Monthly Archives: June 2022

The rest of the startup universe may be struggling to bring in funds, but its still a good time to get a robotic raise. Agtech is high on that list. The median age of farmers is 55 years old in the United States, and finding human help is increasingly more difficult of late.

FarmWise has been at this for a while, deploying its autonomous weeding robotics at farms in California and Arizona for the last few years. The Central Californian company says its robots have logged 15,000 commercial hours on vegetable farms, all told, capturing some 450 million scans of crops for its database.

Today the company announced a $45 million raise, led by Fall Line Capital and Middleland Capital. GV, Taylor Farms, Calibrate Ventures, Playground Global, SVG Ventures and Wilbur Ellis also got in on the Series B, which brings FarmWises total equity raise to $65 million, to date.

The funding will go toward accelerating the firms R&D and rollout of its existing product.

We started FarmWise with the conviction that farmers should be supplied with cost-effective, sustainable solutions to feed a growing world, and artificial intelligence is the ideal technology to make this a reality, co-founder and CEO, Sebastien Boyer said in a release. With rising costs in the agricultural industry, were continuing to expand our technology to work with many more farmers.

The round also finds Fall Line Capital co-founder and managing director, Clay Mitchell, joining its board.

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Agtech robotics firm FarmWise just raised another $45 million - TechCrunch

Were extremely excited we can finally unveil the agenda for this years TC Sessions: Robotics happening 100% online on July 21. Its a tremendous labor of love for our team, and something weve been thinking about since the last time we held the show, way back in early March 2020. Its difficult to put into words how much the world has changed since then, and the world of robotics, AI and automation has fundamentally transformed along with it.

It wasnt that long ago when every conversation about the space came with the same caveat: this will change the way we live five to 10 years from now. As the world shut down and suffered labor shortages, it became clear that suddenly that time is now.

During the pandemic, weve charted the massive growth across all sectors of robotics, and while VC money is slowing for nearly every startup category, robotics investments continue at a pace not seen before 2020. Frankly, theres never been a better time to put on a robotics event, and fittingly, we can confidently say that weve never put on a robotics event as good as this.

Weve got headliners like the U.S. secretary of labor, Marty Walsh; inventor Dean Kamen; and Amazons VP of Global Robotics, Joseph Quinlivan. MIT CSAIL director Daniela Rus will be in conversation with CMUs head of robotics, Matthew Johnson-Roberson, as will robotics HRI experts Rod Brooks and Clara Vu. Well also be speaking with top VCs and the CEOs of Boston Dynamics, Sarcos, Locus Robotics, Fetch and more, along with demos from researchers and bleeding-edge startups like Agility.

Best of all, you can catch all of these sessions and join the robotics community online with speed networking, chats and one-on-one meetings by registering here for free.

Theres never been a better time to talk robotics, and we feel confident in saying theres never been a better group of experts to discuss it with. Youll find the full schedule for the July 21 event below. We hope youre as excited as we are.

Robotics are set to profoundly impact the future of how America works. Automation is an inevitability, but is the U.S. truly prepared for the coming impact? Labor secretary Marty Walsh will discuss what employers and regulators need to do to brace for these radical changes.

As funding has dried up for many startups, robotics have weathered the storm quite well. The pandemic has fueled investments in the category as more companies look toward automated solutions, and the trend shows no sign of slowing anytime soon.

If youre looking for the bleeding edge of robotics and AI research, youve come to the right place. MIT CSAIL head Daniela Rus and CMUs new head of robotics, Matthew Johnson-Roberson, will join us to discuss how schools are helping redefine robotics.

Logistics and fulfillment may well be the hottest category in robotics at the moment. Locus Robotics, Zebra Technologies (Fetch) and Berkshire Grey are helping define the space. Their automation is working to improve delivery times, manage inventory, assist their human counterparts and stay competitive.

Amazons huge bet on robotics dates back to its 2012 acquisition of Kiva Systems. Over the past decade, its a gamble that has paid off immeasurably as the retailer has become the 800-pound gorilla in any conversation about warehouse automation. VP Joseph Quinlivan will discuss what the company is doing to maintain its edge.

