Meet and greet service robots at automatica Demo Park

Interact with the world’s leading robots and see them in action at the dedicated Service Robotics Demo Park at automatica 2018. From June 19 to 22 in Hall B4, over a dozen exhibitors will be showcasing a wide range of professional service robots, in applications from detection and individual picking of objects, cleaning and transport to rehabilitation, personal assistance and public relations.

“Hey, I’m Paul, I’m a mobile service robot. Can I guide you through the park?”

Making its premiere at automatica’s Demo Park this year, Care-O-bot 4 is a mobile robot assistant that actively guides and supports humans in environments such as retail stores, hostels, offices and, as in this case, exhibition spaces.

If visitors give a positive answer to its question, Care-O-bot 4 will ask if they are interested in a particular application area and will offer to guide them there or provide alternative suggestions.

Care-O-bot 4 aka “Paul” is already guiding customers in several retail stores. Dr. Ulrich Reiser, CEO and Director of Care-O-bot 4 developer Mojin Robotics, expects the number of Care-O-bots operating in public to increase significantly in the next years: “The goal of Mojin is to support qualified personnel by taking over simple tasks, thereby increasing their productivity and satisfaction”.

Rehabilitation robots and more
Providing a different kind of assistance, in physical rehabilitation, the RIC (Robotic Interactive Care) system, a product of the company BEC, combines a lightweight KUKA iiwa robot to enable re-learning of motor skills after neurological injury. The robot’s end effector is fitted with a baby shoe, ready for a game of football. The patient grasps the shoe and plays the game on the big screen in front of them. The level of assistance can be adjusted and, says BEC Project Manager, Oussama Benfarah, “the system provides real-time tracking of biofeedback data and an interactive gaming aspect that keeps the patient motivated.”

Mobile, lightweight and focused on personal assistance applications (it can complete 30 different tasks altogether), Lio is a human-friendly collaborative mobile robot with a robotic arm, voice control, sensory skin and internet functions, developed by the Swiss company F&P Robotics. Lio can help elderly and handicapped people, support nursing staff, serve food, clear the table, clean, and more.

Another robot that’s equally at home both in a domestic and factory environment, is the “KINOVA Ultra lightweight robotic arm”, designed by French-Canadian company, Kinova. Originally intended to aid people with upper-body limitations, this is a six-axis robotic manipulator arm with a two or three-finger hand that can individually grasp different kind of objects. Whereas in assistive applications it might be used for adjusting a thermostat or brushing one’s teeth, at automatica 2018 it will be shown in an industrial application where visitors can ask the robot to pick up specific tools from a table. “Kinova’s mission is to further the human cause by empowering people to achieve the extraordinary,” says Olivier Pharand-Allard, Regional Manager for Europe. “Our robotic arm solutions are very safe, versatile and power-efficient, allowing people to be more autonomous, more efficient, and to achieve more. There is no need too small, no task too great.”

Flexible, interactive and easy to use
In today’s professional service robotics sector, complicated programming and tricky interfaces are a thing of the past; “easy-to-use”, “versatile” and “human-friendly” are the buzz words not only at this year’s automatica. These are qualities also to be found in the plug and play smart automation product of the Belgian company Pick-it. Integrating with all leading robot brands, it is a 3D camera and software to detect individual parts’ positions, even in poor visibility, when items overlap or come in varying sizes and materials.

Whether visitors are investigating pick-and-place options or want to meet Care-O-bot 4 “Paul”, the Service Robotics Demo Park should be on everyone’s priority list at automatica 2018. Never before has there been such a wealth of service robots to watch, learn about and interact with.

The exhibits will be showcased daily in shows presented by an emcee. The shows start every full hour.

Enterprise montratec presents world premiere on leading trade fair automatica: the self-propelling “shuttle carrier”

(Niedereschach/Germany) – At the leading trade fair automatica 2018, from 19 to 22 June in Munich, montratec GmbH with headquarters in Niedereschach, Germany, is showcasing five new product developments of their future-oriented automation and transport system montrac®. Product highlight is the new “shuttle carrier” – connecting rail-bound workstations without rail.

