Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are being deployed in factories, warehouses and fulfillment centers around the world at a rapid pace. It will be crucial that robots from multiple vendors integrate seamlessly in their support of safe and efficient operations across a wide range of workflows in these environments. The MassRobotics AMR Interoperability Working Group, comprised […]

As part of the Artemis program, NASA is planning to send its first mobile robot to the Moon in late 2023 in search of ice and other resources on and below the lunar surface. Data from the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) would help the agency map resources at the lunar South Pole that […]

As part of its effort to improve robotic manipulation, Toyota Research Institute (TRI) in September 2020 unveiled its Soft Bubble Gripper. It features two fingers that both combine the advantages of compliant gripping with real-time, real-world tactile sensing. TRI said the Soft Bubble Gripper can perform a range of tasks that would be difficult for […]

Over the years, robots have gotten quite good at identifying objects — as long as they’re out in the open. Discerning buried items in granular material like sand is a taller order. To do that, a robot would need fingers that were slender enough to penetrate the sand, mobile enough to wriggle free when sand […]

There are more and more robots operating alongside people in many different environments around the world. Some are beginning to incorporate sophisticated Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) functions to underpin true autonomy. But, getting SLAM right, as with many elements of robotics, remains extremely difficult. Getting it to work reliably in the real world with […]

U.K.-based companies Oxbotica and TRL recently piloted a safety framework for the deployment of autonomous vehicles in unstructured, off-highway environments. A live trial was conducted in a quarry using a number of off-road vehicles. The post Oxbotica pilots safety framework for off-road autonomous driving appeared first on The Robot Report.

MIT researchers have designed an algorithm to ensure the fruitful cooperation of information-gathering robot teams. Their approach relies on balancing a tradeoff between data collected and energy expended – which eliminates the chance that a robot might execute a wasteful maneuver to gain just a smidgeon of information. The researchers said this assurance is vital […]

Real-Time Innovations (RTI) today released the latest version of its software framework, RTI Connext. Connext version 6.1 is designed to address the development and deployment challenges faced by companies building remotely-operated, real-time autonomous systems. The post RTI announces new Connext software framework for autonomous systems appeared first on The Robot Report.

The robotics industry has long been fragmented. Heck, Bill Gates mentioned it back in 2008. Progress has been made, sure, but a lack of common standards and platforms, as well as programming complexity, remain major hurdles for the industry. A tour of READY Robotics‘ headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, however, showcases just the opposite. The robotics […]

Developing a robot is more complicated than a standard embedded software implementation. There are unique challenges to overcome to ensure that a robot will meet its requirements, function as intended, and be delivered on time and on budget. The post Managing large robotics software teams appeared first on The Robot Report.