Monthly Archives: September 2021

In a vast warehouse-style room, two humanoid robots are taking on an obstacle course. Their barrel-shaped torsos, stuffed with processors and batteries, make it look as if theyve been going to the gym a lot but have neglected leg day. They run and jump, traipsing on and off blocks and angled steps not unlike those in the qualifying round of the obstacle-course show American Ninja Warrior. One runs along a beam and then, later, vaults over it. For the finale, they position themselves on opposite corners of a table and do two synchronized back flips. Feet firmly on the ground, they celebrate: One brushes off its shoulders, the other raises its arms in triumph. Neither, obviously, has broken a sweat.

This is a parkour showcase by the robotics company Boston Dynamics, demonstrating the capabilities of its Atlas model. Like a gymnastics routine, the sequence of moves here is entirely choreographed, programmed by a team of engineers. The smoothness of the movements makes it look as if the robots are digital animations, like something out of a movie: What we are watching is a simulation of human movement, modeled and designed on computers. Its just that, instead of C.G.I. cartoon characters fooling our brains by moving 24 frames per second, these robots are tumbling through physical reality.

The Atlas was built to be humanoid, a machine that can perform a variety of tasks in a variety of environments. (Is it our species position as an adaptable apex predator or simply our narcissism that made the shape so obvious?) The software contains only templates of the physical actions the model can perform; the robot itself must calculate how much force to exert through each of its 28 hydraulic joints to make a given jump. Watching it work wows me. Its true that one robots hips swivel unnaturally as it works to keep its feet beneath its center of gravity on that beam, but otherwise the routine feels superhuman. I personally could do the initial jumps between angled platforms, but I have never been able to execute a back flip, held back by the human fear of landing on my neck.

Watching the video, you can imagine what it might be like to confront the robots physical prowess in person. Each is only a few inches shorter than I, but they weigh about a third more. They can run at a decent clip, slightly slower than 5.6 m.p.h. As a runner, I know I could outpace one easily, at least for its current battery life. But I wonder if I would be able to overpower it. In the minute or so it takes to watch the video, my brain has already switched from marveling at the cool robot to wondering: Could this thing hunt me for sport?

Boston Dynamics has uploaded videos like this for more than a decade, cataloging the progress of its creations as they grow more lifelike, and more unsettling. One of its models is a robotic dog called Spot, with four legs and, sometimes, a neck topped with a camera head an androids best friend.

Although the company maintains that its creations are research projects, it does sell Spot and has leased one to the N.Y.P.D. It could have been used to accomplish tasks too risky for a living being, such as delivering food in a hostage situation or checking areas with high amounts of radiation. But its appearance accompanying police officers during an arrest in public housing sparked enough public backlash for its trial to be prematurely terminated. People found the robodog both wasteful and chilling, especially in the possession of the institution most likely to use force against them. It surely didnt help that the robodog looked quite similar to the horrific killer machines in an episode of the show Black Mirror called Metalhead probably because the shows creator Charlie Brooker, who wrote the episode, was inspired by previous Boston Dynamics videos.

We can ask the same question of the Atlas: What is it for? The video only shows us what it can do. For now, the robots dont want anything; apart from not falling over, they await a reason for being. The company says the goal is to create robots that can perform mundane tasks in all sorts of terrain, but the video contains no such tasks; we see only feats of agility, not the routine functions these robots would be back-flipping toward. Through this gap enter the tendrils of sinister speculation.

There is a companion video that goes with the original one that feels as if it were designed to allay any fears its counterpart may have provoked. It is a behind-the-scenes video, in which engineers explain the project. The focus shifts from the adept robots to the reassuringly human people who built them. There are also bloopers. We see a robot falling on the last step of a banked turn; another face-plants as it overbalances and slips on nothing. There is a shot of one robot landing the final back flip while the other lands on its head, limbs akimbo, and then rolls over into the fetal position. We see robots having their hardware repaired. An engineer reconnects wires. A robot is suspended in the air while it leaks liquid. Another lies face down, its arms around its head, as a technician tends to its outstretched leg. As one is reanimated after surgery, it stretches its limbs out as if waking from a restful slumber.

It is comforting to see the robots fallibility they still need us! but remarkably, this only makes them seem more humanlike. On watching the original parkour video again, I notice a third robot in the background, inert, laying in a kind of yoga pose. Is it taking a break? Has it been relegated to the sidelines because of poor performance? Has it been shunned by its robot colleagues?

