Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.mit.edu/
Year Founded: 1861
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

MIT engineers developed a robotic replica of the heart’s right ventricle that mimics the beating and blood-pumping action of live hearts. The robotic right ventricle (RRV) combines real heart tissue with synthetic, balloon-like artificial muscles. It allows scientists to control contractions and observe the function of natural valves and structures.

The right ventricle is one of the heart’s four chambers, but its anatomical complexity has made it difficult for clinicians to accurately observe and assess its function in patients with heart disease.

The researchers said the RRV serves as a platform to study right ventricle disorders and test cardiac devices, providing insights into conditions such as right ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, and myocardial infarction.

They also said conventional tools often fail to capture the intricate mechanics and dynamics of the right ventricle, leading to potential misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment strategies.

MIT has also demonstrated the model’s potential as a training tool for surgeons and cardiologists by implanting mechanical valves and ring-like medical devices to repair or replace malfunctioning valves. With plans to extend its performance and test implantable devices, the RRV represents a significant advancement in understanding and treating heart disease, said the team.

The RRV currently simulates realistic heart functions over a few months. The team is working to extend that performance and enable the model to run continuously for longer stretches. It is also working with designers of implantable devices to test their prototypes on the artificial ventricle and possibly speed their path to patients.

In the future, the researchers plan to pair the RRV with a similar artificial, functional model of the left ventricle, which they are fine-tuning.

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Organization: Locus Robotics Corp.
Country: U.S.
Website: https://locusrobotics.com/
Year Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Application & Market

In August 2023, autonomous mobile robot (AMR) developer Locus Robotics surpassed 2 billion picks for its warehouse fulfillment customers. The milestone came just 11 months after it surpassed the 1 billion pick mark in 2022, for which the company also won an RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award.

“Achieving the 2 billion picks milestone is an incredible accomplishment or our company and for our customers,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics, at the time. “This event is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our incredible team and the dramatic productivity improvements we deliver to drive our customers’ growth and success.”

It took Locus just 358 days to go from 1 billion to 2 billion, with the last 100 million picks taking just 27 days. That’s an average of 3.7 million picks per day. By comparison, it took more than six years to make the first billion picks and 1,542 days to pick the first 100 million units.

“Locus’ consistent innovation, user-centric approach, and genuine dedication to customer relationships put them at the forefront of warehouse automation,” said Alan McDonald, vice president of continuous improvement at GEODIS. “This milestone is a testament to its technological leadership and synergistic collaboration. We look forward to building on our work together and driving even greater efficiency improvements in the future.”

Warehouse operators are increasingly turning to AMRs to meet growing demand and overcome labor shortages. And Locus Robotics continues to lead the way. Its mobile robots support more than 120 of the world’s top brands and are deployed at 300-plus sites globally.

The Wilmington, Mass.-based company said it enables retailers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and specialty warehouses to efficiently meet and exceed the increasingly complex and demanding requirements of today’s fulfillment environment.

Since the its 2024 RBR50 award, Locus passed the 3 billion pick mark in April and the 4 billion pick mark in October.

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Organization: Neya Systems
Country: U.S.
Website: neyarobotics.com
Year Founded: 2009
Number of Employees: 51-100
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

In November 2023, Neya Systems started developing a cybersecurity standard for autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs). The effort focuses on enhancing the protection, mitigation, recovery, and adaptability of AGVs. It will do this by applying U.S. Department of Defense Zero Trust cybersecurity to its autonomy software.

Neya Systems aims to push its autonomy software beyond existing automotive security. To manage this task, the company said it will use the Autonomous Intelligent Cyberdefense Agent (AICA) reference architecture to apply cyber extensions to its Mission Planning and Management Software.

The company is currently developing, training, and testing its new cyber systems using its Virtual Integration and Simulation Environment. Neya Systems said this will enable it to safely develop new capabilities and demonstrate viability thousands of times before it starts field testing.

