ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION NEWS
Issue 25 May 2019
T h e m o n t h l y m a g a z i n e f o r the robotics and automation industr y
A breakfast revolution
US campus robots boost uptake of morning meals
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Robotics & Automation News
Machines that make each other
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Editorial
Contents Warehousing: Plenty of potential for warehouse robots
Abdul Montaqim, Editor
ne of the most interesting comments I heard recently, in an interview, was when a knowledgable expert from one of the large industrial automation companies was talking about automotive manufacturing. He said he could envisage a time in the not-too-distant future when vehicles will be fitted with navigation and mobility functions first so that they could literally move about the production line – maybe just the base and wheels, along with the necessary electronics so it find its way around. And instead of the traditional linear production process, there could be robotic work cells dotted around the factory which the autonomous vehicle base visits one by one in order to become progressively more complete. And given that each of those cells could be highly automated – that is, no human involvement – we are looking at the possibility of a moving machine that is made entirely by other machines. It’s still at the idea stage, but not entirely a figment of the interviewee’s imagination – it’s actually a process that is being researched and tested right now. This is not the only example of highly automated production, where machines make other machines – sometimes called “lights out manufacturing” or a “smart factory” process. But it could be the one that has the most impact on a variety of things, not least of which is employment, because automotive manufacturing is such a huge industry. Manufacturing workers have become used to this kind of transformational change, and although the idea of reducing the human workforce to zero might be possible, it’s unlikely to happen any time soon. Companies tend to find that there always remain some jobs that only humans can do. If nothing else, the human will remain the final arbiter of what looks good, works well, and so on. Even with all the automated testing and everything else, ultimately, the product is aimed at a human, especially if it’s a consumer product, of course. It will certainly be interesting, however, to see how fashions, trends and tastes change over time, perhaps influenced by production processes which might make new designs more manufacturable or simply more efficient. Automated design software, for example, tends to create structures that no human has invented before, as is being discovered now – through a process called “generative design”. It’s already influencing designs of components, but how this may or may not feed into the production process will be interesting to see. l editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
Delivery services Starship and Sodexo are to send more food delivery robots to university after the success of their first campus services
Autonomous vehicles: BMW starts work on autonomous e-cars
News: Coop Norge selects Swisslog for distribution center
News: Comau launches hemming process for manufacturing Warehousing: Warehouse robots are on the march
Exoskeletons: Ottobock launches world’s ‘smallest exoskeleton’ Vehicles: Faraday Future to build electric cars
Drones: Airbus’ Skyways drone trials first shore-to-ship deliveries
Cleaning: Avidbots raises $23.6 million to fund floor cleaning robot
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News
News
Geek Plus to supply driverless forklift to China
Geek Plus Robotics is to partner with automaker FAW, and supply its new autonomous forklift to the company. FAW is one of the “Big Four” automakers in China, along with SAIC Motor, Dongfeng, and Chang’an. Geek Plus says it has been contracted to “empower FAW Group’s intelligent innovation reformation by offering a fullprocess automatic in-plant logistics solution”. The logistics industry is undergoing profound changes in the era of intelligence, also has been forced to improve efficiency by customer demand, enterprise transformation, and social development. To catch up with the trend, FAW Group, a state-owned automobile enterprise with a yearly output of 3 million vehicles, has built up a research center for intelligent logistics technologies. It combines the development trend of global logistics technology to provide application scenarios and experimental sites for new technologies. Artificial intelligence and robotic solutions provider Geek Plus will join in the FAW Logistics Lab. Its autonomous forklift has been applied in the automatic logistics system of FAW Changchun headquarters factory. Two units are operating in high-rise warehouse for heavy-load auto parts, autonomous storage and retrieval, material handling, mechanical arm collaboration, and conveyor line integration. Geek Plus says work efficiency has been “greatly improved” by implementing automated forklift in the factory, as well as less labor density, operation accuracy and reducing the risks. Controlled by the Robot Management System, the Geek Plus autonomous forklift is capable of collaborating with multiple robots and other industrial equipment. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
Distribution
Coop Norge selects Swisslog for distribution center
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he leading Norwegian retailer Coop Norway has selected Swisslog as its partner for the extensive development of their distribution center in Langhus, south of Oslo, Norway. The distribution center will be built for Coop Norway’s rapidly growing retail and ecommerce sales within the non-food segments such as building materials, sports, electronics, and home products. Henning Røberg, Coop Norway’s project manager for its Langhus distribution center, says: “We conducted a comprehensive tendering process with high demands for cost-efficiency, flexibility and scalability. Swisslog turned out to be the automation provider that best met our demands.” Coop Norway’s Non-Food segments has been growing rapidly and with great success for many years and the new distribution center is a prerequisite for further strong and profitable growth. Røberg says: “We need to invest in more warehouse capacity, efficiency and flexibility. Swisslog presented the best concept, with a robust and flexible design based on proven
technology.” Swisslog’s concept has been designed to utilize all the available areas in the building, the best possible way. The automated warehouse solutions consists of an automated high-bay warehouse with 48.500 pallet locations, Vectura stacker cranes, conveyor systems, pick locations / stations and an automated high-bay warehouse with Tornado miniloadcranes serving 75,000 carton locations. The operation will, therefore, be able to handle small, large and over-sized items through a combination of manual and automated processes.
