Robotics

Not even the agriculture sector can escape the hype of drone technology. The European drones outlook study reports 150,000 agricultural drones will be used across European farms by 2035, undertaking tasks such as soil and field analysis, crop monitoring and spraying. Here, Chris Johnson, Managing Director at SMB Bearings, explains the value of agricultural drones and advises on the importance of bearing selection for these devices.

With increased competition, often on a global scale, manufacturers need to differentiate themselves by tailoring products more closely to customer demand. This carries with it an implicit reduction in batch sizes and has seen the rise of ‘high-mix, low-volume’ production. Cobots can enable manufacturers to effectively meet individual customer requirements with greater product variety in smaller batches.

Ultimaker has announced that Final Aim, a hands-on technology firm in Japan utilised the Ultimaker S3 to rapidly design the first autonomous delivery robot in use for Singapore. Final Aim collaborated with the robotics startup, OTSAW Digital PTE LTD to develop the robot Camello to tackle inefficiency issues that Singapore faces in the last mile of the logistics chain.

There was a time when a hand amputee would have been asked to use a hook prosthesis that had limited functions and carried a significant amount of social stigma. Today, designers are looking to build prosthetics that are not only functionally efficient, but also durable, comfortable, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing. Here, Chetan Kale, R&D Engineer at Portescap has dicussed how standard motion solutions can meet all of these requiremen...

Airwayz has been awarded a contract by Ayalon Highways, an Israeli governmental company. In order to quickly investigate and respond to missile damage to civilian structures and infrastructure in the towns of Ashdod and Ashkelon, the Israeli civil defence, fire and police services will inspect drone footage to assess damage and prioritise remedial work, saving time, making best use of resources and restoring public safety quicker.

Q-Bot is using high-precision Kaydon thin-section bearings from R.A. Rodriguez on the wheel hubs of intelligent mobile robots that spray insulation foam to the underside of suspended floors. With this advanced solution, Q-Bot improves the health of buildings, reduces energy usage and paves the way for a sustainable construction industry. In total, the company uses ten Kaydon bearings per robot.

At Goodwood Speed Week, Airspeeder unveiled to the world the Mk3 racing prototype, a remotely-piloted craft in the form of the full-scale and functional electric flying racing car. Today, the production version of this revolutionary vehicle is being created at the sport’s technical headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia. Airspeeder is proud to confirm the technical specifications of these craft before they participate in remotely piloted...

Percepto has announced the launch of the first ever smart home for Boston Dynamics’ Spot, a robotic dog. Leveraging the Percepto Base for Spot the solution offers an end-to-end autonomous cycle for outdoor inspection, empowering industrial facilities and isolated substations to keep Spot protected even in extreme weather conditions, safe from damage or theft, and always ready for action.

Underwater explorations and targeted missions have always been risky, time-consuming and costly. However, VideoRay tethered, underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are becoming ubiquitous for today’s toughest aquatic missions. From mine countermeasures and underwater search and rescue to port security and surveillance, VideoRay ROVs are helping reduce risk and achieve results faster and easier. Vicor’s portfolio of DC/DC power c...

Are cobots working alongside, rather than replacing humans, the answer to today’s manufacturing challenges? Ian Ferguson, VP of Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Lynx Software Technologies looks at how such an approach can be made safe and secure.