The industrys brightest entrepreneurs will take the stage in front of a live audience and a panel of industry experts, pitching revolutionary technologies. Founders applyhere.

From the Segway to iBot to AutoSyringe, Dean Kamen has made a name for himself as one of the biggest inventors of the past 50 years. In 1989, he decided to give back with the launch of FIRST, an organization that promotes STEM education. Hell discuss his creations and the work hes doing to inspire the next generation of inventors.

What does it take to bring a robot or AI process from the lab to market? Learn from experience with The Engine general partner Milo Werner, academic-commercial crossover specialist Joyce Sidopoulos of MassRobotics and Pieter Abbeel, who splits his time between UC Berkeley and Covariant, the well-funded AI outfit he founded.

As robots and AI begin to pervade everyday life, we must take lessons from industry and academic research on how to coexist safely and productively. Rod Brooks and Clara Vu both bring years of expertise to the question and can speak to whats needed in hardware, software and beyond to bring the lives of robots and humans closer together.

Weve seen the demos and the viral videos, but moving from research to real world is its own complex journey. The CEOs of Boston Dynamics and Sarcos will discuss the process of bringing their robots to market, from pilot testing to scaling manufacturing.

We cant wait to see you online at TC Sessions: Robotics with these visionaries along with the global robotics community on July 21! Register now to get your access to all of these sessions and so much more here!

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Announcing the full agenda for TC Sessions: Robotics happening this July - TechCrunch

Summary: Seattle Public Schools, in partnership with FIRST Robotics Washington, offers students the opportunity to learn about building robots.

On a sunny Saturday morning in April at Nathan Hale High School, the Robo Raiders are serious and focused. They move like a coordinated group of surgeons, operating on a broken-down t-shirt cannon, a robot designed to project t-shirts into a crowd. The mood is tense, but the students make time for fun, because in Robotics, its about learning and laughing through your mistakes.

Seattle Public Schools, in partnership with FIRST Robotics Washington, offers students the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of building robots from industry professionals who serve as mentors to high school robotics teams. During the process, students are not only learning valuable trade skills while getting hands-on experience, but they are also getting a crash course in collaboration, teamwork, and learning how to bounce back after failure.

According to Bee Miller, a junior at Nathan Hale, being on the Robo Raiders team has raised her confidence level. She attributes it to the sincerity of her teammates and mentors in helping her improve.

Ive learned a lot more about engineering, but it also helped me gain a little bit more self-confidence because I started to ask more questions, and everybody was so willing to help.

When COVID led to the cancellation of sports last year, Garfield senior Michael Freeman went searching for a robotics team. Having only had one season under his belt, Freeman was hoping to do more competitive robotics before his high school career ended. After a quick search, he came across the XBOT #488 team at Franklin.

Across the district, eight high schools participate in Robotics: Ballard, Franklin, Garfield, Nathan Hale, Ingraham, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Rainier Beach/Skills Center. Students who attend schools that do not have a robotics team or want to compete on a larger scale are allowed to join teams at neighboring schools.

Team XBOT #488 is an after-school activity funded by XBOT Robotics, a company dedicated to providing educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields to students furthest from educational justice. It is open to Southeast Seattle students, and this year, the team included students from Franklin, Cleveland and Garfield.

Under strict rules with limited time and resources, teams participating in FIRST Robotics competitions are challenged to build industrial-size robots to play a tough field game in alliance with other teams. It combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Students get to show off their skills by competing against other schools around the state and for those teams that do well around the country.

Led by former mentor-turned-teacher Donna Lew, XBOT #488 traveled to Houston in May to compete in the FIRST Robotics World Championship. The team made it to the semifinals for their division, putting Team XBOT #488 among the top 10% of the teams competing at Worlds. At the World Championship, Freeman was the driver of the robot and helped with the programming.

That was phenomenal get up at 6:30 a.m. and you are reviewing strategies and plans then going to the matches and solving problems it was just constant engagement the whole [time] I was there, he said.

The structure of FIRST Robotics competitions makes it easy for foes to become friends. One of their guiding principles is gracious professionalism. It is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. Teams may be competing against each other in one round then on the same team in the next. It is not uncommon to see teams sharing tools and parts on the sidelines, helping each other troubleshoot what may have gone wrong when their robots fail.