Nilfisk partners with Brain Corp to develop connected autonomous cleaning robots
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rain Corp, a San Diego-based artificial intelligence and robotics technology company is partnering with Nilfisk, a Copenhagen-based cleaning solutions provider. Nilfisk will license Brain Corp’s BrainOS technology, the leading AI platform for the production, deployment, and support of autonomous mobile robots. The partnership will allow Nilfisk to further accelerate the development of an industryleading portfolio of connected autonomous cleaning solutions. Hans Henrik Lund, CEO of Nilfisk, says: “The partnership with Brain Corp is a strong addition to our multi-partner strategy for
connected autonomous cleaning solutions. “We constantly strive to offer our customers access to the right partners and technologies at the right time and build a strong position for Nilfisk in the future ecosystem around connected autonomous cleaning. We have a vision to lead intelligent cleaning – and with BrainOS developed by Brain Corp, we take yet another step towards this goal.” Brain Corp entered the robotic floor care market in 2015 and has partnered with a number of leading original equipment manufacturers in the industry – the deal with Nilfisk marks a significant expansion of Brain Corp’s technology into the European market. www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Manufacturing
News
News
Comau launches hemming process for manufacturing
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omau, a leader in advanced industrial automation, is taking a step forward in digital-enabled solutions for lightweight and electric vehicle manufacturing with its new robotic roller hemming process. Smart Hemmer is a highly compact, symmetrical roller hemmer able to hem any complex joint. It is hailed as a solution for the new generation of electric, hybrid and traditional lightweight vehicles as it is designed to allow automakers to join dissimilar materials using a cold process. Its design features two flexible rollers in which the linear roller can automatically disengage when encountering obstacles or a curved path and avoids the fixed anvil, apparent in all traditional roller hemming processes. As a result, Smart Hemmer can perform curved path hemming and manage complex angles as part of a single, continuous process. It is also able to maintain a constant hemming thickness even when encountering multiple layers of dissimilar materials. The result is an Industry 4.0-compliant hemming head, jointly developed by Comau and a world-class automotive manufacturer, which is said to offer high reliability, inherent
flexibility and complete process control while ensuring the geometric uniformity of the assembled parts. “Comau’s newest hemming solution features a revolutionary design that renders it extremely fast and efficient for lightweight and e-vehicle manufacturing, while eliminating the costly attributes of the product as well as the associated production process,” explains Giovanni Di Stefano, Head of Process Technologies. “The Industry 4.0 compliant solution lets automakers innovatively join components together with full in-process monitoring of the joint.” Field-tested and validated by major European automakers, Smart Hemmer is a standardised product that can be applied to all vehicle architectures.
istler demonstrated its comprehensive measurement chain for press-fit and joining processes including force sensors, light barriers, maXYmos monitoring units and robotics application at the Automate Show 2019 in Chicago, Illinois, from April 8-11, 2019 at booth 9354. The increasing network of machines and systems driven by Industry 4.0 calls for efficient and flexible industrial manufacturing solutions. Individual production processes have to be optimized consistently and continuously to remain competitive in the long run. Kistler offers a range of monitoring and
control solutions for press-fit and joining processes, including sensors, measuring chains, monitors, evaluation units and joining modules for automated assembly and robotic applications. Kistler’s portfolio includes the maXYmos family, a comprehensive range of products with a uniform operating philosophy for a variety of tasks, such as XY process monitoring or the extended control of joining modules. At the Automate Show, the Swiss measurement technology expert demonstrated a complete measuring chain for medical applications.
Kistler demonstrates robotic measurement chain solutions at Automate event
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Double-speed SCARA hits the US market
TM Robotics launched Toshiba Machine’s THE600 SCARA robot to the North American market at Automate 2019, held at McCormick Place, Chicago, from April 8–11, 2019. At the region’s largest automation technology showcase, TM Robotics showcased Toshiba Machine’s latest robots. Demonstrations include models from the SCARA and six-axis range, as well as a robot programming tool, TSAssist. The THE600 is the latest addition to Toshiba Machine’s range and builds upon the established specifications of the THE400. Toshiba Machine’s THE400, which was launched last year, promises to boost manufacturers productivity without extortionate investments. Boasting twice the speed and 60 per cent higher payload capacity than competing SCARA models in the same price range, both THE models provide ideal investments for those new to automation. “Combining high speed operation with a high payload capacity, the THE600 model has been developed to meet growing demand for fast-cycle automation,” explained Nigel Smith, president of TM Robotics. “Manufacturers are looking for machines to deliver improved precision and enhanced performance without breaking the bank, particularly in parts assembly, testing and transfer processes. “As one of the first industrial robot manufacturers to bring SCARA models to the market, Toshiba Machine has a wealth of experience in developing this technology. "This knowledge and engineering allows TM Robotics to provide cutting-edge robots to our customers at a fair and attainable price.” TM Robotics will be exhibiting alongside distribution partner, ASG Jergens. ASG is an RIA certified Integrator, focusing on the assembly industry. www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Features
Warehousing
Plenty of potential for warehouse robots
Warehousing: The vast majority of warehouses in the US – even the new ones – are not automated to a significant extent. The potential for selling robot systems to them is huge
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he US has almost 10 billion square feet of warehousing space, according to research consultancy CBRE, which says 1 billion sq ft of that space was built in the past 10 years. Among the geographical areas with the highest number of warehouses are: 1 Los Angeles: 10,161 warehouses 2 Chicago: 7,042 3 Northern New Jersey: 5,208 4 Boston: 4,222 5 Orange County: 4,162 6 Central New Jersey: 3,926 7 Oakland: 3,580 editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
8 Detroit: 3,542 9 Denver: 2,744 10 St Louis: 2,636 The vast majority of warehouses – even the new ones – are not automated to a significant extent, and if it is, it’s most likely with what might be considered traditional technology, meaning conveyors and human-driven forklift trucks. But an increasing number of warehouses are opting for newer technologies, such as: l automated guided vehicles; l autonomous mobile robots; l driverless forklift trucks; and l a variety of digital technologies, which include warehouse management software. These new, computer-driven technologies can be used in addition to conveyors, but many warehouses are going exclusively robotic and leaving conveyors out altogether. But the adoption rates for new, robotic technologies are relatively low. Estimates vary, but if we consider just www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Warehousing
Features conveyor and robotic technologies as “automation”, less than half of all warehouses are “automated”. And, at a guess, less than 10 percent are “roboticised”. In an interview with Robotics and Automation News, Lit Fung, general manager of Geek Plus Robotics, says: “I think it’s around 70 percent of warehouses that are manual,” says Fung. “It’s only about 30 percent which is semi-automated or fully automated. That’s for all the world. “In terms of robotics, I would say a very small percentage. We have sold more than 3,000 robots, which makes us one of the leading companies in this market, but it is still only a small part of the market. “I think, in terms of the world market, we believe that the potential is very, very big – to infinity, because there is no limit to how much automation people will continue to need in the future.”