 Sven Worm, chairman of the board of montratec GmbH informs: „At our first attendance at the automatica we are directly starting with a world premiere. With the development of the “shuttle carrier” we are at the same time optimizing the applications of our intelligent automation and transport system montrac® and offering solutions for customers with extremely limited installation spaces.” Worm is convinced that the new innovation of montratec will succeed in various industrial areas.

Using the self-driving “shuttle carrier” allows for the first time to interrupt the monorail track system without interrupting the entire manufacturing/production process and enables open spaces between track-bound workstations for escape paths, transport routes, and passages for employees.

The self-propelling “shuttle carrier” acts as a connecting robot on the floor: with the aid of integrated sensors it recognizes the respective route based on stripes drawn on the floor and follows them at speeds of up to 25 meters/min.

A height-adjustable track on top of the “shuttle carrier” carries transport shuttles, either empty or with cargo of up to 50 kilogram, from one track section to another track section and gets the transport shuttles back on the monorail. Battery charging takes place during docking which ensures a permanent availability.

With the innovation of the „shuttle carrier“, the modular automation and tracking system montrac®, so far consisting of a monorail system and self-propelling transport shuttles, is extended by another active component.

The use of shuttle carriers will further reduce the low space requirements of montrac®. The already low space requirements of montrac® result from combining electrical track switches, crossings, very tight radii (of 220 millimeters), overcoming gradient angles of up to 12 degree, and integrated lifting elements. Based on smart logistic technology, the shuttles know precisely where the products need to go. The transport shuttles move with speeds of up to 55 meters/min and communicate via infrared with both the track sections and the route.

“Due to continuous power supply of all shuttles, montrac® always ensures total reliability and extreme high availability”, explains Worm and he adds: “At any time, each shuttle can manually be replaced or removed from the running system without stopping the system.”

Among the new montratec product developments to be presented at the fair are:

  • Shuttle variation including integrated robotics
  • Cleanroom Shuttle MSH4 CR,
  • New version of SmartRouter
  • New shuttle generation MSH5

Please join us at our fair stand (booth 320/hall A5) and see how our new innovations can support your company.

Company informationen about montratec GmbH

The high-tech company montratec GmbH is clearly focused on its core competencies in the industrial intralogistics and process automation. The montratec GmbH has 130 employees and company locations in Niedereschach (Headquarters Germany) and Solothurn (Switzerland). Direct sales are located in Europe, North America, and Asia. International agencies are operated by dealerships.

The latest generation of Mecademic robots at Automatica

The automation industry innovates at Automatica with the presence of Mecademic’s ultra- compact and precise robots, at stand B5.514.

Montreal, June 04, 2018 – Mecademic is pleased to present the newest generation of its Meca500 six- axis industrial robot at booth B5.514 at Automatica in Munich, June 19-22, 2018. The latest generation of the Meca500 now includes absolute encoders, no mechanical limits on joint 6, faster joint velocities and a safety module with integrated power supply.

Continuing to push the boundaries of compact industrial robotics, Mecademic will also unveil an extremely small SCARA robot. Thanks to their ultra-compact design and integrated controller, Mecademic’s robots allow precise manipulations in the most confined spaces, which has enabled the development of new concepts and highly integrated solutions.

For further details regarding the Meca500, you can download its brochure and manuals.

About the Meca500

The Meca500 is one of the few industrial robots with an integrated controller in its base, and the only industrial robot arm that fits in the palm of your hand. This six-axis robot can handle payloads up to 500 g with an unmatched accuracy of 0.005 mm. The Meca500 is designed as an automation component, of high quality and accuracy, affordable and easy to use; there is no proprietary robot programming language to learn, but a simple set of instructions. Introduced to the public in May 2015, the Meca500 has been commercialized since July 2016 and is used for testing, inspection, micro-assembly, dispensing and transfer of materials in small confined spaces. It is already put to work in twenty countries, generally in the electronics and medical device industries.

