Category Archives: Robotics

Nearly a half-foot of snow was dumped on Minot on Friday, but that wont stop kids and their robots from competing in the 2022 Minot Regional Lego Robotics Tournament today at Minot State University.

Allison Auch, the executive director for Full STEAM Ahead, said MSU has done a good job of clearing away snow from the parking lots.

The competition, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the second-floor gymnasium in MSUs Swain Hall today from 1 to 3 p.m.

Seth Finley, 13, one of the competitors, is a seventh-grader this year at Bishop Ryan Catholic School.

I first experienced Lego Robotics in the Hostfest in the Schools program and really liked it, Finley said in an email to The Minot Daily News this week. So, I was excited to join my schools Lego Robotics team when I was old enough (4th grade). Our Lego Lions team won the state competition that year, so we got to travel to Detroit, MI to compete at the international competition! It was amazing! This is my 4th year on a team. I love doing the programming the most, and want to learn coding too. Im learning to work as part of a team, to work towards a goal, to compromise with my teammates. Because of what Ive learned in Lego Robotics, I want to become a computer programmer.

Finley explained that this years competition is called Cargo Connect. The objective is to create better ways to transport goods, he said. Each team built a robot with a Spike Kit that contains all of the parts needed to build the robot, such as the Legos, a brain, and wheels.

We use a battery brick and a micro USB to charge the brain, said Finley. The brain runs the motors and the sensors. This year were using the Spike App to program the brain from a computer. We write programs to make the robot complete assigned tasks. There are at least 13 different tasks that we can try to complete. Some of the tasks are: 1) Bridge (we have to knock down both sides of the bridge to earn points) 2) Engine Flip (theres a gray & blue lever that we need to flip) 3) Helicopter (theres a lever on the bottom that we have to push forward to drop a crate onto the other teams board.) Each task is assigned a certain number of points. The goal is to earn as many points as possible. We can also lose points by getting penalties. Examples of penalties are picking up your robot from outside of the home area, touching something that is outside the home area, & having too many team members at the board at one time. We also earn points from doing our presentations to the judges. We explain how we designed our robot and why, were judged on how well our team works together, and we also do a presentation on how we would solve the assigned problem (transporting goods). We should be exhibiting the core values at all times (discovery, inclusion, teamwork, impact, innovation, & fun).

There are nine other kids on Finleys team. Each team can have as many as 10 kids competing. Competitors are between the ages of 10 and 14. Auch said there will be 10 teams competing today from across the region. Past events have had as many as 22 robotics teams competing. She said coaches are teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

Dusty Lawson, who coaches his son Ethan and other kids, said its a great opportunity for kids to learn about not just robotics but also about teamwork. Participating in the activities through Full STEAM Ahead are free or have a minimal charge for the kids. Lawson said Auch has done a great job of finding sponsors and grant funding for the activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Yes, the kids learn coding/programming/engineering, said Auch in an email. But one of the fun aspects of this completion that Lego really enforces is the core values. Teamwork, Gracious Professionalism and fun!! We are really working on exposing kids to challenges individually and as a team to help them learn how to fail. To know that they must keep trying. That things will not always work out the first time but they cannot give up, they need may need to adjust their angle or ask for help, but to just keep trying. I believe these kids do take more of an interest in computer science and robotics opportunities at the high school level. We have not been around long enough with full steam ahead robotics to see the impact at the collegiate level, but are excited to track that!

Full STEAM Ahead was launched to run the LEGO robotics program teams in the community. Younger kids in the group called FLL Explore are coached by MSU education majors, said Auch. These teams dont compete but learn the fundamental of robotics, coding, and teamwork.

FULL STEAM Ahead is also involved in other programming. Auch said she also coordinates theatre, coding camps, after school enrichment programs, persuasion/rhythm classes, chess camps, kickball, T-ball and other activities.

Winners at the robotics competition today will go on to compete at the North Dakota State Tournament at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks on Feb. 12.

