LANSING — State officials have announced financial support for an expansion of a Huntington Bank call center in Flint that will result in the creation of 60 new jobs and a $5.4 million investment. The Huntington complex is on Saginaw Street across from the University of Michigan-Flint campus. The Michigan Strategic Fund has approved a
BENTON HARBOR — OK, so it’s not a spy microwave. But Whirlpool Corp. has announced the introduction of a French door refrigerator from Jenn-Air featuring WiFi connectivity. In addition to a range of smart features, from remote control to maintenance reminders, the new model offers generous capacity and a host of food preservation features to
ANN ARBOR — The Ann Arbor-based Association for Advancing Automation announced a joint U.S.-China Robotics Forum, to be held April 4 at the Automate 2017 Show and Conference at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The forum will bring together A3’s Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the North American robotics industry trade organization, and its counterpart, the China Robot
AUBURN HILLS — The Zürich, Switzerland-based technology company ABB has sold its first robot manufactured in the United States. The IRB 2600 robot is the first to be produced at the ABB Auburn Hills plant, and was sold by ABB reseller CIM Systems Inc., based in Milan, Italy, to Hitachi Powdered Metals USA Inc. of
EAST LANSING — Rebecca Anthony, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Michigan State University College of Engineering, has been awarded a five-year, $500,000 NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to research nanostructure manufacturing that will make LED lights more efficient and versatile. NSF CAREER awards support junior faculty who exemplify the role
EAST LANSING — Engineering researchers at Michigan State University have developed the first stretchable integrated circuit that is made entirely using an inkjet printer, raising the possibility of inexpensive mass production of smart fabric. Imagine: an ultrathin smart tablet that can be stretched from mini-size to extra large. Or a rubber band-like wrist monitor that
DETROIT - Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index was down slightly in December, by 0.1 percentage points, to a level of 129.7. The Michigan Economic Activity Index consists of eight variables: nonfarm payrolls, exports, hotel occupancy rates, continuing claims for unemployment insurance, housing starts, sales tax revenues, home prices, and auto production. All data are
DEARBORN - The 3D printer manufacturer EnvisionTec Friday previewed a new high-speed printer to joint the company’s Vida line for dental professionals. The unveiling came at the LMT Lab Day in Chicago. Now in its 33rd year, LMT Lab Day is the largest dental lab event in the United States. Sponsored by LMT Communications Inc.,
HOUGHTON - Michigan Technological University Professor Greg Odegard will lead a new, multidisciplinary and multi-institution Space Technology Research Institute. The institute is funded by a $15 million 5-year grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Odegard, pictured at right above, is the Richard and Elizabeth Henes Professor of Computational Mechanics at Michigan Tech
EAST LANSING - Detroit Catholic Central High School’s VEX Shambots B team won the coveted VEX Robotics Excellence Award and a three-team alliance from Bloomfield Hills, Grandville, and Rochester were high school tournament champions at the 2017 Michigan VEX Robotics State Championship on Sunday, Feb. 19, at Michigan State University. At the middle school level,
