The U.S. Navy’s Knifefish, an unmanned undersea vehicle designed to modernize the Navy’s mine-hunting capability, is one step closer to reality after completing a comprehensive risk reduction program. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, the company behind the Knifefish, says the tests were designed to uncover potential defects early in the program’s development phase to prevent
Becoming potentially the cutest space traveler ever (with apologies to Laika, the Soviet space dog), the pint-sized Kirobo robot astronaut was launched from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tanegashima Space Center early yesterday morning. Kirobo — a combination of “kibo” (hope) and “robot” — began his journey at 4:48 a.m. Japan time aboard the Kounotori
The latest generation of Lego’s Mindstorms consumer robotics platform will hit shelves Sept. 1, the company reported today, marking the third update to the system since its introduction 15 years ago. The new kits, dubbed Lego Mindstorms EV3, were previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Today, the company shared 12 fan-designed robots that
The UPS Store reported today that it will become the first nationwide retailer to test in-store 3-D printing services. Select UPS Store locations will offer 3-D printing services beginning in the San Diego area with plans to expand more broadly within the U.S. in the near future. The company said it made the move based
Hansen Medical, a medical robotics company focused on catheter-related technologies, reported today that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement for up to $93 million subject to closing conditions. The agreement is with Oracle Investment Management, medical device executive Jack W. Schuler, members of the company’s board of directors and other existing and new
Robotics Alley, the Minnesota-based robotics conference and expo founded in 2011 by ReconRobotics and the Minnesota High Tech Association, has been sold. The new owner is The Event Group, Incorporated, a Minnesota-based event management and marketing firm. The event was created to spur public-private partnerships and development within Minnesota’s robotics industry and the surrounding region.
Last week, the Congressional Robotics Caucus Advisory Committee hosted a briefing in Washington to discuss ways to harness robotic technology for job creation. The overall goal of the event was to make the case that robots are not a threat, according to Mitchell Weiss, COO of Seegrid and one of four robotics industry leaders who
Robotics are clearly a big part of our collective future, and young people are the future of robotics, which is why science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a priority for so many in the industry. It’s certainly a priority for Yaskawa Motoman, which sees a viable market for robotics platforms aimed at
AeroVironment Inc. reported today that it has received a first-of-its-kind approval from the Federal Aviation Administration that permits operators to fly commercial missions using one of its small unmanned aircraft systems. This marks the first time the FAA has approved a hand-launched unmanned aircraft system for commercial missions. The company received the “Restricted Category” rating
For years, we’ve been promised by books, television, movies (and more recently, actual researchers) that the future holds a slew of domestic robot helpers that will save us from household chores. But if you actually had such a robot, could you trust it? A new 3 1/2-year, £1.2-million project in the United Kingdom aims to
