ADVANCED NEW SENSORS INFUSE FRESH HOPE INTO PROSTHETICS AND ROBOTIC LIMBS In the field of medicine, to replace a missing body part which may be dismembered due to any disease or is a defect by birth, artificial device is used, called prosthesis or a prosthetic implant. Now, giving space to further innovation, advanced pressure sensors are fitted in robotic systems and such are considered for prosthetics and limbs are likely to go robotic. Such is a pathbreaking project to design sensors that would bring-in towering capabilities in robots and would fuel their motor skills and dexterity and such would be on the back of precise pressure sensors which would give haptic evaluation and scattered touch.  The project is collectively managed by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Integrated Graphene Ltd and Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering (SRPe) and the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS) Industry Doctorate Programme in Advanced Manufacturing.     This is not the first time that a unison comprising highly talented scholars has been formed.Efforts were made in the past too to uproot the set patterns and to pull up a transformation in prosthetics and robot-enabled limbs.  To accomplish certain basic tasks (like holding a water bottle), the human brain seeks a stream of tactile information. Now, we have a range of highly advanced motorized limbs, which can be controlled by our thoughts as well but these fail to deliver such feedback. Clearly, even the highly programmed prosthetics can upset the users.  Now, at the university’s Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, there is a vast team of scientists, their associates and trainees, who work tirelessly to seek that sensation of touch to prosthetics (and to make the patients less touchy thereby).  No doubt, the end goal is to design artificial limbs and feet with prime sensors which would be linked to the patients’ own nervous system. 

We owe thanks to scientists at Johns Hopkins University who have now made a man to feed himself as he was partially paralyzed. All he needs to use is his mind and robotic arms.  In his early 50s, this was 3 decades ago that the patient suffered from a spinal injury which left him with restricted upper body mobility and all his fingers were rendered useless too. But now, as a new ray of hope, in the form of a brain-machine operation framework, he can cut and feed himself through a set of commands to his robotic prosthetic arms. For instance,”select cut location” or “moving food to fork” etc.   As a final word, such is a supreme innovation and in the light of growing hostilities globally and as world events unfold to be more brutal, such prosthetic arms and feet may see a huge spike in demand in days to come. 

Johnny-On-The-Spot Registration for RoboBusiness That Ends Aug. 20

RoboBusiness Registrations are open and if one enrolls before August 20, 2022 by 11:59 PM Eastern, he or she will be treated as an early bird. With an early bird pass, we can save $100 on registering for a full conference.   Alternatively passes for expo-only are priced at $75 only while for students, non-profit organizations and business corporations, discounts are granted too.   As for RoboBusiness 2022, this will commence on October 19-20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Since its humble beginning in 2004, RoboBusiness has expanded into the world’s principal robotics business development occasion which people look forward to.  Those affiliated to the robotics value chain seek deep analysis, informed guidance and also unlock precious opportunities to partner with business giants of the field. Clearly, with all such happening at one place, none can deny and defy business transformation through classy innovation into robotics.

Luminaries As RoboBusiness keynote speakers: 

• Anthony Jules, Co-founder & CEO, Robust AI
• Allison Thackston, Senior Technical Lead and Manager, Roboticist, Waymo
• Sally Miller, CIO, North America, DHL Supply Chain
• Jonathan Hurst & Damion Shelton, Co-founders, Agility Robotics
• Robotics Fundraising and Investment Panel – Status, Trends, Recommendations
  • Sherwin Prior, Director, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund
  • Fady Saad, Managing Partner, Cybernetix Ventures

Other than the Keynotes and conference agenda, the onlookers at the RoboBusiness will have a chance of meeting 100+ exhibitors who would unroll demos and then, there will be a corner dedicated to career counselling, business networking and development etc.   

Adjoining Events

For RoboBusiness, the location selection has been ultra careful as just adjoining this, Field Robotics Engineering Forum currently takes place and the latter is a mega event  to enthrall engineers, engineering management, business investors and such other stakeholders about ways for implementing  field robotics frameworks in a variety of settings. The names of those speaking at the occasion are still being added.   Taking a few steps further, there is an additional draw card for us in the form of Device Talks West, which is yet another big bash for medical technology enthusiasts. Both the occasions find a great traction among the engineering and business freaks.  

Brighter Sponsorship Prospects:

About sponsorship and exhibition queries, we present the prospect here for download. Else such queries can be relayed to Courtney Nagle at cnagle[AT]wtwhmedia.com   

About WTWH Media

WTWH Media is a leading media company which engineers and business investors find pretty interesting and such people get quick insights through websites which are above 50 in number, 5 print publications and then numerous technical and business events take place from time to time. This media house offers The Robot Report, Robotics Business Review, Collaborative Robotics Trends and Mobile Robot Guide and then they also share credible news about business and investment and also run information portals which centre around robotics and certain smart systems.     Besides, WTWH Media also organizes robotic conferences such as Robotics Summit & Expo, the Robo Business Conference & Exposition and also favours a Robotics Engineering Forum For Healthcare. 

