The new World Robotics report recorded 4,281,585 units operating in factories worldwide – an increase of 10%. Annual installations exceeded half a million units for the third consecutive year. By region, 70% of all newly deployed robots 2023 were installed in Asia, 17% in Europe and 10% in the Americas.

The International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) commenced yesterdayv in Rotterdam, marking its 40th anniversary. The event, which highlights advancements in robotics across four decades, covers a wide array of academic research. Keynote addresses, breakout sessions, and individual presentations feature discussions on various aspects of robotics, with a recurring theme focused on human-robot interaction. Topics under examination include safety, perception, consciousness, and the collaboration of robots with humans, both in industrial environments and broader societal contexts.

In his vision for the future of Europe, former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has championed the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as key to driving Europe’s competitiveness on the global stage. As European industries face increasing competition from China and the United States, Draghi emphasized that Europe must act swiftly to harness AI and robotics to boost productivity and safeguard its position in advanced technologies.

Fusion Processing claims it is ready to commercialize autonomous trucks, buses, and material handling vehicles, following advancements in its Automated Drive technology and the enactment of the Automated Vehicle Act 2024. At the CENEX show, the company outlined how these developments, combined with a new regulatory framework, pave the way for the deployment of autonomous vehicles in commercial transportation.

Dassault Systèmes will present its 3DEXPERIENCE platform at the Farnborough International Airshow, scheduled for July 22-26, 2024, in Farnborough, England. The company will demonstrate how this platform aids the aerospace and defense industry in addressing contemporary challenges and advancing through digital technology like AI and digital twins.

Mike Stark, the new President of Scotland’s largest construction industry trade association, SELECT, has expressed concerns about the increasing demands on the electrical network due to the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in society. Stark, who assumed the presidency on June 6, emphasized that the UK’s National Grid may struggle to meet the substantial energy requirements of AI technologies.

Yusen Logistics provides businesses with ocean and air freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution services and supply chain management that provide reliability, excellence and value. The company is constantly looking for ways in which it can improve its services to its end customers, including leading electronics manufacturers. Yusen Logistics has implemented a global visibility platform, DexoryView from Dexory, provider of AI-powered robotics and visibility solutions.

The market for business robotics is on the verge of a significant transformation, as we observed during Vision, Robotics & Motion. Increasingly, innovation is not in the hardware anymore, but in the software, which is making robots significantly smarter. For instance, vision solutions are increasingly equipped with AI. In this video, Marco van der Hoeven discusses the trends, and Ron Nakken from ABB Robotics explains the robot showcased at the Rocking Robots booth.

At their AI Powered Automation Summit UiPath outlined their strategy AI strategy, which is based on four pillars: context, support for multiple models, action, and trust. Context involves integrating AI models into specific business contexts to ensure high accuracy. UiPath supports various AI models, whether provided by UiPath, third-party vendors, or developed in-house. Action refers to enabling the execution of AI-generated insights and decisions, while trust ensures data security and privacy through a robust AI trust layer. In this vide the Rocking Robots team discusses this strategy with Eduardo Martínez, AVP South West EMEA at UiPath.

At the AI powered Automation Summit by UiPath a broad range of topics related to AI was presented, especially the way AI affects all aspects of what was formerly Robotic Process Automation.