News

Robot design inspired by shrew’s whiskers 24/01/2012
The Etruscan shrew was the inspiration for an innovative new robot, which uses sophisticated whiskers to ‘feel’ its way around. The Shrewbot is the latest in a series of robots which use ‘active touch’ rather than vision to navigate its environment. Full Story...

Report confirms that robots help create jobs 17/01/2012
It has been repeadedly demonstrated that the implementation of automation and robotics can increase productivity and efficiency and growth. Full Story...

Automatica 2012 to shows solutions for medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics 17/01/2012
Automation technology is being used increasingly in the medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, helping these industries to bring products to market more quickly and to achieve more economic production. Full Story...

New president for Institute of Measurement and Control 10/01/2012
Lord Ernest Ronald Oxburgh, fellow of The Royal Society and former chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee, has been appointed as president of the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC) the professional body for the UK automation industry. Full Story...

Smart device qualified by EDF Energy for the nuclear industry 10/01/2012
EDF Energy, operator of eight nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom, has qualified the STA Safety Trip Alarm from Moore Industries to the highest current integrity level assessed to any ‘smart’ standalone process device. Full Story...

Asia Pacific DCS market set to exceed all other regions 03/01/2012
IMS Research has predicted that the Asia Pacific region will overtake EMEA in 2014 to become the largest market for DCS. Full Story...

Fieldbus Foundation announces first H1 ITK 6.0 registered devices 20/12/2011
The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that it has registered the first FOUNDATION fieldbus devices based on its H1 Interoperability Test Kit (ITK) Version 6.0. Full Story...

Free video opens gateway to success in China 12/12/2011
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Cognex Vision Library now supports Linux 12/12/2011
Linux is now supported by the Cognex Vision Library (CVL), it machine vision toolset. Full Story...

Medium voltage drives in oil & gas 06/12/2011
2011 will see medium voltage drives sales into the oil & gas industry outpace the market owing to the high oil prices seen in 2010 and early 2011, increasing investment for production capacity expansion, according to a new study from IMS Research, ‘The World Market for Medium Voltage Motor Drives’. Full Story...

Condition monitoring facility opens in Hungary 06/12/2011
A new remote condition monitoring centre has been opened by the Bently Nevada business of GE Measurement & Control Solutions in Fot, Hungary. Full Story...

SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011 – another successful event 28/11/2011
Organisers of the SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011, which took place last week in Nuremberg, have stated that the event attracted a record number of visitors, quoting a final total of 56,321 trade visitors attending the event. Full Story...

UK-based power sector technology innovation programme opens 28/11/2011
A four-year government-funded programme with the aim of developing new technologies to help meet the needs of the UK’s future power systems will start with investment of £2.4 million in feasibility studies designed to stimulate innovation in automated power distribution and demand management. Full Story...

Emerson announces Smart Energy Initiative 21/11/2011
Emerson Process Management has announced the ‘Smart Energy Initiative’, a global programme designed to combine its industrial energy expertise with advanced energy management technologies. Full Story...

UK-based distributor sounds the alarm on imitation pressure switches 21/11/2011
PVL, the UK distributor of Elettrotec Srl’s pressure switches, is warning that copies of the Italian manufacturer’s PMN design are being sold on the UK market. Full Story...

Inline infrared temperature sensors measure up to 1450°C 14/11/2011
A new range of non-contact, infrared temperature sensors are said to be able to accurately measure the temperature of flame-heated workpieces inside industrial furnaces and ovens, as well as CO2 and CO flame gases in different types of combustion processes. Full Story...

Extended network connectivity for CAN-enabled devices 14/11/2011
The Anybus Communicator for CAN-enabled devices has recently been extended, to enable communication between any industrial device with a CAN interface and a chosen industrial network. Following the initial release in July which offered connectivity to five networks, HMS can now offer a complete solution for 11 major fieldbus and industrial Ethernet networks. Full Story...

New Undergraduate Engineering scholarships awarded 14/11/2011
The Arkwright Scholarships Trust has awarded its inaugural Undergraduate Scholarships in Engineering to three outstanding candidates in the UK. Full Story...

First working prototype of FDI 14/11/2011
A Field Device Integration (FDI) host system prototype and the use of FDI device packages for Foundation Fieldbus, HART, and PROFIBUS device integration was presented at the NAMUR AGM, based on a multi-vendor system. Full Story...

Industrial video solution helps users meet safety and security regulations 08/11/2011
Honeywell has introduced the latest addition to its industrial wireless portfolio. The new OneWireless Video Solution, which allows for the enhancement of perimeter security by deploying industrial video cameras over the OneWireless network. Full Story...