Lit Fung gives a presentation about Geek Plus Robotics at the recent LogiMAT event in Germany
Fixed infrastructure By “automated”, Fung mainly means conveyors, which are generally thought of as “fixed infrastructure”. Other technologies which we can include in this category, for the time being, are such things as automated storage and retrieval systems, or ASRS. Although ASRS installations do often include robotic shuttles which move boxes around a cubic grid system, the entire system requires significant investment and is also in the category of “fixed infrastructure’. The new and growing trend is mobile, autonomous and “flexible infrastructure”, which mainly implies such things as autonomous mobile robots and driverless forklift trucks. These technologies are obviously not fixed to the floor. And while automated guided vehicles, which have been in warehousing for a decade at least, require the fixing of magnetic metal strips to the floor for their navigation, the new generation of autonomous robots or vehicles do not. Autonomous vehicles tend to use a variety of sensors
to map their surroundings and detect objects and movement, which means they can almost learn the layout of a warehouse and find their way around by themselves. It’s not quite as easy as that, and some say that one of the issues currently faced by warehouse managers is recruiting staff with enough skills to integrate and manage robotic and other new technologies. However, Fung says the integration of robots into warehouse operations is easier than ever and getting more straightforward every day. “The amount of time it takes to integrate robots into a basic warehouse operation is minimal,” he says. “Obviously it depends on how complex the warehouse is, but integrating the robots does not take significantly longer or require any special skills than for other technologies.” Geek Plus has supplied its robots and warehouse automation technologies to a wide range of customers, including Alibaba, the world’s largest e-commerce company. The startup company’s growth in Asia has been phenomenal, which Fung credits partly to the so-called “robotics as a service” trend. “We were one of the first companies to offer this, probably the first in our market,” says Fung. “Basically, you can hire our robots and pay on the basis of how much you use it, rather than buy them. “Hiring the robots means your investment in robotic automation is not huge at the beginning, and you can very quickly see a return on your investment. And, of course, you can always change things around whenever you want.” The company currently offers the following products: l Geek Picking System for order fulfillment in ecommerce and retailing industries l Geek Moving System for material handling in factory logistics; l Geek Sorting System for parcels sortation in express; l Geek Automated Forklift and Collaborative Robot The Geek Plus Robotics stand at the recent LogiMAT event in Germany
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Features
The Geek Plus Robotics stand at the recent LogiMAT event in Germany
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Our vision is to bring innovations into the logistics sector. – Lit Fung, Geek Plus Robotics
Warehousing
for unmanned warehouse; and l Geek Robot Shuttle System for bin-carrying with single layer rack and multi-layer mezzanine rack. The latest offering is its forklift truck, which is being eagerly anticipated in the market. While it’s still a new technology, many people have been wondering when they will become available and how they will work. “I think the forklift trucks will find a big market,” says Fung. “But I think we will need to guide our customers more closely with them, even more than our robots, because they are the largest machines we have built and have the highest payloads. “This means we have much stricter safety considerations, and we need plenty of time to evaluate how we can implement them into a clients’ supply chain in the safest and most productive way.”
Collaborative robotic arm Another of the innovations is the one involving a collaborative robotic arm being integrated into a mobile vehicle or platform. It’s not entirely new as a concept, but Geek Plus is one of the very few companies which have released such a complex machine onto the market. This is probably the product which has the most room for development because there remain many challenges to be overcome. Essentially, this is a machine that will perform tasks that were previously too complicated for robots and required humans. That is, to move around, identify products, pick them off shelves and place them in boxes or bags, and then move those boxes or bags to a given location. Sound simple if you are human, but for a robot, that is a massive challenge – both in terms of hardware and software.
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“Our vision is to bring innovations into the logistics sector,” says Fung, who says Geek Plus staff are keen to show what they are capable of in terms of technology research and development. “We design and assemble the robots by ourselves in our factory in Beijing. We handle everything for the assembly and the design. The small components – motors, gears, and so on – we need to source those from manufacturers. So we order the small components and do the assembly in our factory. “Of course, the core system control, and some core components will be made by ourselves. And we have a large software development team. The research and development team, in total, is over 100 people. All the software, all the control, it’s handled by our own development team.” While Geek Plus is seeing great success in Asia, it’s yet to make a big push into Europe and North America, where only a few companies have had the opportunity to check out the company and its technologies. But Fung and his colleagues will be exhibiting at this year’s ProMAT show, in Chicago, next month, and hope companies interested in robotic warehouse technology visit the stand and see their presentations. “Towards the ends of last year, we decided to make the Asia-Pacific market our first priority,” says Fung. “That’s why we already have some distributors and service centers in Asia – like in Singapore, in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia… this kind of countries. “But luckily, we’ve got a lot of interest from around the world, so we have changed our marketing strategy. “That’s why we have started expanding our market to Europe, and also America.” l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Warehousing
Warehouse robots are on the march
Features
Warehousing: 50,000 warehouses are set to use 4 million robots by 2025, according to an ABI Research report.
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ore than 4 million commercial robots will be installed in over 50,000 warehouses by 2025, according to a report by ABI Research. The 50,000 figure represents a massive expansion of the market from the current situation in which an estimated 4,000 warehouses were found to be using robots in 2018. ABI says the rapid rate of adoption will be driven by the need for flexible, efficient, and automated e-commerce fulfillment as same-day delivery becomes the norm. Global adoption of warehouse robotics will also be spurred by the increasing affordability and return on investment of a growing variety of infrastructure-light robots as they are an attractive and versatile alternative to traditional fixed mechanical automation or manual operations.
