Boston Dynamics expands Spot® product line

Veröffentlicht am 2. Februar 2021 von Sebastian Trella

NEW SELF-CHARGING ENTERPRISE ROBOT, REMOTE OPERATION SOFTWARE, AND ROBOT ARM ENHANCE SPOT’S CAPABILITIES FOR AUTONOMOUS SITE MONITORING

Waltham, MA – February 2, 2021 – Boston Dynamics, the global leader in mobile robotics, today announced an expanded product line for its agile mobile robot Spot. The new products include a self-charging Enterprise Spot, web-based remote operations software, Scout, and the Spot Arm. These additions extend Spot’s ability to perform autonomous, remote inspections and data collection, and enable the robot to perform manual tasks.

With more than 400 Spots out in the world, the robot has successfully undertaken hazardous tasks in a variety of inhospitable environments such as nuclear plants, offshore oil fields, construction sites, and mines. Customers have leveraged Spot’s advanced mobility, autonomy, control, and customizability to improve operational efficiency, enhance worker safety, and gather critical data. Spot’s new products are designed to enable customers to fully operationalize continuous, autonomous data collection on remote or hazardous worksites of any size, from anywhere they have access to their network.

Autonomy is critical to enhancing Spot’s value. In order to support long, remote deployments, Boston Dynamics is introducing Spot Enterprise, a new version of Spot that comes equipped with self-charging capabilities and a dock, allowing it to perform longer inspection tasks and data collection missions with little to no human interaction. In addition to the basic capabilities that the base Spot robot offers, Spot Enterprise leverages upgraded hardware for improved safety, communications, and behavior in remote environments. These upgrades expand the range that autonomous missions can cover, extend WiFi support, add flexibility to Spot’s payload ports, and enable users to quickly offload large data sets collected during the robot’s mission.

Pivotal to refining Spot’s value at scale is remote operation. Scout is Boston Dynamics’ web-based software that enables operators to control their fleet of Spots from a virtual control room. Operators can use Scout to take Spot anywhere a person could go on-site, allowing them to inspect critical equipment or hazardous areas from afar. The software is designed with a simple user interface to run pre-programmed autonomous missions or manually control the robot, to perform various tasks such as walking or posing the robot to capture images and thermal data of obscured gauges or pipes using the Spot CAM+IR thermal imaging payload.

Combined, the Spot Enterprise robot equipped with a Spot CAM+IR thermal imaging payload, Scout software, and Boston Dynamics’ premium support now create an out-of-the-box solution for asset-intensive environments. Operators can deploy this solution on site to proactively maintain and manage assets while maximizing worker uptime and improving worker safety.

In addition to launching products designed to make remote inspection safer and easier, Boston Dynamics is also releasing the Spot Arm, which enables users to act on data insights and perform physical work in human-centric environments. The arm is equipped to operate through both semi-autonomous actions and telemanipulation. It can manually or semi-autonomously grasp, lift, carry, place, and drag a wide variety of objects. It is also capable of manipulating objects with constrained movement and can open and close valves, pull levers and turn handles and knobs in coordination with its body to open standard push and pull doors.

“Since first launching Spot, we have worked closely with our customers to identify how the robot could best support their mission critical applications,” said Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics. “Our customers want reliable data collection in remote, hazardous, and dynamic worksites. We developed the new Spot products with these needs in mind, and with the goal of making it easy to regularly and remotely perform critical inspections, improving safety and operations.”

Interested parties can purchase Spot Enterprise, Scout, and the Spot Arm via Boston Dynamics’ sales team. For more information on these new offerings, please visit: www.bostondynamics.com.

About Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is the global leader in developing and deploying highly mobile robots capable of tackling the toughest robotics challenges. Our core mission is to lead the creation and delivery of robots with advanced mobility, dexterity and intelligence that add value in unstructured or hard-to-traverse spaces and positively impact society. We create high-performance robots equipped with perception, navigation and intelligence by combining the principles of dynamic control and balance with sophisticated mechanical designs, cutting-edge electronics and next-generation software. We have three mobile robots in our portfolio – Spot®, Handle™ and Atlas® – as well as Pick™, a computer vision-based robotics solution for logistics. Founded in 1992, Boston Dynamics spun out of the MIT Leg Lab and is one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces of 2020. For more information on our company and its technologies, please visit www.bostondynamics.comhttp://www.bostondynamics.com.

igus low cost automation: Mask dispensers – save costs with the right robot

Veröffentlicht am 24. Januar 2021 von Sebastian Trella

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First published on igus Blog.
Due to the current situation with the Covid-19 virus, protective masks are our daily companion, whether in the supermarket or when visiting the doctor. Whether self-sewn or produced masks, almost everyone has at least one mask for their own needs. But what can you do if you have forgotten the mask and still have to go shopping?

