42 companies empowering robots and humans to work side-by-side
There is growing demand for more flexibility in factories and shops. Collaborative robotics, a sub-set of service robotics in labs, manufacturing and material handling, is where the action is today...
View ArticleTeledyne Technologies acquires British imaging sensor maker E2V Technologies
Teledyne Technologies, which specializes in deepwater gas and oil exploration and production, oceanographic research, air and water quality environmental monitoring, electronics design and...
View ArticleBillion $dollar acquisitions continue: ABB acquires B&R
ABB, one of the Big Four global robot makers, has acquired Austrian industrial automation integrator and components manufacturer B&R (Bernecker & Rainer) Automation for an undisclosed amount...
View ArticleThe robot industry is hiring. Do you have the skills?
A new white paper by the Robotics Industries Association (RIA) says that as many as 2 million US manufacturing jobs will go unfilled in the next ten years due to a lack of skilled workers. According...
View ArticleMarch 2017 fundings, acquisitions, IPOs and failures
March 2017 had 29 robotics-related startups get funding totaling over $222 million - another solid month for 2017 and $658 million year-to-date. Acquisitions also continued to be substantial with...
View ArticleCBS News outlines jobs and robotics debate; IFR fills in gaps
FANUC_R2000iB at work. Source: Wikipedia Commons CBS News, and reporter David Pogue, displayed some new technologies threatening jobs, while the International Federation of Robotics suggested that...
View ArticleSmart grasping demonstrated at Automate and ProMat trade shows
A complex interplay of various sensor systems ensures that the SCHUNK Co-act Gripper JL1 permanently records the data of its surrounding. Source: Schunk Tactile sensing and force feedback are – and...
View ArticlePodcasts are the new blogs
Most of us are familiar with the podcasts about robotics from the Robots Podcast group. For different perspectives, from the funder’s point of view, here’s a list of podcasts from the VC’s that fund...
View ArticleApril 2017 fundings, acquisitions, IPOs and failures
April 2017 had 16 robotics-related fundings totaling over $337 million - a fourth solid month for 2017 - $995 million year-to-date. Acquisitions also continued to be substantial with ABB's $2 billion...
View ArticleAs DJI dominates camera and commercial drone sales, drone funding falls
According to AgFunder's 2016 AgTech Investing Report (supported by The Robot Report's own research), 2016 drone funding fell 64% from 2015 levels. Also, the type of companies getting funded were...
View ArticleiRobot, KUKA and other robotic stocks exceed earnings expectations
iRobot (IRBT on the NASDAQ stock exchange) jumped from $70 to $80 per share on news that iRobot's quarterly earnings were so good that the company raised their forecast for 2017 to new highs. KUKA...
View Article24 research reports that dissect the robotics industry
After reading the press releases for this batch of 24 research reports, although they vary widely in their forecasts, they almost all agree that most segments of the robotics industry are expected to...
View ArticleAn AI Primer for mechatronics
Ex Machina. Source: Youtube/Universal Pictures This week I attended an “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Roundtable” of leading scientists, entrepreneurs and venture investors. As the discussion focused...
View ArticleSoftBank invests $5 billion into Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing
SoftBank, the giant telecom company, is venturing out into the world of robotics and transportation services. DealStreet Asia said that SoftBank is trying to transform itself into the 'Berkshire...
View ArticleTo err is algorithm: Algorithm fallibility and economic organisation
Algorithmic fails Dig below the surface of some of today’s biggest tech controversies and you are likely to find an algorithm misfiring:[1] YouTube advertising controversy: The algorithm placed...
View ArticleSoftBank invests $5 billion into Didi Chuxing and $4 billion more in Nvidia
SoftBank, the giant telecom company, is venturing out into the world of robotics and transportation services. DealStreet Asia said that SoftBank is trying to transform itself into the ‘Berkshire...
View ArticleThe Wolf: The Hunt Continues shows calculated precision for hacking into an...
The Wolf: The Hunt Continues Starring Christian Slater Presented by HP Studios | HP Source: HP Studios/YouTube Here’s a video you will want to watch. “The Wolf: The Hunt Continues” is really an ad...
View ArticleTwo stars, different fates
Levandowski (right) at MCE 2016. Source: Wikipedia Commons Andy Rubin, who developed the Android operating system at Google then went on to lead Google through multiple acquisitions into robotics, has...
View ArticleMay 2017 fundings, acquisitions, IPOs and failures
May 2017 had two robotics-related companies get $9.5 billion in funding and 22 others raised $249 million. Acquisitions also continued to be substantial with Toyota Motor's $260 million acquisition of...
View ArticleChina’s strategic plan for a robotic future is working: 500+ Chinese robot...
In 2015, after much research, I wrote about China having 194 robot companies and used screen shots of The Robot Report's Global Map to show where they were and a chart to show their makeup. We've just...
View Article