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By lowering the barriers to adoption for robots in the warehouse, vendors are disrupting the wider logistics value chain. – Nick Finill, ABI Research
Flexibility and efficiency Nick Finill, senior analyst at ABI Research, says: “Flexibility and efficiency have become primary differentiators in the e-commerce fulfillment market as retailers and third-party logistics companies struggle to cope with volatile product demand, seasonal peaks, and rising consumer delivery expectations. “Robots enable warehouses to scale operations up or down as required while offering major efficiency gains and mitigating inherent challenges associated with labor and staffing.” Automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots goods-to-person systems can directly replace heavier mechanized automation that typically requires massive upfront investment and rigid physical infrastructure. Robots enable the optimization of space in expensive warehouse facilities and can reduce the need for new and costly greenfield fulfillment centers. Mobile robotic systems also offer major flexibility advantages. Robot vendors, such as Fetch, Geek Plus Robotics, and inVia, enable additional robots to be added to or removed from a fleet as operational demands require. They also allow easy and relatively rapid reconfiguration of entire workflows and operations if product lines or fundamental operational requirements change. This is a major advantage in the unpredictable and
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dynamic e-commerce market, says ABI. The researcher adds that, as a result of impressive innovation in computer vision, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and robotic mechanics, robots are also becoming increasingly adept at performing traditionally harder-to-automate tasks. Economically viable mobile manipulation robots from the likes of RightHand Robotics and Kindred Systems are now enabling a wider variety of individual items to be automatically picked and placed within a fulfillment operation. By combining mobile robots, picking robots, and even autonomous forklifts, fulfillment centers can achieve greater levels of automation in an efficient and costeffective way.
Flexible pricing options Many robot technology vendors are providing additional value by offering flexible pricing options. Robotics-as-a-service models mean that large CapEx costs can be replaced with more accessible OpEx costs that are directly proportional to the consumption of technologies or services, improving the affordability of robotics systems among the mid-market, further driving adoption. Finill says: “By lowering the barriers to adoption for robots in the warehouse, vendors are disrupting the wider logistics value chain. “If advanced automation becomes possible for midsize e-retailers, they will be able to fight back against the dominant players and also bring fulfillment operations back in-house, disrupting the relationship between retailers and 3PLs.” These findings are from ABI Research’s study, Robotics in E-commerce Fulfillment application analysis report. l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
US campus robots boost uptake of breakfast Features
Delivery services
Delivery services: Starship and Sodexo are to send more food delivery robots to university after the success of their first campus services.
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I’m really excited for these robots! Having the ability to get breakfast delivered right to my door simply with my meal plan will be a lifesaver. – Josh Feygin, NAU student
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tarship Technologies and Sodexo have launched a robot food delivery service at Northern Arizona University in partnership with several restaurants It’s something your mom always told you – eat your breakfast – and now college students are starting to do just that, thanks to Starship robots and Sodexo. Research has shown that up to 88 percent of college students skip breakfast, primarily because of lack of time, but that number is starting to turn around when delivery robots arrive on campus. Starting today, students at Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff campus will have the convenience of receiving food delivered by robot.
Extra breakfast orders Sodexo and Starship Technologies revealed today that an extra 1,500 breakfast orders have been delivered autonomously since the two companies joined forces to debut the Starship delivery robots on the campus of George Mason University at the end of January. This follows a similar pattern seen at corporate campuses where delivery robots were added. To help celebrate the launch of a fleet of more than 30 robots on campus and raise awareness of the breakfast offerings, the companies are partnering with Einstein Bros Bagels and offering free breakfast for the remainder of the academic year to the NAU student who places the first order via the Starship app.
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The school’s nearly 25,000 students and faculty can now use the Starship app – iOS and Android – to order food and drinks from local retailers to be delivered anywhere on campus, within minutes. Each on-demand delivery costs just $1.99 and also works in conjunction with the student meal plan. Other participating retailers include national chains Star Ginger, as well as on-campus restaurants Cobrizo Mexican Grill, Turnip the Greens, G’s NY Style Deli, and The Wedge Market and Pizza. NAU student Josh Feygin says: “I’m really excited for these robots! Having the ability to get breakfast delivered right to my door simply with my meal plan will be a lifesaver for early classes and a long day.” www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Delivery services
Features
then drop a pin where they want their delivery to be sent. They can then watch as the robot makes its journey to them, via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert, and can then meet and unlock it through the app. The delivery usually takes just a matter of minutes, depending on the menu items ordered and the distance the robot must travel. Each robot can carry up to 20 lbs – the equivalent of about three shopping bags of goods. Ryan Tuohy, SVP, business development, Starship Technologies, says: “We’ve been very pleased with how quickly Starship has been embraced on college campuses. “These campuses are hubs of innovation and activity, with both students and faculty needing convenient and flexible services. “Our on-demand delivery is perfectly suited to this environment and we can’t wait to introduce our robots to the students and faculty at Northern Arizona University.”
This also marks one of the first times that sidewalk delivery robots are operating in Arizona. The state is one of seven that have approved the operation of delivery robots. The legislation was largely championed by Representative Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa. Townsend says: “Last year I sponsored HB 2422 in an effort to clear the way for personal delivery devices to operate in Arizona. “It’s great to see the hard work of many stakeholders come to fruition with the introduction of the robots in Flagstaff. I look forward to this cutting edge technology being implemented to other parts of the state as well.” To get started, users open the Starship Deliveries app, choose from a range of their favorite food or drink items, editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
Evolving needs and preferences Barry Telford, CEO, Universities West, Sodexo North America, says: “Sodexo oversees dining services at more than 700 colleges and universities which gives us unique insights into the evolving needs and preferences of students. “Today’s college students are prolific users of food delivery apps and they place a high value on convenience, ease and diversity of options, so we are thrilled to be able to provide this cutting-edge robot delivery service to Northern Arizona University via our partnership with Starship.” Starship Technologies operates commercially on a daily basis around the world. Its robots have traveled over 150,000 miles. The robots use a combination of sophisticated machine learning, artificial intelligence and sensors to travel on sidewalks and navigate around obstacles. The computer vision-based navigation helps the robots to map their environment to the nearest inch. The robots can cross streets, climb curbs, travel at night and operate in both rain and snow. A team of humans can also monitor their progress remotely and can take control at a moment’s notice. Sodexo and Starship plan to continue to expand the program to additional campus locations globally in the future. l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Features
Autonomous vehicles
BMW starts work on autonomous e-cars Autonomous vehicles: BMW’s Dingolfing plant director announces the expansion of e-drive production, as well as preparations for series production of the fully electric and “highly automated” BMW iNext
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he mobility of tomorrow is being turned into reality to a large extent in BMW’s Dingolfing production plant, in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. Ilka Horstmeier, the new director of the plant, is convinced of this. “We want to, and will, emerge as a www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Autonomous vehicles
Features
Series’ coupe and convertible variants. Thanks to these figures, Dingolfing was once again the BMW Group's largest European production site in terms of production output. In the coming years, the BMW iNext, scheduled for production at the Dingolfing plant from 2021 on, will be among the major milestones on the road to future mobility. Extensive investments are already being made all around the plant to prepare for the model. Horstmeier says: “The BMW iNEXT brings together all key automotive technologies: it is fully electric, fully connected and highly automated. “It is the technology flagship for the future of the entire BMW Group. And we are proud that this car of the future will be built here at our plant.”
