Automation, Controls and Technology News

Explore the history of communication systems. Digital communication is of the utmost importance to industrial facilities - all safety and production systems rely on access to reliable, real life data. Read on for an overview of how digital protocols have evolved over the last few decades!   In the early days, control systems used simple switches to activate motors, relays and other devices. As processing and production systems became increasingly complex, the need for advanced communication became clear.    What is a digital communication system?   Wires and connectors between devices are the primary components of a communication system -...

Home Automation Alfawise Magnetic (mikhail62 / Shutterstock.com) A growing consumer market, products in this sector are often described as "smart home" technology. Devices like Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo, and Google Home (among others) are used to connect to a variety of other "smart home" systems, automating doorbells, lighting, and other home necessities. As this sector grows, automated ironing systems, wardrobes, and other innovations are aiding consumers in automating household chores.  In addition to stationary home automation technology, home robotics are another burgeoning sector. While robotic vacuum cleaners have been on the market for over 15 years, other types of cleaning...

Autonomous robots provided by XENEX, Savioke and Aethon are helping hospitals fight COVID-19. As hospitals struggle to maintain a sanitary environment while overloaded with patients during the coronavirus epidemic, companies like Aethon, XENEX and Savioke are assisting frontline workers using mobile and industrial robotics. Aethon focuses on indoor delivery robots that are used in commercial settings such as warehouse and packaging facilities. In a healthcare setting, the bots are able to deliver lab specimens, food and medication, in addition to being capable of transporting larger loads. Since February 2020, Aethon customers in COVID-19 hotspots have increased their robot use by...

By implementing Kindred's "Sort" industrial robotics system, retail giant Gap says it has improved its supply chain output. Using robotic arms manufactured by Fanuc, Gap is using AI and robotics "to solve complex fulfillment problems" in light of the surge in online commerce and the workforce disruption created by COVID-19.  The company first installed the robotic picking system in 2017, hoping to speed up merchandise picking within its facilities. Between January and April of 2020, the system, which is AI-enabled, picked over 13 mil units at an average speed of 335 unites per hour. The system accomplished this feat while...

While the prices of electric vehicles (EVs) have fallen, most remain unprofitable, according to a report by Lux Research. Facing pressure to reduce emissions from consumers and government, the automotive industry is turning to solutions such as electrified powertrains to reduce or even eliminate vehicle emissions. The Electric Vehicle Inflection Tracker: 2020 Edition, a recent report by Lux Research, argues that the attention of automotive manufacturers has been largely focused on producing profitable battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that address issues of charging speed and range. According to senior Lux research analyst Christopher Robinson, “Consumers want to know, how far can...