initiative to investigate possibilities for future uses of the machine to not only find lung cancer, but also to help cure it.

According to Lindsay Mallon, the endoscopy manager at Sky Ridge, the MONARCH Platform exemplifies why she works in health care.

Anywhere where you can offer early diagnosis with patients and (be) on a team that can help facilitate that, I mean, that's all the reason we're in medicine, is to help patients, she said. Were catching it earlier. Thats the reason why all of us probably are standing here with this machine.

In August 2021, Ryan was declared cancer-free. She said she won her battle with lung cancer thanks to her amazing medical team, her faith and the power of prayer.

With the MONARCH Platform at Sky Ridge, more people will hopefully be able to share the same great news.

Keywordslung cancer, robotics, new technology, Sky Ridge Medical Center, HealthONE, lung cancer screening, hospitals near me

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Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree uses robotics to detect lung cancer early: Only service of its kind in Douglas County - Castle Rock Newspress

Making millennials tech savvy

Published: Thu 1 Sep 2022, 9:19 PM

Bansan Thomas George, the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Unique World Robotics LLC, Dubai, and the managing director (MD) of Synergen Group India, is busy preparing to represent the UAE at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) to be held in Germany from November 17 to 19.Unique World Robotics is among the qualifying teams from across the globe that will represent their countries in different categories, which is bound by a common theme My Robot My Friend.

Earlier, the 33-year-old edupreneur successfully took part in the UAE WRO, which was held between June 4 and 6 and was organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). Altogether, 512 teams had competed in different categories for seven national titles at the WRO, of which Georges outfit won in three categories such as Robomission (Elementary), Future Innovators and Future Engineers.

George has been rebuilding the technosphere in India and the UAE for over a decade. The passionate engineer has embarked on this journey to help prepare the millennials for a dynamically disruptive job market. He has architectured Unique World Robotics, which aims to take science, technology, research, engineering, arts and mathematics (STREAM) to the grassroots by creating a future-proof industry-ready technology ecosystem.

The genesis for marrying education with technology, which is also known as edtech, started in Georges native Kerala, India, where he obtained a bachelors degree in electronics and computer Engineering from the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam in 2010.

He worked for a company in Kerala for the next one and half years. However, I was acutely aware from an early age about my career goals. So, I started a small business venture to train students in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) and made some inroads into a few schools to create STEM laboratories in Kerala. Initially, it was difficult as there were question marks about what we were planning to do, but later those hurdles were overcome, he says.

In 2013, George got his first big edupreneur break. Malayala Manorama Company, one of Indias largest and oldest media houses that has operations in print, TV, radio and digital properties, tied up with George and trained over 100,000 students till 2016.Buoyed by the success, George started a robotics research institute in Kochi, Kerala, that was spread over 6,000 square metres to executive innovative ideas.

Georges tryst with Dubai occurred in 2018. He came to the UAE to raise funds for his venture, and, as luck would have it, his investor gave him an office space next to his facility. We opened our laboratory in Dubai and started exploring the market. Now, weve four campuses, 12 and nine trainers in the UAE and India, respectively. We have trained over 4,000 students in the UAE, many of whom have become National Robotic Champion here, he says.

George has over 25 passionate edtech dreamers on his rolls. He has been creating opportunities for those who want to build a rewarding career in the edtech domain in the UAE, India and making forays into east Africa, such as Kenya. We want to work with all the schools in the UAE and train students as part of their curriculum. This will enable students to start creating new products while in school. Innovation must start from school, he says.

What about the funds to realise such an ambitious project? Were looking at an investment of up to $20 (Dh73.46) million to create a robotics industry. The fund will help build household robots that could do certain routine work and replace human interventions. Though weve the technical know-how, were hamstrung due to lack of funds, he says.

George believes his fortuitous move to Dubai has given a new direction to his career path. There is a synergy between Dubai and our work. For instance, Dubai is trying to attract foreign talents in STEM, and were nurturing these precocious talents in those fields. This synergy will lead to Dubai and by extension the UAEs industrial transformation in the years to come, he adds.