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When Maxwell Lee took over as the general manager of Autel Robotics, his family-owned business, in 2020, he knew there would be challenges. What he didnt expect was that he would be navigating a period of historic tech innovation, speckled by a pandemic, major leadership changes, and supply chain crisis.

In a candid and wide-ranging interview with DroneDJ, Lee talks about the evolution of Autels multirotor platforms, acknowledges the increasingly fragile nature of drone businesses, and credits rival DJI for building a multibillion-dollar industry from scratch.

Autel Robotics is the drone unit of Autel Intelligent Technology, a manufacturer of automotive electronic components and diagnostic equipment. Explaining why his family decided to enter the drone industry, Lee says, The drone subsidiary was the brainchild of founder Frank Li and Gary DeLuca, who was heading Autel Intelligence at the time. They knew theres only so much growth an automotive diagnostic equipment maker can achieve, given the inevitable global transition toward green energy. They decided to bank the future on robotics, and picked drones as their platform of choice.

Lee, a Boston University graduate, came on board just before the release of the EVO II drone to do some serious restructuring and oversee the day-to-day operations at the companys Seattle office. In terms of international growth, the US is the single most important market for Autel Robotics, Lee explains. Consumers here are excited about drone technology and have a lot of buying power. If you can succeed in the US, you can succeed in the rest of the world.

This is why the companys product focus today is starkly different from its early X-Star days. Ill be the first to admit that from a consumers point of view, that was not a very good product, Lee shrugs. In fact, after it was released, we fired the entire R&D team.

And then, the EVO platform was conceived. EVO I was affordable and compact. In a way, it was the X-Star without the performance. But it was just an okay drone, nothing really out of the box. We had to let go of that R&D team as well.

The third team that was brought on to develop the EVO II platform gave Autel Robotics the solid foundation it was looking for. So, Lee beams when he says: This is a pretty successful product. It has done well on all fronts consumer, enterprise, prosumer. With EVO II, we have reached that critical level of technology that allows us to branch out. Using this platform, we can make smaller drones, bigger drones, more affordable drones whatever the market demands. The new EVO Nano and EVO Lite drone series are offshoots of the same platform.

And what about EVO III?

Oh, EVO III is still a ways out. It got leaked pretty early, but those are not the final specs. Were still playing around with technology Micro Four Thirds sensors, mechanical shutter Were still flexible. The EVO III will come out, but not any time soon. So, if you like the Mavic 3, Id say go for it. I wouldnt stop you from buying it.

With the conversation getting unexpectedly steered toward DJI, it has to be asked: Does Autel Robotics hope to dethrone the world leader in drone technology one day?

Lee flashes you a bright smile before responding, Thats the dream, yes. Then he pauses and reconsiders his words, offering a more straightforward answer this time.

I really respect DJI for what they have done for the drone community. They may not be the first ones to introduce drones, but they certainly are the first to popularize them and bring them into the mainstream. DJI has created the commercial drone industry from scratch. Just look at their work in the public safety domain which police department was using drones before DJI showed them the good an eye in the sky can do? And lets not forget a large portion of the domestic drone industry in the US is built on DJI products; they depend on their hardware. Youve got to give credit where credit is due.

And Lee is not the one to shy away from giving credit. His list of drone companies I admire includes Skydio for elevating the bar of drone autonomy, and Parrot for supporting open-source architecture and harnessing the power of 4G for drones. I respect innovators, he emphasizes.

Lee is also quick to point out that its a big pie; theres enough for everyone. And lobbying, in-fighting, and politics arent doing anyone any good.

Our industry is still more fragile than most people would think, he says. Globally, flying drones is becoming more restrictive, and in many places, drones are getting banned left, right, and center. The consumer market is also reaching a plateau with Remote ID coming out and more areas getting looped into No-Fly Zones. The last thing I want for this industry is over-regulation and getting pushed to a side.

