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Bots & BusinessInternational
Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute To Enhance Humanoid Robots
Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have announced a new partnership aimed at advancing research in robotics, combining their expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robot development. The collaboration seeks to leverage Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot and TRI’s Large Behavior Models (LBMs) to enhance general-purpose humanoid robotics. This joint research initiative is designed to accelerate progress in AI-driven robotics by integrating TRI’s state-of-the-art machine learning capabilities with Boston Dynamics’ advanced robotic hardware.
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ABB has reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2024, showing modest growth in key areas. Orders reached $8,193 million, a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Revenues also rose by 2% to $8,151 million. The company’s income from operations stood at $1,309 million, representing a margin of 16.1%. ABB’s operational EBITA reached $1,553 million, with a margin of 19.0%, maintaining a record level despite challenges in certain sectors.
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Robust.AI has introduced Carter Pro, a collaborative mobile robot designed to enhance human-robot interaction and streamline logistics workflows through advanced AI. The company, headquartered in San Carlos, California, unveiled the robot with an ability to support and work alongside human operators in both autonomous and collaborative modes. One key feature of the Carter Pro is its force-sensing handlebar, which allows workers to easily control or influence the robot’s actions by physically moving it, offering real-time flexibility and a higher level of human-robot collaboration.
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InternationalPeople in Robotics
Takayuki Ito (Fanuc) New President of The International Federation of Robotics
Takayuki Ito of Fanuc Corporation, who previously held the position of Vice President, succeeds Marina Bill of ABB who has served the rotating post since 2022. “I am proud to continue the work of my predecessor, Marina Bill, who has been a great ambassador for the world of robotics. We are witnessing rapid change in the automation of industrial and service sectors around the world. Together with Jane Heffner of Mobile Industrial Robots as the new Vice President of the IFR, I look forward to our mission,” said Takayuki Ito.
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Researchers from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) have developed a vision system for autonomous robotics inspired by feline eyes, aimed at improving accuracy in complex environments. This new technology, designed by a team led by Professor Young Min Song, mimics the unique visual adaptations of cats, which are known for their ability to see in both bright and low-light conditions.
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HL Robotics has announced to acquire Stanley Robotics, a company commercializing outdoor autonomous valet parking robots. The acquisition, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 pending regulatory approval, aligns with HL Robotics’ strategy to strengthen its position in the global market for autonomous parking solutions, a sector projected to reach a value of USD 6.7 billion by 2030.
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Groundlight has released an open-source ROS package designed to simplify the integration of computer vision into robotic systems. Announced on October 14, 2024, the package allows developers using ROS2 to incorporate visual intelligence more efficiently into their projects. It combines machine learning with human oversight to help robots better manage unstructured environments.
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A study conducted by Oregon State University suggests that a robotic playmate may encourage increased physical activity in toddlers, offering potential health benefits. The research observed the behavior of eight toddlers, aged 2 to 3, in weekly play sessions over two months. The sessions took place in a room filled with toys, including a toddler-sized robot named GoBot, designed by a collaboration between OSU’s colleges of Engineering and Health.
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A team from the Interactive and Robotic Systems Lab (IRS) at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) in Castelló has developed a tele-robotic system designed for inspecting pipes in hazardous environments, such as those surrounding nuclear power plants and particle accelerators. This prototype, part of the EU-funded H2020 “El-Peacetolero” project, is a mobile, modular, and reconfigurable manipulator robot that includes a remote control station equipped with 3D perception technology.
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Gartner says that by the end of 2025, there will be 85 million electric vehicles (EVs) in use globally, a 33% increase from the projected 64 million units in 2024. This figure includes cars, buses, vans, and heavy trucks. The rise in EV adoption is expected to be driven largely by China, which is predicted to account for 58% of the total, and Europe, which will represent 24%, together making up 82% of global EV usage by 2025.