RoboBusiness: 2013 Sponsors

Industry News

May 24, 2013

FMC Schilling Robotics Enters Supply Agreement with Delta SubSea

May 23, 2013

Novel Sensory System for Robots: Cricket Hairs. Yes, Cricket Hairs!

May 23, 2013

Aussie Robot Arm Bringing GPS Accuracy to Centimeter Level

May 22, 2013

Robotics to Flourish in the Post-Metrics Era

May 22, 2013

Seaglider Attracts New Manufacturer


Platinum Sponsor	Based in Pittsburgh, PA and founded in 2001, Aethon is a leader in providing dependable and affordable mobile autonomous robots for practical business applications. In healthcare, Aethon’s automated technology platform helps hospitals increase productivity and staff satisfaction, while saving time and money. The combination of TUG®, a courier system for the delivery and recovery of hospital goods and supplies, and its added tracking and security system MedEx™, redefines hospital logistics. These two systems work in concert to enable hospitals to improve staff efficiency and satisfaction, increase asset utilization, decrease missing medications, reduce errors, and improve regulatory compliance, leading to a better overall patient experience and ROI.

Platinum Sponsor	Bossa Nova Robotics was co-founded by Carnegie Mellon robotics graduate Dr. Sarjoun Skaff with a simple mission; to put a robot in every home. Firmly focused on personal robots, Bossa Nova is one of the few companies to have built and deployed cloud connected robots. With the experience and infrastructure of deploying consumer robots, Bossa Nova is now building a cloud-connected personal robot platform for the home.

Platinum Sponsor	CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. Our role is to deliver great science and innovative solutions for industry, society and the environment. We work on new ways to improve our quality of life, as well as the economic and social performance of a number of industry sectors through research and development.

Silver Sponsor	Autonomous Solutions, Inc. has quietly helped more Fortune 500 companies with the design and manufacture of robotic systems than any other company in the world. We have extensive experience with more than 60 vehicle platforms ranging from small under-vehicle surveillance robots up through 100 ton mining trucks across markets like agriculture, military, mining, material handling, and industrial cleaning. We specialize in multi-vehicle command and control, mission/path planning, sensor fusion, and dynamic obstacle detection and avoidance.

Silver Sponsor	Corun is one of the world's leading battery manufacturers and raw materials suppliers specializing in the production of a variety of batteries both as individual cells and battery packs. Our clients include iRobot in the US to which we supply the majority of their battery power applications. We have set up multi-faceted cooperative relations with Japan, the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong, and other countries around the globe. Our strong relationships in China have also enabled iRobot to expand and grow their market share in that country. Corun provides our customers with power solutions while helping our clients increase their revenue and market share. Our CEO Jimmy Yang (469) 877-3331 and Director Of Sales, Eric Molitoris (678) 602-3443 will be at the event to answer your questions. Contact: info@corunusa.com

Silver Sponsor	Harmonic Drive LLC is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of zero backlash gear systems. Our servo-actuators, gearheads, and gear components all deliver positional accuracy better than one arc-minute and repeatability of +/- 5 arc-seconds. Our products also provide the highest torque density of any product in its class. A wide variety of standard products as well as customer specific designs are available to meet the high precision requirements of robotic, aerospace, machine tool and semiconductor manufacturing applications. Our design engineers are available to assist in selecting the proper product to meet your specific application requirements.

Silver Sponsor	A member of the FAULHABER Group, MICROMO brings together the widest range of high quality, high performance linear and rotary micro motion solutions, decades of micro motion expertise based on dc motor technology and full service design, sourcing and manufacturing capability on a global basis to deliver benchmark motion solutions to markets such as medical, robotics and aerospace and defense. MICROMO’s technology range includes coreless dc motors, brushless dc motors, piezoelectric motors, stepper motors, gearheads, encoders and micromechanical systems. Decades ago, Dr.Fritz Faulhaber designed the first self-supporting, ironless rotor coil. Today, millions of motors are produced based on this design.

Silver Sponsor	Rethink Robotics creates robots for the manufacturing industry that are different: robots that anyone can use, any company can afford, and that require no programming. Rethink robots know what you mean and do what you want—because they are Robots with Common Sense tm. They work side-by side with people, so employees can do their jobs better and companies can compete more effectively on the global stage. They adapt quickly and automatically to changing work environment, enabling you to turn your production lines quickly and manufacture with dramatically improved productivity.

