Daily Archives: August 13, 2020

The Pirates of the Caribbean cast: who was the best love interest? – Polygon

Posted: August 13, 2020 at 1:38 am

With the Pirates of the Caribbean movies more accessible than ever, and a summer season void of blockbusters, this month were diving deep into Disneys swashbuckling series. Grab your cutlass and hoist the colors: here be Polygons take on all things PotC.

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise juggles a lot of balls, but perhaps one of the most gripping threads is romance. Throughout the original trilogy, Elizabeth Swann is the central point of a triangle formed by Will Turner, Jack Sparrow, and James Norrington. The films end with Elizabeth choosing Will but was he the right choice?

To discuss the pivotal romance in the original Pirates trilogy, three Polygon staffers Karen Han, Emily Heller, and Petrana Radulovic convened to talk over Elizabeths three potential beaus, as well as all of the other high-seas heartthrobs introduced throughout the series.

Karen: Id like to start with the Big Three: Will, Jack, and Norrington. You guys have told me before that you both love Will why is that?

Emily: I do love Will Turner. I love a boy who pines.

Karen: So there was never any competition?

Emily: No, and in fact, I was annoyed whenever Jack Sparrow would get flirty with Elizabeth, and whenever anyone I talked to was into Jack Sparrow. I was anti-Jack Sparrow.

Petrana: I did not like Jack in the way a lot of people I know did. I do love a charming rogue, and as an audience surrogate crush, I get it, but I never wanted him for Elizabeth.

Karen: Please expand on why you love Will so much.

Petrana: I think Orlando Bloom is very cute. I think that was 85% of it, especially when I watched those movies. I also like a good childhood best friend love story, and I liked that it was mutual. They were both into each other, and society didnt like it, but they decided, hey, fuck society.

Emily: For me, I love a loyal character who has a moral code that they stick to even when theyre teaming up with someone who is not necessarily sticking to that. Whats interesting is that I was not an Orlando Bloom gal, I was not into Legolas. I was into Sam, that was my guy. Its that sort of loyalty that I really dig.

Petrana: I do like that Will has these principles. Norrington is the other character who has a strict moral code, in contrast to Jack, but his is a code of honor, which is hot in its own right. Whereas Wills devotion is to the people he loves.

Karen: The next logical talking point is Norrington, because he is the third love interest, but I feel like hes someone no one really considered until his arc in the second and third movies.

Petrana: I actually saw the movies in reverse order. I wasnt allowed to watch them because they were scary, so I saw the third one with my friends when I was old enough, then I saw the second one with my cousin. I finally saw the first one because I told my parents I was really into those movies. I think seeing them in reverse really elevates Norringtons story. He sacrifices himself for Elizabeth, and he was really hot in the second one. But then you watch the first one and its weird that she knew him when she was 11 and he was, like, 25.

Emily: I did not think of Norrington as anything other than an obstacle between Elizabeth and Will in the first movie. I agree that he was hot in the second and third movies. Removing that powdered wig really helped him out there.

Karen: So in the second and third movies, were you no longer like, Get him out of here, Will and Elizabeth need to kiss, because it was clear that Will and Elizabeth would get together?

Emily: I think because it was clear that Norrington did not have a chance with Elizabeth, that she was in love with Will and it was great, I did not see him as a threat then, and he was allowed to be cute without being a hindrance. The second movie is actually where I got really mad about the Jack Sparrow stuff, because thats where Elizabeth kisses him, and the look on Wills face when he sees it happen is devastating, because he doesnt know why shes doing it!

Petrana: The kiss is for the greater good! She kisses him for Will! Its the only way to save all of their asses. But he doesnt know that, so its dramatique.

Karen: So both of you, from the beginning, were like, She should be with Will Turner, there is no alternative, this is who she should choose. I will say I havent found Orlando Bloom attractive until very recently starting from when he was a villain in the Three Musketeers movie. I wasnt in love with Will while watching these movies. But I wasnt in love with Jack Sparrow, either. I was more interested in Norrington because of his redemptive arc; thats the story trope that really works for me. I find it interesting that both of you were with Will Turner from the beginning, because I feel like so much of the fandom thinks she shouldve gotten with Jack Sparrow.

Petrana: The fact that her choice is very clear from the beginning makes the other men good for the audience to project upon. Jack doesnt have a love interest until Penlope Cruz in the fourth movie (which doesnt count).

Emily: I never really went for the bad boy thing, I remember I got really mad at my sister for being really into the Phantom of the Opera. Thats part of why I wasnt into Jack Sparrow. If I was going to go for a bad boy, I would be into a bad man, i.e. Captain Barbossa.

Petrana: I have to wonder what it is specifically about Jack that I didnt get, because I usually do go for the rogue. I think the key thing missing is the heart of gold. Jack doesnt really have it. Hes an interesting character, but lacks the ride-or-die appeal of Will.

Karen: Yeah, the interesting thing about the end of the second movie is that hes trying to make an ultimately selfish and very villainous choice. So, of the three main love interests, the consensus is, two out of three, that Elizabeth made the right choice. But who would you pick?

Petrana: Will, but if Norrington kept his look from the second movie, that might sway me a little. I am very shallow and I love a man with dirty blonde hair.

Emily: I would also choose Will, but I do, as a 27-year-old woman versus a 10-year-old girl, understand the appeal of Norrington being much more established, and a more stable life is appealing to me, personally, as a tired adult.

Petrana: Will as a blacksmith has a stable income, but Will as captain of the Flying Dutchman doesnt.

Karen: He doesnt have a stable income, and the only thing thats stable is he can only come see you once every 10 years or whatever. What do you guys think of the way Will and Elizabeths story ends?

