Monthly Archives: April 2017

8 considerations for collaborative robots | Packaging Digest – Packaging Digest

Posted: April 12, 2017 at 8:43 am

Robotics experts from Omron Automation, Rockwell Automation, Universal Robots and Yaskawa Motoman share eight insights and newsy updates in the fast-changing market for cobots.

To anyone attending an industry event relating to packaging or automation over the past few years or that regularly read industry trade publications, it comes as little surprise that 2016 proved a record-busting year for robot orders and shipments.

According to a report from the Robotic Industries Association, 2016 Breaks Records for North American Robot Orders and Shipments, the food and consumer goods industry increased orders for robots by 32% in 2016. Among other functions, the robots in these industries are used to improve food safety, performing repetitive primary packaging tasks such as bin picking, tray loading and bottle handling, and assisting with secondary packaging tasks such as case packing, bundling, bagging and palletizing.

These trends and applications aligned in several conference sessions at UBMs ADM (Advanced Design & Manufacturing) Cleveland event held in late March where presenters and panelists had plenty to say about robotics and safety specific to collaborative robots (cobots). We present eight takeaway soundbites from a four-member-expert panel discussion moderated by Rob Spiegel, senior editor of UBM's Design News.

A panel discussion held in late March in Cleveland moderated by Design News editor Rob Spiegel included (R to L) Mark Noschang, Omron Automation; Keith Voz, Yaskawa Motoman; and George Schuster, Rockwell Automation. Daniel Moore, Universal Robots, joined the panel shortly after this picture was taken.

1. Rethink plant layouts. Production lines were traditionally straight lines with conveyors, but robot technology permits more flexibility for customers to split lines or even eliminate between-machine conveyors.

Mark Noschang, chief robotics engineer, Omron Automation and Safety

2. Collaborative workstations. Rather than just cobots, consider collaborative workstations that complement workers strengths with the repeatability of machines to optimize workflow.

George Schuster, TV-certified functional safety expert (FSExp), Certified Functional Safety Engineer (CFSE), Rockwell Automation

3. Reverse justification? Rather than a top-down drive from management, theres a pull from production workers who see that robotics can remove them from tiring, boring and sometimes dangerous tasks and into an opportunity for more meaningful work.

Keith Voz, product manager for software, Yaskawa Motoman

4. Health and foods. Robots are now being used in the healthcare markets for physical therapy, as well as in food preparation and delivery.

Daniel Moore, technical and sales support, Universal Robots

5. Job security. In our 20 years of robot installations, no one has been laid off by a robot. In fact, were seeing more and more acceptance by operators.

Noschang

6. Mobility exploding. Were seeing an explosion in mobile robots that are mounted on an AGV (automated guided vehicle) platform.

Schuster

7. Youth movement. Robotic cells are going into junior high schools as part of their STEM programs.

Voz

8. Collaborative machines. Collaborative machines are deploying now that have safety technologies built-in to the motors and drives.

Schuster

A lively segment followed Spiegels open-ended question to the panel on the safety challenges of cage-free operation. Some responses:

Those interested in robotics and automation can see these advancements in person at the next Advanced Design & Manufacturing (ADM) Expo, next month in Toronto, Canada, where five eventsAutomation Technology Expo (ATX), PACKEX, PLAST-EX, Design & Manufacturing and Powder & Bulk Solids (PBS)can be found under one roof May 16-18, 2017. For more information, visit http://admtoronto.com.

See more here:

8 considerations for collaborative robots | Packaging Digest - Packaging Digest

Posted in Robotics | Comments Off on 8 considerations for collaborative robots | Packaging Digest – Packaging Digest

McKinney Robotics Team Heads to Championship – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Posted: at 8:43 am

A group of underdogs in McKinney accomplished a pretty impressive feat.

They are on a rookie robotics team that took big honors at a regional contest and now move on to a world championship.

The McKinney Mercenary Robotics is a made up of high school students in public school and those who are home schooled along with adult mentors,

They came together and racked up two awards in their very first robotics competition.

Their win in the inaugural Brazos Valley Regional for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition (FRC) now moves the team from regional competition to a world championship.