Of course these robots have not been trained in any such social context; their artificial intelligence only serves them in staying upright as they move from point to point. Nevertheless, its impossible to avoid the thought that they could somehow, someday, go rogue. We do not know what profession they might go into or how far up the career ladder they might climb. It is conceivable that a robot similar to Atlas could one day use weapons or be given strength, stamina and aim beyond any humans. This isnt an unusual topic of concern: Elon Musk, who claims Tesla is working on its own humanoid robot, has said that it should be designed such that most humans would be able to run away from it and most likely overpower it.

An earlier video from Boston Dynamics, released at the end of last year, shows some of the companys projects dancing to the Contours Do You Love Me. Adorable clips are more than just a way to combine fun with mobility-competency testing and more than a marketing gimmick. This entertainment acclimates us to the robots, distracting us from what they could one day do. Watching it invokes our human emotions. And that may someday let these robots, which dont have the same problem, improve right under our noses.

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Could Robots From Boston Dynamics Beat Me in a Fight? - The New York Times

Soft robots driven by pressurized fluids could explore new frontiers and interact with delicate objects in ways that traditional rigid robots cant. But building entirely soft robots remains a challenge because many of the components required to power these devices are, themselves, rigid.

Now, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed electrically-driven soft valves to control hydraulic soft actuators. These valves could be used in assistive and therapeutic devices, bio-inspired soft robots, soft grippers, surgical robots, and more.

The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Todays rigid regulation systems considerably limit the adaptability and mobility of fluid-driven soft robots, said Robert J. Wood, the Harry Lewis and Marlyn McGrath Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at SEAS and senior author of the paper. Here, we have developed soft and lightweight valves to control soft hydraulic actuators that open up possibilities for soft on-board controls for future fluidic soft robots.

Soft valves arent new but so far none have achieved the pressure or flow rates required by many existing hydraulic actuators. To overcome those limitations, the team developed new electrically powered dynamic dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). These soft actuators have ultra-high power density, are lightweight, and can run for hundreds of thousands of cycles. The team combined these new dielectric elastomer actuators with a soft channel, resulting in a soft valve for fluidic control.

These soft valves have a fast response time and are able to control fluidic pressure and flow rates that match the needs of hydraulic actuators, said Siyi Xu, a graduate student at SEAS and first author of the paper. These valves give us fast, powerful control of macro-and small-scale hydraulic actuators with internal volume ranging from hundreds of microliters to tens of milliliters.

Using the DEA soft valves, the researchers demonstrated control of hydraulic actuators of different volumes and achieved independent control of multiple actuators powered by a single pressure source.

This compact and light-weight DEA valve is capable of unprecedented electrical control of hydraulic actuators, showing the potential for future on-board motion control of soft fluid-driven robots, said Xu.

The research was co-authored by Yufeng Chen, Nak-Seung Patrick Hyun, and Kaitlyn Becker. It was supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Robotic Initiative under award CMMI-1830291.

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Soft components for the next generation of soft robotics - Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

HONOLULU (KHON2) University of Hawaii at Manoa researcher Bardia Konh was awarded more than $700,000 from the National Institutes of Health over a four-year period to study the use of medical robotics in prostate brachytherapy a common treatment for prostate cancer.

According to UH, prostate cancer was the most common cancer among men in Hawaii from 2012 to 2016. It is estimated that there will be 880 new cases of prostate cancer in the state in 2021, with 180 deaths.

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Smart Needle with Intelligent Robotic Control for Prostate Brachytherapy, if successful, will be the first-of-its-kind a dynamic model for active needle insertions into soft tissue, which according to UH, could lead to the adoption of new transformation technologies in needle-based procedures.

In recent decades, we have witnessed the rise of robot assistance in operating rooms, Konh said. By now, we can speculate improvements in the healthcare industry similar to the improvements we saw in the automotive industry when robots got to work.

To improve surgical outcomes, physicians are usually looking for tools that work better than their hands with more dexterity, more degrees of freedom and more precision and a better understanding of how the tools work inside the body, Konh said.

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Konh said he, along with many others, have conducted extensive research to create robots with precise manipulation and good sensing capabilities to improve the success rates of different medical treatments.

Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that involves placing radio active seeds in the prostate gland to kill cancer cells. UH said the treatment is more popular than traditional radiation therapy and ensures less damage to the surrounding tissue.