Silver Sponsor	Established in 1999, ROBOTIS has been a leading robotic solution provider for education and research. DYNAMIXEL is a smart robot actuator with versatile expansion capability controlled via network, powerful feedback functions and simple link connections. DARwIn-OP, open platform humanoid project with Virginia Tech, Univ of Pennsylvania and Purdue supported by NSF, also incorporates DYNAMIXEL MX series for reliable performance and easy maintenance. DYNAMIXEL Pro, which is scheduled for release this year, shows a drastic innovation in power and precise torque control along with unique reduction system. DYNAMIXEL Pro is expected to provide fully customizable yet affordable solution for field robotics and professional service.

Silver Sponsor	SICK is a leading supplier of sensing automation to the mobile robotics community worldwide. Whether your application involves safeguarding the mobile robot's pathway or assisting with navigation down hallways or aisles, SICK has the right product to reliably avoid collisions in your manufacturing plant. With the customer as our focus and innovation as our guide, SICK is equipped to deliver superior products to the robotics industry.

Silver Sponsor	Silicon Valley-based SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, performs sponsored R&D for governments, businesses, and foundations. SRI brings its innovations to the marketplace through technology licensing, new products, and spin-off ventures. Commemorating its 65th anniversary in 2011, SRI is known for world-changing innovations in computing, health and pharmaceuticals, chemistry and materials, sensing, energy, education, national defense, and more.

Silver Sponsor	Though best known for GPS technology, Trimble integrates a wide range of positioning technologies including GPS, laser, optical and inertial technologies with application software, wireless communications, and services to provide complete commercial solutions. Its integrated solutions allow customers to collect, manage and analyze complex information faster and easier, making them more productive, efficient and profitable. Trimble products are used in over 141 countries around the world. Employees in more than 30 countries, coupled with a highly capable network of dealers and distribution partners serve and support our customers. For over 34 years, Trimble has created unique positioning products that help customers grow their business. Our portfolio includes over 1,800 patents and serves as the basis for the broadest positioning offerings in the industry. Trimble augments its organic product development with strategic acquisitions to bring the latest positioning technologies to a wider market.

Silver Sponsor	Universal Robots has reinvented industrial robotics with lightweight and flexible robot arms. The Danish-designed robots automate production in all industries – even in SMEs that regard automation as prohibitively expensive, cumbersome, and difficult to integrate. The robot arms require no safety shielding and are easily moved around to complete the most detailed tasks. Programming is done through an intuitive touch screen, eliminating the need for skilled programmers. The robots are sold in over 40 countries worldwide.

Silver Sponsor	VEX Robotics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Innovation First International, is a leading provider of educational robotics products to middle schools, high schools and colleges around the world.

Silver Sponsor	Willow Garage develops hardware and open source software for personal robotics applications. We see personal robots as the next paradigm-shifting personal productivity tool. By investing in open source and open platform adoption models, we aim to lay the groundwork for the use of personal robotics applications in everyday life. Willow Garage is a team of experts in robot design, control, perception, and machine learning, with both a strong theoretical background and a demonstrated drive to produce practical systems.

Silver Sponsor	Motoman has a long proven record of delivering innovative robotic solutions worldwide. Motoman offers highly dexterous single and dual arm robots, high-bandwidth control, sensor integration, teleoperation and motion planning capabilities. With our partners, Motoman provides advanced solutions by integrating the best industrial robot technology with cutting edge research and development.

Registration Sponsor	ADVANCED Motion Controls manufactures affordable high performance and high power density servo drives. We offer hundreds of standard models that work with any motor, any controller and any feedback. If we don’t have what you need we can customize a solution that solves your specific problem. This flexibility frees our customers to design systems without the constraints imposed by other servo drive manufacturers. We are in the highest performance applications, the harshest environments and work reliably in day to day operations throughout the world. Our state of the art 80,000 square foot facility is located in Camarillo California.

Lanyard Sponsor	Five Elements Robotics’ mission is to promote the integration of robots into our everyday life. To achieve that goal, we are producing several robots designed specifically for the American lifestyle. We are creating robots which are planned to integrate into mainstream America, redefining the American concept of robots. Our intention is to create robots that inspire bonding and symbiotic relationships between humans and robots such that humans cannot imagine life without them.

Lunch Sponsor	Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) is an independent, nonprofit applied R&D organization with a staff of more than 3,000 who specialize in the creation and transfer of technology. For over a quarter century, SwRI's Robotics and Automation Engineering Section (RAES) has been developing innovative automation and robotics solutions. The RAES specializes in solving challenging automation problems, including advanced industrial robotic systems and the development of custom automation solutions. Expertise includes large-scale machine design, robot perception and planning, and multidisciplinary applications.