About Mecademic

Mecademic was founded in 2013 in Montreal, where its head office is located. The company designs, develops and manufactures the most compact and precise small industrial robots on the market, in order to achieve its main mission, which is to extend flexible automation to the most confined, delicate and complex tasks and applications. Its young and dynamic team is continually growing, with a great passion for creativity and innovation. As a proactive partner, Mecademic deals directly with companies and academic institutions. The company also has distributors in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, where the robot is already in use.

https://www.mecademic.com/

iRobot CFO to Speak at Upcoming Investor Conferences

BEDFORD, Mass.May 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in consumer robots, today announced that Alison Dean, iRobot’s chief financial officer, will discuss the company’s achievements and financial outlook at the following upcoming investor conferences. The Baird and Nasdaq conference presentations will be accessible live on iRobot’s investor relations website. The Citi Conference will not be webcast.

Baird 2018 Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference
June 5, 2018 at 10:15 a.m. ET
Webcast link: http://investor.irobot.com/events/event-details/irobot-corp-baird-global-consumer-technology-services-conference

Citi 2018 Small & Mid Cap Conference
June 6, 2018 at 8:45 a.m. ET

Nasdaq 38th Investor Conference
June 12, 2018 at 10:15 a.m. GMT
Webcast link: http://investor.irobot.com/events/event-details/irobot-corp-nasdaq-38th-investor-conference

About iRobot Corp.
iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® Vacuuming Robot in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 20 million robots worldwide. iRobot’s product line, including the Roomba and the Braava® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. iRobot’s engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

SOURCE iRobot Corp.

Veranstaltungstipp fürs Wochenende: Maker Faire im FEZ-Berlin

Die Wissenschaftsmesse mit Jahrmarktcharakter für die ganze Familie

Hannover, 24. Mai 2018 – Am 26. und 27. Mai öffnet die Maker Faire von 10 bis 18 Uhr wieder ihre Türen. Dann verwandelt sich das FEZ-Berlin in einen großen Do-it-Yourself-Kosmos und präsentiert zahlreiche kreative Ausstellungen, Erfindungen, Mitmachstationen und Experimente. Rund 900 Maker präsentieren ihre neuesten Selbermach-Projekte und laden Groß und Klein zum Mitmachen ein.

Gleich am Eingang des FEZ begrüßt das Feuer spuckende Schrottmonster D1zzy die Gäste. Sein Erbauer, der Künstler Dyle Doghead, hat dazu auch noch seine beeindruckende Skulptur Blastr mitgebracht.

Die Besucher können sich zudem auf ein hochkarätiges Vortragsprogramm freuen. Die Abenteurer Tom Morgan und Stephane Rousson erzählen von ihren spekta­kulä­ren Himmelserkundungen und die ESA berichtet von ihren Maker-Technologien bei ihren Reisen zum Mond. Als Ehrengast wird der Amerikaner Dale Dougherty, der „Vater der Maker-Bewegung“, über Maker-Projekte im Zeitalter von Künstlicher Intelligenz sprechen. Des Weiteren gibt es ein Panel zum Thema Assistive Technology, bei dem diskutiert wird, wie Menschen mit Behinderung Hilfsmittel selber entwickeln können.

„Die Maker Faire Berlin zeigt: Nahezu jeder ist in der Lage, ein Produkt zu erfinden oder weiterzuentwickeln“, schreibt Michael Müller, Regierender Bürgermeister von Berlin, in seinem Grußwort zur Maker Faire. Und genau das kann man an allen Ständen sehen: Maker erklären, wie man Windkraftanlagen, 3D-Prothesen, Lichtinstallationen, Scanner, Lasercutter oder Roboter baut. Sie präsentieren spannende Nachhaltigkeitsideen und coole Upcycling-Projekte, etwa Schmuck aus alten Leiterplatten oder Lego mit PET-Flaschen. Sie alle haben Spaß und Leidenschaft dabei, so dass der Funke der Begeisterung sofort überspringt.

Das umfangreiche Mitmachpro­gramm ist auch für Kinder geeignet: So können sie am Make-Stand Blink-Makeys löten, sich mit den fahrenden Droiden R2D2 unterhalten oder das Lego-Auto mit bunten Klötzchen bebauen. Sie können das Audio-Memory ausprobieren, mit Pappe basteln, Schlüsselan­hänger nähen oder Zahnputzroboter programmieren.

