Renault interested in humanoid robots: the car giant has become an investor in exoskeleton developer Wandercraft
Renault Group has announced a minority investment in French company Wandercraft, which specialises in creating humanoid exoskeletons and robots for medical and industrial applications. The companies will begin a collaboration to develop a flexible mobile robotic platform called Calvin - it is designed to automate tasks in manufacturing that are difficult or unergonomic for humans to perform.
Here's What We Know
Wandercraft is already known for its Atalante system - a self-balancing exoskeleton designed for rehabilitation of patients with neurological disorders. More than 100 of these devices are used in clinics around the world. According to the company, their exoskeletons take over a million steps daily, which allows them to accumulate massive amounts of data to improve control and user interaction.
Calvin's new platform was created in just 40 days. It is focused on repetitive or physical tasks in manufacturing, including transporting items, moving around warehouses and interacting with people in a collaborative environment.
Renault will also participate in the industrial scale-up of another Wandercraft project, the Eve exoskeleton designed for users with quadriparesis. Its market launch is expected in the coming months.
According to Renault Group representatives, the co-operation with Wandercraft will speed up process automation, improve safety in production and reduce costs. For Wandercraft, this partnership paves the way for more mass production and a reduction in the cost of its solutions.
Source: Robotics and Automation News
