Automation, Controls and Technology News

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...

The fast spread of coronavirus has made the urgent need for a vaccine undeniable. While vaccine development depends on many different factors, manufacturers can take anywhere from days to weeks to produce a single batch. As COVID-19 continues to spread, it's vital to find solutions to scaling up vaccine production. Automation technologies can assist in this process by making the production of vaccines quicker, safer and more efficient via reduction of manual errors. Digitizing Data Huge amounts of data are necessary to create new vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Honeywell's director of offering management, Joe Bastone, notes that “Not only is it...

Traditionally, robots used for industrial applications have been wheeled mobile robots or manipulators. Over the last few decades, self driving cars as well as robots inspired by the natural world (termed "bioinspired") have been making waves in robotics. While self-driving technologies face many hurdles to widespread adoption, bioinspired quadrupedal robots are revolutionizing a variety of industries. Bioninspired bots include humanoids, flying robots, bipedal bots, robots that mimic insects, and the four legged bots known as quadrupeds - the most successful type of bioinspired bot to date. Biologically inspired robotics offer solutions for many of the limitations of traditional robots, mimicking...