Auch große Kreative kommen bei der Maker Faire voll auf ihre Kosten. Sie erfahren hier, wie man Modellautos mit dem Smartphone steuert oder Musikinstrumente selbst fertigen kann. Es gibt Hacking extra für Frauen und die Besucherinnen und Besucher können in die Sterne schauen.

Zudem gibt es zum ersten Mal auf der Maker Faire in Berlin eine Singer/Songwriter-Bühne: Elf Künstler sorgen für musikalische Untermalung und präsentieren Songs aus den Bereichen Rock, Pop, Soul und Country. Das unterstreicht den Festivalcharakter und trägt noch mehr zu der einzigartigen Atmosphäre unserer Community-getriebenen Veranstaltung bei“, freut sich Daniel Rohlfing, Senior-Produktmanager der Maker Faire.

An den Publikumstagen am Wochenende, 26. und 27. Mai, richtet sich die Maker Faire an die gesamte Familie. Die Öffnungszeiten sind jeweils von 10 bis 18 UhrTickets gibt es im Shop auf der Webseite maker-faire.de oder an der Tageskasse. Die Tagestickets kosten 15 Euro, ermäßigt 10 Euro. Familientickets gibt es für 32 Euro, Kinder unter 6 Jahren sind frei.

Presseakkreditierungen: Unter folgendem Link können sich Pressevertreter (auch Blogger, YouTuber und Jugend- und Schülerpresse) anmelden.

Alle Maker Faires in D/A/CH werden vom deutschsprachigen Make Magazin präsentiert.
Die Maker Faire Berlin ist eine unabhängig organisierte Veranstaltung unter der Lizenz von Maker Media, Inc.

MIMIC educational robots introduces robots you can code

Cincinnati-based Entrepreneur launches Kickstarter campaign to launch ‘mimicArm’, your own programmable A.I. robot arm

Cincinnati, OH (April 14, 2018) – mimicEducationalRobots (a division of Robomotive Laboratories LLC) is changing the way coding is taught with mimicArm. The Cincinnati-based small family business launched a new Kickstarter campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/713401305/662798422?ref=455790&token=e4d4249c) on April 24th to help advance the development and production of the new technology.

mimicArm is a desktop sized robot arm that represents a new approach to teaching programming. mimicArm is a collaborative robot, or “cobot”, designed to interact with human users.  Unlike other educational robots mimicArm teaches children to program robots to work in tandem with humans. Using the mimicArm controller children as young as 5 are immediately able to interact with mimicArm.  When they’re ready, users can begin coding using mimicBlock, a graphical coding interface.  mimicArm is also programmable using actual C code and includes simple pre-written functions to allow the quick creation of complicated programs. The provided programming experiments start simple, but build to complex interactive artificial intelligence programs. Paired with the inputBox and other sensors the user can create a truly interactive artificial intelligence robot arm.

Brett Pipitone, the Founder of mimicEducationalRobots is no stranger to Kickstarter.  “After a successfully-funded Doorbell Phone campaign on Kickstarter, I began to indulge in my love of robotics and introduced the Cortex:Robot Arm controller,” said Pipitone. “We continued to develop the technology by adding joints, cameras and motion and soon realized that we had developed something truly unique: The mimic immersion robot was born.  While mimic’s Kickstarter campaign didn’t reach it’s goal, the technology developed allowed us to build mimicArm, which we think could really make a difference in the world.”

The key to bringing mimicArm to life is the mimic arm controller with patent-pending Posi-Feeltm grip controllers. The user grips a simple scissor control and moves his or her arm and hand in natural ways.  mimicArm will “mimic” these motions. A series of joints, pivots and sensors are built into the mimicArm Controller to make this possible.  When the user is ready, easy to use programming software and robust examples walk them through the process of learning to program their own robot.

This assemblage of new technologies allows the user to see immediate frustration-free results without the risk of outgrowing the robot in a short time.  The infinite expandability and endless programming possibilities will keep even expert programmers captivated.

mimicEducationalRobots realized early that a single package would not fit all users needs, so backers have a choice of three packages, each with a unique user in mind.