"The team had just six weeks to design and build a robot to complete various tasks, the most difficult of which was getting the roughly 80 pound robot to ascend a rope," said volunteer Mary Mobley. "Facing real life engineering challenges, the students have to quickly make changes during the competition. Working out of a team members garage and game room, the rookie team faced tough completion from much larger teams with more funding and dedicated work spaces with full workshops."

Dawn Brosie, whose son Cole is on the team, tells NBC5 the journey began last summer when the group started to form. She credits mentors Mobley and Jason Bolen for taking a group of highly motivated kids to a new level.

"The passion they have for this small group (especially compared to the other schools that we have competed against) is immeasurable beyond words," Brosie wrote. "Mary, has raised money by reaching out to businesses in the community, applying for grants and continues to do so. Jason, dedicated many nights, given up his vacation days to help the students build their robot in just 6 weeks and attend competitions. They traveled great distances to their competitions arrange demonstrations within the community. I cant say enough about these two exceptional individuals."

Mercenary Robotics won the Highest Rookie Seed Award, as well as, the Rookie All Star Award. The Rookie All Star Award automatically qualifies the team to compete in the FIRST Championship which will be held in Houston April 19-22.

FIRST was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to promote a culture where science and technology are celebrated.

FIRST programs engage students in exciting mentor based programs that build science, engineering and technical skills, in addition to fostering competence in areas such as self-confidence, communication and leadership.

Mercenary Robotics is open to students from all three McKinney High Schools, as well as, home school students.

For more info please contact the team by email at mckinneymercs6369@gmail.com.

Published at 10:44 AM CDT on Apr 11, 2017 | Updated at 11:12 AM CDT on Apr 11, 2017

Continue reading here:

McKinney Robotics Team Heads to Championship - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Posted in Robotics | Comments Off on McKinney Robotics Team Heads to Championship – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Riverside robotics team raising money to attend world championships – KCRG

Posted: at 8:43 am

RIVERSIDE, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) -- Students from several eastern Iowa schools will get the chance to show off their designing, building, and engineering skills to the world.

They're members of seven robotics teams in the state that will be competing in the First Tech Challenge World Championships in St. Louis later this month. One of them is the Highland Robotics team from the Highland Community School District in Riverside. Members of the team said they're excited.

"Insanely thrilled. At the beginning of the year it was my goal to try to get us to worlds this year" said Sam Smith, a Highland High School junior on the robotics team.

That's the vibe everyone's feeling on the Highland Robotics team, also known as the "Finger Tightans." They lost in the state championships but were one of two teams selected in a wild card lottery to move on to the world championships. This is the team's first appearance at the FTC World Championships.

"It is so wonderful to see the teams down at the world championship especially the ones from Iowa. It's great to see familiar faces. It's great to hang out and celebrate their accomplishments with them" said Rebecca Whitaker, a First Tech Challenge affiliate partner for Iowa.

The coach says his team is very dedicated.

"They're in here a lot. They're here before or after school. They've been here some pretty late nights getting ready for competition" said Tim Surine, the coach of the "Finger Tightans."

It's not just putting the nuts and bolts together to make the robot work. There's community outreach, graphic design, program writing, and teamwork.

"If you don't have that team chemistry then you aren't synced up on what you're doing and communication would be difficult but with a group that's close knit and this together, all going to the same school and being in the same age range it's really important" said Smith.

Here's how it works. They use the robot to toss whiffle-balls up into a basket to score points, kind of like minature robot basketball. But it's not all fun and games. The team needs to raise a few thousand dollars to fund their trip to worlds in two weeks. If you would like to contribute to the team's fundraising efforts to be able to go to the competition, you can visit their Go Fund Me page at https://www.gofundme.com/FingerTightans or you can visit Highland High School to make a donation.

They'll compete against 120 teams from 80 different countries who are bringing their own robotic style and strategy. Other Iowa teams competing are from Davenport, Denver, Pella, Garner, Benton Community in Van Horne and Sioux City. It's unusual to have that many teams make it to the World Championships. First Tech Challenge Iowa says usually two or three schools make it. The World Championships take place from April 25 to April 29.