“By introducing and managing zero-trust principles for autonomy in vehicles, Neya Systems is paving the way for safer and more secure transportation systems,” said Kurt Bruck, division manager of Neya Systems.

“We are excited to be focused on developing technology that will establish a more secure future for our ground and autonomous vehicles,” he added. “Our team is committed to delivering fully functional cyber autonomy that will help protect the safety and security of our nation’s commercial and defense-related transportation systems.”

The company’s goal for cyber autonomy is to intelligently identify threats and risks to autonomous missions. It is designed to be completely self-contained and capable of autonomously detecting, reporting, and defending against threats that can exploit or disrupt a mission. By implementing a suite of behavioral analytics to baseline an expected, normal state-of-vehicle operation, it can then use anomaly detection techniques that will act as the “intelligent system.”

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Organization: Robust AI
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.robust.ai/
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

DHL Supply Chain, a global leader in contract logistics, uses a variety of robots to solve challenges inside warehouses. Most notably, the company uses autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Locus Robotics and the Stretch trailer-unloading system from Boston Dynamics. DHL conducts extensive tests on a variety of other robots, but only a small fraction successfully pass these rigorous pilots.

DHL recently announced its partnership with Robust AI, a startup founded by Rodney Brooks, Henrik Christensen, and Anthony Jules. Robust AI introduced its Carter AMR in 2022 and quickly landed a commercial deal with DHL.

The companies met at RoboBusiness 2022, an event produced by The Robot Report and parent company WTWH Media. 

DHL Supply Chain partnered with Robust AI for an initial deployment of Carter in late 2024. The robots will be able to handle a range of tasks, starting with optimizing the picking process. Carter also features 20 onboard cameras to enable it to perform other tasks in the future.

Sally Miller, chief information officer and global digital transformation officer at DHL Supply Chain, said Robust AI is the DHL’s fourth strategic partner in robotics.

“While there are other collaborative robots like Carter that have been developed, some of which we use in our warehouses, Carter differs with its human-centric design, dynamic coordination, and no-code interface,” she said. “Carter thrives in dynamic environments where workflows change frequently due to seasonality, promotions, or product variations. Carter’s flexible and relatively affordable nature makes it accessible to a wider range of warehouses compared to large-scale automation systems.”

For any robotics startup, securing a deal with DHL is a significant achievement, validating its technology and opening doors to broader market opportunities. The partnership gives Robust AI a crucial opportunity for growth and bolsters its credibility and potential for future success.

Editor’s note: Since winning this award early in 2024, Robust.ai has since introduced its Carter Pro AMR. Brooks demonstrated Carter during his keynote at RoboBusiness 2024.

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Organization: Gardarika Tres
Country: Ukraine
Website: https://efarm.pro/demining_ukraine/
Year Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 11-20
Innovation Class: Application & Market

Ukraine-based Gardarika Tres LLC is a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment that focuses on precision farming systems and was founded in 2014. The company started an autonomous tractor navigation brand called Efarm.pro in 2023.

At the end of January 2023, according to reports, about 250,000 sq. km (61.7 million sq. acres) of Ukrainian agricultural land had become minefields.

These explosive devices must be cleared from the fields. However, there is a lack of trained personnel and appropriate equipment to do the job. Accelerating the demining process will provide an opportunity to quickly restore the country’s economy, industry, and agrarian entrepreneurship, and save people’s lives.

The Efarm.pro brand developed an unmanned system to remove mines from fields. The system includes a drone, an autonomous tractor, and a demining attachment that can withstand explosions. The demining tractor is driven remotely from a safe distance to ensure there are no humans in harm’s way.

The system scans the field with a drone equipped with appropriate sensors to target demining areas. These areas are subsequently defused by running the autonomous tractors together with certified sappers. The innovation here is the use of a mature autonomous navigation system for tractors with a hardened mine sweeper to explosively remove any mines within a field and return it to productive growing for farmers.

The tractor is equipped with additional armor plates, designed for use in vehicle structures for mine protection and improvised explosive devices. This ensures that it can work its way through the field without the need to stop and repair after a mine is set off.