Petrana: I was looking into this because I was curious. In the directors commentary, they say that, because Elizabeth was faithful to him, the curse was broken, which I clung to as a little girl. Of course, they retcon that in the fifth movie, but I loved that tragic trope. There is the big question of why she doesnt just go with him. Her dad is dead, so why not?

Karen: Yeah, there is nothing preventing her from going with him. But I guess if you want to live in a nice house you wouldnt go because the Flying Dutchman is not very nice. Now, I want to dig into Emilys comment about Captain Barbossa. Personally, I wouldnt not choose Barbossa.

Emily: I love Barbossa, especially as hes juxtaposed with Jack Sparrow, because where Jack is morally ambiguous and kind of loosey-goosey and his whole thing is this stumbling rockstar thing, Barbossa is not loosey-goosey. He is controlled, he is tight, he knows exactly what his code is, which is none. I love that he absolutely does not care about anything besides his very specific goals. When he bites into the apple and the juice runs down his face? Its hot. Im sorry. Also he has a monkey, and thats cool.

Karen: Did you find him attractive during the first movie or is this something that has cropped up as youve grown up?

Emily: In the first movie, I was terrified of him. By the third movie, I was into him. I was 15, and I was like, Yeah, I like this guy. I was still all-in for Will, but I had some tinglings of, What about him, though?

Karen: Petrana, Im curious if there are any other characters that you looked at and were like, Hm, I do like them.

Petrana: Im not even sure if its romantic but I think Tia Dalma deserves so much more. I want to know more about her and Calypso. Her whole thing is kind of handwaved. Also Naomie Harris is just a beautiful woman.

Karen: I like when she turns big and then turns into a bunch of crabs. I do like that thats her ending: I am a sea goddess, goodbye. My huge crush was Davy Jones. I was so obsessed with him when these movies came out, and for a long time afterwards. I dont know if my crush on Bill Nighy came first or if liked Davy Jones first, but hes just so mysterious and cool. When I was 13, I was so into him that my friends made me a poster that was just a collage of pictures of Bill Nighy on a bunch of printer paper. They also got me a little piece of official movie merch which was a pen with a Davy Jones head-topper on it, which I treasured. I think its still in my childhood bedroom. That one moment where he turns into a man in the moonlight was hot. Not that Davy Jones with a squid face wasnt hot ... I dont look at Davy Jones with a squid face and think, I want to kiss him, but I dont look at him and think I dont not want to kiss him.

Emily: I mean, if we want to talk crushes that the room will not relate to: Jonathan Pryce, man.

Karen: Hes a devoted dad and has a nice house!

Emily: I like the wig, but also when he takes off the wig. Hes got that messy wig hair. Its good. Also, those Turner genes are strong because Id absolutely smooch Bootstrap Bill. Stellan Skarsgrd ... hes daddy, I dont know what to tell you.

Karen: Big, big same. Hes a hunk! More of a hunk than Will, in my opinion. Those barnacles aint nothing to me! I do have to bring up that when we were discussing this roundtable, Emily, you brought up the pirate Ragetti.

Emily: Yes! Specifically because of the scene where theyre doing the ritual to return Tia Dalma to her true form as Calypso, and the ritual says they have to speak to her like theyre talking to a lover. I love Barbossa, but he does this big, performative voice, and then Ragetti just walks up to her and whispers into her ear. She does this little shiver. I would, too. Also, Mackenzie Crook is a cutie.

Karen: I do love Pintel and Ragetti a lot. They are extremely cute together. OK, so what if Pirates of the Caribbean was a dating sim? If you were playing it right now, who would romance?

Emily: I think Governor Swann, just to see if the game would let me.

Petrana: I will say that I would not pick Will because he and Elizabeth were a first OTP for me, and I wouldnt want to mess with it. I want go with Norrington because I think that would be a challenging route. Whenever Im playing a game with romance options I have to choose the one that would be an uphill battle. (Disclaimer: this is not how I approach real-life romantic relationships.)

Karen: You have to fix him. It reminds me of Cullens route in Dragon Age: Inquisition, where you have to get him over his drug addiction.

Petrana: I picked that route.

Karen: I know you did. Obviously, I would romance Davy Jones. He was always my number one in Pirates of Caribbean. I was never into Will, Jack, or Norrington. I am fully aware he was not in the first movie, but I dont care. I love him. I love his little claw. Hes like a big octopus! Also, I feel like a new relationship would be good for him.

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Pirates Of The Caribbean 6: 5 Things We’d Want In A New Movie (& 5 That We Don’t) – Screen Rant

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Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in production, but what should the upcoming sequel include? What should the movie leave out?

Pirates of the Caribbeanhas truly stood the test of time. With five movies under its belt and two more on the way, there are plenty of stories to be told. One of those movies will be a continuation of the current series while another will star Margot Robbie in a female-fronted reboot.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Things The Reboot Can Improve (& 5 Ways It Can Fail)

Fans have high expectations when it comes to these movies sincePirates of the Caribbeanis still one of the most beloved movie franchises out there today. However, it hasn't necessarily gotten better through its run. Viewers are definitely looking for some particulars in the next sequel and spin-off.

Fans asked and they shall receive: Margot Robbie is going to star in the reboot, which will not be connected to the main storyline. It's about time that a female pirate lead steps into the spotlight in a franchise that hasn't had too many women characters before.

There's also no reason that the sequel movie can't focus on a female character, pirate or otherwise, especially with some options available. Carina, Barbossa's daughter, or perhaps even Elizabeth (the Pirate King herself!) couldreturn after her brief cameo in the fifth movie.