Robotics is really the first sport that Ive been engaged in where the mentors all know the principle, gracious professionalism, and the students all know the principle and they follow it, Freeman said. I remember at Worlds there were people coming around [saying], Hey, I notice youre fixing your robot. Were from the other side of the stadium. Can we help you with anything?

The friendly atmosphere is a top selling point when teams are trying to recruit new members. Team leaders work to build teams that are diverse and welcoming environments to all students.

While most teams are predominantly male, several of the robotics teams around the district have female leaders.

Garfields team is half girls, and several of them hold leadership positions. Senior Madeline Darby is the president of Lincolns robotics team, ChainLynx. She handles business and logistics for her program, but it wasnt love at first byte. Darby said it took some time for her to get invested in the team.

I got really interested in the things I could learn and started to pick up some programming skills as well as some electrical basics, she said. I found I was really enjoying the environment and wanted it to thrive.

Because many of the students in Robotics come to the team with no prior experience, mentors are key in keeping the programs running. Ballards team, Viking Robotics, has about seven mentors. Some teams have as many as 20 volunteers who work with the students every week. They come with a wealth of knowledge, and students reap the benefits of working closely with industry professionals.

Emil Anderson has served as a mentor to Ballards robotics team for three years. He said Robotics is the hardest fun youll ever have.

This program is so great because it combines business, marketing, social media, graphic design, computer science and programming followed up with building the actual design and competing the robot, Anderson said. There are so many practical, real-world aspects the students have the opportunity to learn and experience.

Watch Franklins FIRST Robotics semifinal match

Watch Garfields FTC Ultimate Goal Robot Reveal

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Robotics Teams: The Hardest Fun You Will Ever Have - West Seattle High School

As labor shortages continue to hamper business operations, robot sales are soaring. According to data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), automation providers sold a record 11,595 robots in the first quarter of this year, at a total value of $646 million.

Every industry, including agriculture, construction, retail and hospitality, is now looking at how they can take advantage of robotics to make their companies more successful, said Alex Shikany, A3s vice president of membership and business intelligence. These companies recognize what we at A3 have long believed, that robots can not only take over the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs that are so hard to fill, but they can save and create jobs as automation helps them grow their business.

While the American economy has remained strong, worker shortages are a familiar story for many industries. In transportation and logistics, trucking continues to gain workers, adding 13,000 in April. Warehouse-specific employment was up 16,800 jobs in April and is up 171,000 over a year ago. Still, it has not been enough to keep up with the needs of businesses.

A Bureau of Labor Statistics report in November found there were 600,000 open warehousing and transportation jobs. An Instawork survey released in May found that 73% of warehouse operators cant find enough workers.

A3s Q1 numbers represent a 7% increase in volume and 25% increase in sales value over Q4 2021, which was the previous record quarter. The numbers are up 28% in volume and 43% in dollar figures over Q1 2021.

The increase was driven by nonautomotive robotics, with those used in the metals industry up 40% year-over-year, plastics and rubber up 29%, semiconductors and electronics/photonics up 23%, food and consumer goods up 21%, and life sciences/pharma/biomed up 14%. All other industries saw a 56% rise in robotics orders.

As robots continually become easier to use and more affordable, we expect to see adoption continue to rise in every industry, and at companies of all sizes, said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. There are hundreds of thousands of companies in North America who have yet to install even one robot. Many of those companies will visit Automate in Detroit next month looking for the latest solutions that will help them become stronger global competitors.

Click for more articles by Brian Straight.

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The robots are marching in - FreightWaves

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Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting most recent study on the robotics milking systems market provides a comprehensive view of the entire market. The research report delves deeply into the global robotics milking systems markets drivers and restraints. Analysts have extensively researched the global robotics milking systems markets milestones and the current trends that are expected to determine its future. Primary and secondary research methods were used to create an in-depth report on the topic. Analysts have provided clients with unbiased perspectives on the global robotics milking systems industry to assist them in making well-informed business decisions.