Read this article:

Riverside robotics team raising money to attend world championships - KCRG

Posted in Robotics | Comments Off on Riverside robotics team raising money to attend world championships – KCRG

FIRST LASER Robotics team proceeds to world championship – Lakenewsonline.com

Posted: at 8:43 am

The afterschool FIRST FRC Camdenton LASER 3284 robotics team won the Lone Star North competition this past weekend located north of Houston, TX. The event had 33 FIRST FRC team participants with two international teams from Turkey and Mexico.

The afterschool FIRST FRC Camdenton LASER 3284 robotics team won the Lone Star North competition this past weekend located north of Houston, TX. The event had 33 FIRST FRC team participants with two international teams from Turkey and Mexico.

Competing with several world-renowned powerhouse robotics programs in Texas, LASER 3284 finished ranked third after qualification rounds with a record of 9-2. The top 8 ranked teams get to select their alliance partners in a serpentine manner with the #1 alliance selecting first to form alliances of three teams to compete for the championship.

Analysis of the data collected by the scout team during qualification rounds proved critical to the LASERs selection of two quality alliance partners to assist them to capture the crown. Joining the LASER alliance was Royal Robotics 5842 from New Port Richey, FL and rookie team Flaming Metal Robotics team 6547 from Magnolia, TX.

This alliance cooperation and willingness to adjust strategy proved to be strong and the LASER alliance beat the#6 seed in quarters, #2 alliance in the semis, and the #1 alliance in the finals with a final match score of 380 - 237.

The LASER 3284 team also made strong impressions with the judges at the event earning two addition awards. The team was bestowed the Engineering Inspiration award. This award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a teams school and community.The award provides the winning team a bid to the FIRST World Championships and a grant from NASA to cover the entry fee for the championships.

In addition, LASER 3284 also graciously accepted its ninth Underwriters Laboratory Industrial Safety Award.

While in Houston students toured the NASA Johnson Space Center.

LASER 3284 would like to thank the Camdenton R-III school district for its support along with our local sponsors: Electrovert ITW, Gerbes, The Community Foundation of the Lake, Lake Regional Health Systems, Curran & Associates, Scotts Concrete, and Metaltech.

Follow this link:

FIRST LASER Robotics team proceeds to world championship - Lakenewsonline.com

Posted in Robotics | Comments Off on FIRST LASER Robotics team proceeds to world championship – Lakenewsonline.com

UF championship robotics team to talk tech at seminar – The Independent Florida Alligator

Posted: at 8:43 am

A UF student organization with five world-championship wins in robotics is hosting a seminar Wednesday.

Erick Schwartz is the director of the Machine Intelligence Laboratory, which hosted a group of students who built the NaviGator AMS, a robotic boat which won a world championship in December. The free seminar, on Wednesday at 5:10 p.m. in the New Engineering Building, Room 100, will teach people about the NaviGator boat and UFs robotics programs.

To us, robot means an intelligent mobile system that can solve a particular problem, Schwartz, 57, said. All of ours are autonomous, so they control themselves. They have computers, and they react to sensory things in the world.

Students with the laboratory have won five different world championships with robots theyve built, he said. The NaviGator AMS competed against teams from 14 universities across five different countries to win the world championship in the Maritime RobotX Challenge in Hawaii.

If youve ever seen American Ninja Warrior, its kind of like that sort of thing for robots, Schwartz said, referencing the TV show where people run through rigorous obstacle courses for a cash prize.

Ahad Virani, a 19-year-old UF computer science sophomore, said he would consider attending the seminar.

It sounds like an interesting program, and the members seem to know what theyre doing based on the fact that theyre national champions, he said.

Read more from the original source:

UF championship robotics team to talk tech at seminar - The Independent Florida Alligator

Posted in Robotics | Comments Off on UF championship robotics team to talk tech at seminar – The Independent Florida Alligator

This Is the Dawn of Brain Tech, But How Far Can It Go? – Singularity Hub

Posted: at 8:42 am

What distinguishes Elon Musks reputation as an entrepreneur is that any venture he takes on comes from a bold and inspiring vision for the future of our species. Not long ago, Musk announced a new company, Neuralink, with the goal of merging the human mind with AI. Given Musks track record of accomplishing the seemingly impossible, the world is bound to pay extra attention when he says he wants to connect our brains to computers.

