Investors looking to track the growth of robotics and automation can now turn to the Robo-Stox Global Robotics and Automation Index, a benchmark index for those market segments that announced its launch today. Starting today, NASDAQ will also list the Robo-Stox Global Robotics and Automation Index Fund under the symbol “ROBO.” The index includes a
The latest spin off from Willow Garage, a new company called Unbounded Robotics, today announced its first product, an ROS-based mobile manipulation platform called UBR-1. In the company’s inaugural blog post, the team behind UBR-1 acknowledges that it will inevitably receive comparisons to the Willow Garage PR2 robot. After all, the Unbounded founders are Willow alums
While driverless cars and smart homes often snag most of the headlines, they represent only one, particularly visible level of the ongoing automation of everyday life. As products marketed toward the individual consumer, establishing a foothold for such technologies involves a relatively traditional method of targeting or developing an interested niche and expanding from there
Anki, the robotic start-up backed by $50 million in venture capital that made a splash at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, has just released details on its first product, Anki Drive. Anki Drive will be available for $199 in Apple stores in the U.S. and Canada, on Apple.com and Anki.com starting Oct. 23. (The
The 11th Annual Electrolux Design Lab competition produced some pretty neat concepts this year, and after narrowing the field to eight last month, we have a winner. And the award goes to … “Mab,” an automated cleaning system concept that attracted quite a bit of attention over the summer. Mab envisions hundreds of flying mini-robots
Robotics Alley, a Minnesota-based conference and expo for the robotics industry, yesterday announced keynote speakers for the November event. The list includes Rodney Brooks of Rethink Robotics, Michael Toscano of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and Robot Film Festival founder Heather Knight, among others. Robotics Alley was founded in 2011 by ReconRobotics and
Northrop Grumman put out a release today touting its sponsorship of the UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue, a joint effort between the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation and Australia’s national science agency. The goal of the competition is to grow the country’s civil UAV industry and raise awareness of civilian applications. Current Australian law
Health Robotics, whose machines automate the process of preparing IV drugs for hospitals and pharmacies, reported today that it has surpassed 500 worldwide installations under contract. The company set a record in its third quarter with 38 new sales, adding to significantly higher year-to-date sales overall. With 174 contracts thus far, compared to 79 new
Robotics software company 5D Robotics, working in collaboration with intelligent systems designer Charles River Analytics, has been awarded $100,000 by the U.S. government’s Small Business Innovation Research program to create a new autonomous robot. The robot will be designed to interact with human team members by “physically following its teammates and reacting to visual and gestured
It’s no secret that robots have been big business in the consumer-facing market over the last several years. Robotic stars have led films like the “Transformers” series or “Pacific Rim” to major success at the box office, while a robotic crew played a huge role in filming current hit “Gravity.” On the other end of