And this explains why drone manufacturers including Autel strive to showcase how drones are helping people and improving communities. If you think about drones as a robotics solution, the possibilities are really out there.

It also explains the growing focus of drone makers on the enterprise sector, with consolidation being the key phrase. We positioned the EVO II as a bigger Mavic Pro but a smaller M300; it can fulfill the requirements of both consumers and professional users. DJIs product line in recent times is also witnessing a similar kind of consolidation, in my observation, Lee says.

They stretched out a lot with the Tellos and the Minis and the Airs and the Mavics and the Inspires. But now look at the Mavic 3; it can potentially do mapping, can be used for public safety, and is also a fantastic prosumer drone. Perhaps even the commercial market is not growing nearly as fast as DJI would have liked to dedicate a product line to a single market vertical.

Meanwhile, Autels growth is something Lee is fairly optimistic about. And thats because the companys single-minded focus on perfecting its products is about to fill some very critical gaps in the market, he says.

Also read: New Autel Sky app available to download for iOS and Android

Take the new EVO Nano, for example. As Lee puts it, The other sub-250-gram drones in the market may be lightweight and compact, but they are not professional tools.

The EVO Nano+ is the only drone in its category to feature a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor with an RYYB color filter array design that gives photos more contrast and dynamic range.

Our internal tests have shown that this sensor can perform on par with some of the other 1-inch sensors that are available in the market right now. This alone transforms the Nano from a very consumer level, affordable drone to something thats more enthusiast/prosumer level, Lee maintains, adding that hes expecting to ship at least 1,000 units of the Nano every day in the first couple of months of the drones market release.

In the meantime, the EVO Lite series is set to ensure that the consumer side of the business does not get chipped away by Autels competitors on the back of the price to performance ratio. The EVO II is not cheap. So, the Lite series has been developed as its slimmed-down version, roughly 30% lighter than the EVO II but featuring similar payloads and new chips that would deliver better processing performance.

Between the two drones, Autel Robotics has added 28 new SKUs to its core business unit. A logistical nightmare, no doubt. And a curious decision by a company that has struggled due to chip shortages and supply chain problems.

We were forced to change the chip on the EVO II because the original manufacturer simply stopped producing chips. And chipsets take months to optimize properly. A single chip or two allows the drone to function as a mini-computer taking care of everything from coding video, processing and transmitting the footage, autonomy features, obstacle avoidance, and just keeping the aircraft afloat. So, switching from one chip to another takes a lot of time.

Admitting that the company was facing chip shortages with the EVO II Enterprise Series up until last month, Lee assures that similar problems wouldnt arise for the Nano and Lite series at least. The manufacturing facility has kept backup options this time.

So, as we enter 2022, Lee has high hopes for Autel Robotics, and he lays out his plans. We will continue to develop the EVO III drone and possibly some heavy-lift platforms to make our ecosystem more robust. The same goes for the Dragonfish series, whose multiple platforms will continue to be nurtured. Were getting requests from pretty much every direction to expand our offerings, but one big technology that were looking into is autonomy systems. Im particularly inclined toward autonomous drone swarm technology for security applications like border security, patrolling, site monitoring, etc.

Lee sums up the conversation by circling back to the idea of a product-first approach. In the end, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to making the best products we can, because it will always be about the end users for us. Theres no dearth of smokes and mirrors in the drone industry. A lot of companies come, show great marketing videos, and then just disappear. But were in this for the long haul, were sticking around.

Read more: Autel video shows EVO Nest automatic drone charging station features

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How Autel Robotics hopes to shape the future of drone industry - DroneDJ

Researchers at MIT have developed a new fabrication technique for more efficient 'muscles' in tiny, insect-like flying bots. This comes alongside news surrounding China's introduction of explosion-proof refuelling robots. So it looks like our future overlords are getting some strength upgrades... but on a serious note, let's talk robotic innovation.

