Braintech Granted U.S. Patent for Core 3D-Vision Guided Robotic
Technology
NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Braintech,
Inc. (OTC:BRHI) (BULLETIN BOARD: BRHI) announced today that the U.S. Patent &
Trademark Office has granted the Company patent #6,816,755 for Braintech's
Single Camera 3D, ("SC3D(TM)") Vision Guided Robotics ("VGR") technology.
Systems that combine Braintech's technology with industrial robots from global
automation giant ABB, Inc. (NYSE:ABB) are already in operation at major
automotive manufacturing facilities, including those at Ford Motor Company,
General Motors, Delphi, Pullman Industries, ZF Group, TI Automotive Group and
Toyota Motors.
Babak Habibi, Braintech's President and Chief Operating Officer noted, "I'm
proud of our R&D team for having developed the SC3D technology, now widely
considered to be a fundamental breakthrough for the global robotics industry.
For the first time, SC3D reliably enables robots to 'see' the 3D position of
objects in their surroundings without the hassles and limitations associated
with laser-based or multiple camera systems. The fact is, that legacy VGR
systems have primarily relied on clever engineering 'tricks' or complex sensors
to solve the problem of locating objects in 3D, resulting in non-standard
systems that are hard to scale across manufacturing enterprises. In contrast,
taking a fundamental approach, SC3D is widely applicable regardless of the type
of application and relies on a standard off-the-shelf camera as its image
source. By mounting a camera on a robotic arm, the system gives the robot
sight and intelligence, allowing it to identify and locate a part in full 3D
space. This information can then be used to guide the robot to do any desired
operation correctly and relative to the part without the need for expensive
hard fixturing that was needed previously. For instance, in a parts handling
application, the system enables the robot to identify and locate parts in a
bin, adjust its arm to the angle at which the part is resting, grasp the part,
move it, and then align it with another object such as another part or a pallet
on the production line." Continuing, Habibi stated, "SC3D is available as a technology component of
eVisionFactory(TM),("eVF(TM)"), our software platform built specifically for
developing intelligent robotic solutions. eVF, in turn, is integrated with
cutting edge robotics technology from ABB, Inc. Combined, they form the core
of ABB's TrueView(TM) branded family of intelligent robotic systems. Trueview
systems make obsolete custom developed point solutions by providing the
end-user with solutions that are extremely reliable and manageable. Braintech
contributes double-barreled value making TrueView the world's leading VGR
system, because SC3D provides near 100% guidance perfection and eVF gives ABB
the means to train platoons of technicians, who in turn can manage the rapidly
expanding adoption rate of VGR systems by the auto industry." Braintech Chief Executive Officer Owen Jones stated, "The introduction of SC3D
is a significant historical event; what I describe as the dawn of intelligent
robotics. Encapsulated in a short video piece done by the Discovery Channel
and available on our website, http://www.braintech.com/, one can clearly see
the robot 'thinking' before it moves. This is not science fiction, but rather
real production level, industrial grade technology." Jones further commented, "Intellectual property is a vital asset for any
technology company. For Braintech, this patent represents a very real and
important strategic advantage that substantially aids Braintech in securing its
position as the premier global provider of vision guided solutions. The
importance of SC3D is expanding, as every day Braintech engineers discover new
applications for our unique single-camera 3D technology. With the patent fully
secured, the Company is now positioned as a sole source for true vision
guidance, and because of the enormity of the market outlook, Braintech will
aggressively leverage the patent's value." About ABB (http://www.abb.com/) ABB's Robotic, Automotive and Manufacturing group is a leading supplier of
robots, robotic systems and automation systems to the automotive, manufacturing
and consumer industries. With more than 120,000 robots installed worldwide and
more than 5,000 employees, ABB is a global leader in flexible factory
automation.
ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility
and industry consumers to improve performance while lowering environmental
impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs
about 103,000 people. The Automation Technologies division employs about 56,000
and posted 2003 revenues of approximately $10 billion.
About Braintech, Inc. (http://www.braintech.com/) Braintech's VGR technologies are revolutionizing manufacturing by giving
industrial robots the "eyes" to handle and assemble parts with a high degree of
consistent quality and productivity. Braintech's scientific capabilities,
engineering expertise and commitment to support are embedded in the Company's
VGR software product called "eVF(TM)" and is used to develop, operate and
support VGR solutions. To date, Braintech's VGR solutions have been installed
at Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Delphi, ZF Group, TI Automotive Group,
Pullman Industries and Toyota Motors.
SC3D, eVF and eVisionFactory are registered trademarks of Braintech Canada,
Inc.
TrueView and ABB are trademarks of ABB, Inc.
Statements in this document that are not purely historical are forward-looking
statements and reflect the current views of management with respect to future
events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. It is
important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially
from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as technical
difficulties in developing the products; competition from other suppliers of
similar products; pricing that may not be acceptable to potential markets; and
many other known and unknown factors. Readers should also refer to the risk
disclosures outlined in the Company's 10-KSB and 10-QSB Forms filed from time
to time with the SEC.
Contact:
Braintech, Inc. Jim Dara
VP Sales, GM North American Operations
248-219-9400
Elite Financial Communications Group
Stephanie Noiseux
EVP of Client Relations
407-585-1080
DATASOURCE: Braintech, Inc.
CONTACT: Jim Dara, VP Sales, GM North American Operations of Braintech, Inc., +1-248-219-9400, ; or Stephanie Noiseux, EVP of Client Relations of Elite Financial Communications Group, +1-407-585-1080, or Web site: http://www.braintech.com/ http://www.abb.com/
|