This type of therapy is a difficult task for humans, according to UH, because it demands a very experienced surgeon with a developed and intuitive feel for the needle insertions.

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UH researcher awarded over $700K to study robotics for prostate cancer treatment - KHON2

X-Bots Robotics Inc. partners with the PPG Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs to address a critical need in the community for families of toddlers with mobility challenges on the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

WHITTIER, Calif. (PRWEB) September 11, 2021

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the tragic terror attacks on American soil, X-Bots Robotics Inc., an award-winning community-based high school robotics team operating under FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), will launch a pilot expansion of its X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program presented by PPG across six sites in California on Saturday, Sept. 11, through its partnership with PPG Foundation and Boys & Girls Club (BGC). September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance, a day in which individuals are asked to find a volunteer opportunity and address a critical need in the community.

The X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program that partners students in a Robotics team with a BGC and together they build specially designed physical therapy cars for toddlers with cerebral disorders affecting their body mobility. Together, X-Bots Robotics, PPG Foundation and BGC will provide an opportunity for hands-on STEM learning by enabling students to put their skills to work to serve families with toddlers who have mobility challenges. The pilot expansion will launch at the following BGC sites in California: BGC of Whittier | Pico Rivera, BGC of Cathedral City, BGC of Fontana, BGC of Malibu, BGC of Santa Monica and Santa Clarita Valley B&GC.

"In the spirit of unity, honor, and compassion, X-Bots Robotics, PPG Foundation and Boys and Girls Club will join together to create a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering programming that not only develops students' leadership skills and inspires them to pursue a career in STEM, but also serves local families," said Elisa Avila, Executive Director of X-Bots Robotics Inc. "On September 11th, through the generous support of the PPG Foundation, we will launch a pilot expansion of the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program across six Boys & Girls Club sites in California to assist families who have toddlers with mobility challenges."

Each BGC partnership will host one X-Bots Robotics Mobility workshop, enabling students to apply practical solutions, peer-to-peer learning, skills sharing and immersive lessons in engineering, all while bringing joy to children and their parents. The workshops will reach an estimated 290 students (combined X-Bots Robotics teams and BGC members) and modify 60 cars.

PPG Foundation is supporting X-Bots Robotics in its expanded program of STEM educational opportunities to impact a greater number of students, toddlers, and their families. As a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials, PPG recognizes the importance of immersing young people in STEM concepts that are linked to real-world solutions and innovations, such as robotics and mobility technology that may one day redefine solutions for our global society.

"At PPG, we know that education sits at the helm of the innovation that will shape our world for generations to come. Through this partnership, our aim is to open future opportunities to both the students who will find and explore their passions in STEM fields and families in need," said Malesia Dunn, Executive Director of PPG Foundation and Corporate Global Social Responsibility. "In all that we do, we aim to protect and beautify the world. The X-Bots Robotics program reinforces this by encouraging future engineers and scientists to experience the joy of experimentation and discovery and by demonstrating the immediate impacts both community service and STEM concepts make in the lives of others."

At the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera, the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program has focused on applying GoBabyGo, an open-source movement focused on real-time, real-world solutions for mobility, to provide STEM educational and leadership opportunities for middle school and high school students. The program is a unique combination of peer-to-peer learning paired with a half-day hands-on workshop that draws in the families and toddlers who benefit from the finished product.

"Our youth are the recipients of services. Here's an opportunity for our kids to say, You know what? When things are not so well you can still make an impact on other people's lives,' " said Oscar Hernandez, Executive Director of BGC Whittier | Pico Rivera. "We want to continue to make that impact for families on Sept. 11, and every day of the year."

Founded in August 2015, X-Bots Robotics Inc. aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders by developing a passion for STEM careers at a young age. The nonprofit organization provides students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering training that develops their leadership skills to inspire others through outreach efforts. To learn more about the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program, visit https://www.xbotsrobotics.com/gobabygo.

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About X-Bots Robotics Inc.:

Through FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), a mind sport that combines science and technology for high school students, two parents saw the opportunity to impact a community with much-needed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. They set out to recruit mentors, volunteers and interested students to start the first FRC community robotics team in the area.

Founded in August 2015, X-Bots Robotics Inc. aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders by developing a passion for STEM careers at a young age. We provide students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering training that develops their leadership skills to inspire others through outreach efforts.