MIT has been working on flying insect robots, also known as diminutive drones, for ages. They work, according to the MIT News article, using soft actuators that are "like artificial muscles that rapidly flap the robots wings." These soft actuators also give the bots a better chance to withstand and recover from running into obstacles.

The soft actuators they used to fly had always needed "much higher voltages than similarly-sized rigid actuators," the article explains. Essentially they were unable to carry enough charge to work efficiently.

In their next evolution, these agile flying bots have received some Stonefly-reminiscent upgrades, and can now run on "low-voltage, power-dense, high endurance soft actuators." The new fabrication technique means they can now use "75 percent lower voltage than current versions while carrying 80 percent more payload," the article reads.

The bot now weighs less than a gram, and can hover quite stably for 20 secondswhich is actually the longest flight ever recorded by a sub-gram robot.

They're nifty little creatures, for sure, but they come with some major limitations at the moment. One day, they might be used to "pollinate a field of crops, or search for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building," but right now there's still work to be done.

The issue faced currently lies in how thin the team can make the actuator layers, due to dust in the air. But soon they'll be building actuators in an MIT.nano clean room, in order to eliminate issues posed by pesky dust particles.

At the other end of the robotic weight-class spectrum, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) recently rocked up with "the country's first high-altitude outdoor explosion-proof refuelling robot."

The company had already introduced a non-contact refuelling service back in 2020, which lets customers use an app to order fuel so they don't have to speak to an attendant. Another refuelling robot was introduced in October of last year, and this explosion-proof version is just the next step in making the process safer, more efficient, and user-friendly.

Just look at his little robot face: What a good bot.

On the reddit post that brought the bot to our attention, one reply to the top comment goes into the projected logistics a little. It claims that, due to the robot's total cost equating to maybe ten years of cheap human labour, "There is 0 chance this makes financial sense."

I'm sure CNPC didn't make the decision to invest heavily in robotics equipment without first consulting a financial advisor, but you never know. What's important to note is that people (in case anyone needs reminding) are not explosion-proof, and tend to demand things like wages and holidays.

Sure, it'll be in need of the odd repair here and there, but it'll probably last longer than ten yearsmeaning the cost effectiveness for CNPC will only get better in the long run.

Of course, we're hoping always for the advancement of humanity through automation and higher efficiency tech. Let's just hope that, now that it's explosion-proof, it doesn't go i-Robot and turn against us.

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Robots are getting stronger muscles and explosion-proofing - PC Gamer

HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Vortex Companies, a leading provider of advanced trenchless water and sewer technologies and infrastructure renewal services, introduced today its new Vortex AccuPower High-Pressure Water Blaster. The high-pressure water jet technology is capable of removing hardened concrete, heavy debris and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining without damaging host pipes.

The new Vortex AccuPower High-Pressure Water Blaster is built upon decades of Schwalm robotics expertise. The AccuPower system can be quickly configured on a Schwalm robot within 10 minutes, eliminating the need for existing Schwalm robot owners to invest in a new robot. Engineered for pipes eight to 40 inches in diameter, it allows operators to cut through the harshest aging infrastructure debris, including concrete and failed CIPP liners. With powerful 40,000 psi output and precisely calibrated jets, it avoids compromising host pipes or original infrastructure.

The AccuPower High-Pressure Water Blaster offers more than 40 jet and nozzle options for maximum versatility to customize the water jet for any obstruction and environment, such as a 12 lance that prevents camera clouding for greater visibility. Additionally, AccuPower jets are manufactured with diamond material to protect against wear and eliminate the need for replacement jets.

The AccuPower High-Pressure Water Blaster offers the broadest range of motion available with 180 camera rotation, 210 arm rotation and 360 swivel rotation, said Nick Patrick, General Manager, Vortex Technologies Group. Weve incorporated a 15 fanjet design that provides five times more coverage than conventional spinner water jets to cut away large areas of debris quickly and safely, and with greater accuracy. Operators now have maximum control over the water blasting range, completely eliminating collateral damage during the cutting operation.