The comprehensive research study employs Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis to provide readers with a clear picture of the global robotics milking systems markets expected direction. The SWOT analysis focuses on defining the global robotics milking systems markets strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, whereas Porters five forces analysis emphasizes competitive competition. The research report goes into great detail about the trends and consumer behavior patterns expected to shape the global robotics milking systems markets evolution.

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The global robotics milking systems market research studys type, application, and region components are divided into three parts. Each segmentation is divided into chapters that go over the various details. The chapters include graphs that show year-over-year growth and segment-specific drivers and constraints. Furthermore, the study provides government forecasts for regional markets that affect the global robotics milking systems sector.

Robotics Milking Systems Market Segments

Regions Covered in the Global Robotics Milking Systems Market:

In the report on the robotics milking systems market, a detailed chapter on company profiles is included. The leading players in the global robotics milking systems market are examined in this chapter. It contains a synopsis of the companys strategic goals and a description of its primary goods and services. An overall analysis of the organizations strategic initiatives reveals the trends that they are expected to pursue and their R&D statuses and financial outlooks. This research aims to provide readers with a thorough understanding of the global robotics milking systems markets anticipated trajectory.

The following Companies as the Key Players in the Global Robotics Milking Systems Market Research Report:

BoumaticRobotics, DeLaval, GEA Farm, Hokofarm, Lely

Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting conducted this study using primary and secondary sources. As primary sources, industry experts from core and adjacent industries and those involved in the market. All primary sources were interviewed to obtain and verify critical qualitative and quantitative data and gain access to prospects. Secondary sources include directories, white papers, blogs, and databases.

The market size for robotics milking systems was estimated and validated using a top-down approach. Secondary research was conducted to identify key players in the industrial value chain, and primary and secondary research was conducted to determine these companies market revenues. This includes analyzing yearly business and financial reports from major industry players and conducting in-depth interviews with CEOs, directors, vice presidents, and marketing executives.

Secondary sources were used to gather geographic market estimates, which were then cross-checked with primary sources. Variables such as key players, sales partners, and distribution networks have an impact on them. The investigation also looks into the scope of each areas research efforts. The total market size for robotics milking systems was computed and validated using revenue and revenue share data from market businesses. The market size of each category was calculated using a top-down approach based on the total market size.

This study provides critical information on the global markets current size and projected growth for robotics milking systems and its related industries. It also discusses geographys market characteristics, significant suppliers, consumer preference trends, and market prospects. As many countries are in a recession, firms are attempting to weather the storm by limiting unanticipated losses and spending related to the robotics milking systems market.

Introduction

Market Overview

Market Segmentation

Regional Analysis

Competitive Analysis

Company Profiles

For Detailed Table of Content: Click Here

Dhirtek Business Research & Consulting Pvt Ltd is a global market research and consulting services provider headquartered in India. We offer our customers syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Our objective is to enable our clientele to achieve transformational progress and help them to make better strategic business decisions and enhance their global presence.

We serve numerous companies worldwide, mobilizing our seasoned workforce to help companies shape their development through proper channeling and execution. We offer our services to large enterprises, start-ups, non-profit organizations, universities, and government agencies. The renowned institutions of various countries and Fortune 500 businesses use our market research services to understand the business environment at the global, regional, and country levels. Our market research reports offer thousands of statistical information and analysis of various industries at a granular level.

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Robotics Milking Systems Market by Type (With In-line Diagnostics, Without In-line Diagnostics), Application (Below 100 Herd Size Dairies, Between 100...

STUTTGART, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ek robotics, the world's leading manufacturer and system integrator of innovative high-tech automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for production and warehouse logistics, today announced its global technology partnership with OTTO Motors, the leading developer of flexible and intelligent autonomous mobile robots (AMR), at LogiMAT in Stuttgart, the international exhibition for intralogistics solutions and process management. The two companies combine their core competencies to offer the best combination of AGV hardware and AMR software to customers in the manufacturing and warehousing industries worldwide.

For 59 years now, ek robotics has been developing, manufacturing and integrating turnkey AGV systems and providing service throughout their entire life cycle, which usually lasts for decades. With over 10.000 delivered transport robots and more than 1.000 installed AGV systems, ek robotics is known worldwide for its broad portfolio of AGV solutions as well as its claim to the highest standards of safety, quality and service.

