Information briefs for the week check out Squishy Robotics and its soft-landing robots that went from NASA Moon undertaking to first responder aids on Earth; then how Locus Robotics upgraded its product line of LocusBots to supply new-age options to ever-accelerating warehouse calls for; then China’s newly developed, robot-assisted, laparoscopic surgical system scheduled to compete with trade chief Intuitive Robotics utilizing 3D glasses as a substitute of a conventional monitor and hood; and at last, why is it that robots have been so gradual to disrupt the garment trade?
“What’s occurring?” Ask Squishy Robotics
In catastrophe eventualities, situational consciousness, or “What’s occurring?” inside the catastrophe space, is many instances data that could be very arduous or not possible to come back by.
Squishy Robotics (based mostly in Berkeley, CA), a derivative from a undertaking initially funded by NASA (2014) to develop new methods of touchdown 
rovers and different kinds of tools on the Moon, has provide you with a robotic for first responders to make use of in catastrophe conditions that gives situational consciousness, the place nobody must be put in danger. It additionally supplies very important on-the-ground data a lot prior to first responders may.
Berkeley researcher, Alice Agogino’s first concept for her $500,000 NASA grant requested the query: Why not make the robotic itself the touchdown system? In that manner, there could be no want for a separate lander to carry a rover all the way down to the floor. Answering that fundamental query is how she developed her startup firm Squishy Robotics.
As Agogino remembers it: “We thought, wow, if we will do that on the Moon, we should always have the ability to do it on planet Earth and avoid wasting lives.”
Her concept was to create a sphere-shaped skeleton of rods and elastic cables, based mostly on the design precept of rigidity integrity, or “tensegrity”. The time period itself was coined by Buckminster Fuller as a portmanteau of “rigidity” and “integrity” in 1955.
Functionally, the sphere-shaped robotic skeleton is dropped from a drone right into a catastrophe state of affairs or perhaps a rescue state of affairs that’s tough to entry by first responders. The robotic’s sensors and different information-gathering devices would reside within the middle of the robotic, and when dropped, the drive of the impression could be unfold throughout the skeleton, holding the very important payload protected.
Locus Robotics upgrades AMR fleet
Suppliers of AMRs for the logistics and e-commerce industries have been transferring quick to increase their cellular robotic platforms and operational software program to accommodate the accelerating churn and number of warehouse logistics.
To not improve dangers being bypassed by an trade that’s already in excessive gear and accelerating ever extra to fulfill the mega calls for of e-commerce.
Massachusetts-based Locus Robotics, extremely profitable provider of its LocusBots, has been constructing out to fulfill these wants since 2021 when it acquired Waypoint Robotics. Heavyweight chassis, bigger type components and enhanced capabilities of the Locus Vector and Max (rebranded from Waypoint) together with the beforehand launched Locus Origin, make up the corporate’s new product line, just lately launched for the EU at Amsterdam’s Ship 2023 convention held June 7-8.
Clever AMRs are the wave of the long run and Locus now has three. Locus buyer DHL Provide Chain will see Locus Origin deployed to its 1,500 warehouses and distribution facilities by the tip of 2023, claims Locus.
“We’re excited to showcase our newest know-how improvements at Ship 2023 to our international and European prospects,” mentioned Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Along with our superior LocusONE warehouse Automation Platform, we’re remodeling the way in which warehouses function.”
3D glasses for China’s newly-launched surgical robotic
The world is headed towards minimally-invasive surgical procedures. And surgical robots are forecast to be the platform of option to ship a safer, minimally-invasive operation with far much less post-operative trauma.
Though over a dozen builders have marketed, or are within the course of of selling a surgical robotic, U.S.-based Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci robotic has been the surgical crown jewel since its debut in 2009, even at over $2.5 million a system, plus over one million {dollars} in elements and provides yearly. Now, nonetheless, opponents from the EU (the Versius Surgical Robotic System) and, most just lately, China are difficult Intuitive’s dominance.
Weigao Group, headquartered in Weihai, Shandong province, has develop into the first Chinese language developer for a robot-assisted laparoscopic surgical system (2021). “We at present have 20 items at hospitals for medical analysis which are concerned in a wide range of surgical procedures, comparable to urological, liver, and thoracic procedures,” mentioned Wang Bingqiang, normal supervisor of Weigao Group’s medical instrument division. “Our robotic system can be on the market for normal surgical use from June (2023).”
With 20 techniques in use, Weigao nonetheless has an extended option to go to even start to contest Intuitive’s over 6,000 deployed da Vinci techniques worldwide. In line with Fosun Worldwide Securities, of the 189 robot-assisted laparoscopic surgical techniques presently in use in China (barely 5% of the world market), Intuitive has almost a 100% share.
Distinctive amongst robotic surgical techniques, Weigao’s surgical robotic is operated utilizing 3D glasses—slightly than the usual monitor and hood utilized by all others—which the corporate says reduces physician fatigue. “Docs may also talk extra simply with different medical doctors and nurses within the working room,” added Wang.
Robots gradual to disrupt garment trade
There aren’t too many industries nowadays that robotics has had a tough time disrupting, however the garment trade appears to be one which’s been significantly elusive.
Nonetheless, there’s a fortune awaiting people who succeed. Income within the attire/garment marketplace for 2023 is $343 billion! Automating even a small a part of the trade may save billions in productiveness beneficial properties and make use of tens of 1000’s of robots, particularly in stitching items of attire collectively.
There are 10-20 completely different steps wanted to make a easy T-shirt; 70-80 for a long-sleeve costume shirt.
Though laser reducing of material has unfold all through garment making, the laser-cut items nonetheless must be joined right into a completed piece, and therein sits the issue for robots. Human palms are nonetheless relied upon for ending.
Germany-based Robotextile is one in every of a number of firms making an attempt to carry extra automation to garment making.
“Textile researchers at Germany’s RWTH Aachen College estimate that in manufacturing a chunk of clothes, dealing with time — as distinct from the reducing or stitching steps — accounts for about 80% of manufacturing time and roughly 80% of manufacturing facility prices.”
The Robotextile fabric-sorting work cell makes use of a regular KUKA Scara robotic with a working diameter of 1600mm and 5kg payload (cobot may also be used). Relying on the structure and normal situations, cycle instances of two to 4 seconds per material layer are doable.
However let’s make no mistake, the bell is tolling for guide labor within the garment biz. Nonetheless, for now, Asian palms nonetheless costume most everybody worldwide.
The video beneath amply shows the daunting problem going through automation.