The AccuPower High-Pressure Water Blasters purpose-built arm coupled with the broadest range of nozzle and jet combinations available adds a completely new performance dimension to Schwalm robotics, added Mike Vellano, CEO of The Vortex Companies. The AccuPower elevates high-pressure water jet technology, providing unmatched safety, power, precision, and operator usability.

About The Vortex CompaniesThe Vortex Companies is a leading provider of advanced trenchless water and sewer technologies and provides turnkey services to cost effectively renew municipal, industrial and commercial infrastructure. Vortex, along with its partners, offers the most diverse technology platformsin the industry. This includes manhole and pipe rehabilitation materials, polymeric coatings and resins, sewer robot systems and high-speed drain cleaning tools and allows customers the opportunity to select the best fit for their system.

Operating globally, Vortex remains focused on its vision of expanding and providing a broad range of industry leading, cost-effective trenchless infrastructure renewal solutions, supported by experienced and trained personnel. For more information, go tovortexcompanies.com.

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Vortex Introduces Ultra High-Pressure Precision Robotic Water Jet Designed to Remove Concrete, Heavy Debris, and CIPP Lining without Damaging Host...

The Global Robotics Software Platforms Market from 2021 to 2027 research focuses on a global analysis of existing market trends. The MarketsandResearch.biz objective is to provide companies with a comprehensive picture of the market and to assist them in formulating development plans.

The Robotics Software Platforms provides an estimate for 2021-2027 based on a relevant and knowledgeable study. It includes information on market drivers, opportunities, restraints, and problems. This research will support business strategists by assisting them in achieving growth in global and regional marketplaces.

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It examines the Robotics Software Platforms market segments in-depth, covering

The market is also divided into segments, such as

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Each aspect, as well as the income prediction analysis, are briefly discussed in the research. The revenue forecast is based on the current market performance of the segment plus a brief assessment of historical data. A qualitative studys objective, on the other hand, is to provide descriptive information to the reports readers. The research includes qualitative methodologies such as Porters Five Forces, SWOT, PESTEL, and Feasibility Analysis.

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Robotics Software Platforms Market (2021-2027) Analysis of Major Segments and Future Opportunity Assessment Discovery Sports Media - Discovery Sports...

New high tech laboratories using artificial intelligence and robotics being built in Liverpool will help to combat future pandemics by accelerating research and new treatments. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool is to be the location of a new laboratories that will utilise artificial intelligence and robotics to research viruses such as COVID-19 and accelerate new treatments.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) have secured a 500,000 grant that will support the development of the new Containment Level 3 laboratories at LSTM.

The grant from the independent charitable organisation, The Wolfson Foundation, will support the expansion of high-specification robotic laboratories at LSTM capable of securely handling high-risk and deadly infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

iiCON, which is led by LSTM, brings together industry, academia, and the NHS in a 174m collaborative infectious disease R&D programme to accelerate the discovery, development and deployment of new antimicrobial treatments and products.

Its partners are Unilever, Evotec, Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, The University of Liverpool, and Infex Therapeutics.

The new facilities will be Robotic Category 3 Chemistry Laboratories, utilising next generation AI technology and robotics. These will securely progress the research and development of new products, treatments, and diagnostics for infectious diseases that pose a global threat to human health.

READ MORE: Liverpool to be home to global infection innovation hub

Through iiCON, industry will be able to work alongside LSTMs world-leading academic researchers on new treatments and products using the new laboratories, which are expected to be operational by early 2023.

Professor David Lalloo, Director of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine: The Wolfson Foundation have been long term supporters of the work of LSTM and we are delighted to have this link continue in a format that will benefit multiple areas of our activity.

As we move towards LSTMs 125th anniversary in 2023, we plan to expand our activities and facilities to enable us to continue creating opportunities and generating knowledge that will bridge the gap in health and scientific capacity around the world.

