Underwater robot maker secures $16m funding for scale up
Australian ocean robot maker Hullbot has raised $16 million in funding to grow and develop its autonomous robotics manufacturing capabilities and establish international service hubs.
Physical AI is changing manufacturing – here’s what the era of intelligent robotics looks like
By Theresa Wolf and Andrea Willige Automation helped shape the First Industrial Revolution – and it continues to evolve in today’s Fourth. While automation has long been part of the manufacturing landscape, recent advances in artificial intelligence, vision systems and robotics hardware are enabling a new generation of more intelligent and adaptable machines. A new…
Stop blaming wages and power bills. Here’s what’s really holding back Australian manufacturing
Tropes about high costs don’t tell the whole story when it comes to making things in Australia. Those aren’t the real reasons why the industry’s share of GDP is so low, explains Dominic Parsonson. Manufacturing isn’t a “nice to have” for Australia, it’s a pillar of growth, resilience and national security. Yet whenever we talk…
‘Cyborg’ beetles could revolutionise urban search and rescue
Picture this: a building has collapsed after an earthquake, rescue crews are racing against time to find survivors buried in the rubble, and their secret weapon isn’t a robot or drone – it’s a beetle wearing a tiny backpack. University of Queensland researchers have turned science fiction into reality by creating what they cheerfully call…
Robotics company Contactile says new grant will help it get a grip globally
Sydney-based robotics company Contactile has been awarded a Commercialisation and Growth grant under the federal government’s Industry Growth Program. According to a statement from the company on Wednesday, the recent grant will support commercialisation of “a next-generation robotic gripping system that endows robots with a human sense of touch”, launching the gripper into Australian, European,…
Australian engineers develop brain-like device for next-gen visual processing
RMIT University researchers have created a breakthrough “neuromorphic” device that can detect hand movements, store memories, and process information like a human brain—all without requiring an external computer. This tiny innovation, which mimics how our eyes capture light and our brains process visual information, represents a significant advancement toward enabling instant visual processing in autonomous…
Fastbrick capital raise delay averted
Bricklaying robot builder Fastbrick’s plan for a major capital raise were almost crushed until the government’s takeover panel stepped in.
Tiny robot tools powered by magnets could one day do brain surgery without cutting open the skull
By Changyan He, University of Newcastle Most brain surgery requires doctors to remove part of the skull to access hard-to-reach areas or tumours. It’s invasive, risky, and it takes a long time for the patient to recover. We have developed new, tiny robotic surgical tools that may let surgeons perform “keyhole surgery” on the brain.…
The engineer/medico racing to deliver a multi-limbed assistant to surgeons
This week in our Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers series, we hear from Dr Chris Jeffery, CEO of Convergence Medical Robotics. The third-time founder shares some lessons learned from running successful companies; how to build the right culture, especially at the early stage; and how you can move fast while doing difficult things. By Brent…
Underwater robot begins to demonstrate net benefit
Southern Ocean Subsea (SOSUB), a maker of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), recently began exports to Norway of its world-first ROV for inspecting and repairing salmon aquaculture nets. According to a statement from Tasmanian innovation minister Madeleine Ogilvie, visiting the company’s workshop, SOSUB is “a textbook example of Tassie innovation”, harnessing “niche and island capabilities…