winner in our industry’s technological transformation,” she says. “And we will continue to pioneer future topics such as e-mobility and autonomous driving.” In this context, the plant director announced that “we will increase the number of Dingolfing-based jobs in the production of e-drive components several times over in the next few years – to a total of up to 2,000”. The increasing demand for e-mobility, which benefits Dingolfing in particular, is also noticeable at the vehicle plant. In 2018, the share of electrified models more than doubled year-on-year, to around 9 per cent of the total production output. Almost 30,000 plug-in hybrids of the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series rolled off the assembly lines at the Dingolfing plant. A total of around 330,000 vehicles were built at the location in 2018, including, as a first, the new BMW 8 editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
A number of innovations At the corporate level, the BMW Group says its iNext concept “paves the way for a number of innovations”. Starting in 2021, it will be the first all-electric BMW to be produced in Dingolfing, where it will be assembled flexibly and efficiently on a single line together with plugin hybrid and combustion-engine models. According to Horstmeier, the new addition would also allow the location to play a pioneering role in the futureoriented field of autonomous driving. Horstmeier has been director of the BMW Group's largest European vehicle plant since November 2018. Commenting on her area of responsibility, she says: “Our industry is experiencing exciting times, and the Dingolfing plant is definitely the most exciting place you can be right now. This is where corporate strategy becomes reality.” The plant in Dingolfing is a showcase for many future initiatives in automotive engineering, including the BMW
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Our industry is experiencing exciting times, and the Dingolfing plant is definitely the most exciting place you can be right now. This is where corporate strategy becomes reality. – Ilka Horstmeier, BMW www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Features
Ilka Horstmeier, the new director of the plant, pictured on the right beside BMW’s new iNext electric and autonomous car
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Even though the general conditions were not always favorable, we managed to make 2018 a successful business year with another sales record for the BMW Group. – Ilka Horstmeier, BMW
Autonomous vehicles
Group's center of excellence for the production of electric drive systems. This role will be significantly expanded over the next few years. In the long term, the number of jobs in this promising field is to rise from currently 600 to up to 2,000 employees, according to Horstmeier. Dingolfing already supplies the BMW Group's global vehicle plants with batteries and electric motors for the production of electrified vehicles. From 2020, the all-new fifth generation of electric drives will roll off the production line at the site, ensuring further growth in production volumes. For Horstmeier, her new assignment in Dingolfing is a bit of a homecoming. In the mid-2000s, the new plant director was responsible for structure planning, programme planning and production control at the site.
Broad expertise Then as now she is impressed by the broad expertise of the Dingolfing staff, the great team spirit and the plant’s outstanding operational excellence, which is reflected in numerous awards, such as the J.D. Power Gold Award 2018 as the best European vehicle plant in terms of delivery quality. This is a strong foundation for the new plant director to lead the site with its approximately 18,000 employees into the future and further strengthen its role as the lead plant for the BMW luxury class. Horstmeier says: “With the production launch of the new BMW 7 Series in March and further model variants of the BMW 8 Series, our Dingolfing plant is making a major contribution to BMW's model initiative in the luxury
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segment and to the Group’s profitability this year.” Regarding the current situation of the BMW Group and the Dingolfing plant, Horstmeier says: “Even though the general conditions were not always favorable, we managed to make 2018 a successful business year with another sales record for the BMW Group. “With almost 330,000 cars produced, the Dingolfing plant once again made a major contribution to this accomplishment.” The current market situation, however, demanded more than ever fast response and flexibility. “Thanks to smart agreements with the works council, we at the Dingolfing plant are very well positioned and have the tools we need at our disposal,” says Horstmeier. Besides managing the production output and the launch of the BMW 7 Series and 8 Series models, 2019 is above all a year of new beginnings, renewal and shaping the future for the new plant director. “Today, we are benefitting from decisions taken five years or more ago,” says Horstmeier. “It is now up to us to do both as well: master our day-to-day business perfectly while at the same time taking the right decisions for the future. This is the task I intend to tackle together with the entire Dingolfing team.” l
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With the production launch of the new BMW 7 Series in March..., our Dingolfing plant is making a major contribution to BMW's model initiative in the luxury segment and to the Group’s profitability this year – Ilka Horstmeier, BMW www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
WORKING TOGETHER AS EQUALS.
