A report earlier this week said that plans for Apple’s first robot product have been accelerating, in the form of a hybrid iPad/HomePod product.
A supply-chain report now says that Foxconn has been commissioned by Apple to make the robot arm and casings for the device …
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We’ve all been there, right? You download a game, can’t be bothered to play it so you build a robot to do it for you …
Queuing at Apple Stores versus ordering online is one of those great divides. Those who queue describe it as an unmissable social experience, while those who order online see queueing as a way to get cold and wet while not getting your iPhone any earlier. But one enterprising woman in Sydney, Australia, has found a way to combine the two: fourth in the queue is her iPad-based telepresence robot …
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OadhuICDAjk]
There’s no shortage of robot vacuum cleaners these days, but it looks like the Dyson 360 Eye – due for launch next year – could be the best one yet.
The 360 Eye uses Dyson’s cyclone technology, where centrifugal force is used to throw dirt out of spiral airflows, making it more powerful than anything on the market. But the clever part is the 360-degree camera system, which allows the device to accurately position itself by 3D reference points rather than the simpler 2D systems used in existing robocleaners.
The Dyson Link iPhone app will allow you to start, stop and schedule cleaning sessions, as well as monitor its progress remotely. The device’s firmware can also be updated via the app.
Dyson is launching first in Japan in the spring, with an international launch later in the year. Don’t expect it to be cheap …
Via TNW
Update: Ooops. Originally thought this was an Apple patent.
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Patently Apple today publishes some interesting new patents from developers including what appears to be an “iRobot” (oops, name taken) built around an iPad head.
iRobot’s introductory abstract describes the invention this way: “A robot system includes a mobile robot having a controller executing a control system for controlling operation of the robot, a cloud computing service in communication with the controller of the robot, and a remote computing device in communication with the cloud computing service. The remote computing device communicates with the robot through the cloud computing service.”
Subsequent drawings include navigation and obstacle avoidance (below) which seems to indicate that this is a “mobile” device in every sense of the word. Most of the perceived applications appear to be in the medical setting…
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Foxconn’s founder and chariman Terry Gou said the company will replace an unspecified amount workers with one million robots in three years. Foxconn is the Asian manufacturer that is responsible for many components inside of Apple, Sony, and Nokia’s devices. Currently, the company has 10,000 robots and will expand to 300,000 next year, gradually opening the door to a total of one million robots in three years.
One interesting aspect of a robotized workforce is that it makes places with more expensive workers more competitive.
The robots will be used to accomplish basic tasks like spraying, wielding, and assembling. Foxconn currently employs 1.2 million people, therefore one million robots could potentially be a big hit on employment in China.
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