For the uninitiated parents, early coding, or precoding, offers children experiences that integrate communication, thinking, and problem solving. Children can be immersed in versatile activities that align with multiple areas, like math, problem solving, communication, and literacy.

Unique World Robotics is among the eight teams that have been selected to represent the UAE at the international WRO competition in Germany

in November.

joydeep@khaleejtimes.com

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This Indian expat's unique robotics initiative aims to create a future-proof technology ecosystem - wknd.

Imagine everything going right on a construction site. Labor shortages, supply chain constraints, weather forecasts, angry neighbors poof. Gone. And all theres left to do is build. Everything, for once, is under control.

But in the construction industry, where theres so much potential for so much to go so wrong, control is a fleeting concept. The only things that go poof on a jobsite, seemingly, are time and money.

Over the last two and a half years, the construction industry in the United States has been plagued by rising labor and material costs, climate change, health and safety concerns, and the pandemic all of which have contributed to whats estimated to be a nearly 8 percent decline in productivity.

But even in the decades leading up to todays lag, construction companies still had to contend with a series of challenges threatening efficiency and output: A 2017 report from the consulting firm McKinsey found that annual growth in productivity in the construction industry has been in decline for nearly 50 years.

While other industries have embraced robotics and advanced automation tools to boost productivity, the idea of robots coming onto the jobsite has been a touchy subject in the construction industry, one fueled by high startup costs and fear of displaced workers.

But in the last few years, robots have started to peek over the jobsite fence, taking over some of the most repetitive, back-breaking work that not only slows crews down, but also injures them. Thanks to an influx of cash from private equity firms and advances in technology, robots are slowly alleviating some of those concerns and could be key to the industry one day meeting global infrastructure and building demands.

More on Robotic Innovation35 Robotics Companies on the Forefront of Innovation

Other sectors dont deal with nearly the same level of challenges as construction an industry thats highly regulated, cyclical and forced to work at the whim of public sector demand, according to analysts. But the construction industry, historically, has been hesitant to take steps, like embracing robotics, that could provide a hedge against the draining effects of these external forces, leaving an estimated $1.6 trillion in value on the table each year, according to McKinseys 2017 report.

But there are people within the industry, like Jeremy Searock, co-founder, president and chief technology officer at Advanced Construction Robotics, a robotic equipment firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who are attempting to close that gap. In Searocks case, specifically by automating one of the most repetitive and grueling jobs in the industry tying rebar, the steel bars used to reinforce concrete together where they intersect.

Rebar installation is one of those jobs thats just just backbreaking it just truly breaks people, Searock told Built In.

To tie rebar, say on a large bridge project, workers bend over with a roll of wire at their hip, and use pliers to tie intersections together all day for months on end.

But the works repetitive nature also lends itself to automation.

From a technology perspective, we could look at it and say, Yes, this is a very solvable technical problem, Searock said. And so solvable that we think we could take this idea through to a commercial project.

Within a year, Searock and his team had a commercial rebar tying prototype, TyBOT, out in the field working on a bridge project. And now, nearly five years later, Advanced Construction Robotics has a fleet of nine TyBOTS working on projects, tying 1,100 intersections an hour or 36,000 in a single work week which is equivalent to what four to six workers can accomplish, according to Searock. In May, it even set a record for tying more than 11,000 intersections in a single shift.

The company is also developing a new rebar placing robot, IronBOT, currently in its final testing phase, according to Searock. The robot is capable of carrying and placing 5,000-pound bundles of rebar, another back-breaking task ripe for automation.

In 15 years, Searock believes were all going to look back one day and ask ourselves, Why in the world did we have 10 people bent over every day literally hurting themselves tying rebar together?

But Searock knows adoption will take time.

Our focus is to bring these products to construction, quickly, reliably, safely and as socially acceptable as we can because our end goal is we want to change construction, Searock said. We truly believe that this technology and robotics is a beneficial thing that construction needs and wants. They just dont all see it yet.