Many fans are not clamoring for the return of Captain Jack. He has certainly run his course, having starred in all five movies. The character has really gone downhill over time. While he started the series as a smart man who was ten steps ahead of everyone around him, he descended into a drunken pirate who was barely along for the ride.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Ways To Reboot The Franchise (& 5 Reasons It Should Be Left Alone)

There are plenty of other leads that can take his place, the most obvious being Will, who is poised to command the sixth movie with a resurrected conflict against Davy Jones. When it comes to Jack,audiencesmay have simply had their fill of the captain.

Pirates of the Caribbeanis iconic for a reason, as it knew how to write memorable characters. With Jack (the captain and the monkey), Pintel, Ragetti, Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, and many more leading the way,lovable characters abound, even when they'retechnically bad news.

Both new movies have the opportunity to create new characters, whether they're comedic relief or serious members of the crew. It would be refreshing after all these years to fall in love with a new crew of pirates or even some fresh bad guys.

Technically,Pirates of the Caribbeanbegan asa dark story. It had cursed skeletons, wayward pirates, and plenty of gray skies on the sea. But the movies only got darker and darker. A lighthearted take (with a visually pleasing aesthetic) would serve to revive the tired franchise.

When Margot Robbie's crew sets sail, that would be the best chance to see a totally fresh take on the pirate world. Here's hoping that she can do for pirates what she did for Harley Quinn and have some fun on screen. Hopefully, the sixth film willalso be a bit lighter.

Many longtime viewers are already fan-casting who would be the best additions to the series, with names ranging from Karen Gillan to Florence Pugh. If there's one thingPirates of the Caribbeanhas always been good at, it's all-star celeb cameos for the best roles.

Whether it's Javier Bardem as a villainous captain or Bill Nighy as the legendary Davy Jones,the franchise didn't pull punches when it came to casting. The new movies have the potential to add more exciting names to a long list of hits.

Viewers have gotten attached to the central characters who make upPirates of the Caribbean,especially the original trifecta of Jack, Will, and Elizabeth. It would simply be painful to watch them get unhappy endings after all these years.

RELATED:Pirates of the Caribbean: 5 Characters Who Got Fitting Endings (& 5 Who Deserved More)

Since Will is poised to star in the next sequel now that Davy Jones has possibly returned, it would be terrible to watch the former meet an untimely demise or get cursed again. He already got a happy ending, being reunited with Elizabeth and Henry, so the next movie should not resort to forced drama.

Many talented actors and fantastic characters have contributed to the series over the years, but the cast has not always been the most inclusive. Zoe Saldana made a splash in the first movie as Anamaria and no one could forget Naomie Harris's turn as Tia Dalma, but the franchise needs to create moreopportunities for diversity.

There are so many phenomenal actors of color who could seamlessly join the sixth film's cast, and the same can be said for the spin-off. Fans can't wait to see who gets cast next.

It's not exactly a secret thatPirates of the Caribbeanmovies became long, convoluted, and way too wacky. With so many supernatural and fantastical elements, it was easy for the series to go overboard.The next movies need to rein it in and bring back the excitement ofThe Curse of the Black Pearl's action-adventure status.

The spin-off has the potential to put together a straightforward and acclaimed movie about female pirates on the open sea, while the mainline sequel should stick to what the series does best: Character-driven adventures. Although Davy Jones was supernatural, it was really when they began adding too many villains andplot threads that the franchise crossed a line.

Pirates of the Caribbeanhas never taken itself too seriously and the actors seemed to have plenty of fun on set. While they cast many popular actors in major roles, they also brought on some fan favorites in cameos. Namely, Keith Richards and Paul McCartney stood out as Jack's family members.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Best Rivalries (& 5 That Make No Sense)

It was a fun nod to Jack's rock-star roots and inspiration, and the new movies should keep the gag going. These cameos never got in the way of the movie, so it would be a nice touch to see who stopped by the set for a day of dress-up.

The Curse of the Black Pearlfeltlike it could have been made in the Golden Age of Hollywood. The swashbuckling spectacle had the perfect mix of practical and special effects.

The movie magic was just that magical. But the movies went on to feature more and more CGI, until they transformed into indistinguishable blockbusters. The next movies should go back to the roots of the first one, taking care to portray the setting as realistically as possible while toning down the over-the-top effects or story beats.

NEXT:Pirates Of The Caribbean Reboot: 5 Actresses We Want To Join Margot Robbie (& 5 We Don't)

Next Lord of the Rings: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Merry & Pippin

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How to recreate water cooler moments in the virtual workplace – Quartz

Posted: at 1:37 am

For the fortunate few who can work from home, the pandemic has brought an abrupt end to workplace mingling. Gone are the days of pausing in the office hallway to catch up. Farewell to the gossip dispensed at the break room coffee machine. There was a time not long ago when colleagues would chat as they walked to the conference room; now they log onto Zoom meetings and hit mute.

But not everyone is ready to give up on smalltalk until lockdowns end.

I got tired of reading article after article where people said we have to go back to the office because we need to have the kinds of in-person interactions that we can only get there, said MIT management professor Thomas Malone. Theyre wrong. You can get quite a lot of it online with what turns out to be some fairly simple technology.

Malone thinks he can prove it with a piece of videoconferencing software he built with collaborators at Northeastern University and Seoul National University, called Minglr. (Yes, it is a videoconferencing tool meant to solve a problem with videoconferencing.)The open-source toolwhich connects to Jitsi, another free videoconferencing platformis meant to be used before or after an official meeting. As participants trickle in or out, theyre placed in a virtual lobby, where they can see who else is milling about before the meeting or lingering after it has ended. If two people want to chat, they each indicate their interest and are whisked into a video call to shoot the breeze for a minute or two.

Malone conceived of Minglr with academic conferences in mind. The most important part of conferences by far is what happens in the hallways, he said, not what happens in the meeting rooms. But the loss of casual conversation has real impacts across professional life.

