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Magnetic robot end-of-arm tooling are suitable for the automated pick-up and positioning of steel or other ferromagnetic objects. They can be switched on and off and have a threaded mounting hole for robots. Magnetic grippers are an efficient alternative for traditional robot grippers. Application in automated production lines and for robots and pick-and-place systems. Magnetic product handling reduces the duration and number of operations. Goudsmit Magnetics is driven by magnetism since 1959. See how it works: https://youtu.be/hcXJ98mXHZE

Telepresence robots help university students learning remotely to feel more a part of the class, new research by Oregon State University suggests.

Mole-bot, a drilling biomimetic robot designed by KAIST, boasts a stout scapula, a waist inclinable on all sides, and powerful forelimbs. Most of all, the powerful torque from the expandable drilling bit mimicking the chiseling ability of a mole's front teeth highlights the best feature of the drilling robot.

Mole-bot, a drilling biomimetic robot designed by KAIST, boasts a stout scapula, a waist inclinable on all sides, and powerful forelimbs. Most of all, the powerful torque from the expandable drilling bit mimicking the chiseling ability of a mole's front teeth highlights the best feature of the drilling robot.

S tudies show that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is readily destroyed when exposed to ultraviolet light and heat while on surfaces, such as countertops, chairs, walls and floors. This vulnerability sparked an idea in the mind of University of Virginia mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Tomonari Furukawa, who last year designed a roving robot to operate semi-autonomously in hazardous areas.

S tudies show that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is readily destroyed when exposed to ultraviolet light and heat while on surfaces, such as countertops, chairs, walls and floors. This vulnerability sparked an idea in the mind of University of Virginia mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Tomonari Furukawa, who last year designed a roving robot to operate semi-autonomously in hazardous areas.

Humanoid robots are gaining popularity as the human touch has to be reduced to prevent the virus from spreading. Hospitals in many parts of the world are using these robots for providing various services to COVID-19 patients.

Researchers at Konkuk University in South Korea recently created KUBeetle-S, a flying robot inspired by a species of horned beetle called Allomyrina dichotoma, which is among the largest insects on the planet. Allomyrina dichtoma weighs approximately 5 to 10 g and has a wing loading of 40 N/m2, which is remarkably high when compared to average insect wing loadings (typically around 8 N/m2).

An autonomous mobility system that works like a wheelchair without anyone pushing it is scuttling around a Tokyo airport to help with social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

After a weak 2019, we originally expected the 2020 robot market to recover strongly, but COVID-19 changed the market revenue growth forecast from 4.8% to -3.6%. In the long run, the pandemic will accelerate existing trends for industrial automation

The development of systems for robot-assisted surgery is difficult, with the need to meet stringent clinical requirements, get regulator approvals, and keep costs under control. Today, Titan Medical Inc. announced an agreement with Medtronic PLC to advance the design and development of surgical robots. The onetime rivals also signed a licensing agreement regarding some of Titan’s intellectual property.

Under the agreement, both companies can develop robot-assisted surgical systems in their respective businesses, while Titan will receive a series of payments that reach $31 million in return for Medtronic’s license for the technologies. The payments will arrive as milestones are completed and verified.

Milestones include fundraising

A steering committee including representatives from Toronto-based Titan Medical and Dublin, Ireland-based Medtronic will oversee work toward achievement of the milestones. One of them is for Titan to raise an additional $18 million in capital within four months of the development start date, which is expected to occur this month.

Titan has also received from Medtronic a senior secured loan of $1.5 million that will be increased increased by an amount equal to certain legal expenses related to transactions and intellectual property with an interest rate of 8% per annum. The loan is repayable on June 4, 2023, or upon the earlier completion of the last milestone.

Until the loan is repaid, Medtronic may have one non-voting observer on Titan’s board of directors. Charles Federico, who has served as the company’s chairman since May 2019, and John Schellhorn, who has served as a director since June 2017, have decided to retire from Titan’s board. The board will consist of three members, including David McNally; John Barker, an independent director; and Stephen Randall, Titan’s chief financial officer, while a search for additional independent directors is conducted.

Titan Medical pays $10M for Medtronic surgical robot licenses

Under the terms of the separate agreement, Medtronic has licensed certain robot-assisted surgical technologies from Titan for an upfront payment of $10 million. Titan said it retains the rights to continue to develop and commercialize those technologies for its own business.

“These agreements with Medtronic will allow Titan to continue to develop its single-port robotic surgical technologies while sharing our expertise and technologies with Medtronic,” stated David McNally, president and CEO of Titan Medical. “We are very excited about the opportunity to continue Titan’s pioneering work to bring new single-port surgical options to the market.”

These agreements are between Medtronic and Titan Medical, which is not affiliated with Titan Spine, which Medtronic acquired in 2019. They are another step in Medtronic’s effort to break into the robot-assisted surgery space, which remains dominated by Intuitive Surgical and its da Vinci SP.

Medtronic completed a $1.7 billion purchase of Mazor Robotics in December 2018. A month later, the company launched its Mazor X Stealth robotic-assisted spinal surgical platform in the U.S. In September 2019, Medtronic unveiled its new Hugo system that is set to rival the da Vinci SP.

Editor’s note: For more about this and other medical device deals, visit our sibling site, MassDevice.

The post Titan Medical, Medtronic agree to cooperate on surgical robotics development appeared first on The Robot Report. Read More

Pick-by-Vision adds to smart technology because smart glasses learn manufacturers’ parts; they memorize the visual appearance including robots and bin locations. Pick-by-Vision predicts and prevents mis-picks and decides the best part to pick next.

A scurrying robot dog named K9 dispenses hand sanitizer to curious children and wary shoppers—one of the more unexpected measures Thai malls are taking as the kingdom relaxes virus restrictions.

This itsy-bitsy robot can't climb up the waterspout yet but it can run, jump, carry heavy payloads and turn on a dime. Dubbed HAMR-JR, this microrobot developed by researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Harvard Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, is a half-scale version of the cockroach-inspired Harvard Ambulatory Microrobot or HAMR.

Researchers at Seoul National University have recently developed a compact and lightweight origami structure inspired by ladybird beetles. In a paper published in Science Robotics they show how this structure can be used to build a winged jump-gliding robot. Jump-gliding is a specific locomotion style that combines gliding and jumping movements.