	Allied Motion is a global company headquartered in the U.S. that is focused exclusively on serving the motion control market. Allied Motion designs and manufactures motor and electronic motion control products for a broad range of industries in the commercial, industrial, and aerospace and defense sectors. Allied Motion products include brush and brushless DC motors, brushless torque motors, coreless DC motors, integrated brushless motor-drives, gearmotors, drives, motion controllers, and incremental and absolute optical encoders.

	AutonomouStuff is the World’s leader in supplying components commonly used within autonomy systems. Our goal is to help make our customers successful. We do this by making it easy to source all of the perception, computing, GPS, and interface components necessary for their projects. We are focusing on supplying today's specialized products to help provide tomorrow's solutions. Our daily work is driven by the ambition to provide the best supplier resource, providing technology products related to autonomous driving, AGV, UAV, obstacle detection, collision avoidance, intersection safety, tolling, and terrain mapping.

	Headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, CoroWare is a solutions integrator with expertise in the design and development of mobile robots that have been deployed to researchers and educators across Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.

	Elmo Motion Control is a multinational corporation with more than 20 years’ experience in the motion control arena. We have developed a single motion control solution that is applicable to any servo application, based on our network motion controllers and extensive range of servo drives. Our digital servo drives have been implemented in many robotic applications, both in clean room production facilities and, at the other extreme, in rugged and unpredictable battlefield scenarios. In all cases our servo control solutions are prized for their compactness, precision and reliability. We invite you to join us at RoboBusiness where we will be showcasing our latest motion control solutions.

	Freescale is a leading supplier of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, with global design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations. Robotics designers often select the following solutions from Freescale: - High performance processors for factory robots and vision systems - Low-power processors for battery-operated applications, such as service robots for handling warehouse inventory, assisting hospital nurses and vacuuming floors - Applications processors for HMI, navigation and communication in manned and unmanned vehicles - Triple axis accelerometers and sensors of pressure, proximity, magnetics and altitude - Functional safety processors and power supply/interface system solutions - Motor control processors and analog driving stages

	For 30 years Infranor, an industrial automation specialist and technology leader, has been creating value for its customers by providing exact motion control solutions utilizing standard and custom components and motion integration services. Feature products: FP series of slotless brushless servo motors (high efficiency, speed, torque, power, and ZERO cogging); PAC series easy commissioning servo drives (EtherCAT, CANopen, and indexing). Infranor also specializes in pancake style, explosion proof, radiation hardened and kit motors.

	Founded in 1977, Jetta is a leading ODM/OEM in the consumer products industry including electronics, robotics, toys, infant and juvenile products, home appliances, tools and more. With our commitment to integrity, excellence and synergy, Jetta is a recognized ODM/OEM specialist. Since Jetta provided both ODM and OEM services to Ugobe during the development and production of PLEO, the opportunity to purchase the PLEO brand was an easy decision. Subsequently, Jetta established Innvo Labs as a new division to market the new PLEOrb and other future similar products. All of us at Jetta are committed to the continued development of autonomous interactive life forms and are pleased to have Innvo Labs as part of our portfolio.

	Kairos Autonomi, Inc. is a world leader in Robotic Appliqué Kits and emphasizes simplicity, cost-effectiveness and reliability with its product offering. The Pronto4 Robotic Appliqué Kit is an add-on vehicle autonomy system that provides unmanned capabilities to current manned vehicles, rendering them optionally unmanned. With its technology being used in military, security, industrial and agricultural applications, Kairos is a pioneer in the unmanned vehicle industry to commercialize its products to be reliable and successful.

	Maxon Precision Motors is the leading supplier of high precision DC brush and brushless servo motors and drives. maxon motor combines electric motors, gears and DC motor controls into intelligent drive systems used by countless companies from a wide variety of industries around the world. With over 40 years of experience, high-tech innovations and superior product quality, maxon is the reliable partner in drive technology. Individual, customized drive solutions are our greatest strength. Learn more by visiting www.maxonmotorusa.com

	RE2, Inc. is a leading developer of Intelligent Modular Manipulation Systems. RE2’s goal is to advance the state of the art of mobile manipulation and develop technologies that benefit robot users in the defense, public safety, and other markets. RE2 is developing mobile manipulation systems that are stronger, more dexterous, more versatile, more intuitive, smarter, and more affordable. RE2’s development efforts are focused on creating modular, plug-n-play manipulation systems and end-effectors that are interoperable with existing and next-generation robotic platforms.

