Motion Control/​Automation

Robotics, Automation & Control

Stay updated on the fast-changing advancements in robotics, automation, and control. Access the technical briefs and applications that are trending in AI, robotic operating systems, and machine learning.

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Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Controlling Execution Sequence Using Tactile-Classification During Manipulation by a Humanoid Robot
It is necessary to track system state during robotic manipulation. System state is defined to be manipulator and environment configuration. Without tracking, the robot is ignorant of the outcomes of its actions. State tracking enables the robot to...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
There are locations that are either too hazardous to land and gather data, or not practical to land. Also, data may need to be gathered from multiple (tens to hundreds) locations (sometimes at once). This is...
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Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Lunar Materials Handling System
A method was developed for transfer of lunar soil into and out of process equipment. The Lunar Materials Handling System (LMHS) conveys solids to a process vessel, provides a gas-tight seal, prevents seal contamination, and minimizes wear from abrasive particles. The LMHS increases equipment life and minimizes...
INSIDER: Motion Control
Tiny Origami Robot Folds Itself Up
MIT researchers have developed a printable origami-inspired robot that, when heated, folds itself up from a flat sheet of plastic. The robot weighs a third of a gram and measures about a centimeter from front to back.
News: Robotics, Automation & Control
Drones, say goodbye to pilots. With the goal of achieving autonomous flight of these aerial vehicles, researchers developed a vision and learning system to control and navigate them...
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INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control
What if handheld tools knew what needs to be done and were even able to guide and help inexperienced users to complete jobs that require skill? Researchers at the University of Bristol (UK)...
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INSIDER: Electronics & Computers
Using a tablet and a red beam of light, researchers at Georgia Tech have created a system that controls a fleet of robots with the swipe of a finger. A person taps the tablet to control where the beam...
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INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control
More American homes could be powered by the Earth's natural underground heat with a new, nontoxic, and potentially recyclable liquid that is expected to use half as much water as other fluids used to tap...
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Who's Who: Robotics, Automation & Control
Project Lead Kurt Leucht has spent recent months testing the software of NASA's "Swarmie" robots. Using an evolving genetic algorithm, the robots operate as...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Silicon Designs (Kirkland, WA) offers industrial-grade MEMS variable capacitive accelerometer chips and modules for zero- to medium-frequency instrumentation applications. Onboard voltage regulation and an internal reference...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Unitronics (Quincy, MA) has introduced Samba, a palm-sized PLC with HMI and onboard I/Os for machine control that features a color 7" HMI panel. The 16-bit touchscreen enables data entry and display of variable data, including...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Nook Industries (Cleveland, OH) offers Series 500™ programmable actuators designed for continuous duty and long service life. They incorporate a direct or toothed-belt drive for high mechanical efficiency. Ball screw-driven...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Accuride (Santa Fe Springs, CA) introduced the Model AL4190 Tilt Track System that provides access to drawers or trays installed at shoulder level and above. The system uses wheels and rollers to extend the drawer, and an aluminum...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Hoffmann + Krippner (Woodstock, GA) introduced the DL30 series linear motion potentiometer (transducer) series that features low-profile dimensions of 30 × 30 mm and variable lengths. Various types of resistors (e.g. wire,...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Parker’s Electromechanical Automation Division (Rohnert Park, CA) offers the Intelligent Parker Amplifier (IPA), a 1.5-axis servo drive/controller based on the ACR control platform. Available in two power levels —...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
PCB Piezotronics (Depew, NY) introduced the Model 350B01 mechanically isolated, electrically filtered, nearfield or farfield pyroshock sensor capable of measuring up to 100,000 g. The sensor measures High-G shock and harsh...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
PISCO USA (Elmhurst, IL) offers a flow controller that features a built-in shock absorber function. It uses a 2-stage speed control to regulate exhaust speed and absorb shock in pneumatic cylinders. The units have three needles...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Bell-Everman (Goleta, CA) offers the SLS Light sealed linear stage that keeps contamination such as manufacturing debris, particulate, or liquid contaminants outside of the stage housing. The stage measures 80 × 120 mm, and has...
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Products: Motion Control
Kurt J. Lesker (Jefferson Hills, PA) offers KJLC RV Series rotary vane pumps that feature an anti-suckback mechanism to prevent oil from back-flowing in the event of accidental shutdown, power failure, etc. A pressurized oil...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The iQ-F Series compact controller from Mitsubishi Electric Automation (Vernon Hills, IL) is based on the FX Series and offers synchronized motion control, data logging, and security features. The controller provides embedded...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Dayton Lamina™ (Dayton, OH) offers low-speed/high-torque, high-speed/low-torque hydraulic motors that feature instant forward and reverse. Six motors are available with a torque range from 0 to 656 in-lbs. and speeds from 0...
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Products: Motion Control
The EGP 25 electric small part gripper from SCHUNK (Morrisville, NC) weighs 110 g and has a stroke of 3 mm per finger. The gripping force can be adjusted on two stages, and maximum gripping force is 40 N. The gripper can handle...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The VMX30UHSi, VMX42HSRTi, VMX84SWi, VMX60SWi, and VMX60Ui from Hurco (Indianapolis, IN) are 5-axis machines for traditional 3-axis parts with features on all five sides. The VMX42HSRTi has a swivel-head design with a direct...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Novotechnik, U.S. (Southborough, MA) introduced the Vert-X 2400 compact angle sensors that convert rotational angle into a voltage output. The sensors are available in single and fully redundant versions; diameter of the housing...
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Products: Motion Control
Universal Robots (Odense, Denmark) introduced the UR3 tabletop robot that weighs 24.3 pounds and has a payload of 6.6 pounds, 360-degree rotation on all wrist joints, and infinite rotation on the end joint. The flexible,...
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Products: Motion Control
HBM (Marlborough, MA) introduced the FIT7A digital load cell that enables machines to make up to 180 weighings per minute. The load cell features accuracy class C4 per OIML R60, and a maximum scale interval factor Y of up to...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The Multi Wheel Encoder from Elma Electronic (Fremont, CA) is a miniature rotary encoder that includes an illuminated 8+1 joystick, enabling control using one finger. The encoder features Hall effect sensed incremental encoder...
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Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Pittman Motors (Harleysville, PA) offers the PLG24, PLG42K, PLG42S, PLG52, and PLG63 planetary gearboxes available with Pittman brush and brushless DC motors. The PLG planetary gearboxes deliver high-torque loads and are...
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Products: Motion Control
Festo (Hauppauge, NY) introduced PositioningDrives software for designing single-axis drive systems. Engineers input application requirements and the software details the information necessary to create a Festo component...
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