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, added: Were delighted to have secured this key funding, which will support the development of vital facilities utilising next-generation technology to safely and securely process dangerous pathogens, including COVID-19.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine has the highest concentration of Containment Level 3 laboratories in the North West of England. These facilities have played a critical role in the battle against COVID and other pathogens enabling industry and researchers to work safely and securely with dangerous pathogens.

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AI and robotics labs to combat pandemics - Liverpool Business News

Dublin, Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Next-Generation Surgical Robotics Market 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global next-generation surgical robotics market will reach $356.9 million by 2030, growing by 42.4% annually over 2020-2030 considering the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The market is driven by technological breakthroughs, advantages of robotic-assisted surgery, the increasing prevalence rate of chronic disorders, and highly increasing adoption of innovative surgical robots.

This report is based on a comprehensive research of the entire global next-generation surgical robotics market and all its sub-segments through extensively detailed classifications. Profound analysis and assessment are generated from premium primary and secondary information sources with inputs derived from industry professionals across the value chain. The report is based on studies on 2017-2019 and provides estimate for 2020 and forecast from 2021 till 2030 with 2019 as the base year because 2020 is not appropriate for research base due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

In-depth qualitative analyses include identification and investigation of the following aspects:

The trend and outlook of global market is forecast in optimistic, balanced, and conservative view by taking into account of COVID-19. The balanced (most likely) projection is used to quantify global next-generation surgical robotics market in every aspect of the classification from perspectives of System Component, Technology, Application, End User, and Region.

For each region and country, detailed analysis and data for annual revenue ($ mn) are available for 2019-2030. The breakdown of all regional markets by country and split of key national markets by System Component, Technology, and Application over the forecast years are also included.

The report also covers current competitive scenario and the predicted trend; and profiles key vendors including market leaders and important emerging players.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Market Overview and Dynamics2.1 Market Size and Forecast2.1.1 Impact of COVID-19 on World Economy2.1.2 Impact of COVID-19 on the Market2.2 Major Growth Drivers2.3 Market Restraints and Challenges2.4 Emerging Opportunities and Market Trends2.5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

3 Segmentation of Global Market by System Component3.1 Market Overview by System Component3.2 Robotic Systems3.3 Instruments and Accessories3.4 System Services

4 Segmentation of Global Market by Technology4.1 Market Overview by Technology4.2 Miniaturized Surgical Robotics4.3 Autonomous Surgical Robotics4.4 Teleoperated Surgical Robotics

5 Segmentation of Global Market by Application5.1 Market Overview by Application5.2 General Surgery5.3 Gynecology Surgery5.4 Urology Surgery5.5 Cardiology Surgery5.6 Neurosurgery5.7 Aesthetic Surgery5.8 Other Surgeries

6 Segmentation of Global Market by End User6.1 Market Overview by End User6.2 Hospitals6.3 Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs)6.4 Other End Users

7 Segmentation of Global Market by Region

8 Competitive Landscape8.1 Overview of Key Vendors8.2 New Product Launch, Partnership, Investment, and M&A8.3 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hhgfeh

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The Worldwide Next-Generation Surgical Robotics Industry will Reach $356.9 Million by 2030 - GlobeNewswire

Nominations are now open for companies and groups to apply for the 2022 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. Categories include 1) Business and Management Innovation, 2) Technology, Services, and Research Innovation, or 3) Application and Market Innovation.

By RBR Staff | January 10, 2022

For over a decade, Robotics Business Reviews RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have highlighted the most creative and influential innovations from around the world that have advanced the state of robotics. Robotics Business Review is currently seeking nominations for the 2022 Robotics Innovation Awards.

Many Innovation TypesRobotics innovation can take many forms technological, business, market, and investment that act individually, or in confluence, to accelerate robotics sector growth. The sources for robotics innovation can be technology, product, and services providers, but also academics and researchers, governmental and private business development groups, and the investment community.

How to ApplyThe editors of Robotics Business Review are seeking submissions from companies, research and development organizations, business development and investment groups, and others for consideration for the 2022 RBR50 awards.