Neuralink is registered as a medical company in California. With further details yet to be announced, it will attempt to create a neural lace, which is a brain-machine interface that can be implanted directly into our brains to monitor and enhance them.

In the short run, this technology has medical applications and may be used to treat paralysis or diseases like Parkinsons. In the coming decades, it could allow us to exponentially boost our mental abilities or even digitize human consciousness. Fundamentally, it is a step towards the convergence of humans and machines and maybe a leap in human progressone that could address various challenges we face.

Musk isnt the first or only person who wants to connect brains to machines. Another tech entrepreneur, Bryan Johnson, founded startup Kernel in 2016 to similarly look into brain-machine interfaces, and the scientific community has been making strides in recent years.

Earlier this month, researchers in Switzerland announced paralyzed primates could walk again with the assistance of a neuroprosthetic system. And CNN reported a man paralyzed from the shoulders down regained use of his right hand with a brain-machine interface.

The past few years have seen remarkable developments in both the hardware and software of brain-machine interfaces. Experts are designing more intricate electrodes while programming better algorithms to interpret the neural signals. Scientists have already succeeded in enabling paralyzed patients to type with their minds,and are even allowing brains to communicate with one another purely through brainwaves. So far, most of these successful applications have been in enabling motor control or very basic communication in individuals with brain injuries.

There remain, however, many challenges to ongoing developments of BMIs.

For one, the most powerful and precise BMIs require invasive surgery. Another challenge is implementing robust algorithms that can interpret the complex interactions of the brains 86 billion neurons. Most progress has also been one-directional: brain to machine. We have yet to develop BMIs that can provide us with sensory information or allow us to feel the subjective experience of tactile sensations such as touch, temperature or pain. (Although there has been progress giving prosthetics-users a sense of touch via electrodes attached to nerves in their arm.)

There is also the general challenge that our understanding of the brain is in its infancy. We have a long way to go before we fully understand how and where various functions such as cognition, perception and self-awareness arise. To enhance or integrate machines with these functions, we need to understand their physical underpinnings. Designing interfaces that can communicate with individual neurons and safely integrate with existing biological networks requires a great amount of medical innovation.

However, its important to remember this technology is rapidly advancing.

Hollywood often depicts a dystopian future where machines and humans go to war. Instead, however, we are seeing hints of a future where human and machine converge.

In many ways, we are already cyborgs.

Futurists like Jason Silva point out that our devices are an abstract form of brain-machine interface. We use smartphones to store and retrieve information, perform calculations and communicate with each other. According to philosophers Andy Clark and David Chalmers theory of the extended mind, we use technology to expand the boundaries of the human mind beyond our skulls. We use tools like machine learning to enhance our cognitive skills or powerful telescopes to enhance our visual reach. Technology has become a part of our exoskeleton, allowing us to push beyond our limitations.

Musk has pointed out that the merger of biological and machine intelligence may also be necessary if we are to remain economically valuable. Brain-machine interfaces could allow us to better reap the benefits of advancing artificial intelligence. With increasing automation of jobs, this could be a way to keep up with machines that perform tasks far more efficiently than we can.

Technologist Ray Kurzweil believes that by 2030s we will connect the neocortex of our brains to the cloud via nanobots. He points out that the neocortex is the source of all beauty, love and creativity and intelligence in the world. Notably, due to his predictive accuracy, Kurzweil has been referred to by Bill Gates and others as the best predictor of future technologies.

Whether Kurzweil is right or things take longer than expected, our current trajectory suggests well get there eventually. What might such a future look like when it arrives?

We could scale our intelligence and imagination a thousand-fold. It would radically disrupt how we think, feel and communicate. Transferring our thoughts and feelings directly to others brains could re-define human sociality and intimacy. Ultimately, uploading our entire selves into machines could allow us to transcend our biological skins and become digitally immortal.

The implications are truly profound, and many questions remain unanswered. What will the subjective experience of human consciousness feel like when our minds are digitized? How will we prevent our digital brains from getting hacked and overwritten with unwanted thoughts? How do we ensure access to brain-machine interfaces for all, not just the wealthy?