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In Episode 170 of The Robot Report Podcast, co-hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman examine the latest video from Boston Dynamics showing Atlas electric humanoid autonomously moving materials. The video shows Atlas moving automotive parts from one storage bin to another. They discuss how Atlas appears to move differently from competing humanoids.

Featured interview with BionicHive

In our feature interview this week, Oitzman and fellow editor Eugene Demaitre sit down with Gili Ovadia, vice president of business development at BionicHive, to learn more about the company‘s warehouse automation.

The BionicHive Squid mobile robot can drive along the floor of the warehouse and climb into the warehouse racking to put or get boxes/totes from storage locations on higher shelves. Ovadia explains how the system works and where BionicHive is deploying these automated storage systems.

Show timeline

• 1:20 – Boston Dynamics humanoid video discussion
• 16:55 – News
• 27:05 – Interview with Gili Ovadia from BionicHive

News of the week

2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards open for nominations

You can now submit nominations for the 2025 RBR50 innovation awards. They will recognize technology and business innovations in calendar year 2024, and the awards are open to any company worldwide that produces robotics or automation.

The categories include:

1. Technologies, products, and services: This category includes primary or applied research focusing on robotics and supporting technologies such as motion control, vision, or machine learning. It also includes new products and business, engineering, or technology services.
2. Business and management: This category covers initiatives positioning a company as a market leader or an organization as an important thought leader in the robotics ecosystem. Significant mergers and acquisitions are relevant, as are supplier, partner, and integrator relationships.
3. Applications and markets: The RBR50 will also recognize innovations that improve productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness, as well as those that automate new tasks.

In addition, the 2025 RBR50 awards will celebrate the following:

• Startup of the Year
• Application of the Year
• Robot of the Year
• Robots for Good Award

The deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.

Locus Robotics systems reach 4B picks as warehouse automation accelerates

Locus Robotics Corp. announced that its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have assisted in 4 billion picks across its customer deployments worldwide. The company noted that this milestone came just six months after passing the 3 billion pick mark and reflects its leadership in the warehouse automation industry.

“This is a truly momentous moment for everyone associated with Locus Robotics – from our global team of employees around the world to our expanding base of customers,” stated CEO Rick Faulk. “Reaching the 4 billion milestone in record time demonstrates the incredible momentum we’re generating in warehouse automation.”

In addition to the 4 billion-pick milestone, Locus recently celebrated the grand opening of Locus Park, its new global headquarters in Wilmington, Mass. It is now fully operational and home to hundreds of New England-based employees.

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China launches data-sharing initiative for humanoid developers

China has launched a data-sharing initiative for domestic humanoid companies to accelerate innovation. The project is being spearheaded by the National Local Joint Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (NLJIC) and various Chinese humanoid companies.

The NLJIC, China’s first public platform dedicated to this type of robot, is also building a training ground for manufacturers to collect high-quality data and promote industry-wide standards.

Xu Bin, general manager of the state-backed center, told Chinese media outlet Yicai Global that like autonomous vehicles, “humanoid robots require large volumes of high-quality data for development, and advanced models demand even stricter data standards.”

Bear Robotics expands from restaurants to warehouses with Carti AMRs

Bear Robotics Inc., which has previously created robots for the hospitality, healthcare, and retail sectors, announced its foray into logistics. The company unveiled the Carti 100 robot for material handling tasks in warehouses and distribution centers.

Bear Robotics said it built the Carti 100 to handleup to 220 lb. (99.79 kg). It said this ensures automated efficiency and precision while reducing overtime.

The AMR’s features include multi-robot orchestration and an adaptable design suitable for a range of environments, including brownfield and greenfield sites, multi-level spaces, and mezzanines. The customizable robot includes adjustable shelves, smart conveyor belts, and advanced lighting to meet operational needs.

Podcast sponsored by RGO Robotics

The show this week is sponsored by RGO Robotics 

Is your autonomous mobile robot struggling in dynamic environments? Is your business stuck because it takes months to commission a new site?