Three Categories

Business and Management InnovationEntries should describe business and management initiatives or practices that enhance a companys commercial standing, foster robotics sector growth, or improve society. Innovative business and management categories include:

Research, Product Technology, and Services InnovationSubmissions should describe innovative technologies or services that entered the commercial market after January 2021.

Application and Market InnovationThese RBR50 entries should feature newly developed applications for specific sectors that deliver value, provide entry to new markets, or improve performance over existing approaches by improving productivity, increasing quality, reducing costs, etc. Markets include:

Benefits for RBR50 HonoreesThe RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards presents technology, product, and services providers, along with researchers, business development organizations and investment groups, a unique branding, marketing and education opportunity. Benefits for RBR50 honorees include:

Examples

Questions?For questions regarding the 2021 RBR50 innovation awards, please contact editors Dan Kara or Steve Crowe

Submission Form for the RBR50 2022 Innovation Awards Please fill out the fields below to submit your company or organization for consideration in the RBR50 2022 Innovation Awards.

(www.yourcompanyname.com)

1-1011-5051-100101-500500+

Please Select 1 Among All Options

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About WTWH MediaWTWH Media LLC is an integrated media company serving engineering, business, and investment professionals through more than 50 Web sites, five print publications, and many other technical and business events. The WTWH Network includes The Robot Report, Collaborative Robotics Trends, and Robotics Business Review, online technical, business, and investment news and information portals focused on robotics and intelligent systems. WTWH Media also produces leading in-person robotics conferences, including the Robotics Summit & Expo, RoboBusiness, and the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum, as well as the RoboBusiness Direct online webinar program.

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Nominations Open for the 2022 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards - Robotics Business Review

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ouster, Inc. (NYSE: OUST) (Ouster or the Company), a leading provider of high-resolution digital lidar sensors, announced today that it has signed a strategic customer agreement with Vecna Robotics, an intelligent material handling automation company. The agreement includes a non-binding forecast for approximately three thousand OS digital lidar sensors through 2025 as Vecna Robotics scales production to meet increasing customer demand for warehouse and logistics automation.

Vecna Robotics plans to fuse Ouster lidar into its multi-sensor autonomy stack to equip self-driving pallet trucks, tow tractors, and lift trucks for high-capacity material handling operations. The lidar helps the system confidently navigate dynamic environments, safely detect and avoid obstacles while working alongside human operations and manually driven vehicles, and intelligently map its path through real-time topological reasoning.

We completed an exhaustive evaluation of all 3D lidar sensors on the market and found the Ouster OS0 to be our strong favorite, said Zachary Dydek, Chief Technology Officer at Vecna Robotics. We believe Ousters best-in-class customer service and proven scalability will enable Vecna Robotics to meet customer demand for high-volume production and further extend our technology leadership in the industrial AMR space.

Vecna Robotics works with some of the worlds leading distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing companies to alleviate global supply chain challenges through automated solutions that increase throughput and efficiency in material handling. Manufacturing and logistics companies rely on over four million human operators to move nearly two billion pallets in the U.S. each day and approximately five billion pallets worldwide. Currently, less than one percent of material handling vehicles are automated, representing a significant opportunity to capture demand for warehouse automation within the $2.5 billion total addressable market (TAM) estimated for the industrial lidar market by 2025.

Warehouse and logistics automation is critical to improving supply chain operations. Businesses are facing unprecedented shipping delays, labor shortages, and price inflation and the demand to safely automate key aspects of the value chain is only accelerating, said Ouster CEO Angus Pacala. We are excited to partner with Vecna Robotics as they scale to serve the market opportunity for intelligent material handling equipment.