Henning Roedel, the robotics lead at San Francisco-based DPR Construction, a commercial contractor and construction management firm, sees it.

Roedel told Built In hes currently looking at 15 new technologies, all of them robotics designed for use in construction.

When he joined DPR in 2019 as West Coast innovation lead, Roedel was tasked with scouting new technologies across 13 categories, including robotics. There were a couple of robotics companies that came out that all of a sudden just blew us out of the water in terms of the impact on safety and quality and then productivity, Roedel said. It was like checking all the boxes.

Im not looking for systems that are purely autonomous with no human intervention whatsoever ... Im interested in technologies that make the jobsite safer for individuals and make them more productive.

As a result, Roedel started spending more time testing and conducting pilot programs, just trying to push the technologies to their limits, he said. Now, as robotics lead, Roedel oversees a division thats capable of scaling a new technology across the company.

Im not looking for systems that are purely autonomous with no human intervention whatsoever, Roedel told Built In. Im not interested in that type of technology. Im interested in technologies that make the jobsite safer for individuals and make them more productive.

One of the first robots Roedel and his team introduced to the jobsite was Dusty, a robot that uses building information modeling to print plans directly onto surfaces, replacing manual chalk-line layouts. It was a tool that DPR Construction initially conceived nearly a decade ago, but shelved. In pilot programs, Dusty worked five times faster than a traditional two-person layout crew.

On job sites, theres definitely an energy around Dusty, Roedel said. People are taking notice of its speed and quality and clients are very interested in it, but Dusty, and its cohort of construction robots on jobsites today, have yet to make a measurable impact on the industry as a whole. According to Roedel, thats still another five to 10 years away.

I think were still in the really early stages, Roedel said. This is the first wave of new robots built specifically for our industry.

For measurable impact, two things need to occur, according to Roedel. First, robots need to evolve from being task specific to more multipurpose. Today, theyre typically good at doing one job, while companies like DPR Construction are installing a million items in each of their building projects, Roedel said.

The industry also needs many more robots.

Theres only so many robotic systems out there, Roedel said. Were talking tens of robots, not thousands. And so for the construction industry thats over a trillion dollars here in the U.S. were going to need thousands of robots to be built and circulating for measurable impact.

More on RoboticsThe Future of Robots and Robotics

Today, there appears to be a consensus around whats possible for such a stagnant industry thats trying to keep up with society. (If it doesn't, I think were in bigger trouble than we understand, Roedel said.)

Watching Dusty and TyBOT work offers a glimpse of what the future of robotics in the construction industry could look like a future where humans and robots work alongside one another to get more work done, quickly and safely, just as every other once-new tool, from the hammer to the steam shovel, has done for the construction industry.

Its also poised to transform the workforce, potentially counteracting a worsening labor crisis by luring in new and younger talent comfortable with the video game-like controllers used to run these new robots, while keeping more seasoned workers plagued by injuries on the job, according to Roedel.

They cant work as they used to and they still want to contribute, Roedel said. They love building, they love being out on projects, so we can extend their careers.

New technology will also lead to new roles on job sites, like the robot supervisors that are working alongside TyBOT. (Who doesnt want to grow up and run a robot? Searock said.)

Its really a misconception that jobs can be lost because theres simply not enough workers now to do the job ... Something has to fill the gap.

And while robots certainly have the potential to displace workers, that may be difficult to do considering the labor crisis, which is only predicted to get worse. The industry was short 375,000 workers in July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Its really a misconception that jobs can be lost because theres simply not enough workers now to do the job, Searock said. Something has to fill the gap.

Theres also a new wave of investment being ushered in the construction industry, which could help. In May, Dusty Robotics announced $45 million in new funding.

The construction industry, historically, hasnt had [research and development] budgets, Roedel said. I think venture capital has really changed the game and I think were gonna see a huge change and increase in productivity, just because external investments are finally happening for innovating in our industry.