"Our claim is to always be able to offer our customers the most powerful, safest and most reliable solution," says Andreas Bttner, CEO of ek robotics. He continues: "AMR technology has developed rapidly in recent years and, above all, to a level that is now suitable for industrial use, which is why we are now expanding our range of services to include this technology. We have analyzed the AMR market very thoroughly to find the truly best partner with the most conductive technology. Today, we are pleased and proud to announce our strategic technology partnership with OTTO Motors, enabling us to offer our customers the absolute leading AMR technology in our products from now on."

OTTO Motors is a pioneer in the AMR industry, specializing in large, mission-critical AMR installations for the world's largest companies. With more than 10 years of experience in autonomous driving, OTTO Motors has developed intelligent, safe and reliable control software for autonomous material handling. Transport robots equipped with OTTO software can navigate flexibly and responsively in fast-changing industrial environments without infrastructure, just like a human-guided vehicle.

"ek robotics is the undisputed AGV market leader. We are proud of our partnership that enables us to provide our customers with the most powerful and comprehensive material handling vehicle hardware capabilities controlled by OTTO Motors' autonomy software," says Matt Rendall, CEO of OTTO Motors, and continues: "The result is a solution that enables industrial companies and warehouse operators to increase their competitiveness in an incredibly challenging economic environment."

The combined AGV and AMR market is estimated by industry experts to exceed $18 billion by 2027. Together, ek robotics and OTTO Motors are expanding their reach globally to offer customers the most comprehensive and advanced AMR portfolio in the industry. ek robotics is now offering the X MOVE 150 and X MOVE 2000 AMR transport platforms. The 300-, 600- and 1200-kilogram payload variants are currently only available as AGVs and will also be available as AMRs in early 2023. With the X MOVE transport platform, customers can choose between AMR and AGV technology depending on their needs. ek robotics and OTTO Motors are already working on also being able to offer the VARIO MOVE forklift vehicles as AMR as quickly as possible to be able to equip all ek robotics transport robots with OTTO technology in the next step.

Customers are also convinced by the partnership and the new AMR solution from ek robotics. "The first AMR from the collaboration between ek robotics and OTTO Motors is a milestone on the way to a new level of autonomy. As a customer, we hope it will reduce the commissioning and adaptation effort, which today accounts for a significant part of the TCO," said Gerald Rhner, Head of Production Logistics at the well-known automotive supplier worldwide, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. KG.

Together with OTTO Motors, ek robotics is presenting its new AGV and AMR product series X MOVE at the LogiMAT exhibition from today to June 2, 2022 in Stuttgart, Germany, in Hall 2, Booth B05. Visit ek robotics at LogiMAT or contact them by phone or email to learn more about the partnership and how AMR and AGVs can improve your intralogistics. For more information, visit https://ek-robotics.com/

About ek robotics

ek robotics is the world's leading manufacturer and system integrator of innovative high-tech transport robotics for production and warehouse logistics. At five locations in Europe (Rosengarten, Germany, headquarters), Reutlingen (Germany), Milan (Italy), Prague (Czech Republic) and Buckingham (UK), the transport robotics specialist with more than 300 employees creates intelligent, networked and flexible transport solutions for the fully automated, in-plant material flow of its global customers. With more than 59 years of experience in design, development, manufacturing, integration, turnkey delivery and support throughout the entire lifecycle of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), ek robotics is among the technical elite in this fast-growing industry of the future. ek-robotics.com

About OTTO Motors

OTTO Motors provides autonomous mobile robots for material handling inside manufacturing facilities and warehouses. With over three million hours of driving experience, OTTO is trusted for mission-critical deliveries in the most demanding of industrial environments. Seventy percent of OTTOs customers are Fortune 500 companies and include some of the worlds most recognized brands, including GE and Toyota. For more information, visit http://www.ottomotors.com.

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ek robotics and OTTO Motors Announce Global Technology Partnership - Business Wire

Immobility in patients has always been an issue at home or at a hospital. It can be a result of a neurodegenerative disease, stroke, or even a bone fracture, making it challenging to move a person from one place to another without hitting a road bump. It will usually take a few people to lift someone off the bed, and if you repeat it several times a day and throughout the years, it will rack up to hundreds of lost clinical hours at any healthcare facility. Perhaps, robotics in healthcare can be a breakthrough technology in this sector.