Our X-Bots Robotics team members train high schoolers from the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera to help them build characteristics to be great leaders in the future while simultaneously expanding their knowledge of STEM careers. X-Bots has now moved into the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera facilities and they have become our strategic partner. We've expanded our reach by networking with other Robotics teams to work in collaboration with BGCs in other cities, including high school students with an interest in STEM.

About PPG Foundation:

PPG's global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested $13 million in 2020, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 30 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today's skilled workforce and develop tomorrow's innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

About Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera:

Located at 7905 Greenleaf Ave in Whittier, Calif., the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera provides after-school and summer programs for youth ages 6 to 18 years old that emphasize Academic Success; the development of good Character & Citizenship; and the formation of Healthy Lifestyles.

The nonprofit currently operates its programs at 24 locations: The Main Clubhouse on Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier serves youth from 6-18 from throughout the community, the Club at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera serves El Rancho students, and we currently serve youth in the Whittier City School District in partnership with Reach for the Stars. The organization also serves youth in the East Whittier School District, South Whittier School District and Los Nietos School District.

The Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera is a place that any child can find safety, encouragement, and the strength to grow and become a contributing member of our community.

Locations of the Six BGC Sites:

Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera: 7905 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA 90602

BGC of Cathedral City: 32141 Whispering Palms Trail, Cathedral City, CA 92234

BGC of Fontana: 7723 Almeria Ave, Fontana, CA 92336

BGC of Malibu: 30215 Morning View Dr, Malibu, CA 90265

BGC of Santa Monica: 4901 Marionwood Dr, Culver City, CA 90230

Santa Clarita Valley B&G: 24909 Newhall Ave., Newhall, CA 91321

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X-Bots Robotics Inc. To Launch Pilot Expansion of STEM Program on Sept. 11 That Will Impact the Lives of - Benzinga

GUANGZHOU, China For the foreseeable future, Chinese electric car start-up XPeng is trying to boost its sales in the world's largest auto market.

But the Guangzhou, China-based company is also exploring areas including robotics and flying cars, which could play a role in its longer-term goals.

In an interview with CNBC that aired Thursday, He Xiaopeng, the founder and CEO of XPeng, discussed the ongoing chip shortage hitting the auto industry and why the Chinese Tesla rival is investing in robotics and flying modes of transport.

Earlier this year, XPeng showed off a second prototype of a flying passenger car which it says has been in development for eight years. And on Tuesday, it took the wraps off a four-legged "robotic unicorn," as it pushes into new areas of business.

"With the development of technology, the form of mobility will evolve from wheels to wings, propellers, 4 legs or 2 feet," He said, according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language comments. "Technology should help people have better and happier lives. This has always been my goal."

The XPeng founder predicts that all automakers will become both car makers and robotics companies, a process He says could take 10 to 30 years. XPeng is looking at robots as a transportation tool "in a low-speed and random environment."

"As it gets better and smarter in the long run, it could help us with some simple repetitive tasks. As the transportation tool becomes more and more intelligent, it could help us take on some tasks. This is how we envision it," he said.

XPeng's competitor Tesla is also investing in robotics. Last month, CEO Elon Musk said the company will build a humanoid robot called Tesla Bot. Other companies have also shown off robots, including Boston Dynamics and Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi.

The X2, XPeng's second flying car prototype and first that's able to carry a passenger, was unveiled in July.

Founder He said the company is building a research and development team that will "have a few hundred people."

"We want to introduce a flying car that can take off or land vertically, a low-to mid-altitude flying car."

A number of auto companies including Hyundai and China-based Geely are developing aerial vehicles. Other firms like Guangzhou-based EHang are also working on passenger drones.

The XPeng founder said the company will have a press conference in the future, perhaps in a year, to discuss the dimensions and pricing as well as start taking pre-orders for its flying car.

Like many automakers, XPeng has been affected by the global shortage of semiconductors that go into vehicles. The company said its deliveries of vehicles fell in August versus July. XPeng has three cars on the market the flagship P7 sedan, a cheaper sedan called the P5 and the G3 sports utility vehicle.

The supply chain poses the "biggest challenge" for the company, but He sees it as a chance to build resilience at the automaker.

"The pandemic has caused a shortage of semiconductor chips, which is the biggest blow to our business. I expect the chip shortage to ease in about 18 months from now. In the near future, the situation might get even worse," he said.