When asked what new technology he would like to one day see on the jobsite, Roedel noted the need for robotic systems geared toward electrical work. Literally just capping cables with terminals would be fantastic, he said. Theres just so much time and energy spent pulling copper through buildings and then terminating it. That to me seems like low hanging fruit.

While all the new investments, innovations and labor implications associated with robotics and automation, all seem poised to boost productivity in the construction industry, its still unclear how quickly companies will adapt, adopt and introduce robots onto the jobsite, and whether a fear of displacing workers will make some industry leaders continue to hesitate, even if productivity and safety benefits are obvious.

The work never goes away, Roedel said. Its just how we interact with it that changes. And thats true with all technologies and all automation. I still firmly believe were going to need people. Theres obviously an element of craftsmanship that goes into everything we build any creative project. And if we lose that then I think the world would be a much more boring place.

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Is the Construction Industry Ready to Embrace Robots? - Built In

South Africa intends to enhance the teaching of robotics and coding in public schools through the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the AI Institute is being established in partnership with institutions of higher learning, in particular the Johannesburg Business School of the University of Johannesburg and the Tshwane University of Technology, which are co-founder institutions together with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

"It is essential that we invest significantly to provide our youth with access to modern training, skill sets and formal education. To achieve this, our Department of Basic Education has introduced robotics and coding as school subjects in primary and high schools.

"At present, learners in over a 1 000 schools are designing and producing robots both for gaming and to complete tasks the learners find tedious for human completion.

"Next year, learners in these and additional schools that will join this category will compete in a National Robotics Development Challenge," the Minister said on Thursday during the G20 Digital Economy Ministers Meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

Government's focus on digital skills includes creating platforms to support and promote the ability of the youth, and small and medium enterprises, in particular start-ups to develop digital content.

"In this regard, South Africa will launch an App Store to be known as DigiTech on the 13 September 2022. We have undertaken to our sister countries within Africa to ensure that content producers from the rest of the Africa can have their Apps enrolled on the DigiTech App Store," the Minister said.

Bridging the digital divide

With technology changing how people work and live, Ntshavheni said governments have the responsibility to continue to use technology as a primary catalyst for change in the world that should advance accessible public services, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.

She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the negative impact of the digital divide in human development in particular the poor.

"In South Africa and the majority of the developing world, in particular in Africa, where the poor remained unconnected, the poor were severely marginalised during the COVID-19 pandemic because they were excluded from accessing basic services such as education, health and ability to work.

"It is for this reason that we prioritised and concluded the licensing of the high demand spectrum and also secured the commitment of our telecommunications regulator to ensure that the Frequency Spectrum licence holders contribute towards the national broadband penetration objectives by connecting key public institutions such as schools, health facilities, and traditional authorities.

"In addition, this year we will finalise the roadmap towards the deployment of 4G and 5G networks including to rural towns. We continue to work to attain the objectives of our South Africa Connect programme to ensure that we attain universal access to the internet by 2024," the Minister said.

Government is also extending email addresses to all learners/students in public schools and their parents as part of requirements of basic e-learning.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)

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SA to establish AI Institute to enhance teaching of robotics and coding - Devdiscourse

Astrobotics platform was selected by NASA to transport and test lunar rovers and landers

Sending robots to the moon has become a routine part of space exploration, with innovators worldwide developing these rovers for monitoring and exploring the lunar surface. There is one aspect, however, that still proves challenging surviving a lunar night.

Nights on the moon are arduous, long, and cold, with temperatures often dropping to below 392 degrees, and sometimes lasting up to two weeks. These conditions can easily damage sensitive components of a device or rover, such as its batteries or other electronic elements. To combat this, NASA has established a new program to develop and test lunar night survival technologies, with Astrobotic providing its CubeRover platform for the job.

The platform acts as a means of transportation for these lunar systems, and also provides consistent power and bandwidth. According to Astrobotics website, CubeRover contains all the subsystems necessary to provide payloads with mobility, power, communications and protection from the lunar thermal environment.