More and more vending machines are being placed in front of shops in order to ensure admission. These dispensers are constructed similarly to toy vending machines as seen in fairgrounds. There a robot grips a desired toy and brings it to the delivery point.

A Pick&Place application can be seen here:

igus robot kinematics for cost-effective and fast automation

Robot kinematics from igus are ideally suited to such machines. Whether the delta robot, which enables lightning-fast dispensing with a dynamic of 60 picks/min, or the modular linear robot , where the customer can choose the length, are an ideal solution. igus robots are a cost-effective solution and offer a fast return on investment.

Delta robots from igus for cost-effective pick and place applications.

Delta robot is suitable for mask dispensers

Also known as parallel or spider robot. This is because it consists of three linear systems that are built up to form a centre. The delta robot is characterised by its speed. It achieves up to 60 picks per minute. The delta kinematics are optimal for pick and place applications, e.g. in the food, electronics and pharmaceutical industries. The delta robot is suitable for mask dispensers. On request, igus supplies a finished control concept with the igus Robot Control system.

You can find out which robot type is best suited for your application in our blog post.

About the author:
Maxine Schütz
robolink Technical Sales

Tech Vision: How Boston Dynamics Built The Most Advanced Robot

Veröffentlicht am 23. Januar 2021 von Sebastian Trella

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The following video has been uploaded to YouTube by tech vision. I think it has all the information you need about Boston Dynamics robots and is therefore a must-see.

‘BATTLEBOTS: BOUNTY HUNTERS’ to launch on DISCOVERY+ with the top robot competitors smashing it out

Veröffentlicht am 12. Januar 2021 von Sebastian Trella

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BATTLEBOTS: BOUNTY HUNTERS’ Premieres Monday, January 4, on the Launch of Discovery’s Streaming Service Discovery+

(LOS ANGELES) – In the BattleBots universe, from the moment you start building a robot, everyone dreams of a chance to fight against the best in the world — the legends that define the sport. Rarely does David get to face Goliath. Until now… BATTLEBOTS: BOUNTY HUNTERS, premiering Monday, January 4 on Discovery+, will bring the top robots from all over America to battle it out against a BattleBots legend in the ultimate robot combat.

In BATTLEBOTS: BOUNTY HUNTERS, the sport has some of the top robot legends including Tombstone, Bronco, Witch Doctor, Son of Whyachi, Beta and Icewave. Each of the them have many knockouts and have smashed countless competitors before them.

In each episode, challengers will compete for the right to become the Bounty Hunter and fight a Legend. The prize: a unique place in BattleBots history, and the major share of a $25,000 cash prize payout in every episode.

Like in the regular season of BattleBots, each episode highlights the design and build of the competing robots and profiles the teams behind them. Competitors come from all types of backgrounds – from families to university students and everything in between. Every machine is homemade and constructed from a variety of materials with custom-built weaponry to destroy the competition.

In addition to watching BATTLEBOTS: BOUNTY HUNTERS on Discovery+, viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #BattleBots and following Discovery on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Fans can also use the BattleBots AR filter (WT) on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat to share which bot the randomizer selects for them.

BATTLEBOTS remains the most popular robotic combat sport in the world, created by Ed Roski and Greg Munson and now seen in over 150 countries. It is produced by BattleBots, Inc. and Whalerock Industries. Executive producers are Chris Cowan, Edward P. Roski (Trey), Greg Munson, Tom Gutteridge and Aaron Catling. For Discovery Channel, Scott Lewers, Joseph Boyle and Wyatt Channell are executive producers and Paola Espinosa is associate producer.

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 88.3 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

About Whalerock Industries

Whalerock Industries is a West Hollywood-based production and consulting company founded by Lloyd Braun. Its Whalerock Studios produces highly acclaimed and popular unscripted series, including BattleBots (Discovery), Hyperdrive (Netflix), Savage Builds (Discovery), and Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness (HBO Max). The company’s award-winning team of producers, digital product developers and marketers has created and operated multiple #1 direct-to-consumer apps and web properties with the world’s most influential celebrities and brands. Fans can join in the conversation by following BattleBots Facebook and Instagram.