Informal interactions have been shown to boost cognitive functioning and raise employee morale. Nottingham University Business School researchers found that chatter between healthcare workers at British hospitals played a crucial role in spreading important but sensitive informationfor example, which doctors tend to work most quickly, or have the shortest tempers, or seem to be on the edge of burnout.

It is important not to see these instances of communication as simply gossip, said Justin Waring, one of the Nottingham researchers, who is now a healthcare organization professor at the University of Birmingham.They take numerous forms and have a really important role in group dynamics.

Chance conversations also play an important role in advancing individual employees careers. Romy Newman, president of career advice site Fairygodboss, said having the chance to deliver an elevator pitch during random run-ins with big shot executives was crucial for her rise through the corporate ranks. Those impromptu interactions where you bump into a very senior leader are just gone, she said.

These missed opportunities can make it even harder for people who already struggle to get recognition at work. Even before the pandemic, race and gender divides excluded some workersbut especially Black womenfrom informal social networks, hindering their advancement. Populations or personalities that would have been marginalized in a live meeting are more likely to be marginalized in the virtual world, said Newman.

Companies have taken different approaches to filling the chattering void. There are Slack discussions and Zoom bonding events. Microsoft offers a sort of corporate Facebook it calls Yammer. A startup dubbed Sococo wants companies to create digital office floor plans and invite their employees to control virtual avatars who can walk around and bump into each other in the hall.

Minglr intentionally did not try to simulate a virtual hallway for employees to chat in, but attempted to create digital analogs for human behaviors in the virtual world. In some cases, the team believes the digital format allows for super-human mingling thats even better than whats possible in person. Online, you can simultaneously indicate your interest in talking to several different people, for example, while at a real life cocktail party you can only lurk on the fringes of one conversation at a time.

All of these imperfect attempts indicate that theres something missing from the Brady Bunch grids through which remote workerscurrently face the world. In a real life happy hour, there isnt just one mega-conversation everyone is forced to take part in. Youre allowed to privately turn and make a face for the benefit of a trusted neighbor, or start a side conversation when someones droning on about something terribly boring.

I expect most video conference systems will include features like this in the future, said Malone. In the meantime, he plans to use Minglr to give his fall semester students the chance to chat before and after classes. As long as we still do some of our meetings online, well have a need for something like Minglr.

Correction: Romy Newman is the president of Fairygodboss, not its CEO.

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July 2020 Robotics Transactions Remain Steady Year Over Year – Robotics Business Review

Posted: at 1:35 am

A decline in global investment did not directly affect robotics transactions in July 2020. In spite of the novel coronavirus pandemic and trade disputes, robotics companies raised more than $1.9 billion in funding last month. Autonomous vehicle companies received the most funding, followed by aerial drones, industrial automation, and healthcare systems.

Second-quarter venture funding reportedly declined in North America, and some regions, such as Southeast Asia, may have a lag before they feel the full effects of macroeconomic slowdowns. However,Robotics Business Review tracked a total of 47 transactions in July 2020, close to the 49 transactions worth about $1.9 billion last month and the 49 transactions worth $1.1 billion in July 2019. Shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic have eased in some parts of the world, and investor interest in automation remained steady.

Here are the robotics companies that received funding last month, in millions of U.S. dollars, where amounts were publicly available.

The table below lists the five mergers and acquisitions from July 2020, in comparison with seven in June 2020 and eight a year ago. Amounts were not specified.

Autonomous vehicle technologies raised more than $533 million in July 2020. The largest single robotics transaction of the past month wasthe $500 million Series C round of Guangzhou, China-based Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co., also known as Xpeng Motors. The maker of electric and self-driving cars had raised $400 million in November 2019 and also announced a $100 million U.S. initial public offering (IPO) in August 2020.

Adam Neumann, founder of WeWork, led Series B investment of $19 million in GoTo Global. Formerly known as Car2Go, Tel Aviv, Israel-based GoTo Global offers ride-sharing services and is supporting autonomous vehicle research. Suzhou, China-based iMotion Automotive Technology Ltd. raised $14 million toward ramping up to mass production of automated driving systems.

Vehicle manufacturer Navistar International Corp. has partnered with TuSimple LLC, which has been developing self-driving trucks. It also invested an unspecified amount in San Diego-based TuSimple, but TechCrunch had noted that the company was looking for $250 million to scale up production.

Companies supplying robots for manufacturing and supply chain applications raised more than $325 million last month, as automotive demand began to rebound from pandemic shutdowns. Nanjing, China-based Estun Automation Co., which supplies industrial controls and welding robots, last month said it is raising $143 million.Wuhu, China-based Efort Intelligent Equipment Co. filed for an initial public offering (IPO) of $118 million with the Shanghai stock exchange for the STAR Market. Also in China, Standard Robots in Shenzhen raised Series B funding of $14.3 million for mobile robotic systems for logistics and inspection.

Also in July 2020, Dexterity Inc. in Redwood City, Calif., obtained $56.2 million in Series A funding as it emerged from stealth with its full stack for robotic picking and packing. Somerville, Mass.-based gripper maker RightHand Robotics Inc. secured $6 million in financing.

Guldford, U.K.-based collaborative robot maker Inovo Robotics received $1.89 million, while both Santa Clara, Calif.-based automation provider Flexiv Ltd. and Shenzhen-based machine vision firm Seizet obtained unspecified Series A funding.

Suppliers of robots and drones for agriculture, energy, and military uses raised close to $1 billion in July 2020. FLIR Systems Inc. announced a notes offering of $494 million. The Arlington, Va.-based company makes a variety of airborne, ground-based, and marine systems for the public safety, defense, and utility industries.

