INTRINSIC, THE ROBOTICS software company launched by Google’s parent Alphabet in 2021, has announced a development platform that it says will speed up access to industrial robotics for many more developers. Intrinsic has also announced that the Italian robot manufacturer and systems integrator Comau is its first industrial partner. The new low-code, Web-based platform – called Intrinsic Flowstate – will help to build robotic applications from concept to deployment. A small number of developers will take part in a beta trial later this year. Intrinsic’s CEO Wendy Tan White says the company wants to make advanced robotics and AI simple to use, including for non-experts. “We’re building with future roboticists and developers in mind too,” she adds, “bringing modern software development practices such as object-oriented and visual programming to the robotics and automation industry. “Intrinsic aims to pave the way for a new generation of roboticists and developers,” she continues. “Our mission is to democratise access to robotics. We’re making the ability to program intelligent robotics solutions as simple as standing up a Web site or mobile application.” The falling costs of robots and components is crucial to Tan White. “I cannot over-state how transformative this trend is,” she says. “It removes a crucial barrier to robot adoption across industries. Now, advances in software, data management, infrastructure and AI can amplify the progress we’ve experienced in hardware, and when AI and software unlock developers to do even more, the value and demand for robots, cameras, sensors and grippers will increase as well.” Alphabet announced Intrinsic in 2021, following more than five years of development inside its secretive X “moonshot factory”, which works on future technologies. CEO Wendy Tan White is a British entrepreneur who founded the Moonfruit Web site development business in the 1990s. Last December, Instrinsic acquired the Open Source Robotics Corporation (OSRC), the commercial arm of Open Robotics, the developer of the open-source Robotic Operating System (ROS). Intrinsic has been working with Comau for several years to validate its approach through realworld use cases. Using Flowstate and its underlying platform, Comau – a member of the Stellantis automotive conglomerate – has recently created a modular system for assembling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle modules. https://intrinsic.ai n NEWS June 2023 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 Google’s robot software arm unveils easy-to-use platform p RARUK Holdings has acquired the Bedford-based mechanical power transmission specialist Drive Lines Technologies for an undisclosed sum. Drive Lines has relocated to RARUK’s headquarters in nearby Shefford. RARUK says that the acquisition will ensure the future security of Drive Lines and will allow it to explore new markets. Other than the change in location and ownership, the company will continue to operate as a separate entity with Ian Carr staying on as managing director. p Global sales of ultra-low voltage (under 60V) drives are set to soar from $753m in 2021 to $3.1bn by 2027 – a CAGR of 25.9% – according to Interact Analysis. The growth is being driven by the rapid take-up of battery-powered AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) and AGVs (automated guided vehicles). www.interactanalysis.com p The Swiss robotics developer Anybotics has raised $50m of funding to help develop a rugged, four-legged robotic inspection technology called Anymal, which is designed to overcome skills shortages and the ageing workforce. Anybotics is working on a Ex-proof version – the first of its type – and has pre-orders and reservations worth more than $150m from oil, gas and chemical companies. p The UK automation distributor Routeco has formed a partnership with CoreTigo, the Israeli developer of a deterministic wireless IO-Link technology with a 5ms latency, that allows real-time control and monitoring of high-speed rotating and dynamic devices. By avoiding the need for cable connections, the IO-Link Wireless system opens up new possibilities for applications such as rotary tables, carousels, transport track systems, robotic endof-arm processes and condition monitoring. www.routeco.com/ Partners/Suppliers/CoreTigo p ABB LV Installation Materials has opened an automated flexible MCB (miniature circuit breaker) production line in Beijing China, which it says is a showcase for Industry 5.0 concepts. It uses the latest automation, digital and AI techniques to boost production, availability and quality. The plant makes extensive use of visual recognition and flexible feeding technologies, and cuts product changeover times to less than five minutes, allowing all versions of ABB’s S200 MCBs to be made on the same line. NEWS BRIEFS Intrinsic’s CEO Wendy Tan White says the company is aiming “to pave the way for a new generation of roboticists” ABB HAS RELEASED a statement revealing that an unauthorised third-party recently accessed some of its IT systems, “deployed a type of ransomware that is not self-propagating, and exfiltrated certain data”. After it “became aware of an IT security incident that impacted certain ABB systems,” it started an investigation, retained leading experts, notified certain law enforcement and data protection authorities, and implemented measures to contain and assess the incident. “The incident has now been successfully contained,” it adds. “All of ABB’s key services and systems are up and running, all factories are operating, and the company continues to serve its customers,” the statement says. The company is continuing to restore any remaining impacted services and systems and is further enhancing the security of its systems. ABB is working to identify and analyse the nature and scope of affected data and is assessing its notification obligations. It says it will communicate with affected parties where necessary – including, for example, specific customers, suppliers, and/or individuals where personally identifiable information was affected. ABB states that is “in the early stages of its investigation of the incident and will continue to assess the extent of its impact”. The company “remains focused on working diligently with law enforcement, its customers, suppliers, partners, and advisors to resolve this situation and minimise its impact”. ABB reveals it has been the victim of a ransomware attack
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