Size and Payload Matter for Human-Machine Performance
Shop Talk
Capturing this week's zeitgeist
Kaizen Blitz
- 🚦 Andon Status
- 🟢 Saudi Aramco bets on the enduring power of petrol.
- 🟡 SK On declares ‘emergency’ as EV sales disappoint.
- 🟡 Chinese listed steelmakers flag losses at home, raising export urgency.
- 🚨 Honda to end vehicle production at one of its two Thai plants.
- 🚨 BHP to suspend Australia nickel operations amid Indonesia-fed glut
- 📊 Survey Says
- Lazard’s LEVELIZED COST OF ENERGY+ June 2024
- 🏭💰 Production Planning
- Adani to spend $9bn on green hydrogen in Gujarat.
- BYD to build a $1-bln plant in Turkey.
- NorSun to invest $620M in first US solar facility.
- 🏢💸 Corporate Development
- AE Industrial Partners Closes Fund III with $1.28 Billion in Capital Commitments
- Xylem Expands Corporate Venture Capital Investments to $50M, Targeting Water Scarcity, Quality, and Decarbonization
- 🗣️ Town Hall
- Protolabs CEO Rob Bodor on the Company’s Future in AM
Assembly Line
This week's most influential Industry 4.0 media.
Robot-packed meals are coming to the frozen-food aisle
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco–based startup, has launched a system of AI-powered robotic arms that can be quickly programmed with a recipe to dole out accurate portions of everything from tikka masala to pesto tortellini. After experiments with leading brands, including Amy’s Kitchen, the company says its robots have proved their worth and are being rolled out at scale to more production facilities. They are also being offered to new customers in the US and Canada.
Rather than selling the machines outright, Chef uses a service model, where customers pay a yearly fee that covers maintenance and training. Amy’s currently uses eight systems (each with two robotic arms) spread across two of its plants. One of these systems can now do the work of two to four workers depending on which ingredients are being packed, Griego says. The robots also reduce waste, since they can pack more consistent portions than their human counterparts. One-arm systems typically cost less than $135,000 per year, according to Chef CEO Rajat Bhageria.
Investing in New Technology at AccuRounds
Open-TeleVision: Why human intelligence could be the key to next-gen robotic automation
MIT and UCSD unveiled a new immersive remote control experience for robots. This innovative system, dubbed “Open-TeleVision,” enables operators to actively perceive the robot’s surroundings while mirroring their hand and arm movements. As the researchers describe it, the system “creates an immersive experience as if the operator’s mind is transmitted to a robot embodiment.”
The Open-TeleVision system takes a different approach to robotics. Instead of trying to replicate human intelligence in a machine, it creates a seamless interface between human operators and robotic bodies. The researchers explain that their system “allows operators to actively perceive the robot’s surroundings in a stereoscopic manner. Additionally, the system mirrors the operator’s arm and hand movements on the robot.”
Why Nvidia, Tesla, Amazon And More Are Betting Big On AI-Powered Humanoid Robots
Pioneering the future of materials extraction
The company’s breakthrough lies in a new silicon membrane technology that can be adjusted to efficiently recover disparate materials, providing a more sustainable and economically viable alternative to conventional, chemically intensive processes. Think of a colander with adjustable pores to strain different types of pasta. SiTration’s technology has garnered interest from industry players, including mining giant Rio Tinto.
The core technology is based on work done at MIT to develop a novel type of membrane made from silicon, which is durable enough to withstand harsh chemicals and high temperatures while conducting electricity. It’s also highly tunable, meaning it can be modified or adjusted to suit different conditions or target specific materials.
SiTration’s technology also incorporates electro-extraction, a technique that uses electrochemistry to further isolate and extract specific target materials. This powerful combination of methods in a single system makes it more efficient and effective at isolating and recovering valuable materials, Smith says. So depending on what needs to be separated or extracted, the filtration and electro-extraction processes are adjusted accordingly.