Andreessen Horowitz led $200 million in Series C funding for Irvine, Calif.-based Anduril Industries Inc., which provides surveillance technologies, including aerial drones. Redwood City, Calif.-based Skydio Inc., which makes consumer, enterprise, and public-sector drones, raised $100 million in Series C funding to accelerate product development and market growth.

Also in the national security space, UAS Drone Corp. acquired Duke Robotics Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for an undisclosed amount.

Ecoppia in Herzeliya, Israel, got investment of $40 million for its solar panel-cleaning robots. CMG has acquired shares in AMBPR, a startup in Saint-Gaudens, France, developing autonomous robots for infrastructure inspection and cleaning of ship hulls.

Tel Aviv, Israel-based Taranis-Visual Ltd., which analyzes drone data for agriculture, raised $30 million in Series C funding in July 2020. Petronas Ventures led an unspecified investment in agbotics developer Braintree Technologies Sdn. Bhd., its first in Malaysia. Denver-based Propellor Aero received $18 million in Series B funding for mine-mapping drones.

Beijing-based marine robotics maker Tianjin Deepinfar Ocean Technology closed a $17 million Series B+ round. Also in nautical systems, Huntington Ingalls Industries led the $14.9 million in Series B funding for Sea Machines Robotics Inc. in Boston. Ifremer acquired Paris-based Forssea Robotics for an unspecified sum.

Despite a decline in medical device deals, healthcare robotics companies reported more than $61 million in funding last month. Boston-based Activ Surgical Inc. raised $15 million in venture funding as it commercializes its ActivEdge surgical platform. TransEnterix Inc. in Research Triangle Park, N.C., offered $13 million in stock as it continues work on its vision-guided surgical system.

Yokneam, Israel-based exoskeleton maker ReWalk Robotics Ltd. raised $9 million in July 2020. Back to surgical robots, NDR Medical Technology Pte. Ltd. in Singapore received $5.76 million in Series A funding, and MastOR SAS in Paris raised $3.37 million for its laparoscopy assistance system.

Beijing-based orthopedic surgical robot firm Rosenbot Technology Co. raised unspecified Series A funding, while Medtronic PLC invested in Huake Precision Medical Technology Co., also known as Sinovation Medical. Medtronic also acquired Lyon, France-based spinal surgery company Medicrea and Menlo Park, Calif.-based medical device maker Intersect ENT.

Robotics components providers raised nearly $90 million in July 2020. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) sold $46.29 million in shares, and Zhaogun Electronics received $43.05 million in funding. Both companies make processors for artificial intelligence and are based in Shanghai.

LeddarTech acquired fellow automotive perception provider VayaVision in Tel Aviv for an unspecified amount. Similarly, Graf Industrial Corp. acquired lidar sensor maker Velodyne Lidar Inc. of Morgan Hill, Calif.

South Korean sensor company Adin Robotics obtained seed funding, and New York-based emotion chip company Emoshape Inc. received unspecified funding.

Baidu Ventures led Series A+ funding for Lightelligence, which is working on optical chips and has offices in Shanghai and Boston. Beijing-based radar firm Qinglei Technology reportedly closed multimillion-yuan angel funding in July 2020.

On the software side, InOrbit Inc. in Mountain View, Calif., said it raised seed funding of $2.6 million. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company provides a cloud-based robot fleet-management platform.

In addition, Guangzhou, China-based Chenjing Technology raised angel funding for its spatial intelligence software. Santa Monica, Calif.-based mvmtAI raised pre-seed funding as it develops machine vision technology.

Service robots, from automated wait staff to cleaning robots, raised about $22 million in July 2020. Shenzhen-based indoor delivery robot maker Pudu Technology Inc. closed a Series B round of $15 million. London-based greeter robot firm BotsAndUs raised $5.96 million in Series A funding and partnered with Heathrow Airport and British Airways.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has increased interest in cleaning and disinfection robots. New York-based Somatic obtained $125,000 in seed funding for its bathroom-cleaning robots, and Swiss floor-scrubbing robot maker Kemaro AG raised unspecified Series A funding for European expansion.

Editors note:What defines robotics investments? The answer to this simple question is central in any attempt to quantify them with some degree of rigor. To make investment analyses consistent, repeatable, and valuable, it is critical to wring out as much subjectivity as possible during the evaluation process. This begins with a definition of terms and a description of assumptions.

Investors and investingInvestment should come from venture capital firms, corporate investment groups, angel investors, and other sources. Friends-and-family investments, government/non-governmental agency grants, and crowd-sourced funding are excluded.

Robotics and intelligent systems companiesRobotics companies must generate or expect to generate revenue from the production of robotics products (that sense, analyze, and act in the physical world), hardware or software subsystems and enabling technologies for robots, or services supporting robotics devices. For this analysis, autonomous vehicles (including technologies that support autonomous driving) and drones are considered robots, while 3D printers, CNC systems, and various types of hard automation are not.

Companies that are robotic in name only, or use the term robot to describe products and services that that do not enable or support devices acting in the physical world, are excluded. For example, this includes software robots and robotic process automation. Many firms have multiple locations in different countries. Company locations given in the analysis are based on the publicly listed headquarters in legal documents, press releases, etc.

VerificationFunding information is collected from a number of public and private sources. These include press releases from corporations and investment groups, corporate briefings, industry analysts, and association and industry publications, including PitchBook and Tracxn. In addition, information comes from sessions at conferences and seminars, as well as during private interviews with industry representatives, investors, and others. Unverifiable investments are excluded.