Do you love me?

Veröffentlicht am 30. Dezember 2020 von Sebastian Trella

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The best Robots video of 2020, just awesome work by Boston Dynamics.

VISTA Drone by Door Robotics Takes Flight on Kickstarter With a Fully Integrated 360-degree Camera

Veröffentlicht am 22. Oktober 2020 von Sebastian Trella

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COLLEGE PARK, MD. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 21, 2020

Capture every angle from the sky with VISTA Drone, the first integrated 360-degree camera drone, from Door Robotics, which launched on Kickstarter today. Eliminating the need to jury-rig expensive cameras to gimbals and drones, VISTA Drone makes it easier than ever before to capture precise, beautiful, and captivating images from above.

No drone on the market today records 360-degree video without also capturing the drone itself in the frame. To create immersive content, aerial videographers and photographers have had to build unsafe custom rigs, attach third-party cameras or do extensive editing to capture high-quality footage. Not anymore.

VISTA Drone is the market’s first drone with a fully integrated 360-degree camera. It creates immersive aerial video without seeing the drone in every frame. In addition to its innovative design, the VISTA Drone also leverages autonomous navigation to learn, map, and adapt to any environment indoors or outdoors. Obstacle detection senses objects around the drone and keeps it from crashing during flight, letting the operator focus on getting the shot.

“I believe drone technology is the way of the future,” said Joshua Ermias, CEO of Door Robotics. “The VISTA Drone makes it significantly easier to create awe-inspiring, immersive content from every angle.”

According to Business Insider, the drone industry is expected to grow to more than $63 billion by 2025 with consumer drone shipments hitting 29 million next year. Enterprise and recreational-use drones are exploding in popularity as their uses become more widespread. From insurance to disaster relief, construction, journalism, and real estate, businesses are thirsting for ways to capture video and photographs of hard-to-reach locations or innovative viewpoints. The VISTA Drone offers what no other drone does: a 360-degree, “invisible drone” POV.

In addition to autonomous navigation, the VISTA Drone features a “follow me” intelligent flight mode that leverages GPS transmitter technology to turn the drone into a hands-free aerial camera crew. Object recognition detects small and large objects for premier pixel clarity. The VISTA Drone can take off and land on its own, creating a safer flying experience for any operator. If the battery should run low during flight, it will automatically begin to descend and return home.

The VISTA Drone’s 360-degree camera offers 8k resolution, a 78 Mbps bit rate, and captures 30 frames per second of video. Real-time video stitching is made possible with the camera’s two lenses—no more extensive editing to mend footage. VISTA Drone makes capturing 360-degree images and video automatic and precise.

VISTA Drone is available to pre-order at a significant discount starting at $899. Funds from the Kickstarter campaign will be used to manufacture the drones in America, and units will ship by April 2021. To pre-order, visit pr.go2.fund/doorrobotics.

About Door Robotics
Door Robotics believes drones are the future. Beginning in 2016, Door Robotics set out to improve the way people capture aerial video with drones. A grant from the University of Maryland’s Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship jumpstarted Door Robotics, and the team used that funding to create its alpha prototype. After tooling, software development, and testing, the VISTA Drone is ready for manufacturing. For more information, visit http://www.doorrobotics.com.

LEGO MINDSTORMS: Pass the Build – Tricky (Robot Inventor 51515)

Veröffentlicht am 19. Oktober 2020 von Sebastian Trella

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The Robotmak3rs have had a lot of fun recently playing with the new LEGO Robot Inventor kit (51515), released last week. Watch as Tricky is passed around the world to be built by a few of us.
Several RobotMak3rs from around the world take it in turns to pass the build of Tricky from the LEGO® MINDSTORMS 51515 Robot Inventor kit, released on 15th October 2020. Thanks goes out to LEGO and the RobotMak3rs RLOC for supporting this project. RobotMak3rs Community Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/robotmak3rs/
Music: „Small Guitar“ from Bensound.com
And Robots-Blog is also part of this video 😉

Igus Robolink Programming Session #1

Veröffentlicht am 17. Oktober 2020 von Sebastian Trella

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My workplace for today was kind of different. Thanks @igusgmbh (https://www.igus.de/robolink/roboter) for making this possible. I am learning a lot about robot programming today. I wish I could have such a powerful robot next to my desk any given day.