"XPeng is a very young company. I see this as an early test. If we can overcome the challenge and get ready for what's to come, we will do even better when our sales reach 300,000 or 500,000 cars per year."

Meanwhile, the company has pledged to push on with the release of new models. On Sept. 15, the company will officially launch its P5 sedan aimed at the mass market, after unveiling it in April. And from 2023, XPeng plans to launch at least two or three new vehicle models every year. In preparation for that, the electric carmaker is expanding its own manufacturing capacity.

The CEO said that in the future the company will launch more cars in the range of 200,000 yuan ($30,968) to 400,000 yuan. Currently, its cheapest car, the G3, starts at around 150,000 yuan. He also said that its models could include bigger 5-seat or 7-seat models. The company does not have a 7-seat model yet.

XPeng has tried to pitch itself as different from its domestic rivals because it develops its own in-house semi-autonomous driving features in a system called XPilot. Its latest version, XPilot 3.0, can be added into its cars as an optional extra and is a rival to Tesla's Autopilot.

In the first quarter of the year, XPeng said that it recorded revenue from software for the first time, which includes its assisted driving system XPilot. The founder said that while the majority of XPeng's revenue is from hardware now, software will be a "growing part" of that.

"My idea is that after we launch XPilot 4.0, we will focus more on our software business," He said, referring to the next-version of its limited self-driving feature suite.

CNBC's Penny Chen contributed to this report

Correction: This article has been updated to accurately reflect which model is the cheapest one XPeng has on the market.

Originally posted here:

Chinese Tesla rival XPeng plans new vehicles and targets a distant future in robots and flying cars - CNBC

If you want a picture of the future of work, maybe its this: a cat-like cartoon displayed on an iPad-like screen perched on a vertical aluminum or plastic frame on wheels, rolling right up to your table, forever. The robot also sings Happy Birthday at you. And, look there, it has your beer.

You can see it for yourself at several Dallas businesses, including the McKinney Avenue restaurant La Duni, whose owner told theDallas Morning Newsthat robots have saved him thousands of dollars a month in labor costs as well as the trouble of finding enough human servers to staff his restaurant in a tight market for low-wage workers.

The machines are built in China by Pudu Robotics. But they are programmed and delivered here by the Plano company American Robotech, which has either sold or rented about 30 of its robots to area businesses, mostly restaurants so far. They lease for about $500 a month and sell for anywhere between $10,000 to $17,000 a pop.

American Robotech co-founder Jackie Chen says the robots can perform a variety of functions, but their basic competence is simple: delivery and display. The KettyBot can run advertisements on its large screen as it zooms around a given space. The BellaBot, the one with the cat-like face, has trays to hold its deliveries.

At restaurants like La Duni and Ari Korean BBQ in Carrollton, this means dishes. The robots are essentially bussing tables, either bringing you an order or clearing your plates. Youre still placing your order and (hopefully) leaving a generous, real tip with a real person. The robots, however, are quick learners. Credit their SLAM (simultaneous location and mapping solution) technology.

At the beginning we need to push the robot through the space, Chen says. They use a laser to scan the whole space, and then they can create a 3D map in their memory. And then we will use some tools to mark: OK, this is table one, this is table two. After we finish all of those settings, the robot will have everything in their memory.

The robots are customizable. At La Duni, they have names (Panchita, Coqueta, and Alexcita) and are programmed to speak in Spanish. You could have the robots speak French, if you prefer, in the tone of voice you choose. You can upload your favorite songs for the robot to play. You can pick whatever image you want to display on its screen.

With their default smiling little faces, the robots are also kind of cute. Maybe the cuteness makes it harder for us humans to fear a robot uprising, or the possibility that the machines are coming for our jobs.

Chen says we shouldnt worry. Not about a robot uprisingI neglected to ask him about itbut about the displacement of workers by automation. American Robotechs slogan is Robotics for Better Life. Think of a washing machine, he says. We dont wash our clothes by hand anymore, because an automated machine does it for us.

Courtesy of American Robotech.

Robotics is doing repetitive things, which maybe nobody wants to do anymore, Chen says. The guy doing delivery, the food-runner, they dont even get the tips from customers. Nobody wants to do that, especially after COVID.

The (human) server in the dining room can serve more tables with the robotic assistance, Chen says.

The server wont have to split their tips with a robot, which sounds pretty good. (The question of what happens to the guy who was delivering the food for meager wages remains open.)