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ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY MARKET INSIGHTS BY GROWTH, EMERGING TRENDS AND FORECAST BY 2027 The Daily Chronicle – The Daily Chronicle

Posted: at 1:35 am

The Global Robotics Technology Market report draws precise insights by examining the latest and prospective industry trends and helping readers recognize the products and services that are boosting revenue growth and profitability. The study performs a detailed analysis of all the significant factors, including drivers, constraints, threats, challenges, prospects, and industry-specific trends, impacting the market on a global and regional scale. Additionally, the report cites worldwide market scenario along with competitive landscape of leading participants.

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Leading Players in the Robotics Technology Market: ABB Ltd, Denso Corporation, Fanuc Corporation, Kawasaki Robotics (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.), KUKA AG, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, OMRON Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, Stubli International AG, Yaskawa Electric Corporation

The Robotics Technology market analysis is intended to provide all participants and vendors with pertinent specifics about growth aspects, roadblocks, threats, and lucrative business opportunities that the market is anticipated to reveal in the coming years. This intelligence study also encompasses the revenue share, market size, market potential, and rate of consumption to draw insights pertaining to the rivalry to gain control of a large portion of the market share.

Competitive landscape:

The Robotics Technology Industry is extremely competitive and consolidated because of the existence of several established companies that are adopting different marketing strategies to increase their market share. The vendors engaged in the sector are outlined based on their geographic reach, financial performance, strategic moves, and product portfolio. The vendors are gradually widening their strategic moves, along with customer interaction.

Robotics Technology Market Segmented by Region/Country: US, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, Central & South America

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ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY MARKET INSIGHTS BY GROWTH, EMERGING TRENDS AND FORECAST BY 2027 The Daily Chronicle - The Daily Chronicle

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Dounreay explores decommissioning with robotics experts – GOV.UK – GOV.UK

Posted: at 1:35 am

The nuclear site in the north of Scotland, which was the centre of the UKs research into fast reactor technology in the last century, is being cleaned up and taken apart. The most contaminated areas of the site are found in the Fuel Cycle Area (FCA) facilities, which examined and reprocessed spent nuclear fuel. The nature of the facilities means that the most contaminated areas are generally also the most inaccessible.

The site is collaborating with the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear (RAIN) Hub, a consortium of universities led by the University of Manchester, to explore ways to overcome some of these challenges.

A group of scientists from RAIN carried out trials earlier this year in the FCA laboratories of a small remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with sensors, cameras and a manipulator arm, which provided useful information.

Jason Simpson, project manager for the decommissioning of the laboratories, said:

The legacy of the operations in our labs is that we have areas of contamination that are very radioactive and difficult to access using our normal procedures. These decommissioning challenges could be addressed using robotics and we are pleased to be working with the RAIN Hub to find solutions.

A survey of the under-floor drains in the laboratories is planned for later in the year.

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Dounreay explores decommissioning with robotics experts - GOV.UK - GOV.UK

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Special Report: Robots Drive the Manufacturing Revolution – Automation World

Posted: at 1:35 am

The T5 pick-and-place delta robot from Gerhard Schubert GmbH features a fifth axis that allows for high performance in small spaces.

In 2019, a business intelligence report, Robotics, Innovation 2 Implementation, from PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, proclaimed, Robotics is no longer just a tool, it is a force in the industry driving a revolution of change in manufacturing. This change has become increasingly vital for packagers, who are facing massive shifts in consumer buying behavior and changing market conditionschanges that in some cases have rapidly accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Packagers grappling with mass customization, a shortage of labor (particularly skilled labor), more rigorous food safety standards, greater competition, and the quickening pace of e-commerce, are turning to robots to address these challenges. And robotics suppliers are responding, with innovations in hygienic features, vision systems, and ease of programming, as well as more palatable price points and greater flexibility.

While innovations overlap in terms of robot types, applications, and features, most of the drivers remain the same: less reliance on manual operations; greater productivity, efficiency, and flexibility; and reduced costs.

See all articles contained in Packaging Worlds 2020 Robotics Special Report:

Case Packer for Croutons Saves Dough on Corrugated

Specialty food products manufacturer installs a robotic case packer for croutons that can keep pace with the rest of the packaging line, while saving costs on shelf-ready packaging, as well.

Mass Customization Demands Flexibility

A growing omnichannel environment requires that CPGs have the flexibility to produce a range of package sizes and styles. Automation provides that capability.

Vision for the Future

New vision systems for robotics, including 2D and 3D machine vision, enable broader packaging applications.

Big Data is the New Currency

New software systems for robotics collect and analyze data to increase OEE, protect against cyberattacks, and predict failures.

Food-Safe Solutions Emerge

New opportunities for the direct and indirect handling of foods emerge as manufacturers begin developing robots for handling unpacked goods.

Addressing Labor Shortages can Help Feed the World

Robot manufacturer develops a system to alleviate the lack of labor in the nut industry that can sort nuts at the final stage of the conditioning process.

Cobots Continue to Advance

According to a PMMI robot report, cobots accounted for about 3% of all robot sales in North America in 2017; by 2025, that number is expected to increase to 34%.

E-Commerce Requires new Solutions

New robot technology addresses the specific needs of e-commerce packaging, including mixed pallet loads, labor challenges, and the use of a range of secondary packaging formats.

Vision Enables Tube Picking/Placing at 160/min

A new SCARA robotic cell developed for the collation of cosmetic tubes uses vision software and specially designed end-of-arm tooling.

Cobot-Placed Top Sheets Protect Frozen Foods

The installation of 12 robotic palletizers for frozen food products necessitates the addition of two cobot cap-sheet placers to keep the cases free from dust.

Making Sense of ANSI R15.06 and ANSI B155.1

To determine the right standards approach for your organization, its helpful to understand how standards are structured, which responsibilities and requirements are associated with the standards, and ISO restrictions.