As Peter Diamandis says, If this future becomes reality, connected humans are going to change everything. We need to discuss the implications in order to make the right decisions now so that we are prepared for the future.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

See the article here:

This Is the Dawn of Brain Tech, But How Far Can It Go? - Singularity Hub

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off on This Is the Dawn of Brain Tech, But How Far Can It Go? – Singularity Hub

John Legend is singing a new tune: virtual reality – LA Times – Los Angeles Times

Posted: at 8:42 am

The traffic and weather said Wilshire Boulevard on a steamy weekday afternoon. But inside the virtual reality headset it was all cool jungle dense foliage, a self-effacing skunk, even John Legend as a singing bird.

In the latest push to make virtual reality an entertainment medium, the startup Baobab Studios is expected to announce on Tuesday a new animated VR series, Rainbow Crow, which aims to bring an immersive world of talking-animal animation wherever a user happens to be.

The episodic series based on a piece of Native American folklore about self-acceptance stars and is executive-produced by Legend. It is written and directed by Madagascar co-writer and director Eric Darnell, chief creative officer and co-founder of Baobab with Silicon Valley executive Maureen Fan, who is the companys CEO.

What caught my attention is a magical story with a really good message, Darnell said. It felt like an opportunity to explore something in VR thats dreamlike, instead of an effort at duplicating reality.

Baobab aims to create a new class of animation stories for VR, hewing more closely to traditional narratives than rivals such as Oculus Story Studio and Felix & Paul Studios. A previous alien-themed short titled Invasion! voiced by Ethan Hawke, has been a hit on the festival circuit and contained enough traditional cinematic virtues that its being developed as a feature by the production company of Hollywood veteran Joe Roth.

As an executive from Baobab showed the first chapter of Rainbow Crow to a reporter (the second chapter is in production), the piece demonstrated some well-established animation story beats.

The plot concerns a swaggering crow (Legend) who, when the animal kingdom is plunged into darkness because of a global freeze, must go on a hero's journey and sublimate his own ego. A skunk with her own personality issues also gets caught up in the drama.

But perhaps more significant than the plot specifics is who the piece has attracted. Virtual reality companies are increasingly using a time-honored Hollywood technique to bring in users: star appeal. If a name or voice is familiar, they're betting, consumers will be more inclined to give VR a shot.

Legend said in a phone interview that he was excited by the possibilities of the medium.

"I had been to some conferences where VR technology was discussed and also had seen a powerful film about refugees," said the musician and "La La Land" star. "When Baobab came to me with this I thought it felt like a cool story that could do a lot of things."

He said the mediums immersive qualities particularly made sense for a story that was about being different.

VR helps increase the connection we have with each other because it can put you in someone elses shoes, Legend said.

The series, it should be noted, may also contain original music from the artist.

The first chapter of "Rainbow Crow" will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this month, while a consumer rollout of both it and a second episode will follow later this year. The pieces will be available on a variety of so-called tethered headsets like the HTC Vive as well as mobile-based systems such as Samsungs Gear VR.

Baobab executives said they didnt know yet how many episodes would be created. (The finished product, when combined, will run about as long as a featurette.) There is no plan at the moment to charge for Rainbow Crow; the idea is to hook consumers so they will be willing to pay later.

We dont believe the market is big enough to monetize, said Fan, who was in Los Angeles last week from Baobabs Silicon Valley headquarters in Redwood City. We want to build a pipeline for content that will make eventually make that possible.

As VR headsets become more prevalent, a growing stream of content has, indeed, been created, particularly stand-alone original stories known as cinematic VR. Among the notable new pieces, all on display at this year's Sundance Film Festival, are Life of Us, which counts Pharrell Williams among its creators, and Miyubi, which has Funny or Dies involvement.

What approach consumers will embrace is an open question: Will they prefer VR pieces that feel like familiar movies or that push the medium in edgier directions? Life of Us, for instance, is more experiential, while Miyubi" takes a more traditional approach.

Rainbow Crow, which will eventually incorporate a first-person element, tilts in the latter direction.