The robots have proven themselves reliable in a restaurant setting, Chen says. American Robotechs robots also put in a recent appearance at an event at the AT&T Discovery District, where they delivered cupcakes and laid on their charm. The company is working on robots that can clean floors, or deliver things to rooms on different floors of a hotel.

Chen says he gets a lot of calls from business owners who are struggling to staff up and want to know what all his robots can do. Are there robots that can double as vending machines? That can cook? That can write articles for a local magazines news section? (OK, I made that last one up.)

No. Not yet, at least.

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These Are the Robots Taking Up Dallas' Open Restaurant Jobs - D Magazine

Robotics and automation firm Addverb plans to expand its robot manufacturing unit in India to boost its output by around 10 times in the next financial year, a senior company official said. The company has announced the start of international operations in Singapore, Australia, Europe and is looking to start operations in the US before the end of the ongoing calendar year.

"Addverb is looking to expand its manufacturing capability and is looking to create the world's largest robot manufacturing facility in India which will expand Addverb's capabilities by almost 10 times by next financial year," Addverb Technology CEO Sangeet Kumar told PTI.

The company has a manufacturing unit in Noida which was inaugurated in March with capacity to manufacture more than 50,000 robots of varied types in a year.

"Addverb plans to onboard 30 global employees across different offices at middle and top management positions and will also be looking for existing employees from India with relevant subject matter expertise to support global offices," Kumar said.

According to the company, the global robotics market was valued at USD 27.73 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 74.1 billion by 2026.

The company aims to be in the top five global robotics companies by 2025, Kumar said.

Addverb claims to have more than 100 customers including the likes of

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Addverb to expand robots manufacturing by 10 times in next financial year - Economic Times

DOHA, QATAR - Qatar has granted academic scholarships to members of a girls' robotics team from Afghanistan dubbed the "Afghan Dreamers," the Persian Gulf nation's education and science foundation said on Tuesday.

Qatar has been instrumental in efforts to evacuate at-risk Afghans and foreigners from Kabul airport, including members of the team who are being housed in Doha's Education City campus of schools and universities.

"They will receive scholarships that enable them to keep pursuing their studies through a partnership between Qatar Foundation (QF) and Qatar Fund for Development," QF said in a statement.

The team of high-achieving high school girls has about 20 members, mostly still in their teens, and are now dotted around the world with some in Qatar as well as Mexico.

The girls made headlines in 2017 after being denied visas to take part in a robotics competition in Washington -- before then-President Donald Trump intervened and they were allowed to travel.

Last year, they worked to build a low-cost medical ventilator from car parts hoping to boost hospital equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

"These talented, creative students have been living through a time of uncertainty and upheaval, and at Qatar Foundation we want to do whatever we can," said Sheikha HindbintHamad Al-Thani, vice-chairwoman and chief executive of QF.

"By providing them with scholarships to study at Education City, their education can now continue uninterrupted."

The girls' needs were being assessed to determine which schools or pre-universityprogramsthey should be placed in, she added.

The Taliban's seizure of power a little over one week ago has furled a chaotic mass exodus as many Afghans fear a repeat of the brutal interpretation of Islamic law implemented during the militants' 1996-2001 rule.

U.S. Secretary of State AntonyBlinkenmet with several members of the team on Tuesday during a whirlwind tour of the emirate.

"You're famous around the world and a source of inspiration," he told them. "The story you've alreadytoldabout the importance about women engaging in science... sends an important message around the world, well beyond Afghanistan."

Roya Mahboob, the founder of the Digital Citizen Fund, parentorganizationof the team, said the girls were "excited and grateful for this opportunity to study abroad.

She also questionedBlinkenon what the future would hold for Afghan women.

Several other members of the robotics team, none of whom were identified for security reasons, have relocated to Mexico.

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Qatar Awards Scholarship to Afghan Girls' Robotics Team - Voice of America

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Industrial Robotics Market (Impact of COVID-19) and Volume Analysis by Application (Automotive Industry, Electrical/Electronics, Metal, Chemical, Rubber and Plastics, Food, Others, Unspecified), Geographical Distribution and Key Players Analysis - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global industrial robotics market was valued at around US$ 10.6 Billion in 2020.

The market for industrial robots is hampered due to their reliance on the automotive and electrical/electronic industries, which was affected the most due to COVID-19 pandemic. Customers from both the automotive industry and general industry held back on orders and postponed their planned investments for robots and support services.