RGo Robotics’ Perception Engine is revolutionizing the AMR business through advanced Vision AI perception technology. Unlike traditional solutions, RGo’s software enables AMRs to adapt to changing environments and navigate complex spaces with unprecedented accuracy and the commissioning process is shorter and simpler.

Leading AMR companies are enhancing their fleets with RGo’s AI-powered perception, enabling their teams to accelerate use of advanced AI capabilities like foundation models and digital twins.

Don’t let outdated navigation hold your business back.

To learn more about RGO’s solutions goto: https://www.rgorobotics.ai/

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Organization: Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics
Country: Germany
Website: https://www.iml.fraunhofer.de/en/fields_of_activity/material-flow-systems/iot-and-embedded-systems/evobot.html
Year Founded: 1981
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

evoBOT is the kind of robot that stands out the moment you look at it. Its unique and seemingly simple design doesn’t resemble any other autonomous mobile robot (AMR) on the market today. Designed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), the robot consists of two wheels and gripper arms. If you’re looking at it head-on while it’s zooming around without any cargo, the robot simply looks like an arch with wheels attached at the bottom.

The robot uses these arms to grip boxes by applying pressure from each side, and it maintains balance as it zips across airports. It keeps its balance using a dynamically stable system based on the principle of an inverted pendulum, which means it doesn’t have an external counterweight. Its ability to balance enables it to move on different and uneven surfaces.

evoBOT can reach a maximum speed of up to 60 kph (37.2 mph) and can transport a load of up to 100 kg (220.4 lb.). It can handle hazardous goods, transport parcels for longer recurring distances, and relieve employees during lifting and overhead work. The mobile manipulator can also procure materials and provide support during the loading and unloading of an aircraft.

Last year, evoBOT completed its first test run at the Munich Airport. There, it performed a practical test in the cargo terminal and on the apron of the airport.

These tests further proved the versatility of Fraunhofer IML’s system, setting it up for potential deployments in numerous industries. evoBOT’s innovative design sets it apart from its AMR counterparts, and it has the capabilities to back that up.

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The Robot Report is seeking nominations for its 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. The RBR50 has recognized the most innovative and influential organizations in robotics for the past dozen years. Here are the winners from 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Each year, a team of experts selects the most interesting and important robotics innovations from around the world. The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 20, 2024. Submit your nomination(s) below.

The RBR50 winners will be celebrated at an awards gala during the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be held on April 30-May 1, 2025 in Boston. Some of the winners will also be demoing their robots on the Robotics Summit expo floor in the RBR50 Pavilion.

Awards categories

To be eligible, all nominations must be for innovations that were initiated, released, or executed between Jan. 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024. The RBR50 is looking for submissions in the following categories:

Startup of the Year: The nominee must be less than five years, and it must be already testing its innovation with customers. In 2024, Electric won the inaugural RBR50 Startup of the Year Award. 

Application of the Year: The winner will be a use case that has previously been difficult to automate and where robotics and automation have demonstrated a clear benefit over previous processes. In 2024, Brightpick won the inaugural RBR50 Application of the Year Award. 

Robot of the Year: The RBR50 awards are seeking a complete system that is a game-changer in terms of technology innovation, use case, and industry influence. In 2024, Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid won the inaugural Robot of the Year Award.

Technologies, products, and services: This category includes primary or applied research focusing on robotics and supporting technologies such as motion control, vision, or machine learning. It also includes new products and business, engineering, or technology services. Examples range from design, manufacturing, and legal services to new Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) offerings.

Business and management: This category covers initiatives positioning a company as a market leader or an organization as an important thought leader in the robotics ecosystem. Significant mergers and acquisitions are relevant, as are supplier, partner, and integrator relationships.

Applications and markets: The RBR50 will also recognize innovations that improve productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness, as well as those that automate new tasks.