	SCHUNK is a family owned operation and a global player in one. Totaling more than 60 years of experience, SCHUNK offers worldwide leading technology in automation and clamping technology. With more than 1,800 employees worldwide located in 23 subsidiaries and 4 manufacturing facilities SCHUNK offers global customer service and technical support.SCHUNK designs and manufactures an unmatched selection of industrial automation components including; Grippers, Rotary actuators, Linear actuators, Robotic components and Sensors and accessories.

	Synapticon’s mission is to rethink and deliver embedded computing and control systems to improve the future progression of robotics, industrial automation and general systems engineering. Synapticon DYNARC Distributed Real-Time Computing & Control Platform with its vertical product lines SOMANET, NEOCORTEX and OBLAC enables developers of any cyber-physical systems application to easily configure, build and program a distributed computer for fully integrated actuator control, sensor data acquisition and high bandwidth data processing.

	US Digital’s optical encoders provide high end performance and small form factor, ideal for a variety of robotics applications. Our building blocks include absolute and incremental optical encoders, magnetic encoders, transmissive encoder modules and custom media such as disks and linear strips. Along with robotics, other application examples range from motors and industrial automation to medical, solar and renewable energy. We welcome design challenges and invite special requests for custom products. With a vertically integrated US factory, we provide best-in-industry lead times: orders placed before 11 AM Pacific Standard Time typically ship same-day, with no minimum order.

	VectorNav Technologies specializes in manufacturing high-performance navigation and inertial sensors using the latest miniature MEMS sensor technology. Since its founding in 2008, VectorNav has been providing customers worldwide access to high quality, fully calibrated inertial sensors with state-of-the-art digital filtering technology. With a strong background in aerospace engineering and experience in the development and testing of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and micro-aerial vehicles, VectorNav brings high performance aerospace filtering and calibration techniques into the world of low-cost industrial grade MEMS sensors, expanding the possibilities of today’s MEMS sensor technology.

	Velodyne Acoustics, Inc., located in California’s Silicon Valley, established its roots over 30 years ago in audio technology. The company’s LiDAR division evolved after founder and inventor, David Hall, competed in the 2004-05 DARPA Grand Challenge utilizing stereo-vision technology. Based on his experience during this challenge David Hall recognized the limitations of stereo-vision and developed the HDL64 high-resolution LiDAR sensor. Since its first commercial sale in 2007, Velodyne’s LiDAR division has emerged as the leading developer of laser imaging technology. Today, Velodyne continues to build on its iconic history by introducing groundbreaking technology and design to transform the headphone market. Find out more about by visiting http://www.velodyne.comand http://www.velodynelidar.com.

Event Partner	Since 1946, Modern Materials Handling has provided the most comprehensive coverage of productivity solutions for materials handling professionals in distribution, warehousing and manufacturing. In total, Modern Materials Handling reaches the largest and most highly qualified audience of executives, distribution center professionals and engineers involved in buying/specifying materials handling equipment and services. We deliver an estimated audience of over 132,000 individuals through our web site, email newsletters, printed magazines, online webcasts/conferences and market-defining research.

Event Partner	The RoboBusiness Europe (RBE) is the premier business development event for the global robotics industry. RBE, is the European edition of the RoboBusiness Leadership Summit, Pittsburgh October 22-24, 2012 (www.robobusiness.com). RBE is organized by INNOVABILITY based in Milan, Italy in partnership with Robotics Trends. RBE is the first B2B event in Italy completely devoted to the robotics and intelligent systems industries. The event program is designed to provide invaluable information and advice and create powerful connections for business and technology executives in companies, government organizations and academic institutions at all levels of the robotics industry ecosystem.

Media Sponsor	Robotics Business Review is the #1 resource reporting and analyzing up-to-the-minute business developments, technology developments and financial transactions across the fast-changing landscape of global robotics. Robotics Business Review is written for business professionals serious about robotics. Their content goes well beyond reporting, with critical analysis and insights of what these developments mean not only to your business, but to the robotics, business and financial communities at large.

Media Sponsor	Robotics Trends is your online resource for breaking news and general interest information and technology trends in robotics. Award-winning Robotics Trends is proud to serve the information needs for people who build, buy, invest in and seek to understand robotics and allied technologies. Robotics Trends features news, articles, and videos on robots, humanoids, automation, mechatronics, artificial intelligence, robot kits and more.

Media Sponsor	Xconomy is dedicated to providing business and technology leaders with timely, insightful, close-to-the-scene information about the local personalities, companies, and technological trends that best exemplify today’s high-tech economy. We are the authoritative voice on the exponential economy, the realm of business and innovation characterized by exponential technological growth and responsible for an increasing share of productivity and overall economic growth. We deliver this valuable content through a unique global network of localized blogs, events, conferences, and other initiatives designed to better connect people and ideas.