However, the demand for industrial robotics is anticipated to grow exponentially during the forecast period driven by advantages such as cost reduction, improved quality, increased production, and improved workplace health and safety.

The adoption of automation to ensure quality production and meet market demand, and the growing demand from small- and medium-scale enterprises in developing countries is fueling the growth of industrial robotics market globally.

Impact of COVID-19 on Industrial Robotics Market

The COVID-19 outbreak has become a global stress test. As the number of people infected with the virus continues to rise around the world, uncertainties about global economic growth increases. The COVID-19 disease has infected more than 176 Million people worldwide.

Globally the death toll has surpassed 3,803,257, according to the latest statistics from the Worldometers (as of June 12, 2021). The number is still growing, and the duration of the pandemic is still difficult to predict. Following a slowdown in global demand of industrial robots due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the major industrial robot vendors will start receiving orders from 2021 onwards.

Industrial Robotics Market - Segment Analysis

On the basis of segment, the automotive industry accounted for highest share of the industrial robotics market. Around 28% of all industrial robot installations take place in the automotive industry. The market for industrial robotics in the electrical and electronics industry is probably the one most affected by the China-US trade crisis as Asian countries (e.g., China, Japan, Republic of Korea) are leaders in manufacturing electronic products and components.

Metal industry has been seeing an accelerated growth of industrial robotics adoption in recent years. Both unit shipment and the sales revenue are expected to enjoy handsome growth over the forecast period. Chemical, rubber and plastics industry is the fourth largest market for industrial robotics market, while food industry accounted for least share of the global industrial robotics market.

Industrial Robotics Market - Regional Analysis

In terms of geographical regions, Asia/Australia is the world's strongest growth market for industrial robots. This region accounted for around 67% share of the industrial robotics market in 2020. The main drivers for this growth are the demand for industrial robots from small- and medium-scale enterprises in China, Japan, South Korea, and India.

Since 2013 China has been the biggest robot market in the world with a continued dynamic growth. The five major markets including China, Japan, the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Germany accounts for around 74% of the total robotics sales volume in 2020. Europe is the second leading region for industrial robotics market, followed by the Americas.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on Industrial Robotics Market

3. Global Industrial Robotics Market and Volume Analysis (2009 - 2025)

3.1 Global Industrial Robotics Market and Forecast

3.2 Global Industrial Robotics Volume and Forecast

4. Global Industrial Robotics Market Share and Forecast

4.1 Global Industrial Robotics Market Share and Forecast - By Segment (2009 - 2025)

4.2 Global Industrial Robotics Market Share and Forecast - By Region (2010 - 2025)

5. Global Industrial Robotics Market and Volume Forecast - By Segment (2009 - 2025)

5.1 Global Automotive Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.1.1 Global Automotive Industry Robotics Market and Forecast

5.1.2 Global Automotive Industry Robotics Volume and Forecast

5.2 Global Electrical/Electronics Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.3 Global Metal Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.4 Global Chemical, Rubber and Plastics Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.5 Global Food Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.6 Global Others Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

5.7 Global Unspecified Industry Robotics Market and Volume Forecast

6. Global Industrial Robotics Volume and Forecast - By Region and Country Wise Distribution (2010 - 2025)

7. Key Player Analysis (2010 - 2025)

7.1 KUKA AG

7.1.1 Company Overview

7.1.2 Sales Analysis

7.1.3 KUKA AG - SWOT Analysis

7.2 Adept Technology (Acquired by OMRON)

7.3 iRobot Corporation

7.4 Intuitive Surgical

7.5 Nachi-Fujikoshi

7.6 Yaskawa Electric Corporation

8. Global Industrial Robotics Market - Growth Drivers

8.1 Increasing Research and Development Expenditure

8.2 Technology Trends Shaping the Future of Robotics

8.3 Government Initiatives Drives Market for Robotics

8.4 Co-Bots Drives Robotics Industry

8.5 Improved Service, Increased Operational Efficiency and Safety

9. Global Service Robotics Market - Challenges

9.1 Human-Robot Interaction Challenges

9.2 The High Cost of Robots Restricts Market Growth

9.3 Delayed Return on Investment (ROI)

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$10.6 Bn Industrial Robotics Markets: Automotive Industry, Electrical/Electronics, Metal, Chemical, Rubber and Plastics, Food - Global Forecast to...