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Mate-XT GO Exoskeleton reduces effort up to 50%

Comau's MATE-XT GO exoskeleton supports arms and shoulders during repetitive or overhead work, reducing muscle and perceived effort by up to 50% to improve comfort, endurance, and posture. Weighing under 3 kg, it dons in 30 seconds and removes in 10. Made in Italy, Category II PPE for industry, logistics, construction, agriculture, and trades.
Learn more.

New low-noise gearheads for high-torque mini motors

FAULHABER expands its GPT family with the quiet 22GPT LN and 32GPT LN gearheads, engineered for noise-sensitive laboratory, optical, medical, testing, and measurement systems. They pair high torque with compact, reliable design, delivering up to 2.2 Nm (22GPT LN) and 8 Nm (32GPT LN) in intermittent operation, and can handle occasional peak loads of 4 Nm and 12 Nm, respectively.
Learn more.

Linear voice coil motor tolerates tilting and misalignment

Moticont's new LVCM-051-032-06 linear voice coil motor features an enlarged radial air gap to accommodate tilt and misalignment when clamping out-of-parallel objects or moving off-center loads. It delivers 40.8-N peak and 12.9-N continuous force, with low-inertia, zero-cogging performance suited for sorting, packaging, sampling, machining, and medical automation.
Learn more and find the right VC motor for your application.

Crossed roller bearings dramatically lower weight and size for low- to medium-precision designs

IKO International's LCRB Series crossed roller bearings use press-formed, heat-treated steel rings and high-contact rollers to deliver up to 60% less mass than comparable designs. Their bolt-on flanges, compact profile, and fast response suit rotary positioning, seating, warehouse systems, and lightweight aerospace needs. Two models are available: LCRB 50 and LCRB 70.
Read the full article.

Slash robotic machining deployment times

RoboDK has introduced a CAM platform that cuts machining-automation deployment time by removing manual programming. It automatically generates robot code from CAD models and simulations, supporting milling, drilling, deburring, cutting, and additive processes. Users can create advanced toolpaths, run full-process simulations, detect collisions, and scale from 3-axis to 5-axis machining in one environment. NASA Langley is among its users.
Learn more.

Compact open-frame servo drives: New CLC series

Nanotec's CLC series compact open-frame servo drives support stepper and BLDC motors with 3-, 6-, or 15-A ratings. They offer CANopen, EtherCAT, Modbus RTU, FOC control, and a built-in programming environment. SSI, incremental, and Hall feedback with dual-loop control, plus flexible I/Os, suit lab automation, medical, packaging, and compact robotics.
Learn more.

What is Sensorless Closed Loop? Precise motor control without an encoder

Matt Sherman, eMobility Sales and Application Engineer at KEB America, runs through different options to drive an AC motor, including one called "Sensorless Closed Loop" that does not require additional hardware such as encoder, resolver, or cables on the motor.
Read the blog, which includes an informative video.

NEW! Programmable angle sensors

Vert-X 13E sensors from Novotechnik U.S. deliver wear-free, maintenance-free rotary measurement thanks to a touchless magnetic design and hermetic IP69 sealing that shrugs off water, oil, and dust. They provide precise 0 to 360° feedback with 14-bit resolution, SPI/PWM outputs, and 50-year MTTF -- all in a compact 13-mm package that retains absolute position through power loss. Applications include servodrives, insetting machines, robots, and medical.
Learn more.

What's a high-helix (high-lead) screw and what can it do for you?

"High-helix (high-lead) screws are a crucial component in many motion control systems, offering increased efficiency and faster linear motion," says Christopher Nook, CEO and founder of Helix Linear Technologies. "Unlike standard lead screws, these specialized screws feature a steeper helix angle, allowing for greater lead per revolution." Learn their mechanics, advantages, and many applications.
Read the Helix Linear Technologies blog.

Streamline servo linear actuator selection: New Drive Integration Tool

Tolomatic's online Drive Integration Tool simplifies the selection process to seamlessly match a drive system to a servo linear actuator. This tool combines the motor, drive, feedback, and connection info across a wide range of industry-leading manufacturers with Tolomatic's own servo linear actuator specs so you can ensure compatibility and streamline commissioning.
Learn more.

Magnet-free electric motor tech is award winner

BorgWarner won an R&D 100 Award in partnership with the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Lab for their work on new motor technology. The project powers an electromagnet-based rotor, eliminating the need for rare earth magnets, and does away with some other traditional components too.
Read the full article.