Whether its film, TV, theater or VR, I think its all storytelling, Darnell said. Its just about using a different tool kit to get to the same place.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour

steve.zeitchik@latimes.com

Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT

MORE ON VIRTUAL REALITY:

For the VR generation, the differences between TV and movies may already be irrelevant

In the burgeoning world of virtual reality, storytelling is both cutting-edge and old-fashioned

Ridley Scott's 'Alien: Covenant' will get a separate virtual reality experience

Unveiling the first major virtual reality TV series, 'Invisible,' from director Doug Liman

In a first, a VR short will become a Hollywood movie

See more here:

John Legend is singing a new tune: virtual reality - LA Times - Los Angeles Times

Posted in Virtual Reality | Comments Off on John Legend is singing a new tune: virtual reality – LA Times – Los Angeles Times

Virtual Reality Revenue to Hit $7.2B This Year, $75B By 2021 | Variety – Variety

Posted: at 8:41 am

Global virtual reality revenues will reach$7.17 billion by the end of this year, according to a new report by Greenlight Insights, which is also predicting that global VR revenues will total close to $75 billion by 2021.

More than 65 percent of all VR revenues will come from headsetsales this year, according to Greenlight. Consumer content will make up for around 12 percent, and VR cameras will make up another 11.6 percent. Over the next five years, the revenue split will slowly shift, with enterprise think VR for construction companies, education etc. making up for 24.2 percent of all revenue in 2021.

Greenlight also forecast that location-based virtual reality in malls and movie theaters is going to grow into a significant part of the industry. In 2017, location-based VR will bring in $222 million worldwide; by 2021, that amount will have grown to almost $1.2 billion.

These estimates have to be taken with a grain of salt its a nascent industry, after all. Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that many of the major headset manufacturers, including Oculus, HTC and Google, have yet to release any actual sales numbers for their devices.

Data shared by adult VR video company last week suggested that there may be a reason for why some of the manufacturers have yet to release any sales numbers. Samsungs Gear VR,of which the company has sold more than 5 million units thus far, outperformed Googles Daydream VR headset by 13X during the first three months of this year, according toBadoink.

Read more from the original source:

Virtual Reality Revenue to Hit $7.2B This Year, $75B By 2021 | Variety - Variety

Posted in Virtual Reality | Comments Off on Virtual Reality Revenue to Hit $7.2B This Year, $75B By 2021 | Variety – Variety

What Does Microsoft Have In Virtual Reality That Apple Doesn’t … – Investor’s Business Daily

Posted: at 8:41 am

Watch for Microsoft's "Project Scorpio" Xbox to make an impact on the gaming market later this year. (omihay/Shutterstock)

Microsoft's (MSFT) ambitions in augmented and virtual reality are going to get a big lift from the "Project Scorpio" Xbox gaming console due out this fall, says Loup Ventures.

"Typically, when we talk about the future of AR and VR, the firstcompanies that come to mind are Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOGL), Facebook (FB), and Snapchat (SNAP); however, Microsoft does not receive enough credit for the strong positioning it has already built," said Loup managing partner Gene Munster, in a blog.

While virtual reality immerses a user in an imagined or replicated world such asvideo games, augmented reality overlays digital imagery onto the real world.

Microsoft's gaming platform is key, says Munster, formerly an Apple analyst at Piper Jaffray.

"Of all of the companies vying to own VR and AR platformsof the future, Microsoft is the only one to have a gaming console," he said.

Digital Foundry, a gaming website, disclosed Xbox Project Scorpio specifications last week. Microsoft announced the gaming system at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

IBD'S TAKE: After a 12% gain last year,Microsoft stock is up about 5% in 2017. It has formed a flat base, with a buy point of 66.01. Learn more at IBD Stock Checkup.

At CES, Microsoft said that it had reached 55 million monthly active users on its Xbox Live platform, up 15% from the previous year.

In addition to VR gaming capabilities, the new Xbox will feature 4K video. Microsoft's main competition in VR gaming is Sony (SNE), says Munster. Sony released a PlayStation VR system in November. Sales reached 915,000 in late February, Sony said.

"While Microsoft doesn't produceany VR hardware, it sells (Facebook's) Oculus Rift headset in its stores and has included the Xboxcontroller in Oculus Rift bundles," said Munster. "Oculusseems like the logical choice fora VR headset partner forProject Scorpio."

Microsoft's next gaming consolewill also support headsets expected out in 2018 from Lenovo, Dell, Acer and HP (HPQ).

