EPFL scientists have developed a new soft robotic gripper that uses electroadhesion – flexible electrode flaps that act like a thumb-index gripper. It can pick up fragile objects of arbitrary shape and stiffness, like an egg, a water balloon or paper. “This is the first time that electroadhesion and soft robotics have been combined to […]
Festo has supplied its ultra-modern fluidic muscles and piezo valve technology to Engineered Arts for use in the fourth generation of its ‘robot actor’, RoboThespian. RoboThespian is a life-sized humanoid robot designed for human interaction in a public setting. It is fully interactive, multilingual, and user-friendly, making it a perfect device for communicating with and entertaining […]
The DeLaval teat spray robot (TSR) is one of the first fully automatic teat spray solutions for dairy farms with rotaries. In September 2015, it won the Dairy Herd Management Innovative Product Award which was presented at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. This award and the TSR’s success on existing US farms are believed to […]
VTT has developed a control system for the industrial robots used for manufacturing of single-item products that substantially cuts the setting and programming time for the robot. Thanks to the new innovations, the time required for programming a robot can now be counted in minutes at best, when earlier, using traditional programming methods, it could […]
A robotics breakthrough by product design and development firm Cambridge Consultants is set to boost productivity across the food chain – from the field to the warehouse. It paves the way for robots to take on complex picking and sorting tasks involving irregular organic items – sorting fruit and vegetables, for example, or locating and […]
The engineers at Zen Putting Mechanics have been helping Today’s Golfer magazine to test 46 putter designs from several top manufacturers with specific parameters to determine the best buys. For one of the tests, the British golf innovator has developed a putting robot with Sheffield University’s AMRC – Boeing research centre that evaluates a putter’s […]
In order to ensure that clothing is safe for use and provides adequate protection against chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear substances, the clothing needs to be contaminated with such elements. ‘Porton Man’ has proved to be the ideal robot for testing the clothing. Porton Man is a testing robot that was built by Crawley Creatures […]
UC Berkeley researchers have developed algorithms that enable robots to learn motor tasks through trial and error using a process that more closely approximates the way humans learn, marking a major milestone in the field of artificial intelligence. Pictured right: BRETT is shown learning how to screw a cap onto a water bottle (photo courtesy […]
The Robioss robotics research team based at Poitiers University has developed a new generation of dexterous robotic hand. With 16 joints and 16 actuators, the robotic hand can reproduce complex human movements such as grasping and fine manipulation. Mounted on a Stäubli robot arm and controlled by the B&R Automation PC 910, this robotic hand is […]
KASPAR, the University of Hertfordshire’s social robot, has been recognised as one of the most important university science research projects in the UK and is being showcased at a high profile science fair in London. KASPAR, who is the size of a small child, is a minimally-expressive humanoid robot designed as a therapeutic toy for […]
Motion plastics and low-cost automation at MACH 2026
igus returns to MACH with a comprehensive range of engineering innovations designed to improve machine reliability, reduce downtime and deliver long‑term cost savings for manufacturers across all industry. With the UK operation based in Northampton, igus develops lubrication‑free motion plastics that replace traditional metal components, increasing performance while eliminating the need for grease and maintenance. […]
RBTX DOBOT partner launch hailed a success
igus UK marks a major milestone in accessible automation with the successful launch of its RBTX partnership with DOBOT Robotics. The event brought together engineers, system integrators, manufacturers and automation specialists to explore how flexible robotic solutions can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively, without the complexity traditionally associated with industrial automation. Live demonstrations showcased collaborative […]
What role does AI play in art?
The River of Light festival in Liverpool showcased ‘Face Value’, a captivating installation co-created by PhD student Emma Brass from the University of Liverpool and Venya Krutikov, co-founder of The Kazimier and Invisible Wind Factory. Blending artificial intelligence, robotics, and visual art, Face Value invites visitors to confront how technology perceives and redefines reality. The […]
Motion plastics and low-cost automation at MACH 2026
igus returns to MACH with a comprehensive range of engineering innovations designed to improve machine reliability, reduce downtime and deliver long‑term cost savings for manufacturers across all industry. With the UK operation based in Northampton, igus develops lubrication‑free motion plastics that replace traditional metal components, increasing performance while eliminating the need for grease and maintenance. […]
ABB Robotics to showcase next-gen automation
ABB Robotics will be demonstrating a range of advanced automation technologies at MACH 2026, highlighting how manufacturers can boost productivity, improve flexibility and accelerate digital transformation through more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVR). On stand 18-640 in Hall 18, visitors will experience the latest developments in collaborative robots, industrial automation cells, digital engineering tools and […]
Cobot completes one millionth PCB quality check
Hanover Displays, a UK-based manufacturer of passenger information systems for the public transport sector, has reached a major manufacturing milestone: the completion of its 1,000,000th automated quality test of printed circuit boards (PCBs) using Techman collaborative robots from LG Motion. The automation programme began in 2018, when Hanover introduced its first collaborative robot to improve […]
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Universal adaptive gripper for faster, gentler picking
Festo has introduced the HPSX Universal Adaptive Gripper, a pneumatic soft gripper engineered to improve speed, hygiene and flexibility in demanding food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics applications. Combining robust design, food-safe materials and adaptive silicone fingers, the HPSX directly addresses long-standing automation challenges where rapid, precise and gentle product handling is essential. “In developing the HPSX, […]
The beverage palletising shift is accelerating
Martin Ray Winery in Napa Valley has deployed its first lean cobot palletising workcell and achieved a 16-month ROI, with the system installed in just two days. You can find out all about it in a webinar hosted by Robotiq on 19 March. Across Europe and North America, beverage producers, from kombucha and bottled water […]
Robotics, vision and AI combine for dairy processes
Automation solutions provider Eberle Automatische Systeme has developed a breakthrough in quality control with a focus on the cheese-ripening process, combining AI with machine vision software from MVTec. The food industry is experiencing a transformative shift in quality control, due in part to advances in artificial intelligence (AI). When combined with rule-based machine vision, AI […]