Amazon Web Services launches its most powerful chip yet
Does size matter? Exploring the effect of cobot size on user experience in human–robot collaboration
In the vision of Industry 5.0, collaborative robots (or cobots) play a central supporting role in various industries, especially manufacturing. Close interaction with cobots requires special attention to user experience to fully exploit the benefits of this paradigm. Consequently, understanding the impact of a cobot’s physical size on user experience becomes critical to optimizing human–robot collaboration (HRC). This research aims to investigate the relationship between cobot size (UR3e – small cobot vs. UR10e – large cobot) and user experience in HRC contexts, in conjunction with other factors (i.e., cobot movement speed and product assembly complexity). Through a series of controlled experiments involving 32 participants, user experience data were obtained by collecting physiological measures (i.e., electro-dermal activity, heart activity, eye-tracking metrics) and subjective responses with questionnaires (i.e., perceived workload, interaction quality, and affective state). Results showed that the large cobot was generally perceived to be safer, more natural, efficient, fluid, and trustworthy. With the large cobot, there was a decrease in dominance; however, it was offset by the learning effect. Perceived workload was mainly influenced by product complexity. No clear difference in terms of mental strain emerged from the physiological data comparing the cobot sizes. In addition, the interaction term between cobot size and cobot movement speed never emerged as significant. The results of this research can offer practical insights to improve the effectiveness and acceptance of cobots during the implementation phase.
New Product Introduction
Highlighting new and innovative facilities, processes, products, and services
Techman Robot Unveils New High-Payload AI Cobot TM30S
Techman Robot, at the Robot Technology Japan exhibition in Nagoya, Japan, proudly introduced its latest product, the TM30S. This collaborative robot (cobot) redefines the next generation of automation with built-in AI technology and industry-leading high payload capacity.
Leading the pack with 30 kg payload capacity The TM30S boasts an impressive 35 kg payload capacity and a 1702 mm arm length, far surpassing the standard 30 kg capacity of comparable products. Its superior arm design extends the range of motion, allowing for efficient product handling and making it an ideal solution for automation in the automotive industry and smart stacking/unstacking applications. During the exhibition, the TM30S demonstrated its ability to handle heavy tires, using AI technology to recognize complex tire dimensions, brands, and production dates, thus creating comprehensive production records.
World-first trial of new technology to recycle CO2 emissions from steel production begins at ArcelorMittal Gent, Belgium
ArcelorMittal and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) are working with a climate tech company, D-CRBN, to trial a new technology to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) captured at ArcelorMittal’s plant in Gent, Belgium into carbon monoxide which can be used in steel and chemical production.
This is the first industrial testing of D-CRBN’s plasma technology, making ArcelorMittal Gent the first steel plant in the world to trial the process, which has been designed to reduce CO2 emissions.
This new trial expands the current multi-year carbon capture pilot taking place at the site to test the feasibility of full-scale deployment of MHI’s carbon capture technology (Advanced KM CDR Process™).
Business Transactions
This week's top funding events, acquisitions, and partnerships across industrial value chains.
Skild AI Raises $300M Series A To Build A Scalable AI Foundation Model For Robotics
Skild AI, an AI robotics company building a scalable foundation model for robotics, announced it has closed a $300M Series A funding round. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue, SoftBank Group, and Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions), with participation from Felicis Ventures, Sequoia, Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, CRV, Amazon, SV Angel, and Carnegie Mellon University. The funding brings the company to a valuation of $1.5B. The capital will be used to continue scaling the company’s model and training datasets for future commercial deployment of its technology, in addition to hiring for roles across AI, robotics, engineering, operations, and security.
Skild AI is building intelligence that is grounded in the physical world. The company is breaking the data barrier in robotics, training its model on at least 1,000X more data points than competing models. As opposed to vertically designed robots that are built for specific applications, Skild’s model serves as a shared, general-purpose brain for a diverse embodiment of robots, scenarios and tasks, including manipulation, locomotion and navigation. From resilient quadrupeds mastering adverse physical conditions, to vision-based humanoids performing dexterous manipulation of objects for complex household and industrial tasks, the company’s model will enable the use of low-cost robots across a broad range of industries and applications.