In the project, CubeRover will be testing thermal systems designed to withstand extreme cold and extended periods of darkness. One of these technologies will be from Astrobotic itself, having been subcontracted by Advanced Cooling Technologies on a separate NASA program to develop, integrate and demonstrate lunar night thermal systems aboard lunar rovers and landers.

In addition to testing the durability of lunar technologies, CubeRover will be used to test communication capacity on the moon, using satellite communication relays to extend network range.

This mission has the potential to usher in a new era of robust lunar robotics where instruments and payloads can survive months to even years on the Moons surface, said Mike Provenzano, Astrobotics director of lunar surface systems. CubeRover will survive longer and drive farther than any lunar rover in its class with this flight, taking Astrobotic a major step forward in opening the Moon to sustained long-term robotic operations.

Two of Astrobotics landers, Griffin and Peregrine, will also be heading to the moon under contracts with NASA, with an anticipated launch date of 2024.

All of the projects are funded through NASAs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Sequential Phase II program.

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Lunar Robots Try to Survive a Night on the Moon - IoT World Today

Advanced Image Robotics was founded in 2020 in an effort to let creators and producers focus on the content and not have to be IT experts. The founders were also looking to create a purpose-built platform that could broadcast an event without breaking the budget.

Scheduled to ship in Q4 of this year, the AIR One ecosystem allows a small production team (or even a single individual) to capture with a robotic 4K-cinema-quality camera, control with a simple iPad-based app, switch and edit via the custom-designed AIRCloud platform; and stream to viewers directly from the camera using a simple ethernet connection. It has already been used successfully on a variety of live-sports events, including NBA Summer League, Major League Rugby, and Brazilian jiujitsu tournaments.

Using robotic controls and machine precision to give provide greater accuracy in shooting, the camera equipment used in the AIR One system sets up and breaks down in minutes. In addition, direct cloud connection streamlines the camera-to-viewer workflow, enabling distributed teams through cloud production for a more efficient labor force.

SVG sat down with Founder and Chief Product Officer Nick Nordquist to discuss the how the idea for AIR originally came from his daughters soccer matches, where he sees the AIR One platform fitting into the overall live sports ecosystem, and how remote and distributed production models are changing the face of live production.

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SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Advanced Image Robotics' Nick Nordquist on How the New AIR One System Can Bring High-End Live Production Capabilities to...

GLEN ALLEN Coal miners had their canaries to sniff out deadly carbon monoxide before the gas could overcome them.

Now, with coal on its way out, nuclear plants are turning to a 21st-century warning system to shield workers from radiation: a robotic dog named Spot.

You cant see radiation, said Joshua Bell, a nuclear technology and innovation consultant with Dominion Energy. It is there and you can only detect it, so Spots a really good way to understand stuff you cant see before people have to go and experience it themselves.

A 70-pound contraption designed by Boston Dynamics and powered by a lithium-ion battery, the four-legged robot can be controlled remotely, equipped with up to 30 pounds of sensors, cameras and other tools, and programmed to carry out tasks. Since the engineering and robotics company introduced the technology in 2019, electric utilities like Dominion have increasingly been eyeing it as a way to reduce radiation exposure for workers at nuclear plants.

There are a few dozen utilities actively using Spot today, and were seeing more and more interest all the time, said Nikolas Noel, Boston Dynamics marketing and communications director, in an email.

Spot wasnt designed specifically for use at nuclear plants, Noel said. Instead, the idea was to create a general purpose industrial robot that was highly mobile and could perform useful work in a variety of areas, especially in places that might be dangerous or difficult for people to access.

Certainly nuclear facilities fit that criteria, he said.

Dominion acquired its own Spot in fall 2021. The company, which operates the North Anna and Surry nuclear plants in Virginia, each of which employs over 780 people, currently sources about a third of its electricity for state customers from nuclear and intends to keep the plants running for at least the next few decades as Virginia phases out fossil fuels.