Microsoft shares ended trading Monday down 0.2% to 65.53.

RELATED:

Video Game Publisher Activision Posts High Score On Bullish Report

NetEase Game Business Weakens; First-Quarter Targets In Doubt

Nintendo Unveils Versatile Video Game Console: Nintendo Switch

6:55 AM ET The Dow industrials, S&P 500, Nasdaq and several top stocks found support at their 50-day moving averages Tuesday. Testing resumes...

6:55 AM ET The Dow industrials, S&P 500, Nasdaq and several top stocks...

Visit link:

What Does Microsoft Have In Virtual Reality That Apple Doesn't ... - Investor's Business Daily

Posted in Virtual Reality | Comments Off on What Does Microsoft Have In Virtual Reality That Apple Doesn’t … – Investor’s Business Daily

AMD Acquires Nitero For High-Speed Virtual Reality Chip Tech – Seeking Alpha

Posted: at 8:41 am

Quick Take

Graphics chip maker AMD (AMD) has acquired the team and technology of fabless semiconductor company Nitero for an undisclosed amount. Nitero has been developing millimeter frequency solutions for wireless virtual reality [VR] and augmented reality [AR] headsets.

AMD has acquired the IP to bolster its ambitions in the promising VR/AR market, which has yet to see widespread consumer adoption. I dont expect any near-term effect as a result of the deal since the technology will take some time to integrate and continue development within AMDs design goals.

Target Company

Austin, Texas-based Nitero was founded in 2009 by CEO Pat Kelly to develop low-power 60 GHz solutions to enable high bandwidth wireless headsets for VR and AR applications.

In July 2014, Nitero introduced its NT4600 family of IEEE 802.11ad smartphone chips using Samsungs (OTC:SSNLF) 28nm RF process. The NT4600 line supported 4K displays, USB 3.0 data rate wireless connectivity and transmit and receive beamforming to provide better coverage.

As founder and CEO Pat Kelly stated,

Todays smartphones and tablets have incredible processing and graphical power. However, these capabilities are bottled up due to the lack of robust wireless display connectivity. 60GHz allows our phones to reach their full potential, without requiring a power cord to keep the battery alive. With the NT4600, I can walk around a conference room while my smartphone drives a presentation at the office. Once home, it can wirelessly connect to my 4K TV to play the latest first person shooter without having to be recharged.

Kelly was previously CEO of Sironics and VP at SigmaTels portable SoC Group. Below is a brief demonstration video about Niteros wireless VR solution:

(Source: UploadVR)

Nitero raised at least $4.71 million in disclosed early stage financing from venture capital investors Southern Cross Venture Partners (Larry Marshall), Trailblazer Capital (Joel Fontenot & George Barber) and Austin Ventures (Clark Jernigan).

Acquisition Terms, Rationale and Commentary

AMD did not disclose the price it paid for Nitero, so it was likely not material to AMD and was primarily a team and technology acquisition. Nitero CEO Kelly is now Corporate Vice President, Wireless IP at AMD in Austin, where it has a significant operations presence.

AMD acquired Nitero because it believes that for widespread adoption of VR to occur, unwieldy headset cables that attach to a PC have to go away. With 60GHz wireless connectivity, the promise of a cable-free VR/AR headset with multi-gigabit transmit performance and low-latency comes closer to reality.

In recent years, AMD has changed its focus, from PC-based chipsets to mobile and graphics-oriented products. Its no wonder, since the growth potential has been much greater ex-PC due to consumer demand and display technology advances.

AMDs move into gaming and VR/AR applications will receive another boost with the deal for Nitero, as AMD gains additional IP it needs to become a leader in the nascent VR/AR segment. VR/AR has been threatening to go mainstream, but there has been as yet no killer system to drive consumer adoption. Perhaps a 60GHz system like Niteros will do the trick.

I write about M&A deals and IPOs. Click the Follow button next to my name at the top of this article if you want to receive future articles automatically.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

See more here:

AMD Acquires Nitero For High-Speed Virtual Reality Chip Tech - Seeking Alpha

Posted in Virtual Reality | Comments Off on AMD Acquires Nitero For High-Speed Virtual Reality Chip Tech – Seeking Alpha