Humans and robots are working more closely together. Sensors help robots make more intelligent decisions and give them the ability to sense objects, the environment, or their own position. Thanks to sensors from SICK, robots perceive more precisely – the prerequisite for close collaboration. SICK is your partner in solving We think that’s intelligent. www.sick.com/robotics
Ottobock launches world’s ‘smallest exoskeleton’ Features
Exoskeletons : Ottobock presented a range of innovative new exoskeletons for ergonomic workplaces during the Hannover Messe trade show
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The Paexo Thumb is the smallest exoskeleton in the world – but it has an impressive effect. – Dr Sönke Rössing, Ottobock Industrials
ttobock presented its industrial exoskeletons for the first time at the Hannover Messe trade show. Visitors to booth G18/1 in hall 17 had the opportunity to personally test the passive exoskeletons in the Paexo product family and experience the relief they provide. Dr Sönke Rössing, head of Ottobock Industrials, says: “Exoskeletons designed for industrial settings will bring about permanent changes in many working environments. “They can play a major role in preventing workplace injuries in many sectors, and help to make workplaces more ergonomic. Based on our 100 years of biomechanical and orthopaedic expertise, we are driving this change.” The new Paexo Thumb supports people who place strain on their thumbs at work on a daily basis. Such activities can include clipping, inserting or plugging tasks on assembly lines. The small and extremely lightweight exoskeleton relieves the thumb by up to 70 per cent by redirecting forces to the entire hand. This relieves strain on the thumb joints and protects the tip of the thumb against mechanical influences. In addition, users automatically assume an ergonomic hand position when wearing the Paexo Thumb. Rössing says: “The Paexo Thumb is the smallest exoskeleton in the world – but it has an impressive effect. “It was developed using the new opportunities offered by 3D printing and in close collaboration between our
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Exoskeletons
Paexo Shoulder – overhead work made easy Paexo Thumb – ‘the smallest exoskeleton in the world’
Paexo Wrist – support for the wrist
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Exoskeletons
Features biomechanics experts and industry partners.” Ottobock developed and tested the Paexo Thumb together with companies in the automotive and home appliances sectors. The new device was deployed in paint shops and on assembly lines, for example. Rössing says: “The potential of the Paexo Thumb was clearly evident in these settings. It’s a simple yet innovative solution for preventing joint problems in the hand.” The Paexo Thumb is one of the first Ottobock products to be fabricated in series production using a 3D printer. The exoskeleton is “printed” in Germany, in seven sizes, and will be available from the end of April 2019. For those buying in bulk, prices start at €99 per piece for larger quantities. Companies interested in testing the product can obtain sample kits with seven pieces for €149. The new Paexo Wrist will also be available starting in April 2019. This exoskeleton supports the wrist when the user lifts and holds heavy objects. Ottobock Industrials based the Paexo Wrist on a medical device aimed at treating conditions such as inflammation in the wrist. It is used as a preventive tool in industrial settings to protect the sensitive area of the wrist. It can be used, for example, when holding rivet removers and welding equipment or when moving or installing generators and starter motors.
Innovative material The Paexo Wrist’s innovative material makes it particularly comfortable to wear, as it regulates the temperature of the skin. It can be donned and removed with just one hand and is priced starting at €149. The Paexo Shoulder was the first product to be launched by Ottobock Industrials and has been available since October 2018. Weighing just 1.9 kilograms, it is the lightest exoskeleton of its kind. The Paexo Shoulder is worn close to the body, similar to a backpack. The arm shells transfer the weight of the raised arms to the hips, using mechanical cable pull technology. This provides noticeable relief to the shoulder muscles and joints, and enables users to perform overhead activities much more comfortably. The design is based on natural human movements. Users can walk, sit and also pick up objects with the exoskeleton. It can be donned and removed in fewer than 20 seconds and can be comfortably worn for more than eight hours. The fact that the Paexo Shoulder can be used in very different sectors – for example, in aviation and automotive companies, in the food industry, at shipyards and on building sites – demonstrates the exoskeleton’s potential. Ottobock says it has been researching innovative solutions to make jobs in industry, logistics and the trade sector more ergonomic. l editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
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Features
Vehicles
Faraday Future to build electric cars Electric cars: Faraday Future is partnering with a computer games company called The9 to produce electric cars for the Chinese market.
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Leveraging the technology capabilities of FF, we believe our alliance with FF provides us with a great opportunity to pursue the fast-growing market of electric vehicles in China – Jun Zhu, The9
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he California-based Faraday Future says it has signed a joint venture agreement with The9 to form a joint venture to manufacture, market, distribute, and sell “luxury intelligent electric vehicles” in China. This also marks a key first step for FF to officially launch its dual-home-market and dual-brand strategy in both China and the US. Both FF and The9 say they are “confident in the outlook of China's new energy mobility industry”. The joint venture’s immediate objective is to exclusively manufacture, market, distribute, and sell Faraday Future’s new brand V9 model, a flagship luxury electric vehicle model designed and developed by FF. Other future models could be created with additional agreements. The9 is a renowned internet company based in China, listed on Nasdaq since 2004 with over a decade of experience in both the Internet industry as well as capital markets. The9’s experienced international team and its familiarity with the US capital markets will help to establish a global team for the joint venture’s management and operations. Moreover, the joint venture will be able to leverage The9’s industry reputation and existing business intelligence for the joint venture’s marketing