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Special Report: Robots Drive the Manufacturing Revolution - Automation World

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Dexterity Inc. Introduces Intelligent Robots for Warehouse Automation that Pick, Move, Pack and Collaborate – Supply and Demand Chain Executive

Posted: at 1:35 am

Dexterity announced the availability of its full-stack, hardware-agnostic robotic systems. Dexterity robots allow customers to unlock the maximum value of their workforce. Its robots automate repetitive pick-pack tasks and can handle complex manipulations in unpredictable environments, allowing warehouse employees to focus on higher-level cognitive work. The robots utilize artificial intelligence, advanced control theory, computer vision, and the sense of touch to adapt quickly, making them safe to work alongside humans. Initial customers include Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a global food manufacturer and distributor, and a worldwide package delivery provider.

Dexterity simplifies automation deployments by managing the entire process for customers, from end-to-end system design and engineering to deployments with operational guarantees. Unlike existing robotics providers, Dexterity robots are adaptable, mobile and collaborative. They are presently picking more than 200 unique items in production with 99.5% accuracy, and reliably pick a wide variety of novel objects including plastic bags, glass, perishables, and low-profile items.

Transcending other systems in the market, Dexterity robots can move, pack items using the sense of touch, and work collaboratively with one another. For instance, two robots can collaborate to pick trays or crates, and even collaboratively move them across the work-area if required. Finally, the robots operate safely in concert with humans and maximize human productivity.

While robots are the backbone of manufacturing, they have historically lacked the ability to adapt and operate in dynamic environments like warehouses, said Dexterity founder and CEO Samir Menon. Dexteritys intelligent robots constantly adapt to warehouse operations and do the tedious and strenuous tasks, which maximizes productivity by enabling humans to focus on meaningful work.

Founded in 2017, Dexteritys technical approach has Menons Ph.D. thesis in Robotics from Stanford University at heart. Menon worked on a control theory framework to describe how the human brain controls and coordinates the body, which serves as a model to distill human skill into mathematical programs that control robots in a graceful human-like manner.

Dexterity is exiting stealth with deep customer relationships, and a fleet of intelligent and collaborative robots in production. In todays world, with a pandemic raging, Dexterity is grateful to have an opportunity to serve the community as an essential business that, among other things, has shipped more than half a million units of packaged food.

To date, Dexterity has raised $56.2 million, including venture investments and debt from Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Obvious Ventures, Pacific West Bank, B37 Ventures, Presidio (Sumitomo) Ventures, Blackhorn Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, and Stanford StartX.

Technically, Dexteritys robotic solution can do what their predecessors could not. Their robots ability to learn as it picks, packs, and places novel objects is unsurpassed, said Wen Hsieh, partner at Kleiner Perkins. Dexterity also stands out because of their high-touch approach with customers, which includes gaining a deep understanding of customers needs, and then offering a Robots-as-a-Service offering. This unique pricing model allows Dexterity to deploy quickly and effectively, which results in an immediate performance and financial impact on customers warehouse operations.

Dexterity is one of the very few companies in the world which has almost an unlimited market opportunity," said Raviraj Jain, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. "When I first met Samir, I immediately knew he had the technical chops, the drive, and the vision to do something exceptional. In the short 2.5 years, Samir has assembled an exceptional team of some of the best and the brightest in robotics, built a strong tech stack that is generalizable, and delivered significant customer value. We're excited to have partnered with Dexterity from day one and look forward to an exciting journey ahead.

Dexterity develops its robots with a full-stack approach, combining both software and hardware. To support high performance and adaptability with safe human-robot interaction, its robots have capabilities like touch perception, computer vision, force control, and contextual awareness.

Dexterity partners closely with customers to design systems and controls that match their individual needs and products, performing tasks such as fulfillment, kitting, sortation, singulation, palletization, and depalletization. Its platform is highly modular - rather than being coded to perform one specific task, robots can be deployed anywhere on any warehouse use case, with grippers or suction cups to suit objects being handled, 3D camera systems to track items, and general machine learning models trained to identify arbitrary unknown objects. By working with Dexterity robots, operators have become 47% more productive, and that improvement is growing over time as the robots learn and are more tightly integrate into local operations. Dexterity robots can also work safely alongside or independently of humans and have the ability to comply and respond to human movement and interference.

Dexteritys artificial intelligence, computer vision, and stacking design technology was what really stood out to us. Samir provides a clear vision for the future of our robotic applications and gives us confidence that with this partnership, we can easily deploy our robots in a variety of ways, said Toshihiko M., Manager, Robotics Business Center, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.

The warehousing industry urgently needs automation to do the tedious, laborious, and unsafe tasks that make it difficult to recruit and retain staff. While supply chains continue to expand at a rapid pace driven by growth in e-commerce, interest in jobs that are repetitive and even dangerous continues to decline. This trend has been further complicated by COVID-19 -- increased volume, an exacerbated labor shortage due to health concerns, and the inability to guarantee safety for workers without heavily disrupting operations has amplified the need for automation.

Robots have been widely used in manufacturing, but they traditionally lack intelligence so they could only be deployed for precise pre-programmed tasks think welding in auto manufacturing where the welds are in the same place for every car. Dexterity enables human-like intelligence and dexterity to unlock a larger set of tasks in supply chain environments that have been previously unsolved by traditional robotics solutions.

