Robotics Trends

AeroVironment Receives $37.9 Million Raven UAS Order Orders for Raven systems, a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched visual sensor platform, represent initial portion of Raven funding from United States Department of Defense Fiscal 2010 Budget.

AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ:AVAV) announced that it received firm fixed-price orders valued at $20,731,992 for digital Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and digital retrofit kits, and $17,141,648 for Raven system spare parts, repairs and training services for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The Raven system and retrofit order represents a portion of the $121 million appropriated for RQ-11 Raven system procurement in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which was…
View this la post

Filed in: Security & Defense Robotics • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Uas, Unmanned aerial system, Raven, Department of defense appropriations act, Aerovironment

FANUC Robotics Expands Certified Robot Training Program With M-1iA Robot Schools now have the choice of FANUC’s LR Mate 200iC or M-1iA robots for use with the company’s CERT’s industrial robotics training lab.

FANUC Robotics America, Inc. has added its M-1iA robot to the Certified Education Robot Training (CERT) program line-up.  Launched in 2008, the CERT program certifies instructors at educational institutions to train their students to program FANUC robots through on-line and hands-on training courses.

The CERT program’s educational mobile lab includes an industrial robot, integrated vision system, programmable logic controller, and ROBOGUIDE simulation software.  Schools may now select either an LR Mate 200iC or…
View this la post

Filed in: Industrial Automation • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Fanuc, M-1ia robot, Certified education robot training, Cert

Robosoft Introduces Kompaï First generation humanoid robot, capable of understanding simple verbal commands and featuring a touch screen for additional communication, is intended for developers who would like to implement their own robotics applications for assistance.

On the 8th of March 2010 at the 2010 Intercompany Long Term Care Insurance Conference, the French company Robosoft presented Kompaï; a robot designed to assist dependent persons at home. This robot can speak, understand what is said to it, find its way around the house and, with just a word, access all internet services.

“One of our top priorities is the domestic…
View this la post

Filed in: Service Robotics • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Robot, Humanoid, Intercompany long term care insurance conference.i, Robosoft, Kompaï

Robotics Summit Virtual Conference Series 2010 Robotics Trends’ RoboBusiness and RoboDevelopment Conferences Converge in 2010 as the Robotics Summit Virtual Conference Series 2010

Mark Your Calendars - June 16, 2010

The Robotics Summit Virtual Conference offers registered, prequalified attendees a full day of dynamic keynote presentations by robotics thought leaders, in-depth conference sessions delivered in two tracks, online discussions, networking opportunities and a full, virtual exposition floor filled with the very latest robotics and intelligent systems technology from around the world. Attendees may attend the live Robotics Summit Virtual Conference free of charge, as well as have unlimited access to the archived…
View this la post

Filed in: Conferences •

“ABE” Autonomous Submersible Lost at Sea Researchers believe 15-year-old Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE), one of the first successful submersible vehicles that was both unmanned and untethered to surface ships, and the first autonomous robot to make detailed maps of mid-ocean ridges, suffered a catastrophic implosion of one of the glass spheres used to keep ABE buoyant.

A pioneering deep-sea exploration robot—one of the first successful submersible vehicles that was both unmanned and untethered to surface ships—was lost at sea Friday, March 5, on a research expedition off the coast of Chile. The 15-year-old Autonomous Benthic Explorer, affectionately nicknamed ABE, was launched late Thursday night…
View this la post

Filed in: Academics and Research • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Robot, Robotics, Deep-sea exploration, About woods hole oceanographic institution, Abe, Autonomous benthic explorer

CoroWare Further Expands Robotics and Automation Product Line Producer of CoroBot and Explorer mobile research robots adds laser range finder to list of platform options, greatly increasing the number and range of applications the systems are suited for.

CoroWare Technologies, a subsidiary of CoroWare, Inc. (OTCBB: COWI), announced today it has added a new accessory to its growing line of robotics products.

A compact and affordable laser range finder is the latest addition to the company’s online product catalog. The laser range finder can be purchased individually or as an option on the CoroBot and Explorer robots. Purchased as a robot option, the laser…
View this la post

Filed in: Design and Development • Vendor Spotlight • Vendor Spotlight
Tagged: Explorer, Coroware, Corobot, Laser range finder

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions Releases New IDEA Drive Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions has introduced the Haydon RoHS compliant IDEA programmable stepper motor drive.  The IDEA Drive is a compact, easy-to-use electronic drive and fully programmable control unit with a patent pending graphic user interface.  Programming the drive is through the use of on-screen buttons instead of complicated command sets or other proprietary programming languages.

In addition to the graphic user interface programming, another unique feature of the IDEA Drive is automatic population of the motor and drive parameters based on entering a Haydon actuator part number when prompted by the user interface.  Complex parameter calculations or…
View this la post

Filed in: Design and Development • Latest News • Robotics Features
Tagged: Programmable stepper motor drive, Idea, Haydon rohs, Haydon kerk motion solutions

SICK Launches OLM High-Speed, Long-Range Fine Positioning Sensor New OLM Distance Measurement Positioning Sensor supports increased speed and positioning accuracy through the use of a linear bar code tape for positioning.

SICK, a manufacturer of sensors, safety systems, machine vision, and automatic identification products for factory and logistics automation, announced the launch of its new OLM Distance Measurement Positioning Sensor. The OLM is used for high-speed, high-precision positioning of overhead cranes, rail and transfer cars, monorails, shuttles, elevators and other vehicles. The vehicle can be positioned around curves and inclines where traditional laser measurement systems cannot be used.

SICK has the largest and most…
View this la post

Filed in: Industrial Automation • Opinion
Tagged: Positioning sensor, Sick, Olm distance measurement positioning sensor

TIGAL Launches VRbot Voice Recognition Module Low cost voice recognition module provides users with 26 built-in speaker independent commands that allow basic control of robot movement straight out-of-the-box.

The VRbot is a is a tiny, low cost voice recognition module designed to easily add versatile voice command functionality to robots and many additional applications where voice command control is desired.

The VRbot module provides users with 26 built-in Speaker Independent commands that allow basic control of robot movement straight out-of-the-box. The module has been designed to fit inside the chest cover of Robonova-I and Robozak robots and is ready to run immediately…
View this la post

Filed in: Design and Development • Vendor Spotlight • Vendor Spotlight
Tagged: Voice recognition, Tigal, Veear

Unmanned Helicopter Would Investigate Nuclear Disasters Autonomous helicopter built by Virginia Tech’s Unmanned Systems Laboratory is designed to fly into cities after a nuclear attack in order to detect radiation levels, map and photograph damage.

Students at Virginia Tech’s Unmanned Systems Laboratory are perfecting an autonomous helicopter they hope will never be used for its intended purpose. Roughly six feet long and weighing 200 pounds, the re-engineered aircraft is designed to fly into American cities blasted by a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb.

The helicopter’s main mission would be to assist military investigators in the unthinkable: Enter an American city after a…
View this la post

Filed in: Academics and Research • Feature • Robotics Features
Tagged: Autonomous, Unmanned aerial vehicles, Flight control software, U.s. defense threat reduction agency, Camera system, Imaging technology, Mechanical engineering