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implementation, especially in China. FF says this is “only the beginning” of a series of strategic actions for the company, all designed to support the completion and launch of its “new species of vehicle mobility” FF 91 EV in 2019 and continue development of the mass-market premium FF 81 under its dual-homemarket and dual-brand strategy in both the US as well as China. FF continues to make steady progress in the US on the ultra-luxury FF 91 flagship, readying it for final production later this year. FF will work on establishing a team of integrated global R&D employees to support its already robust vendor and supply chain. Joint venture agreement, Under the joint venture agreement, The9 will make capital contributions of up to $600 million to the JV, and FF will make in-kind contributions to the joint venture, including FF’s use rights to a piece of land located in China for luxury electric vehicle manufacturing and an exclusive license to manufacture, market, distribute and sell Faraday Future’s new brand V9 model and potentially other select future car models in China. The expected annual production capacity of the joint venture is 300,000 cars, and the first pre-production car is expected to roll off the production line in 2020. Jun Zhu, CEO of The9, says: “We are very pleased to see The9, an Internet company with more than a decade of industry experience, to partner with FF, a high-tech internet mobility company, to bring high-quality luxury electric vehicles to the Chinese marketplace. “FF has the industry leading product technology and strategies, and a team of world-class top talents and resources. Leveraging the technology capabilities of FF, we believe our alliance with FF provides us with a great opportunity to pursue the fast-growing market of electric vehicles in China. “We look forward to a long and successful relationship www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Vehicles
Optimus Ride to launch self-driving vehicle service in NY and California
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ptimus Ride, a self-driving vehicle technology company, plans to launch its self-driving systems in New York. The initial rollout will be at two sites: l the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre modern industrial park with over 400 manufacturing businesses and 9,000 people working on site; and l Paradise Valley Estates, a private 80-acre, nonprofit Life Plan Community located in Fairfield, California. Optimus Ride says it will provide residents and workers at both sites with access to efficient and convenient self-driving mobility within defined, geofenced areas. This news comes just weeks after Optimus Ride announced a partnership with Brookfield Properties to deploy self-driving vehicles at Brookfield’s Halley Rise development, located just outside of Washington, DC. With these new programs, Optimus Ride will be operating deployments in four US states. Slated to launch in the second quarter of 2019, Optimus Ride’s deployment at the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be the first commercial self-driving vehicle program in the state of New York. Optimus Ride will deploy self-driving vehicles on the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s private
roads, providing a loop shuttle service to connect NYC Ferry passengers to Flushing Avenue outside the Yard’s perimeter. Dr Ryan Chin, CEO and co-founder of Optimus Ride, says: “We are excited to announce not one but two self-driving vehicle deployments today. “Working with leading developments and communities like Paradise Valley Estates and the Brooklyn Navy Yard enable us to further our mission to transform mobility. “We’re pleased to be the first company to launch a self-driving vehicle program in the state of New York and, having now announced three deployments in the first quarter of 2019, are well positioned as the
with FF and we honor this step to diversify our business portfolio as a high-tech Internet company.” YT Jia, FF founder and CEO, says: “We are very grateful for this opportunity as it shows the recognition of FF’s product technology from the9. “I believe that FF's strategic vision and product concept will be perfectly integrated with the Internet and user operation genes of the9 to realize the smooth operation of FF flagship products in China.” “As a California-based ultra-luxury intelligent mobility brand, FF has hundreds of proprietary patents, along with more than 1,000 industry patents currently in process, in both China and the United States. “We are committed to be part of the future of the growing Chinese EV mobility market. Through the establishment of the joint venture, we are able to implement our dual-home-market and dual-brand strategy and achieve our strategic goal of introducing our new luxury EV brand in China.” With The9’s first installment of capital into the joint editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
Features leader in self-driving systems for geofenced areas.” David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, says: “The Brooklyn Navy Yard has long been a center of innovation and we are very pleased to announce our plans to deploy Optimus Ride’s self-driving system this summer. “Optimus Ride’s self-driving system will provide efficient transportation for the thousands of commuters who work at the Yard.” Paradise Valley Estates will welcome the Optimus Ride vehicle system onto its private, gated community this summer. During the initial phase of the program at Paradise Valley Estates, the primary service will be to provide prospective residents with self-driving tours of the community. Additionally, residents will be able to access Optimus Ride through its reservation and on-demand ride services to travel toand-from their friends’ homes, as well as travel to the community/health center, and access outdoor activities within the property. Kevin Burke, CEO of Paradise Valley Estates, says: "We are constantly exploring new ways of innovating within our industry. “With Optimus Ride’s self-driving system, we can attract an increasingly tech-savvy population seeking independent mobility. “It also improves the daily experiences and the quality of life for our residents by enabling them to travel easily and safely throughout our community.” l
venture, the establishment of the joint venture will help FF to overcome its short-term cash flow difficulties and support its ongoing equity financing efforts. FF’s first FF 91 pre-production car was delivered last August at its manufacturing facility in Hanford, California, the company’s production site in the US. Currently, multiple pre-production vehicles are undergoing rigorous testing and validation processes, with the goal of final delivery later this year. l
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We are committed to be part of the future of the growing Chinese EV mobility market. – YT Jia, FF
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Features
Drones
Airbus’ Skyways drone trials first shore-to-ship deliveries Drones: Airbus’ Skyways drone will lift off from the pier with a payload capability of up to 4 kg, and navigate autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial corridors’ to vessels
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irbus has begun shore-to-ship trials in Singapore with its Skyways parcel delivery drone. This marks the first time drone technology has been deployed in real port conditions to deliver a variety of small, timecritical maritime essentials to working vessels at anchorage. The maiden shore-to-ship delivery flight was made to the Swire Pacific Offshore’s Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel M/V Pacific Centurion, 1.5 km from the shoreline of Singapore’s Marina South Pier, carrying 1.5 kg of 3D printed consumables. Landing on the ship deck and depositing its cargo to the shipmaster, the Skyways unmanned air vehicle editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
returned to its base, with the entire flight taking 10 minutes. The trials are being undertaken in conjunction with partner Wilhelmsen Ships Services, one of the world’s leading maritime logistics and port services company.
