US Army Selects L3Harris Technologies’ Enhanced Night Vision Goggle Technology

LONDONDERRY, N.H.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The U.S. Army has selected L3Harris Technologies’ (NYSE:LHX) Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B) to enhance situational awareness and increase soldier mobility and protection.

Source: US Army Selects L3Harris Technologies’ Enhanced Night Vision Goggle Technology | Business Wire

Berkshire Grey raises $263 million for industrial robots 

Industrial robots and warehouse automation are lucrative intermingling markets, as evidenced by Berkshire Grey. The Lexington, Massachusetts-based company, which combines AI and robotics to automate omnichannel fulfillment for retailers, ecommerce, and logistics enterprises, today announced that it has secured a mammoth $263 million in series B funding led by SoftBank. Khosla Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, and Canaan participated in the round. CEO Tom Wagner says the fresh capital will fuel the startup’s global expansion, acquisitions, and team growth.

Source: Berkshire Grey raises $263 million for industrial robots | VentureBeat

AMERGINT eyes acquisition of space-based optics business from Raytheon Technologies following merger

WASHINGTON – AMERGINT Technologies, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo., has completed the purchase of the Collins Aerospace space-based optics business from Raytheon Technologies Corp. C4ISRnet reports. Continue reading original article

Source: Raytheon Technologies acquisition optics | Military & Aerospace Electronics

Japan Cleared to Buy 32 Amraam Missiles in $63M Deal

WASHINGTON — The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of thirty-two (32) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) with support for an estimated cost of $63 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

Source: Japan – AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles

Desktop Metal to go public via reverse merger with a SPAC

Burlington-based Desktop Metal Inc. is the latest Massachusetts company to go public this year thanks to an accelerated procedure called a reverse merger.Not including more than a dozen life sciences IPOs this year, Desktop Metal is the fourth Massachusetts company to go public this year. Non-biotech companies that went public this year include daily fantasy sports betting company DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) which also went public via a reverse merger, Duck Creek Technologies (Nasdaq: DCT) and Amwell.The 3-D printing company announced Wednesday it will become a publicly traded company through a merger deal with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. In a release, Desktop Metal said early Wednesday it had signed a merger agreement with Trine Acquisition Corp. (NYS

Source: Desktop Metal to go public via reverse merger with a SPAC – Boston Business Journal

Thermo Fisher’s COVID-19 Test Could Have Inaccurate Results

FDA warned earlier this week that Thermo Fisher Scientific’s TaqPath test could have a risk of false results. This follows the Waltham, MA-based company exiting its bid to acquire Qiagen for $12.5 billion.

Source: Thermo Fisher’s COVID-19 Test Could Have Inaccurate Results

Aptiv-Hyundai Motor Group joint venture rebrands as Motional 

The Boston-based joint venture between self-driving vehicle company Aptiv and Hyundai Motor Group is ramping up hiring in Boston, saying that the pandemic spurs a renovated interest in autonomous means of transportation.

Source: Aptiv-Hyundai Motor Group joint venture rebrands as Motional, hires in Boston – Boston Business Journal

iRobot gets temporary extension of Chinese tariff exemption 

Bedford-based iRobot Corp. breathed a sigh of relief this week with the news that China tariffs won’t raise the costs of the company’s signature cleaning robots. At least, not yet.

Source: iRobot gets temporary extension of Chinese tariff exemption – Boston Business Journal

Raytheon to maintain DBR radar until EASR comes onboard

WASHINGTON – Shipboard radar experts at Raytheon Technologies Corp. will continue supporting an expensive surface-search radar system for large U.S. Navy warships until a suitable replacement comes online, under terms of a $9.7 million order announced Friday.

Source: radar shipboard replacement parts | Military & Aerospace Electronics

Locus Robotics raises $40 million to take its warehouse robots global 

Warehouse robotics startup Locus Robotics today announced it has raised $40 million, the bulk of which will be put toward accelerating R&D and the company’s expansion into new markets, including in the EU, where it opened a new headquarters. CEO Rich Faulk says Locus also intends to launch strategic reseller partnerships throughout 2020, following a year in which its number of customer deployments passed 50.

Source: Locus Robotics raises $40 million to take its warehouse robots global | VentureBeat

Abbott’s COVID-19 tests did the heavy lifting in Q2

Abbott’s second-quarter earnings showed a mixed bag with pandemic disruptions on the medical device side of the business, and sales of COVID-19 tests driving growth for the diagnostic side.

Source: Abbott’s COVID-19 tests did the heavy lifting in Q2

iRobot still hurt by China tariffs

Bedford-based iRobot Corp. is bracing for the likely impact of China tariffs as soon as next month, as President Donald Trump’s trade war with China threatens to raise the costs of the company’s signature cleaning robots.

Source: Roomba-maker iRobot still hurt by China tariffs – Boston Business Journal