New Robots for Good Award

This year, the RBR50 has added the Robots for Good Award. This celebrates a robot that make a positive impact on society by addressing social challenges, improving quality of life or work, or promoting sustainability. 

Benefits for RBR50 winners

Past RBR50 winners have proudly displayed their status in their RoboBusiness and Robotics Summit booths, as well as at their headquarters, on their websites, and in marketing campaigns. The 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winners will receive the following:

• A press release listing the winners will be distributed to major newswires, as well as through WTWH Media’s extensive social media channels.
• The winners will be celebrated at the annual gala dinner at the Robotics Summit and some will be on display on the showfloor in the RBR50 Pavilion
• WTWH’s Robotics Group will list and profile each of the winners, and its sites will cover any of their announcements throughout the year.

For any questions related to the 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards, please contact Steve Crowe. For sponsorship information, contact Courtney Nagle.

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Organization: NASA JPL
Country: U.S.
Website: jpl.nasa.gov
Year Founded: 1936
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology

The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) generated oxygen for the 16th and final time aboard NASA’s Perseverance Rover on Aug. 7, 2023. The microwave-sized device surpassed all expectations from its creators at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

After Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, MOXIE generated 122 grams of oxygen, which is about what a small dog breathes in 10 hours, NASA said. At its most efficient, MOXIE produced 12 grams of oxygen per hour at a purity of 98% or better. This is twice as much as NASA’s original goal for the instrument. On its final run, MOXIE made 9.8 grams of oxygen.

MOXIE produces molecular oxygen through an electrochemical process that separates one oxygen atom from each molecule of carbon dioxide pumped in from Mars’ thin atmosphere. As the gases flow through the system, they’re analyzed to check the purity and quantity of the oxygen produced.

Devices based on the technology at work in MOXIE will be key for future missions. It seems obvious that astronauts who could someday find themselves on Mars will need an oxygen source to breathe, but NASA has other uses in mind.

In particular, the technologies inside MOXIE could serve as a source of rocket propellant, which will be required in industrial quantities to launch rockets with astronauts for their return trip home.

During its time on Mars, MOXIE completed all of its technical requirements and lasted through the varying conditions of a full Mars year. It performed the first-ever demonstration of an oxygen-producing system on the red planet.

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Organization: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Country: U.S.
Website:www.seas.harvard.edu
Year Founded: 2007
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Application & Market

Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a soft exoskeleton to help a person with Parkinson’s walk without freezing. Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common, yet poorly understood, symptom of Parkinson’s disease. It causes sudden and involuntary episodes of immobility that can occur during walking, often leading to falls and injuries. Traditional treatments for FOG, such as medication adjustments and physical therapy, have had limited success.

The researchers spent six months working with a 73-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease. Despite using both surgical and pharmacologic treatments, he endured substantial and incapacitating FOG episodes more than 10 times a day. These episodes prevented him from walking around his community and forced him to rely on a scooter to get around outside.

The exoskeleton uses cable-driven actuators and sensors worn around the waist and thighs. Using motion data collected by the sensors, algorithms estimate the phase of the gait and generate assistive forces in tandem with muscle movement.

Without any special training, the patient was instantly able to walk without any freezing indoors and with only occasional episodes outdoors. He was also able to walk and talk without freezing, a rarity without the device.

Harvard collaborated on this project with Boston University.

“This work suggests the potential benefits of a ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ solution to treating gait freezing,” said the researchers. “We see that restoring almost-normal biomechanics alters the peripheral dynamics of gait and may influence the central processing of gait control.”

The research demonstrates the potential of exoskeletons to treat FOG and offers hope to those with Parkinson’s disease. It could help them regain their mobility and independence.

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Organization: igus
Country: Germany
Website: https://www.igus.com
Year Founded: 1964
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

For all of the strides made in humanoid locomotion over the past year or so, there are still numerous applications for robotic manipulation to address. igus GmbH offers a finger gripper for its ReBeL collaborative robot arm to help developers.

