Robotics

Small Robot Company was established in 2017 in the UK. They have raised £2.5M so far and have 18 people. They wanted to enable the rise of small agricultural robots.

Blue River Technology is one of the best funded automated agricultural robotic companies. It has raised $30.35 in two rounds of Series A and B from 2012 to 2015. Its investors include Khosla Ventures, Syngenta Ventures and Monsanto Growth Ventures which are the venture arms of Syngenta and Monsanto, respectively. It was acquired by John Deere for $305M in 2017.

By implementing high precision 3D scanning and robotic based fabrication technology, Emerald-Ash-Borer-infested "waste wood" is transformed into an abundantly available, affordable, and sustainable building material.

Inspired by the biomechanics of cheetahs, researchers have developed a new type of soft robot that is capable of moving more quickly on solid surfaces or in the water than previous generations of soft robots. The new soft robotics are also capable of grabbing objects delicately - or with sufficient strength to lift heavy objects.

Mobile robots and autonomous vehicles are impacting every step of the logistic and delivery chain from the warehouse and fulfillment centres to the customers' hand. In this article, we consider autonomous side-walk delivery robots which seek to autonomize the last mile delivery.

Robots with toes? Experiments suggest that climbing robots could benefit from having flexible, hairy toes, like those of geckos, that can adjust quickly to accommodate shifting weight and slippery surfaces.

Engineers have demonstrated a practical way to use magnetism to transmit electricity wirelessly to recharge electric cars, robots or even drones. The technology could be scaled up to power electric cars as they drive over highways, robots on factory floors and drones hovering over rooftops.

Milrem Robotics and InnoVfoam are developing robot firefighting systems to assist or even replace firefighters in the most hostile environments.

Conventional concrete manufacturing methods require a mold to shape the concrete into the desired structure, which adds to costs and limits design possibilities. 3D-printing would eliminate the expenses of this mold.

The aircraft, which uses artificial intelligence to extend the capabilities of manned and unmanned platforms, is the first to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years. It is Boeing's largest investment in an unmanned aircraft outside of the United States.

Mobile robots and autonomous vehicles are impacting every step of the logistic and delivery chain from the warehouse and fulfillment centres to the customers' hand. In this article, we highlight and discuss various companies which are offering autonomous forklift technologies. We review their technology choices and commercial progress.

Engineers have developed a faster, simpler 3D-printing technique to build electronics, trimming their manufacturing time from hours down to a few minutes. The method can be used to print electronics into complex shapes in volumes that could be used for antenna arrays, prosthetics, sensors and robots.

Xenex Disinfection Services ultraviolet light technology is 99.9 percent effective in eradicating the virus, according to the Texas Biomedical Research Center.

Spacewalks are a risky business and wearing a spacesuit that protects against the vacuum outside our atmosphere is cumbersome. This glove is a mockup concept for astronauts that adds extra functions to the five fingers.

Mobile robots and autonomous vehicles are impacting every step of the logistic and delivery chain from the warehouse and fulfilment centres to the customers' hand. In this article, we consider infrastructure-independent indoor autonomous mobile robots.

IDTechEx will be hosting a free webinar on Thursday 7 May 2020. Where Is the Future of COVID-19 Diagnostics? will be presented by IDTechEx Technology Analyst, Dr Luyun Jiang.

Around the globe, COVID-19 has taken a tragic toll. Through providing a contactless delivery solution, healthcare workers have the supplies they need at hand, saving them time while also helping foster the safety and health of both patients and staff.

By the time fresh produce reaches stores, it has often lost quality and freshness. It also risks contamination from passing through several middlemen along the way. Vertical farming could help overcome these problems in the tradition supply chain.

Robots that use artificial intelligence to recognise the health of fruit and vegetable crops and when they're ready to harvest are being trialled to help small, organic and greenhouse farmers with weeding and patrolling for pests.

Robotic systems are increasingly being used to facilitate and optimise the positioning of instruments and tools during surgery. These systems simplify operating room workflows.