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Dexterity Inc. Introduces Intelligent Robots for Warehouse Automation that Pick, Move, Pack and Collaborate - Supply and Demand Chain Executive

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Carnegie Mellon Teams Up With YKK AP to Develop Window-Installing Robots – DWM Magazine

Posted: at 1:35 am

As labor shortages hang over the construction industry, builders and contractors ponder how they might use the latest technologies to replace human functions. Five years ago, around 20% of builders reported they had begun to tinker with technologies like drones and 3D printers. Since then, robots have surfaced doing everything from installing studs, drywall and tile to laying bricks at a rate of 1,000 per hour. Now, engineers at Carnegie Mellon University are taking aim at a new purpose for robotics: installing windows. In July, the university announced that in collaboration with YKK AP Inc. and under the leadership of Kenji Shimada, the Theodore Ahrens Professor of Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a team of experts in its Computational Engineering and Robotics Laboratory are working on the project.

Shimada, whose research centers on computer modeling and simulation for product design, analysis and manufacturing, says his teams goals include creating a robot that can install windows, more efficiently than any human could. At the same time, he admits that the undertaking, is a pretty difficult task, because the window has to be perfectly vertical and aligned to the dimension described in the architectural drawing. Even for expert installers the process, might take 15 or 20 minutes to just put one window in the right position and orientation, Shimada says. Nonetheless, his group is designing and building a robot with the goal of automating and cutting the task down to five minutes.

Regarding the question for whether or not robots will ever be capable of fully replacing human labor for window installation, Shimada suggests, In parts of the world, jobs in window installation are understated and it is a dangerous job by nature. Many people, especially young people, are not interested in working in the dangerous fields of construction, and this robot allows for more efficiency and safety in the industry. At the same time, while the momentum of robotics development has taken decades to reach fenestration, there are indications that the construction industries are heading toward such options.

For as much as 60 years now, robotic technologies have been utilized in manufacturing and by 1990 studies began pondering the feasibility for their use on construction sites. Five years ago, experts pointed to the falling cost for robotics as an inevitable sign that the technology would grow more prevalent is constructionsome suggesting that by 2025 builders would cash in on 16% savings on labor costs, by replacing human employees with robots. In a report published last year by Omdia | Tractica, the research firm estimated that more than 7,000 robot assistants, infrastructure robots, structure robots and finishing robots will be deployed for construction by 2025.

Regarding how soon Shimada and his team might be able to deliver on a window-installing robot is unclear, but the labs other projects indicate the process could be incremental. In addition to robotics, his team is also collaborating with YKK AP on a 3D sensor designed to make measuring and scaling for windows easier by using high-end laser scanners. When aimed at a wall, scanners will produce millions of measurable pointsa tool that might make some professional installers set aside their tape measures.

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Carnegie Mellon Teams Up With YKK AP to Develop Window-Installing Robots - DWM Magazine

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From warehouse to pavement, the robots are coming – Essential Retail

Posted: at 1:35 am

If we cast our minds back to 2019, pre-coronavirus, consumers had the choice to shop across multiple channels including physical stores, social media, online marketplaces, pop-up stores, online, or in apps to mention but a few the list of options was extensive.

As options for buying goods disappeared during lockdown, not only did eCommerce boom, the creative use of technology - such as robots - has also come to the fore and were increasingly seeing more robots being deployed into the wider supply chain network, whereas previously they may have been limited to the warehouse or distribution centre environments.

Just look at the transformation of last mile delivery recently, allowing supermarkets to get orders to consumers without compromising the health or safety of either their staff or customers.

The question is: as robotics and automation moves beyond warehouses and distribution centres (DCs) as part of more distributed supply chain networks, are brands ready to embrace these developments and how can they best navigate these technology challenges?

Robotics in the supply chain

The use of robotics and automation technology in warehouses or DCs certainly isnt new. Retailers across the world have been perfecting the balance of man (and woman) and machine for some time to boost efficiencies, reduce errors and make this particular part of the supply chain seamless.

In fact, the use of robotics has grown exponentially over time, from the first debut of this technology in the automobile plant industry. Today, a wide range of laboratories, factories, hospitals, energy plants, warehouses and other industries are reliant on automation and robotics.

Now, as warehouses and DCs still battle the changes bought by the pandemic, they need to instil flexibility and scalability and reduce their dependence on unreliable or temporary labour pools to meet their operational requirements. Implementing automation and robotics is the perfect way to do this.

With the use of robotics and automated processes within DCs and warehouses, retailers can process eCommerce orders far more swiftly and safely, rather than relying purely on manual pickers. By strategically implementing robotics and automation, supply chains can work around the clock without having to delay deliveries, while still delivering on promises made to customers.

However, it is important to note that whilst robotics and automation provide an abundance of benefits, this must be complemented with human employees to perform certain tasks that robots are simply not yet able to do. Quite simply, man (and woman) and machine must work in harmony.

Robotics beyond the warehouse

Move further along the supply chain to delivery and the use of robotics is quite different, with last mile delivery having been transformed in the last five years.

Understanding the benefits of robotics and automation technology within the warehouse, many retailers are now starting to consider how this technology can be used both within their stores and beyond. In particular, robots have been used in recent months as a completely contactless-free delivery method to ensure local communities and vulnerable people are still able to get goods delivered to their door.

Certainly, at the moment, eliminating human employees and focusing on machines in some areas, is one way to keep consumers and employees safe and it has given retailers a vision of what the future of delivery might look like. But this is not a sustainable method for retailers across the entire supply chain and retailers must recognise that a human touch is still required.

Robotics in the future

Covid-19 has accelerated questions around the use of automation and robotics and has highlighted how it is applicable to existing businesses models, with much success in the grocery sector and last-mile delivery. As some parts of the UK are able to see normality creeping back in, it will be interesting to see what other sectors, and which other parts of the supply chain, adopt further robotics and automation technology.

However, as technology becomes more sophisticated and consumer habits and business practices transform, only time will tell how important a role robotics and automation will come to play in warehouses and supply chains of the future.

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From warehouse to pavement, the robots are coming - Essential Retail

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