Payload capability During the trials, Airbus’ Skyways drone will lift off from the pier with a payload capability of up to 4 kg, and navigate autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial corridors’ to vessels as far as 3 km from the coast. Airbus’ Skyways lead, Leo Jeoh, said: “We are thrilled to launch the first trial of its kind in the maritime world. “Today’s accomplishment is a culmination of months of intense preparation by our dedicated team, and the strong collaboration with our partner, as we pursue a new terrain in the maritime industry.” The use of unmanned aircraft systems in the maritime industry paves the way for possible enlargement of existing ship agency services’ portfolio, speeding up deliveries by up www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Drones
Features
NTT DoCoMo and STP to test drone inspection services s in Indonesia Drones: Drones will enable telecom towers to be inspected faster and more safely than ever before, claim companies
to six times, lowering delivery costs by up to 90%, reducing carbon footprint, and significantly mitigating risks of accidents associated with launch-boat deliveries. Airbus and Wilhelmsen Ships Services signed an agreement in June 2018 to drive the development of an end-to-end unmanned aircraft system for safe shore-toship deliveries. A landing platform and control centre were set up at the Marina South Pier in November 2018, through the facilitation of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. The maritime agency also designated anchorages for vessels to anchor off the pier for the trials, while the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore worked with Airbus and Wilhelmsen to ensure safety of the trials. Skyways is an experimental project aimed at establishing multi-modal transportation networks in smart cities. Through Skyways, Airbus aims to develop an unmanned airborne infrastructure solution and address the sustainability and efficiency of unmanned aircraft in large urban and maritime environments. Having demonstrated the ability to deliver parcels to vessels anchored off the coast of Singapore, Skyways will soon be commencing another trial phase delivering air parcels autonomously in an urban environment, at the National University of Singapore. l editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
the docomo sky web browser immediately. Indonesia is undergoing rapid urban development, including the construction of tall buildings and transportation infrastructure, which has resulted in large structures occasionally interfering with radio propagation from telecom towers. STP, which manages such facilities, must dispatch technicians to visually check conditions by climbing the towers. The new service will enable remote inspections to be conducted much more quickly and safely than at present, thereby allowing STP to achieve greater customer satisfaction with its service to mobile network operators. In addition, the service is expected to support efforts to speed up procedures for inspecting and restoring telecom facilities in Indonesia whenever a natural disaster occurs. DoCoMo will continue to develop and upgrade its advanced drone services, one of the many ways the company is serving society by leveraging its diverse technical assets and know-how, including mobile network technology and platform businesses. l
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TT DoCoMo, the Japanese telecom giant, and PT Solusi Tunas Pratama, a company that leases out telecommunication towers in Indonesia, have agreed to test a service, named docomo sky for Tower Inspection. The inspection service uses drones to photograph base stations and telecom towers and transmit the information to a command center in real time. The partners hope to expand the scope of the test to include other locations and facilities prior to launching a full-scale commercial service in the first half of this year. The system being tested is based on an operational drone-based tower inspection system developed by DoCoMo for its commercial network throughout Japan, and supports the “docomo sky” ground control station app for assistance in inspection tasks, enabling drone operators to input flight data with ease. For the test, DoCoMo will provide its cloud-based platform for operational support and data analysis. The drones fly automatically, take photos and transmit the images via the platform in real time, enabling technicians to inspect the towers via
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Features
Cleaning
Avidbots raises $23.6 million to fund its floor cleaning robot Cleaning: Avidbots will use funding to accelerate investment in talent acquisition, engineering, marketing, and sales to bring cutting-edge robots to more customers worldwide
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vidbots, a maker of commercial floor-cleaning robots, has raised $23.6 million in new funding.The company says it will use the funds to accelerate global expansion, and wants to bring robots to everyday life to “expand human potential”. The Series B funding round was led by returning investor True Ventures. Other returning investors include GGV Capital, SOSV, Real Ventures, and 500 Startups Canada. New investors include Next47, BDC Capital, and KCPL. To date, Avidbots has raised $36 million in venture capital financing. Avidbots is a fast-growing company that designs and editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com
builds autonomous connected robots. Its first product is Neo, a robotic floor scrubber widely deployed in commercial locations around the world, including airports, warehouses, manufacturing sites, malls, and universities. Manufactured in Avidbots’ 40,000-square foot facility in Kitchener, Ontario, Neo is in use today in over a dozen countries, cleaning floors in locations such as Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Toronto’s Eaton Centre mall, and Rochester Institute of Technology. To date, Neo has cleaned over half a billion square feet of floor space. Faizan Sheikh, CEO and co-founder of Avidbots, says: “With strong worldwide demand for our Neo industrial cleaning robot, Avidbots has been growing at a tremendous pace, and we’re excited to announce the financial support of world-class investors such as True Ventures, Next47, and GGV Capital as we enter into our www.roboticsandautomationnews.com
Cleaning next phase of expansion. “With this new funding, we will accelerate investment in talent acquisition, engineering, marketing, and sales to bring our cutting-edge robots to more customers worldwide.” Avidbots created Neo to solve a real-world problem: cleaning floors in large commercial spaces. Traditionally, a janitor must push a floor-scrubbing machine every night, taking hours to complete this tedious and back-breaking work. The job has a high turnover, making it difficult for facilities to efficiently manage their cleaning operations. When Neo joins the maintenance crew, it frees up human coworkers to focus on higher-value tasks, such as cleaning bathrooms and common areas. Ground staff control Neo through an easy-to-use touch screen, while facilities managers can log into an intuitive web app called Command Center to access real-time and historical reporting and video streams—getting clear visibility into cleaning operations and outcomes. Investment strategy Rohit Sharma, partner at True Ventures, says: “We invest in industrial automation and robotics companies that have thought deeply about which types of work are best suited for machines. “Repetitive, tedious work like commercial floor cleaning is an effective area of initial focus and we’re thrilled to support Faizan and his team as they pioneer this space.” While most robotic floor-cleaning machines are simply existing manual models retrofitted with hardware and software that allows them to travel a few preprogrammed routes, Avidbots Neo is the first purpose-built commercial robotic floor scrubber that uses AI to optimize performance. Neo does not just follow a set path, but instead continually learns from its environment to change its route on the fly—avoiding obstacles and adapting to new floor layouts. Neo has a vertically-integrated technology stack that incorporates proprietary software and unique hardware design, as well as the most advanced 3D sensors and cameras. Connected to the cloud through WiFi and 4G, Neo includes 24x7 monitoring and automatically receives regular software updates to continuously gain new functionality. Neo is the only floor-cleaning robot that gets smarter and more effective over time. l
Features
Record number of robots shipped in North America
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obots shipped to North American companies in record numbers last year, with more non-automotive companies installing robots than ever before, according to statistics from the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). 35,880 units were shipped in 2018, a 7 percent increase over 2017, with 16,702 shipments to non-automotive companies, up 41 percent. Notable growth came in areas like food and consumer goods (48 percent), plastics and rubber (37 percent), life sciences (31 percent), and electronics (22 percent). Meanwhile, shipments to the automotive industry slowed, with only 19,178 units shipped to North American automotive OEM and tier supplier customers in 2018. This was 12 percent lower than the 21,732 units shipped in 2017. Overall, the automotive industry accounted
for only 53 percent of total robot shipments in North America in 2018, its lowest percentage share since 2010. “While the automotive industry has always led the way in implementing robotics here in North America, we are quite pleased to see other industries continuing to realise the benefits of automation,” said Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the umbrella group containing the RIA. “And as we’ve heard from our members and at shows such as Automate, these sales and shipments aren’t just to large, multinational companies anymore. "Small and medium-sized companies are using robots to solve real-world challenges, which is helping them be more competitive on a global scale.”
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Repetitive, tedious work like commercial floor cleaning is an effective area of initial focus and we’re thrilled to support Faizan and his team as they pioneer this space.. – Rohit Sharma, True Ventures
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