The allure of the robot was straightforward: If I have a walking device that can use stairs and go around corners, I can reduce the amount of exposure I give to people, said Joseph Rigatti, Dominions manager of nuclear technology programs.

SInce then, the electric utility has been running pilots with the robotic Rover to see how it (Dominion employees agree Spot is an it, although he tends to slip into conversations after a while) can be integrated into the North Anna and Surry plants.

Bell and Rigatti, who are experimenting with Spot from the utilitys Innsbrook facility outside Richmond, describe a range of uses for the technology. It can be programmed to walk through a plant to monitor and map radiation or heat, detect leaks and verify test results. It can carry cameras for remote technicians to watch. It can take instrument readings. It can help move used nuclear fuel to onsite storage facilities, as it did in a recent pilot at Surry.

Spots just a wagon that can move itself, said Bell. We can use it with so many different instruments.

The robot may also allow utilities to collect data they otherwise wouldnt from high-radiation areas of plants where workers are barred except for occasional necessary checks to ensure equipment is operating properly.

Current practice is unlock the door, a guy runs in, does checks as fast as reasonable to get the information and comes out, said Bell. But with Spot, we can go in, we can take the time to do thermography on the whole space. We can take the time to get up-close visuals of individual components and do a real in-depth survey and gather data that (is) valuable, but not valuable enough to risk someone being in that space that long.

But despite its utility, worker reactions to Spot have been mixed.

Unlike other robots, the technology isnt intended to replace employees. But also unlike other robots, Spot doesnt seem well, quite robotic enough. At times, it seems downright doglike, capable of rolling on its side, trotting up hillsides and stretching.

There are just some that just the sight of it makes them nervous and they walk away, said Rigatti. And theres others that want to get right up and pet it like you would a dog.

Bell, who has spent hours with Spot, said that even though the contraption isnt voice-controlled, he still finds himself talking aloud to it, encouraging it around corners and up stairs with a cheerful, Come on, Spot, were going to go here.

Noel of Boston Dynamics said the robots canine design was no accident, but a product of how the company intended Spot to function.

Our robots end up moving like humans and animals not because we designed them to look like humans and animals but because we made them balance, he said. Balance and dynamic motion are characteristics we have previously only seen in animals, and people tend to associate them with lifelike movement.

Its precisely that functionality that lets Spot carry out tasks earlier-generation drones or other robots have been unable to undertake because of their inability to climb stairs or navigate tight spaces.

Even Spot is evolving, however. During an early trial at Surry, Rigatti recounted, he ran into a spot of trouble negotiating a tight turn on a stairwell and fell down the flight of stairs. Boston Dynamics has since rewritten his code specifically to improve his navigational abilities.

Any place a person can go, they want Spot to be able to go, said Rigatti.

The robots operational range at Dominions Virginia plants also is expanding. At the recent Surry pilot where Spot was used to move spent nuclear fuel, Bell said he realized that for the first time, he was operating the robot from roughly 100 feet away.

Really thats what were going for, he said, is being able to sit back, stay away and let the robot do the job as much as it can.

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The 21st centurys canary in the coal mine is a robotic dog named Spot - Virginia Mercury

Selecting an automated solution based on an understanding of how that solution benefits a customer's business operations, with accurate simulations and modeling, will lay the foundation for success.

Lowering the Barrier to Entry with "Robotics-as-a-Service" (RaaS)

Q&A with Mike Futch, CEO | Tompkins Robotics

Of the estimated 20,000 warehouses in the US, only 20% use some level of automation be it conveyor, robotics, automated storage retrieval systems ASRS, automated guided vehicles AGVs, or autonomous mobile robots AMRs. The fastest growing automation solutions are with AMRs and robotics. The robotics sector is anticipated grow annually at a CAGR above 11% for the next five years. With the shift in consumer habits and rise in E-Commerce and direct to consumer purchasing, Fortune 100 companies are forced to find a way to become faster and more efficient. Adopting automation has been the solution to increased customer expectations and demands. Smaller companies are slower to adopt new technology and automation is not necessarily the right solution for all firms.

