Tag: manufacturing
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Industrial Robotics Software Repository Established
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio has set up a repository of software routines for industrial automation that work under the Robot Operating System. The software collection of tools, libraries, and drivers is publicly accessible and licensed under the open-source Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) license. The Robot Operating System (ROS) provides functions and routines…
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Report: Asia Closing Gap in U.S. R&D Leadership
National Science Foundation’s new report on global research and development (R&D) trends, Science and Engineering Indicators 2012, shows in the last decade, U.S. leadership in research and development has come under severe challenge from China and other countries in Asia. The report from NSF’s policy-making body, the National Science Board, shows between 1999 and 2009,…
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Ford to Open Silicon Valley Research Lab
Automobile maker Ford Motor Company says it will open a new research facility during the first quarter of 2012 located in the Silicon Valley region of California near San Francisco. The lab will be part of Ford’s Research and Innovation division, according to chief technical officer Paul Mascarenas who made the announcement in a statement…
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Cellulosic Biomass Sugars Developer Gains BASF Backing
Renmatix Inc., a developer of biofuel sugars from cellulosic feedstocks in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has secured a $50 million investment round led by German chemical manufacturer BASF. The BASF subsidiary, BASF Biorenewable Beteiligungs GmbH, contributed $30 million to the investment round, joined by new and existing investors. Renmatix has devised a technology platform called…
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Biofuels Start-Up Adds BP as Investor
Cool Planet BioFuels in Camarillo, California says BP Technology Ventures has made an investment in the company’s C round — the third series of equity investments after start up. The amount of the investment by BP’s venture capital division was not disclosed. Current investors in Cool Planet Biofuels also include General Electric, Google Ventures, ConocoPhillips,…
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Global Semiconductor Investment Drops in November
A report from the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) shows investment in semiconductor companies worldwide dropped for the month of November 2011 compared to the same month in 2010, and for the year-to-date. The number of mergers and acquisitions in the industry also decreased for the year so far, but in November a number of new…
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Enzyme Developer In-Licenses Synthetic Biology Technology
Novozymes A/S in Bagsvaerd, Denmark has agreed to license genetic engineering technology from MorphoSys AG in Martinsried, Germany for the development of industrial biotechnology products. The multi-year agreement provides Novozymes, a manufacturer of industrial enzymes, with a non-exclusive license to use MorphoSys’s Slonomics technology. Financial and more precise timetable details of the deal were not…
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Stratolaunch Systems to Build Aircraft-Based Space Launcher
Stratolaunch Systems in Huntsville, Alabama announced plans to build a space launch aircraft and booster rocket with the capacity to replace the recently retired NASA space shuttle. The company, started by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, will partner with aircraft manufacturer Scaled Composites, space vehicle developer Space Exploration Technologies, and aerospace engineering company Dynetics. The entire…
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Biogen Idec, Samsung to Form $300M Biosimilar Venture
Biogen Idec, a biotechnology company in Weston, Massachusetts, and the Korean conglomerate Samsung will form a joint venture to develop and market follow-on biologic drugs known as biosimilars. Investments by both companies in the venture will total $300 million. Samsung will contribute $255 million of the $300 million for an 85 percent stake in the…
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Biotech, Energy Company Partner on Renewable Fuel, Chemicals
The synthetic biology company Amyris Inc. in Emeryville, California and the French oil and gas company Total have agreed to collaborate on research and production of renewable fuels and chemicals. The agreement expands on an existing R&D relationship between the two companies. Amyris and Total agreed to accelerate the pace of their current partnership to…