Internet page

Citation

(2003), "Internet page", Industrial Robot, Vol. 30 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2003.04930eag.001

Internet page

Keywords: Food, Farming, Construction, Robotics, Robots, Internet

www.aber.ac.uk/%7Edcswww/Research/robots/

Intelligent Robotics Group

Since 1980, the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth has been active in robotics research. Since that time the group has undertaken innovative research in collaboration with a variety of industrial and academic partners in the UK and overseas. Their research focuses on innovative algorithms for dynamics and force control, autonomous operation for real world applications, including the food industry, mobile robotics, including space applications, and skeletal kinematic modelling.

This is quite a good University site.

http://www.agsites.net/links/foodindustry.html

agsites.net

This site provides the largest agriculture and outdoor link directory on the internet. It contains links to manufacturers, distributors, engineering specialists, food legislation and regulations, news, magazines and much more.

http://www.bpautomation.com/index.htm

BP Automation

BP Automation is a division of Brandstrom Engineering Ltd, and designs and builds the customer specific mechanical hardware and electrical control systems. Custom measurement devices ranging from magnetic imaging to vision camera systems are used as feedback to control some of their solutions. These have been designed for a wide variety of industries and have included robots, welding systems, food processing, and measurement systems.

This is quite a simple site, but one which is well presented and easy to navigate.

http://foodtech.gatech.edu/

Food Processing Technology Division

The Food Processing Technology Research Facility is part of the Georgia Institute of Technology and provides a world-class research centre for collaborative food processing technology development, academic research and public interaction. The Food Processing Technology Division (FPTD) researchers are focused on automation, information technology, food safety, worker safety and environmental technology. Since 1973, The Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) has provided innovative engineering research and development for the poultry industry in particular and the food-processing industry at large.

Current research projects include an intelligent cutting system for deboning meat, robotics for poultry processing, automatic intelligent live-bird transfer system, bakery inspection, biosensor for rapid microbial detection, and integrated optic sensing for fruit.

This is an extremely good academic site and is well worth visiting.

http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/POULTRY.html

Article

This page contains an article describing a hybrid material-handling robot for the poultry processing industry.

http://www.matrixcontrols.com/

Matrix

Matrix specialises in shop floor computer systems for the food industry. Founded in 1979, Matrix is a software solutions and automation company, providing automation systems that are truly integrated with the back office. Their solutions are based on industrial grade NEMA4 hardware and Microsoft operating systems, networking and database technologies. They have implemented systems for labelling, bar coding, recipe control, statistical process control, and yield control.

This is a good site that contains information about their software and hardware solutions, and a very useful technical information section.

http://www.unece.org/press/pr2002/02stat07e.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

This web page contains the United Nations Press Release ECE/STAT/02/07. It describes how demand for robots has increased in the USA over the last few years. The full publication "World Robotics 2002 – Statistics, Market Analysis, Forecasts, Case Studies and Profitability of Robot Investment" is available to purchase ISBN 92-1-101047-0.

http://www.matcol.com.au/industry/sample.htm

Matcol Group

The Matcol Group of Companies combines the leading names in automation with Australasian engineered solutions. The Group comprises: Robotic Automation Pty Ltd, Australia's largest supplier of robotic systems; RA Technologies Pty Ltd, specialists in stretch wrapping, shrink wrapping, strapping and packaging and handling systems, and H.S. Machine Tools, supplier of economically priced machine tools from world class manufacturers.

This is a reasonable site containing an application note describing how a Motoman SV3 robot has been used to pick and place individual packets of confectionery.

Hot sites

http://www.iaarc.org/frame/publish/ccrr.htm

Book review

The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction (I.A.A.R.C.) is the only global organization dedicated to the advancement of Automation and Robotics in Construction, and combines the research and development activities of the entire construction community.

This is a superb site which is well worth visiting. The link above includes a book review for "Construction Robot Systems Catalogue in Japan". The book provides interested parties of many other countries with accurate information on the current state of construction robot development in Japan.

http://www.new-technologies.org/ECT/Other/brickrob.htm

Article

This site "Emerging Construction Technologies" has been developed by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) to provide a method for presenting the findings of research work relevant to the engineering and construction industries, but that might not come to their attention. Each technology is presented in fact sheets describing: the need, the technology, the benefits, status, barriers, points of contact, and references.

This article describes a mobile bricklaying robot. Advantages of bricklaying robots are that they could reduce costs, improve quality, and reduce the need for skilled labour.

Jon Rigelsford