Labor is the foremost driver for automation. Competition for labor, plus the rising cost of wages are becoming a major challenge for companies. Automation is shown to make work easier, more interesting and provide better health & working conditions for employees. This helps attract as well as retain employees to companies utilizing automation.

The growth in work content due to the rise in individual items picked for ecommerce orders and more real time replenishment throughout the network, adds even more pressure to the supply chain system. As the handling of individual items increases and the processing of caseloads diminishes, the old supply chain workflows breakdown and become inefficient. Consumer expectations are higher, old ways of working are slower, and inefficient businesses lose customers and revenue. Automation solutions that are flexible and scalable are key in allowing sustainable growth and profitability for a company.

Labor and system capacity concerns are adversely affecting the supply chain process. Automation provides increases in productivity, reduction of human error, more efficient use of existing space, and the ability for around the clock operations performing at peak performance levels. Changes in the workforce see todays employers struggle to retain quality employees while simultaneously attempting to hire new employees to deal with burgeoning demand placed upon the supply chain network. Employers who can automate processes remove repetitive and difficult job tasks from workers, elevating them to manage robotic fleets, and create value for their business, customers and workforce.

Two of the major barriers to implementation of robotics are change and misinformation. Company leadership that is not visionary or is unable to examine new technology and the data points associated with that technology greatly hinders automation success. The perception that automation is a long journey and creates inflexibility in the supply chain is a misconception. Selecting the right solution for the right requirements and situation can be highly successful when planned and managed effectively. Being fearful of change and not viewing their supply chain as a profit center or way to gain a strategic advantage against market competition are other narrow-minded thoughts that prevent adoption to automation.

Misinformation or bad data points also contribute to implementing automation. The assumption that robotic technology is expensive and requires tremendous capital outlay is inaccurate. There are CapEx, lease and OpEx (Robots as a Service or RaaS) options available in the market. Inaccurate comparisons using unrealistic cost of labor numbers result in flawed budget comparisons. Only using planned costs per hour as a data point is short-sighted when not including real costs like turnover, training, sick days, reduction in productivity over a shift, human errors, etc. Also, the thought that every robotic solution requires new talent and costs like an expanded IT department or engineering staff, are not usually the case. Selecting an automated solution based on an understanding of how that solution benefits a customer's business operations, with accurate simulations and modeling, will lay the foundation for success. Finally, selecting the right solution provider that can demonstrate proven successful and measurable results, is always a requirement to achieve the planned results.

Tompkins Robotics designed our tSort autonomous mobile robot (AMR) sortation solution to be elegantly simple and provide a great point-of-entry for companies that have a limited budget, limited space, and limited resources to implement and manage automation. The lifecycle service and total cost of ownership is also simple, easy-to-use, reliable without the need for a highly sophisticated maintenance, IT or engineering staff. Purchasing options like RaaS allow for companies to implement the robotic automation with capacity they require today, but with the flexibility to scale as the business grows.

Mike Futch, President and CEO, Tompkins RoboticsMike is the President, CEO and one of the original leaders that has created Tompkins Robotics and brought the tSort sortation system to life for global customers. tSort is the worlds leading robotic, truly scalable, portable, and intelligently adaptable automated sortation system that is changing the way firms execute in their supply chains. He has been involved from day one in the evolution of this unique and innovative system recognizing the potential, designing the applications, and creating the value proposition for Tompkins Robotics customers. He continues to lead the design and forward movement of the company. He drives much of the new application development, new product conceptualization, and the integration with partners solving unique problems with complimentary robotic automation. His focus is to deliver Tompkins Robotics and its systems to customers across the globe to maximize their service, performance, and operations in ways never before thought possible. Mike has had a long, successful, prior career in the US Air Force and as a leader in consulting practices at several firms. He now brings that same level of success to the leadership of Tompkins Robotics and its customers.

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Lowering the Barrier to Entry with "Robotics-as-a-Service" (RaaS) | RoboticsTomorrow - Robotics Tomorrow