  • The mimicArm kit version includes the robot and manual controller. This version is great for those who want to ease into robotics coding, or those that already have sensors that they’re ready to integrate with the robot.  Perfect for beginners and experts, this package is the most affordable option.
  • The mimicArm Super Fun Kit is centered around manual mode, with a set of accessories to maximize the fun factor. Users can stack the stacking blocks (included), or program the robot to do it for them.  The Great Big Button is also included, and offers additional capabilities for those honing their coding skills (or for those with younger siblings that really want to touch something). “mimicArm Super Fun Kit is targeted towards younger users, but is also a great way for beginners to make coding interesting as well,” says Pipitone.
  • The mimicArm Deluxe Kit is the most complete kit offered. Including everything from the mimicArm Super Fun Kit, the mimicArm Deluxe Kit adds the input box and IR Distance Sensor for maximum interactive possibilities.  The inputBox incorporates buttons, a microphone and other sensors, and a microSD card.  “Programmable with both mimicBlock and Arduino, the Deluxe kit really expands the possibilities. With this kit the user can truly program their own interactive robot,” says Pipitone.

MimicArm is a great educational tool, and users can be a part of it now by backing mimic on Kickstarter. According to Pipitone, „We’re teaching those who will deliver the personal robot of the future. We’re still working on flying cars and jet packs.“

For more information, please visit: http://www.mimicrobots.com/.

Finally – never again step barefoot on a LEGO® brick in the night! Leguino is now on Kickstarter.

BELFAST, UK – March 2018 –  Leguino launches on Kickstarter and creates the opportunity to anyone to invent. Leguino has built a Sweeper Bot which collects all the lost LEGO® bricks from your floor. The Leguino team made it possible by using the brick shaped Leguino electronics and designed the software for this unique robot with Leguino Visuino, the visual drag and drop software development environment.
By removing the barriers between the worlds of LEGO® and Arduino™, Raspberry Pi and the endless range of electronics – Leguino is a unique marriage to break barriers and overrides limitations: It opens the door for building your next level Lego® project. Leguino parts deliver the bridge. Finally!

Imagine the typical LEGO® projects: Most of them are locked in the LEGO® environment and the really hot and interesting electronic modules which are available for Arduino™ or Raspberry Pi and other compatible components cannot be integrated properly. They do not fit. By using Leguino parts these obstacles are removed: Revert to the endless Arduino™ solutions and add them to your new breathtaking LEGO® projects. Make your prototypes with LEGO® and integrate unique Leguino devices with crazy functions: Microphones, infrared data transfer, OLED displays, humidity sensors or why not try out a real webserver? Connect your LEGO® project to the Internet and override all limitations.

Inventing software with Leguino Visuino is as easy as connecting LEGO® bricks. For those people who are not skilled in writing software, developing programs has never been easier. Instead of writing hundreds of lines of programming code – Leguino Visuino, the visual drag and drop software development environment does all the hard work for you. Just focus on what you will build with bricks, wire them together and see it running in minutes!

The Leguino Vision

The Leguino Vision started with a very straight forward approach: Merging simple tools together to empower people to overcome obstacles while inventing. The Leguino belief is that by lowering barriers more and more people can develop their dream projects and follow their own ideas and inspirations. Ones‘ age or manual skills may not restrict anymore.

Leguino – you are the inventor!

Segway Robotics Defines the Future of Mobile Robots with Loomo

San Francisco, California – March 6, 2018Segway Robotics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Segway-Ninebot Group, is proud to launch Loomo, a smart machine that toggles between a mini personal transporter and mobile robot sidekick. Loomo is now available for pre-order on Indiegogo today, with limited early bird pricing starting at $1299.

Loomo will launch with a core set of foundational features, with more capabilities unlocked over time through over-the-air (OTA) updates. Out of the box, you can ride Loomo as a mini transporter, let it follow you autonomously as a robot sidekick, or show off Loomo’s playful personality to your friends. Loomo also comes with a free Android-based SDK for professional developers and enthusiasts alike to build on top of our mobility + AI platform.