The company designed ReBeL with its self-lubricating iglide plastics to be low-cost and easy to integrate so that innovators could focus on building the next generation of robots. End-of-arm tooling is already available for tasks such as assembly or inspection through the RBTX.com marketplace.

“As the ReBeL is very light and inexpensive with a weight of around 8 kg [17.6 lb.] and a price starting at $6,899, it is often used in humanoid applications,” said Alexander Mühlens, head of the low-cost automation business unit at igus. “For this reason, we have received several customer requests for a robot hand that can be easily connected to the ReBeL via plug and play.”

igus, whose U.S. headquarters are in Rumford, R.I., added that extensive testing has proved the longevity and flexibility of its hand. The ReBeL finger gripper can be controlled via various interfaces, including USB, TTL (5V) serial, and internal scripting.

The new end effector is compatible with all ReBeL models and is controlled by digital I/O at the tool center point. It can also copy human motion in teleoperation or imitation-learning applications, noted igus.

Mühlens added that the humanoid hand could be useful in university research, food service, and entertainment industry. Small and midsize enterprises, which are already adopting collaborative robots for their ease of programming, can try to automate new tasks with low risk.

Following igus’ policy of openly listing its prices, the ReBeL finger gripper is available for $2,760.

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Organization: Kodama Systems
Country: U.S.
Website: https://kodama.ai/
Year Founded: 2021
Number of Employees: 1-10
Innovation Class: Application & Market

In 2022, wildfires burned over 7.5 million acres of land in the U.S., according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. It’s a pressing issue, and it will only get worse as the climate becomes hotter and drier.

While there are some robots deployed to fight these deadly wildfires, few are working to prevent them. This is where Kodama Systems comes in.

Historically, forests in the U.S. were less dense than they are today. Overstocked forests have resulted in greater competition for resources among plant life in these areas, making them more vulnerable to drought and other stressors.

Scientific consensus also suggests that these overgrown forests are a key contributor to the current wildfire crisis. An abundance of smaller, often weaker, trees is ready to burn.

To combat this overgrowth, government agencies have been increasingly investing in initiatives aimed at thinning out these forests. This is a labor-intensive task, as it requires a number of heavy machines to drive into the forest, cut down the trees, and then haul them out so they can be cut to size and delivered to sawmills to be processed.

Sonora, Calif.-based Kodama Systems is working to add autonomy to the process. It creates teleoperation and autonomy kits for the heavy machinery at work. The team started with the skidder, a piece of equipment used to haul cut-down trees out of the forest.

“Our mission is to restore forests for future generations, help promote forest health for the long term, and accelerate the work that the state and federal agencies are calling for right now,” James Sedlak, co-lead for operations and communications at Kodama, told The Robot Report.

In 2023, the company deployed its teleoperation platform on a small forest-thinning project in the Stanislaus National Forest. During this project, the company’s skidder autonomously dragged bundles of trees along skid trails to the project landing.

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Organization: Rockwell Automation
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us.html
Year Founded: 1903
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Business & Management

Rockwell Automation acquired Clearpath Robotics and its subsidiary OTTO Motors in late 2023 for nearly $600 million. Clearpath develops autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for research and development purposes.

But Rockwell did this deal for OTTO Motors, a leading developer of AMRs for manufacturing and logistics applications. This deal points to the importance of automation in industrial settings and positions the companies as clear leaders in the burgeoning field of AMRs.

The acquisition enables Rockwell Automation to expand its portfolio of smart manufacturing systems and capitalize on the increasing demand for flexible automation. By integrating OTTO Motors’ AMR technology into its product offerings, the company can provide customers with a comprehensive suite to improve materials handling productivity and efficiency across a variety of industries.

The acquisition also reinforces Rockwell Automation’s commitment to innovation and driving business growth and competitiveness for its customers. According to Interact Analysis, the market for AMRs in manufacturing could grow about 30% per year over the next five years, with an estimated market size of $6.2 billion by 2027. Rockwell is now well-positioned to capitalize on this opportunity.

