July/August 2019

n TRANSPORTATION WORKING TOGETHER AS EQUALS. Humans and robots increasingly work closer together. Sensors help robots make more intelligent decisions and give them the ability to sense objects, the environment, or their own position. Thanks to sensors from SICK, robots perceive more precisely – the prerequisite for close collaboration. For all challenges in the field of robotics: Robot Vision, Safe Robotics, End-of-Arm Tooling, and Position Feedback. We think that’s intelligent. www.sick.com/robotics The ferries, designed by Propulsion Data Services, are being built by the Wisconsin- based Burger Boat Company. In May, the modules were transported to the Falls and lowered into a dry dock and maintenance facility where they were assembled. Following launching and certification, the new vessels will enter service in mid- September, replacing two earlier Maid of the Mist vessels dating back to 1990 and 1997. ABB is supplying the integrated power and propulsion system for the vessels, including the ship-to-shore battery charging connection, the lithium-ion battery packs, switchboards and drives as well as a remote diagnostics system to monitor the equipment and to perform predictive maintenance. A power and energy management system will optimise the use of energy on board the ships. Shipping accounts for 2–3% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping, has set a global target of cutting annual emissions by at least 50% from 2008 levels by 2050. n The two electric Maid of the Mist vessels will take tourists to the base of the Niagara Falls, undisturbed by engine noise or exhaust fumes.