Key factors for ball screw applications

Learn the six key factors that should be considered when specifying ball screw assemblies in motion control applications. PCB Linear gathered a panel of experts in the field of linear motion to concentrate on this important topic -- particularly when it comes to the company's miniature ball screw product line. Learn about precision and accuracy, orientation, speed and acceleration, duty cycle, linear motion travel, and load capacity. Podcast available too.
Read the PCB Linear blog.

Brushed DC motors for higher temps

Traditionally, operating temperatures up to 200 C were exclusively the domain of brushless motors. maxon has changed this with the new DCX22S HT brushed DC motor, which uses a high-temp-grade Neodymium magnet, a customized winding, and a newly designed cover made of a high-temp-capable material. Works with the GPX22 and GPX26 gearbox ranges.
Learn more.

Structural beam-type linear motion guide

THK's LM Guide JR is a structural beam-type linear motion guide designed to serve as both a linear guide and a machine structural component. With its high rigidity rail design and four-way equal load capacity, LM Guide JR supports stable, precise motion while helping simplify machine structures and reduce overall system complexity. Since the LM rail's cross-section center is slightly thinner, it can absorb parallelism errors between two rails by bending inward or outward. Its cross-sectional shape provides high flexural rigidity, though, allowing it to serve as a structural component.
Learn more.

Machine shops: Automation provides more for less

Siemens is pushing machine-tool automation forward with a new partnership that pairs a digital twin of its SINUMERIK 828 CNC with a KUKA robot. The system, with the robot arm integrated into the CNC, streamlines part-handling tasks and simplifies both operation and programming, giving small and mid-sized shops a practical, high-impact automation upgrade. Lots of new capabilities here.
Read the full article.

Are gyroscopes the key to harvesting ocean wave energy?

Ocean waves are one of the most abundant and predictable renewable energy sources on the planet, yet efficiently harnessing their power remains a major challenge. Traditional devices typically operate efficiently only within a narrow range of wave conditions, highlighting the need for more novel, constructive converters.

Now, one researcher from The University of Osaka in Japan has analyzed the feasibility of a novel device for generating wave power. The device, called a gyroscopic wave energy converter (GWEC), was assessed for its potential in providing practical, large-scale energy generation. The findings were published last month in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics.

Schematic diagrams of a gyroscopic wave energy converter. [Credit: Figure adapted from T. Iida, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Cambridge University Press, 2026/Courtesy of The University of Osaka]

 

 

 

 

The GWEC device is capable of generating electricity using the complex motion of a spinning flywheel mounted inside a floating structure. It is this gyroscopic flywheel system that can be tuned to absorb energy efficiently over a broad range of wave frequencies.

The key to absorbing energy lies in gyroscopic precession, which is the motion that occurs when a spinning object is subjected to an external force. As waves cause the floating structure to pitch (move up and down), the rotating flywheel responds by precessing (changing the direction it is spinning), which drives a generator and consequently produces electricity.

"Wave energy devices often struggle, because ocean conditions are constantly changing," says Takahito Iida, author of the study. "However, a gyroscopic system can be controlled in a way that maintains high energy absorption, even as wave frequencies vary."

Using linear wave theory, the coupled interactions between ocean waves, the floating body, and the gyroscope were modeled. By carefully analyzing these interactions, the researchers were able to identify optimal control parameters for both the flywheel's rotational speed and the generator settings. Remarkably, the results demonstrated that the GWEC can achieve the maximum energy absorption efficiency of one-half at any wave frequency, providing the system is properly tuned.

Comparison among different concept types of WEC: a point-absorber, pendulum-type WEC, and gyroscopic WEC. [Credit: Figure adapted from T. Iida, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Cambridge University Press, 2026/Courtesy of The University of Osaka]

 

 

 

 

"This efficiency limit is a fundamental constraint in wave energy theory," explains Iida. "What is exciting is that we now know that it can be reached across broadband frequencies, not just at a single resonant condition."

To validate the linear theory, numerical simulations in both the frequency and time domains were performed. In addition, further time-domain simulations that accounted for nonlinear gyroscopic behavior were also conducted to account for any potential limitations of the device. These simulations showed that the GWEC maintains high efficiency near its resonance frequency, meaning the frequency at which it absorbed wave energy matched the natural pattern of the ocean.

Energy absorption efficiency versus wave number. [Credit: Figure adapted from T. Iida, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Cambridge University Press, 2026/Courtesy of The University of Osaka]

 

 

 

 

By showing how gyroscopic parameters can be tuned to maximize performance, the study provides a roadmap for developing adaptable and efficient wave energy converters. As scientists search for reliable renewable energy sources, advances like this one could help unlock the vast, untapped power of the oceans.

Source: The University of Osaka

Published February 2026

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