“Rockwell and Clearpath together will simplify the difficult and labor-intensive task of moving materials and product through an orchestrated and safe system to optimize operations throughout the entire manufacturing facility,” said Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation.

“The combination of autonomous robots and PLC-based line control has long been a dream of plant managers in industries as diverse as automotive and consumer packaged goods,” he noted. “With Clearpath, Rockwell is uniquely positioned to make that dream a reality across virtually all discrete and hybrid verticals, optimizing planning, operations, and the workforce.”

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Organization: Exotec
Country: France
Website: https://www.exotec.com
Year Founded: 2015
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Application & Market

Many warehouse operators are struggling with increasing complexity and recent innovations in automation promise to help them adapt and scale their businesses. Exotec SAS has developed the Skypod modular hardware and software for flexible storage and picking.

Lane Automotive provides high-performance automotive parts and accessories. The Watervliet, Mich.-based company carries more than 660 bands, stocks over 100,000 SKUs in its distribution center, and offers more than 2.2 million parts from its catalog serving four primary sales channels.

Lane Automotive needed to exceed fulfillment deadlines to meet carrier pickup times. It also needed to handle a wide range of products and ease worker strain.

“The seasonal nature of our business generally sees its peaks between March and June,” said James MacEachern, chief operating officer of Lane Automotive. “This volume could stress our operational capacity.”

Last year, Exotec deployed Skypod to help Lane Automotive modernize fulfillment operations, building on its experience in the grocery, retail, e-commerce, and third-party logistics (3PL) markets.

“What was unique about this deployment is that Lane carries a lot of SKUs for very specific needs — racing, drag racing, and off-road — but it has small inventories for each,” said Stanislas Normand, managing director of Exotec North America. “That’s where Skypod creates value instead of standard warehouse-fulfillment solutions.”

The automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) uses robots to move goods between high-density storage racks and ergonomic picking stations.

Skypod has streamlined inventory tracking, reduced the need for Lane Automotive employees to walk five to seven miles per day, and eliminated the need for heavy lifting since products are now picked directly into their shipping cartons. The company said it expects to see at least a sixfold increase in throughput.

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The post RBR50 Spotlight: Exotec Skypod system scales to serve automotive supplier’s SKU volume appeared first on The Robot Report.

Organization: NVIDIA
Country: U.S.
Website: https://www.nvidia.com
Year Founded: 1993
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

Development of commercial-grade mobile robots is a time-consuming process, but NVIDIA Corp. offers to accelerate that process with the Nova Carter platform. It enables surround vision for autonomous navigation, freeing developers to focus on other applications for artificial intelligence in robotics, said the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company.

Selecting, integrating, and calibrating sensors — not to mention developing necessary device drivers — can take years. Released in October, Nova Carter is a fully functional autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that can help streamline development, according to the NVIDIA.

The AMR provides “out-of-the box” support for capabilities including 3D mapping, visual simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM), and stereo-based depth estimation. Nova Carter also provides global localization, AI-based object detection and segmentation, and more for factory or warehouse operations, said NVIDIA.

It is powered by the Nova Orin reference architecture, which integrates the Segway RMP Lite 220 differential drive, NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin for accelerated computing with ROS 2, and a suite of cameras and lidar sensors for 360-degree perception.

In addition, Nova Carter’s sensors offer a data rate of more than 800 megapixels per second, asserted the company. It includes the sensor drivers and initialization software to configure the robot, as well as systems to calibrate the cameras to the lidar.

Not only does Nova Carter support 3D mapping, but it also provides ROS 2 packages for operation with Nav2, said NVIDIA. A digital twin model in Isaac Sim enables software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing.

NVIDIA boasted that Nova Carter increases high-resolution perception by 12x through time-synchronized color sensors. It said the platform will help robotics developers drive further innovation across industries.

NVIDIA is offering Nova Carter with partner Segway-Ninebot, which provides robots for indoor and outdoor deliveries, intralogistics, inspection, and cleaning.

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