 

Loomo’s key features include:

 

  • Self-Balancing Transporter: Smooth ride experience across most terrain types, with speeds of up to 11 MPH, and the capacity to cover 22 miles in one charge; a voice-based tutorial allows anyone to learn how to ride Loomo in mere minutes
  • Auto-Follow Expert: With advanced computer vision, Loomo can follow you autonomously, shoot stabilized video, and more
  • Avatar: Use your smartphone as a remote control to access all of Loomo’s capabilities – see, speak, interact, and explore as if you are Loomo
  • Friendly & Expressive Personality: Powered by its emotion engine, Loomo’s lovable nature and lighthearted expressions will cheer you up and impress everyone around you
  • Multiple Control Methods: You can control Loomo via your smartphone app, voice command, gestures and touch sensors
  • New Skills Unlocked Over-the-Air (OTA): Loomo will continuously update its software and app OTA to include new features
  • Free Loomo Android SDK for developers: Directly access Loomo’s mobility and AI capabilities to build a range of playful features or practical solutions

 

“Segway-Ninebot has already put millions of wheels on the ground that cover 180 million kilometers each year. But what happens if you combine Segway’s proven mobility technology with cutting-edge AI? Well say hello to Loomo,” said Li Pu, President of Segway Robotics.  “For many, Loomo is a reflection of our movie fantasies growing up… it embodies our vision of how mobile personal robots can become a part of our everyday lives.”

The Loomo Indiegogo campaign launches March 6, 2018. Limited early bird pricing will be set at $1299. The basic pack includes 1 Loomo, 1 AC/DC adapter, 1 extended air tap, and 1 USB 3.0 Type-C cable. Loomo will begin shipping to backers in May 2018.

About Segway Robotics

Segway Robotics is a privately held company that focuses on developing and commercializing personal robots. Founded in 2015, it is fully owned by Segway-Ninebot Group, a Series C company. The company has notable backers including the likes of Sequoia Capital, Intel Capital and Xiaomi.

To find out more about Segway Robotics: http://www.segwayrobotics.com/

Leguino fills the gap between LEGO® and Arduino™ and Raspberry Pi – now presented on Kickstarter

BELFAST, UK – March 2018 – Leguino is debuting on Kickstarter to fill the gap between two worlds of creation: LEGO® and Arduino™. The Leguino parts contain Arduino™ and Raspberry Pi compatible electronics and houses them into LEGO® compatible brick cases. Leguino delivers standard brick compatible cases for common Arduino and Raspberry Pi electronic components to enhance LEGO® projects and opens them to endless possibilities.

Imagine the typical LEGO® projects: Most of them are locked in the LEGO® environment and the really hot and interesting electronic modules which are available for Arduino™ or Raspberry Pi and other compatible components cannot be integrated properly. They do not fit. By using Leguino parts these obstacles are removed: Revert to the endless Arduino™ solutions and add them to your new breathtaking LEGO® projects. Make your prototypes with LEGO® and integrate unique Leguino devices with crazy functions: Microphones, infrared data transfer, OLED displays, humidity sensors or why not try out a real webserver? Connect your LEGO® project to the Internet and override all limitations.

Inventing software with Leguino Visuino is as easy as connecting LEGO® bricks. For those people who are not skilled in writing software, developing programs has never been easier. Instead of writing hundreds of lines of programming code – Leguino Visuino, the visual drag and drop software development environment does all the hard work for you. Just focus on what you will build with bricks, wire them together and see it running in minutes!

The Leguino Vision

The Leguino Vision started with a very straight forward approach: Merging simple tools together to empower people to overcome obstacles while inventing. The Leguino belief is that by lowering barriers more and more people can develop their dream projects and follow their own ideas and inspirations. Ones‘ age or manual skills may not restrict anymore.

Leguino – you are the inventor!

The Founder of Leguino

The Leguino founder Urs Markus Ernst Streidl has a demonstrated track record for successfully founding companys over 25 years. He has a degree in computer sciences and economics and has (co-)founded 8 tech companys. He is the winner of the German nation-wide Start-Up competition in 2006. He lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland where he cofounded one of his last ventures, BrainWaveBank LTD (one of the hottest Startups in Ireland). This venture has secured in excess of $1.5M in seed capital and R&D funding to date.
Leguino is the first project which integrates the knowledge of his own children (ages 7 and 9). They are the pros and enthusiasts at Leguino.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leguinofan/leguino-merging-lego-with-arduinotm-you-are-the-in

Maker Faire Ruhr 2018