About Vecna Robotics

Vecna Robotics is an award-winning flexible intelligent material handling automation company with solutions engineered for seamless work between autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and the labor, equipment, facilities, and systems that make business go. Our self-driving fork trucks, pallet trucks, and tuggers powered by proprietary Pivotal orchestration software and our 24/7/365 command center help distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing organizations automate their most critical workflows, maximize throughput and scale operations fast. For more information, visit http://www.vecnarobotics.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Ouster

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) is building a safer and more sustainable future through its high-resolution digital lidar sensors for the automotive, industrial, smart infrastructure, and robotics industries. Ousters sensors offer an excellent combination of price and performance with the flexibility to span hundreds of use-cases and enable revolutionary autonomy across industries. With a global team and high-volume manufacturing, Ouster supports approximately 600 customers in over 50 countries. Ouster is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. For more information, visit http://www.ouster.com, or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding Ousters strategic partnerships, its ability to meet supply requirements, the scalability of its production, and its strategy and market positioning. Forward-looking statements give Ousters current expectations and projections relating to its financial condition, competitive position, future results of operations, plans, objectives, future orders and business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as anticipate, estimate, expect, project, plan, forecast, intend, believe, may, will, should, can have, likely and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected, including: Ousters limited operating history and history of losses; the negotiating power and product standards of its customers; fluctuations in its operating results; cancellation or postponement of contracts or unsuccessful implementations; the adoption of its products and the growth of the lidar market generally; its ability to grow its sales and marketing organization; substantial research and development costs needed to develop and commercialize new products; the competitive environment in which it operates; selection of its products for inclusion in target markets; its future capital needs; its ability to use tax attributes; its dependence on key third party suppliers, in particular Benchmark Electronics, Inc., and manufacturers; ability to maintain inventory and the risk of inventory write-downs; inaccurate forecasts of market growth; its ability to manage growth; the creditworthiness of customers; risks related to acquisitions; risks related to international operations; risks of product delivery problems or defects; costs associated with product warranties; its ability to maintain competitive average selling prices or high sales volumes or reduce product costs; conditions in its customers industries; its ability to recruit and retain key personnel; its use of professional employer organizations; its ability to adequately protect and enforce its intellectual property rights; its ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards; risks related to operating as a public company; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and other important factors discussed in the Companys final prospectus dated August 19, 2021, and in other reports the Company files with or furnishes to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any such forward-looking statements represent managements reasonable estimates and beliefs as of the date of this press release. While Ouster may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, other than as required by law, even if subsequent events cause its views to change.

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Ouster Signs Strategic Agreement with Vecna Robotics as Material Handling Automation Accelerates - Business Wire

Dont miss Fenix Group on Dawn of Drones Wednesday, January 12 at 11:00 AM EST. Dawn speaks with Savanna Horan, Senior Robotics Engineer, on whats next for drones and robotics. Stream below:

Join Dawn and Senior Robotics Engineer Savanna Horan of the Fenix Group Inc, leaders in creative applied intelligence as they discuss the Mobile Robotic LTE Network and the future of commercial & military robotics, drones and networked communications.

Savanna Horan has an MS in Robotics Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and has worked for a variety of companies from the Department of Navy to iRobot. Savanna also has her A&P and Remote Pilot certifications from the FAA, and is a volunteer with the Women in Technology (DC area) mentor/protege program, and with AUVSIs Grassroots Advocacy Network.

With her current company, Fenix Group Inc, Savanna has a patent pending for a robotic concept called MRLN (Pronounced like the wizard Merlin). Savanna is a proponent of continual learning, collaboration and over-communication for humans and robots, and believes the future of robotics is heterogenous multi-domain teaming, to include teaming with humans. Robots are useful tools that can help humanity to continue moving forward, says Horan.

Missed the last Dawn of Drones episode? Catch up here: Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell, the record-breaking FAA and NASA episode, and the Best of 2021 show!

Join our Dawn of Drones community on Discord and connect with the speakers: https://discord.gg/EDSmNuKw4y

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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing,Email Miriam.

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Fenix Group on Dawn of Drones this Week! - DRONELIFE - DroneLife