RF Grasp could one day perform fulfillment in packed e-commerce warehouses. Its RF sensing could even instantly verify an item’s identity without the need to manipulate the item, expose its barcode, then scan it.
Research
Perception-based region selection for collaborative robotic sanding
Research leads to the creation of an open-source C++ library that can be used to detect regions that need more attention during human-robot collaboration.
Sawyer cobots show how robots can improve inclusion for people with disabilities
Collaborative robots can accelerate inclusion of people with disabilities in work, said Rethink Robotics, wertkreis Gütersloh, and the University of Duisburg-Essen. They are using two Sawyer cobots in a demonstration project.
How to choose cobots for research projects
Are you looking to purchase a cobot for research projects. Here are the key options and capabilities you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing your cobot.
ARMAR-6 collaborative humanoid robot is ‘complete,’ say SecondHands, Ocado
The ARMAR-6 humanoid robot, developed by the SecondHands consortium to help warehouse and factory workers, includes advances in machine learning, robotic manipulation, and human-machine interaction.
Report: Cobots will account for 30% of robotics market by 2027
Market intelligence firm Interact Analysis has released a new market report – The Collaborative Robot Market – 2019 – which indicates strong and sustained growth for the collaborative robot industry. In 2018, global revenues from cobot production exceeded $550 million, according to the report. This was almost a 60% increase over 2017; and over 19,000 […]
Collaborative robots market to reach $9.7B by 2025
As the implementation of smart factories surges forward, more companies are becoming aware of the growing importance of and uses for collaborative robots, according to a new report from Tractica. Still, a gap exists in understanding what these robots are as well as the implications for businesses. Large company adoption of cobots is already occurring […]
Eureka Robotics develops Archimedes robot with human-like dexterity
Manufacturers could benefit from the human-like dexterity of the Archimedes system, which combines a six-axis robot arm, machine vision, and AI, said Eureka Robotics.
How magnets give this robotic gripper a soft touch
The University at Buffalo developed a two-fingered dynamic gripper that could only refine robotic grasping and improve safety for collaborative robots that work around people. The robotic hand absorbs energy from impacts during collisions. This prevents whatever the robot is holding from breaking, and also makes it safer for people to work with and near […]
Why robots need to understand motive like humans
Robots need to know the reason why they are doing a job if they are to effectively and safely work alongside people in the near future. In simple terms, this means machines need to understand motive the way humans do, and not just perform tasks blindly, without context. According to a new article by the […]
Georgia Tech robots learn to ‘MacGyver’ simple tools
Thanks to new technology that enables them to create simple tools, robots may be on the verge of their own version of the Stone Age. Using a novel capability to reason about shape, function, and attachment of unrelated parts, researchers have for the first time successfully trained an intelligent agent to create basic tools by […]
MIT robot automates production of small molecules
Guided by artificial intelligence and powered by a robotic platform, a system developed by MIT researchers moves a step closer to automating the production of small molecules that could be used in medicine, solar energy, and polymer chemistry. The system, described in the August 8 issue of Science, could free up bench chemists from a […]
U.S. Robotics Roadmap calls for white papers for revision
The U.S. Robotics Roadmap is a guide to where robotics is going for government and industry. The team behind it is seeking community participation for the next revision.
MIT robot performs Bottle Cap Challenge
You’ve probably already seen, or even participated in, the Bottle Cap Challenge. It’s the viral challenge of the week where people try to unscrew a bottle cap with a 360-degree kick. MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) didn’t want to be left out. So it got in on the fun using its RoboRaise […]
Programmable soft actuators show potential of soft robotics
Researchers at TU Delft have developed soft actuators that could help soft robots collaborate with humans.
Rutgers develops system to optimize automated packing
Rutgers computer scientists used artificial intelligence to control a robotic arm that provides a more efficient way to pack boxes, saving businesses time and money. “We can achieve low-cost, automated solutions that are easily deployable. The key is to make minimal but effective hardware choices and focus on robust algorithms and software,” said the study’s […]
Researchers building modular, self-programming robots to improve HRI
Many work processes would be almost unthinkable today without robots. But robots operating in manufacturing facilities have often posed risks to workers because they are not responsive enough to their surroundings. To make it easier for people and robots to work in close proximity in the future, Prof. Matthias Althoff of the Technical University of […]
MIT algorithm helps robots better predict human movement
In 2018, researchers at MIT and the auto manufacturer BMW were testing ways in which humans and robots might work in close proximity to assemble car parts. In a replica of a factory floor setting, the team rigged up a robot on rails, designed to deliver parts between work stations. Meanwhile, human workers crossed its […]