There has been significant improvement in AI and robotics in healthcare across the board, be it detecting diseases and abnormalities, diagnosing or decision-making, among other aspects. No doubt AI has opened a floodgate of opportunities as humans will face challenges parsing a trove of historical medical papers and treatments for diagnosing any condition, whereas an AI can do it in a matter of seconds. Robotics is a branch that deals with machines, while an AI gives it cognitive abilities to communicate with people and take appropriate actions.

How Healthcare Can Employ Robotics To Address Patient Immobility

Unlike social-assistive robots (SAR) designed to assist people by interacting with them, playing games, talking, etc., PAR takes care of mobilizing a patient or older people. With age, people can face issues like strokes, loss of muscular power, bone fractures, neurodegenerative diseases, and so on. These issues immobilize a person, making it difficult for them to sit, walk or move their limbs, such as in the case of motor impairments.

PARs are designed to aid these shortcomings using various methods. An autonomous robotic wheelchair can rehabilitate a persons ability to move. Geriatric patients can face challenges moving around post or pre-hospitalization, and thats where research shows how helpful physiotherapy with a robot can be.

A wheelchair is a standard option for patients and the elderly who cant walk or move. Patients with continuously deteriorating conditions find it difficult to operate wheelchairs even if it is motor-powered and a flick on the joystick will move them. Autonomous wheelchairs are in the works enabling people to move around without any hassle.

Perhaps, an autonomous wheelchair, such as the one developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, can learn the movements and operate autonomously. It can also avoid obstacles, similar to how self-driving cars do. Such a robot will allow users to regain control when needed and help overall rehabilitation.

Researchers are developing tech on the wheelchair that will maneuver automatically and even in spaces where it is tricky. All this will put less of a burden on the patient and the nursing staff overseeing them. It will still take a few years but with the technology developing over time, it will obtain optimum refinement through the continuous process.

Danish company PRT Robots created a patient transfer robot that helps healthcare officials lift patients with impaired motor functions, fractures and disabilities. Lifting a patient is indeed a labor-intensive task and with the help of this robot, healthcare officials can use it to lift a patient from their bed with relative ease.

After surgery, those who have neurodegenerative diseases or disabilities cannot move. In such cases, physiotherapy administered to these patients becomes a strenuous task as a physiotherapist is required to lift the legs or hands and use exercises to attain the objectives.

Perhaps, ROBERT can help. Developed by Life Science Robotics ApS, this robot aids in passive mobilization of the patients allowing healthcare officials to perform tasks such as lifting a leg 20 times in a row. It works on both ends of the sticks as the patient can be carefree while ROBERT does the job and the physiotherapist can focus on other areas during the process.

Exoskeletons seem like tech from out of this world, but it is here and buzzing. No one likes being wheelchair-bound, but age, co-morbidities, obesity, sores, bone deterioration, and countless other reasons can make someone unable to walk. However, exoskeletons can help break away from restricted movement in many cases allowing the wearer to stand upright, turn, walk, climb and descend flights of stairs without any hassle.

Exoskeletons like ReWalk assist wearers in physically walking around and can be a life-changing experience for many. It can be an excellent resource for post-surgery recovery, such as a spinal cord injury, by reducing the overall load on the patients.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved a lot over the past couple of years. Its application in healthcare and robotics is vast and researchers are continuously introducing it across different fields. AI is actively used to detect diseases such as cancer at the early stage, giving doctors enough time to eliminate it using the available treatments.

As AI can recognize patterns, it can help doctors understand whats causing an issue with a patient and take the appropriate steps to mitigate it. IBM's supercomputer, dubbed Watson, has been helping healthcare professionals for a long time now. It can crunch a trove of data unlike a human being and find a diagnosis to a certain problem using all the research papers and treatments administered over the years. These arent the only areas where AI and robotics shine. As the days go by, researchers are hurtling toward developing newer technologies, including robotics for healthcare.

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How Healthcare Can Employ Robotics To Address Patient Immobility - Forbes