Top 10 robotic stories of March 2023

On Apr 3, 2023

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Between all of the exciting robotics announcements that came out of ProMat, big acquisitions and other industry developments, there was no shortage of robotics news in February 2023.

Here are the top 10 most popular stories on The Robot Report in March 2023. Subscribe to The Robot Report Newsletter or listen to The Robot Report Podcast to stay updated on the robotics stories you need to know about.

10. Advanced Construction Robotics launches rebar installing robot

Advanced Construction Robotics (ACR) launched a robot that can lift, carry and place rebar called IronBOT. The robot, which is ACR’s second product, can lift up to 5,000-lb bundles of rebar in a transverse or longitudinal orientation without needing any heavy lifting from crew members. IronBOT can work alongside ACR’s first robot, TyBOT, which can self-tie horizontal rebar intersections. TyBOT has an active tie rate of over 1,100 ties and hour. Read More

9. Built Robotics develops autonomous solar piling robot

Built Robotics, a San Francisco-based developer of construction robots, announced the RPD 35, a fully autonomous solar piling robot. Built’s system combines all steps of the piling process, from surveying to pile distribution, driving and inspection, into one package that hits the most stringent tolerances on the market. Solar piles are generally steel H beams that are 12-16 feet in length and up to 200 lb. Piling is a complex activity, and most solar farms require tens of thousands of piles to be installed. Read More

8. Plus One Robotics raises $50M Series C funding round

Plus One Robotics, a provider of advanced AI vision software and solutions for robotic parcel handling, raised $50 million in Series C funding. The round was led by Scale Venture Partners, with Partner Rory O’Driscoll joining the board of directors. Top Tier Capital Partners, Tyche Partners, ROBO Global Ventures, Translink, McRock, and Pritzker Group Venture Capital also participated in the round alongside existing investors which brings the company’s total funding to date to nearly $100 million. Read More

7. Robotics investments reach $521M in January

Robotics investments for January 2023 totaled $521 million as a result of 41 investments. Investments in firms working on autonomous vehicles and autonomous driving technologies were particularly strong in January 2023. Example companies include Oxbotica, Outrider, FERNRIDE and Ottopia. Read More

6. ABB spending $20M to expand U.S. robotics factory

ABB started construction on the expansion of its existing North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The $20 million project is expected to be completed in November 2023 and will create 72 highly skilled new jobs in the area and is supported by a $450,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Read More

5. Next-gen Digit humanoid wants to automate logistics tasks

Agility Robotics unveiled at ProMat the next generation of its Digit humanoid. Most humanoids to date have been designed for research labs. Digit, on the other hand, is being built specifically to carry out tasks in warehouses and distribution centers. It’s starting by targeting bulk material handling tasks such as tote movement. Read More

4. Slip Robotics launches new trailer pallet unloading solution

Slip Robotics demonstrated its automated trailer loading/unloading system (ATLS) at ProMat. The omnidirectional robot is designed to carry up to 8 full pallets and a total of 6 tons. It is capable of autonomously driving into a tractor-trailer for transport to the next destination. Three ATLS robots can fit inside a typical tractor-trailer. Read More

3. Full set of design files released for PR2 robot

The PR2 is one of the most beloved robots in the robotics industry. It was the state-of-the-art mobile manipulator when it was launched in 2009 by Willow Garage. The PR2 was sold in small numbers to research labs. Willow Garage continued to support the PR2 until the company was shut down in 2014. Read More

2. Editor’s Picks: best robots of ProMat 2023

ProMat brings together some of the world’s leading manufacturing and supply chain equipment providers. This year’s show had 1,000-plus exhibitors, and as a first-time attendee, I had plenty of robotic systems to learn about during my three days at the show. Read More

1. John Deere acquires SparkAI’s human-in-the-loop tech

John Deere acquired SparkAI, a New York-based startup that develops human-in-the-loop technology to help robots resolve edge cases in real time. John Deere, which has developed autonomous tractors, was a SparkAI customer for a few years prior to the acquisition. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Read More

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