Neuralink, a brain chip startup founded by Elon Musk in 2016, offers a revolutionary technology: brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). These devices aim to create a direct communication channel between the human brain and external systems, bypassing the limitations of our natural senses and muscles. While still in its early stages, Neuralink carries immense potential, sparking both… Read more »
Are Home Service Robots Closer than We Think?
Rosie the robot maid is not available for purchase and most experts don’t expect to see anything like her in the next decade. But a new take on a home service robot is providing some optimism. Stretch, an off-the-shelf robot, paired with open source AI, can now respond to commands like “Pick up the brown… Read more »
3 Things Robots Do Better Than Humans
The imminent end of the human workforce is a recurring news headline. Any advancement in automation, robotics, or artificial intelligence is usually followed with predictions of low-skill workers ultimately being forced into unemployment. Nobody knows what the future holds, but there’s certainly good reason why people are concerned about automation’s effect on employment. There are… Read more »
A Better Humanoid Robot?
A new general-purpose humanoid robot looks different from the other humanoids we’ve seen. Eve, a Norwegian entry from 1X, wears clothes, moves smoothly using wheels instead of galumphing around like a typical bipedal bot, and manipulates objects well. Of course, our experience has led us to wonder, first, is this a better robot or just… Read more »
Before You Buy a Legacy Servo Motor
What do you do if your Indramat motor stops working? Many people start looking to buy a replacement, but replacing a legacy servo motor isn’t as simple as you might think. Here are a couple of things you should know before you buy a new Indramat servo motor. Finding a legacy servo motor is a… Read more »
Robots Tiptoe through the Tulips
Here’s the song, in case you don’t get the reference. But if the robots aren’t exactly tiptoeing through the tulips, they are traveling through them in some other way, identifying those that are affected by disease. Tulips are subject to viruses. That is in fact how the lovely Rembrandt tulips get their amazing colors. The… Read more »
Babysitter Robots?
Robot babysitters are not a new idea, but Nissan Motor and Japanese baby store Akachan Honpo have a new idea for parents who get distracted by crying babies in their cars. Learning that 60% of Japanese parents drive with their babies and no helper each week, the pair of companies got together to create a… Read more »
Robotic Common Sense
There’s constant talk about robots taking jobs from people. You’ve got nurses who are concerned about robo-care-givers, factory workers who cast sideways glances at the already automated tasks around them, and cab drivers who stay awake at night cursing self-driving cars. According to MIT labor economist David Autor, we don’t need to worry — robots… Read more »
PPE for Women
PPE, or personal protective equipment, is a must in most of the environments where you find Indramat machinery: factories, warehouses, printing press facilities, and the like. Hard hats, safety boots, ear protection, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, protective vests — all the gear that protects workers from hazards in the workplace. How well this equipment works… Read more »
In Need of Indramat Drives?
Finding replacement Indramat drives can be difficult. Indramat manufactured some of the best motion control products in the world for almost half a century. Many Indramat drives and servomotors are still in use today. It’s been nearly twenty years since Indramat has been in production, however. The company still lives on through Bosch Rexroth, but… Read more »