United Kingdom

Techman Robot made its debut at the FABTECH exhibition in Orlando, Florida, where it partnered with AMET to introduce AI-driven welding collaborative robots (cobots). These cobots are designed to serve industries such as manufacturing, wind energy, oil pipeline welding, and aerospace, offering advanced automation solutions tailored to complex industrial needs.

Geek+, a provider of mobile robots and smart logistics solutions, has deployed a fleet of Goods-to-Person robots to support the fulfilment operations of THG Fulfil, the logistics arm of THG Ingenuity. This initiative aims to enhance THG Fulfil’s warehouse performance, enabling the company to handle palletised items of varying sizes and meet growing consumer demand for late-night shopping. THG Fulfil currently offers a 1 a.m. Next Day Delivery service for its brands such as ESPA and LOOKFANTASTIC, as well as for third-party clients.

Simplismart, an AI infrastructure startup co-founded by former Oracle and Google engineers, has secured $7 million in a Series A funding round led by Accel, with participation from Shastra VC, Titan Capital, and notable angel investors. The funding aims to accelerate the company’s R&D and growth as it brings its AI orchestration platform to enterprises.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.