FedEx Purchasing $200M of Berkshire Grey Robots

Berkshire Grey and FedEx decide to embellish their professional tie-up with a robotic tech touch. An MoU has been signed between the two eyeing progressive ventures which would be smeared with robotic potential to enable FedEx refine its package handling mechanism around the world and to unlock greater operational efficiency. Besides, the master system purchase agreement is also in offing, which would be signed in 2022 and would speed up procurement for solutions custom designed by Berkshire Grey to feed FedEx operating partners globally.    In addition to this, Berkshire Grey has issued a warrant for FedEx with which the latter can seek common stock while the warrant includes several terms. This includes ordering of Berkshire Grey’s items and services and paying for these anytime before December 31, 2025.     Going by the warrant, 25 million shares full vesting, either  on ordering of or payment for at least $200 million worth of goods and services. Full details about the terms of the warrant agreement are accessible in the Form 8-K which is documented by Berkshire Grey. “Our growing relationship with Berkshire Grey for robotic automation is a direct response to the growth of e-commerce, which has accelerated the demand for reliable automated solutions throughout all stages of the supply chain,” said Rebecca Yeung, corporate VP of operations science and advanced technology, FedEx. “FedEx believes that continued innovation and automation will improve efficiency, productivity and safety for its team members as they continue to keep the global supply chain moving.”

“At Berkshire Grey, we have spent the last number of years focused on building out some killer technology in picking and sortation,” shared Jessica Moran, who is senior VP and GM, Berkshire Grey. She went on to add, “That technology can be modular and flexible, so it can scale as our customers are looking to scale. For strategic customers like FedEx, we also are able to do these development agreements where we engage together and build out something that’s really strategic that can help to benefit them long term.” “FedEx is just a phenomenal partner for us,” Moran continued. “The relationship is a two-way street where they help us and we help them by great sharing of information and collaboration of ideas. The next level of this new agreement we just signed enables more strategic alignment, strategic collaboration and sharing of ideas as we go forward. So we’re super excited about that. The package volume for organizations like FedEx is going through the roof, and we see this huge opportunity for robots to come in and supplement and extend the workforce.” The reports made rounds earlier that FedEx Ground and Berkshire Grey pursue to deploy Berkshire Grey’s Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi) which would sort small packages with robots which are received daily and are meant for distribution.   Recently, at eight sortation facilities (Queens, New York, Las Vegas, Nev and Columbus), RPSi systems have been installed while such are likely to be expanded further in the coming year.  “Berkshire Grey and FedEx are strategically aligned. These new agreements reflect our mutual commitment to innovations in robotic automation that can remove barriers within the supply chain, ease the physical burden on employees and streamline operations,” said Tom Wagner, CEO of Berkshire Grey. “We look forward to working together on this new program and to advancing other automation programs with FedEx moving forward.” Berkshire Grey bagged a 2022 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its putwall operations involving robots from the Robotics Business Review group. The framework was unveiled in September 2021 to cater to rising e-commerce needs and also to check labour shortage. Berkshire Grey boasts of sorting around 240 orders at one time. 

In 2024, Stage Is Set In Space For MIRA Surgical Robot Testing

MIRA, the miniature robotic assisted surgery (RAS) platform which Virtual Incision owns, will now take a journey (steeply vertical) into the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024. The objective will be to test capabilities in a collective scenario, as are common to surgery but in a simulated form. 

MIRA has designed an experiment locker for such a purpose which is the size of a microwave and where it will accomplish the common tasks, like cutting tissue (in simulated form) alongside managing other tools. The miniature platform is pretty light weight, just around 2lbs and this feature makes it ideal for small spaces which are common to space missions.  John Murphy, CEO of Virtual Incision shed light on the project, “The Virtual Incision MIRA platform was designed to deliver the power of a mainframe robotic-assisted surgery device in a miniaturized size, with the goal of making RAS accessible in any operating room on the planet.”  He added, “Working with NASA aboard the space station will test how MIRA can make surgery accessible in even the most faraway places.” As of now, MIRA enjoys the status of Investigational Device Exemption and is in the final stages of US clinical trials and the effort is to bolster U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) market authorization. The system is not put on sale yet.   The robot-enabled platform can easily secure full-quadrant access and no external platform is needed to dock or re-dock. Instead of this, it gets entry through a single port and remains in place with an adjustable stand that is connected to an operating room table.  The most phenomenal aspect about MIRA (which is missing in other RAS platforms), is that it can be cleaned and sterilized between cases and no exclusive tool is needed for the purpose. The platform has MIRA, a surgeon console and a companion carrier.  Shane Farritor, who is co-founder and also sits in the chair of chief technology officer at Virtual Incision revealed, “NASA has ambitious plans for long-duration space travel, and it’s important to test the capabilities of technology that may be beneficial during missions measured in months and years.”

He continued, “MIRA continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in RAS, and we are pleased with its performance so far during clinical trials. We’re excited to take it a step further and help identify what could be possible in the future as space travel is becoming more of a reality for mankind.” To fuel the project, NASA awarded a grant to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Mr Farritor acts as a professor of engineering while the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mr Farritor directed research aimed at uncovering the potential of surgical robots for their optimum use in space. He co-founded the company alongside Dmitry Oleynikov MD and the duo performs jaw-dropping marvels. Tags: Artificial Limbs, Collaborative Robotics Trends and Mobile Robot Guide, Early Bird Registration for RoboBusiness That Ends Aug. 20, FedEx purchasing $200M of Berkshire Grey Robots, Integrated Graphene Ltd and Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering (SRPe), MIRA Surgical Robot Testing In Space, National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS) Industry Doctorate Programme in Advanced Manufacturing., Robot Prosthetics, Robotic Limbs, Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi), Robotics Business Review, The Robot Report, university’s Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, West of Scotland (UWS), WTWH Media