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    A pizza vending machine for a new reality

    Will people really want to get their pizza from a robotic vending machine, as a new food automation company called Piestro is betting? Yes, yes they will, and here’s why. As anyone who pays attention to the food and beverage space can attest, the age of non-sucky vending machine food is coming. Depending on where […] More

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    War machines: DOD's ethical principles for battlefield AI

    Earlier this year, the Department of Defense announced the adoption of its ethical principles for Artificial Intelligence. ZDNet has been tracking this process since it gained momentum, but DoD’s official adoption of the principles was overshadowed in the general media when COVID hit the US. For some perspective on what the new framework means for the growing […] More

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    Cord cutting: Wireless charging hits booming robotics sector

    You can charge your phone wirelessly. Why not your robot?  Well, now you can. Wireless charging is increasingly being deployed throughout the robotics sector, and one of the companies at the vanguard of cord cutting just closed a Series A. What’s interesting here, and worthy of note for industry-watchers, is the diversity of automation categories […] More

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    A military EDC that lifts up to 45,000 pounds

    A company that develops robots for industries like construction has created a “man-packable” heavy-lift system that can lift objects weighing up to 45,000 pounds. It’s a good example of the dexterity of an engineering-first firm when tasked with problems that may fall outside its primary brief but nonetheless present alluring engineering challenges. Sarcos Robotics was […] More

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    Chinese internet company launches own satellite

    A Chinese internet company called Bilibili will soon become the first in the country to launch its own satellite. It’s being called an educational satellite launched “with the aim of inspiring a sense of wonder and curiosity in the scientific world amongst young people in China” according to the company. The bar for launching satellites […] More

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    The robots handling your online orders

    Fulfillment warehouse robots are having a moment as online shopping continues to increase during the pandemic. The hot market for autonomous fulfillment solutions has helped Locus Robotics, which makes autonomous mobile robots for use in fulfillment warehouses, raise an additional $40 million during a successful Series D this week. The new infusion brings total funding […] More

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    Automatic refill: Driverless prescription delivery is here

    A company targeting the nascent driverless urban delivery market is now testing an autonomous prescription delivery service. Nuro, which has been opening up delivery testbeds and was recently awarded a DOT exemption for driverless delivery, has revealed plans along with CVS Pharmacy to test prescription delivery in Houston, Texas, beginning in June. Founded by former Google […] More