Mantle Secures $20 Million in Series C Funding to Expand Breakthrough Metal 3D Printing Technology for Precision Tooling
Mantle, the leader in metal 3D printing technology for precision tooling, announced it has reached a significant milestone by securing $20 million in Series C funding. The Series C funding round will be critical in supporting Mantle’s rapid market expansion, scaling manufacturing to meet demand, and developing new capabilities and materials. Led by Schooner Capital, a Boston-based private investment firm, the round was also joined by the company’s largest existing investors, including Fine Structure Ventures, Foundation Capital, Corazon Capital, 11.2 Capital, and Build Collective.
Mantle’s innovative technology has played a crucial role in producing millions of end-use parts, ranging from medical devices and deodorant packaging to industrial components. By focusing on printing tools for mass production rather than the parts themselves, the company has tackled the longstanding issues of high costs and lengthy production times associated with tool creation for mass production. This strategic shift has resulted in cost reductions for customers exceeding 65 percent and accelerated manufacturers’ development cycles by up to 90 percent.
AI-Driven Seismos and Edison Partners Team to Drive Energy Industry’s Digital Future
Seismos and Edison Partners announced a new $15 million growth investment to enable and accelerate the energy industry’s shift from analog-focused exploration and production to technology-driven, digital infrastructure and autonomous production operations. This growth equity investment will support Seismos’ expansion across its existing oil and gas industry base and into new verticals, such as geothermal and mining that are similarly embracing modern digital infrastructure solutions.
Tools and practices historically used in oil and gas production are facing their natural limits in generating relevant, real-time information which results in suboptimal cost structures, production numbers and safety standards. The new, autonomous, digitized oil and gas field requires next-generation automation and optimization. With its AI-powered Acoustic Sensing, Seismos is revolutionizing the energy sector with efficient, innovative technology that delivers real-time, actionable intelligence. The company’s proprietary AI technology enables rapid, continuous insights and predictive monitoring for quality control that can create up to 10x production improvements and cost savings for operators.
Active Membranes Receives Initial Round of Seed Funding
Active Membranes, developer of revolutionary, award-winning electrically-conducting membranes used in desalination, has closed its initial round of Seed Funding to further develop its game-changing desalination technology. This investment will facilitate Active’s further corporate growth, technology scale-up, and commercialization, as well as the execution of several extended field pilot tests, all of which are co-funded by various US federal and state government agencies. The funding round includes investments from Natural Ventures, Echo River Capital, and Pacifica Water Solutions, one of Active Membranes’ co-founders.
Active Membranes brings a new and entirely different approach to desalination membrane technology. Its membranes utilize the company’s patented technology that incorporates tunable electrical potential into a spiral wound desalination membrane module to make it actively resistant to scaling and fouling during the desalination process.
With their anti-scaling, anti-fouling properties, these membranes require minimal pre-treatment and minimal usage of chemicals and consumables. They also operate at a higher recovery rate and significantly simplify operation. This results in a much lower footprint, lower capital costs, and reduced operating costs. In so doing, Active Membranes transforms desalination into a technology of choice rather than a technology of last resort.
Imperial and BASF spinout SOLVE to digitally transform chemical manufacturing
Pandemic-beating drugs could enter production more quickly and agrichemicals such as fertilisers could be produced with fewer toxic raw materials thanks to technology from the new company SOLVE. The spinout has been launched by Imperial and global chemical company BASF under an innovative partnership model, with funding from BASF subsidiary Chemovator in a pre-seed round led by venture capital firm Creator Fund.
It is using innovative chemical processing techniques to build up large sets of data on chemical reactions, which it will use to train machine learning models to rapidly predict the optimal ways to manufacture high-value chemicals. The company is building up experimental data sets using novel techniques in flow chemistry, an advanced form of processing in which reactions are carried out in a continuous flow rather than in batch vessels. The technology is designed to enable chemical companies to scale manufacturing of new chemicals more quickly and to optimise manufacturing processes.