Articles tagged with "AI-in-robotics"
NVIDIA's Cosmos Policy helps robots predict what happens next
NVIDIA has introduced Cosmos Policy, a novel robot control framework that leverages large pretrained video prediction models to simplify decision-making in robotics. Unlike traditional robot policies that rely on separate perception, planning, and control modules and require extensive task-specific data, Cosmos Policy post-trains a pretrained video world model (Cosmos Predict) on robot demonstration data. This approach integrates robot actions, physical states, and task outcomes into a unified temporal representation, enabling the model to jointly predict the robot’s next actions, future states, and task success within a single architecture. This reduces architectural complexity and the need for large amounts of robot-specific training data. Benchmark tests demonstrate that Cosmos Policy achieves high success rates on multi-step robotic manipulation tasks, often matching or surpassing existing methods while using significantly fewer training demonstrations. A key advantage is its planning capability at inference time, allowing the model to generate and evaluate multiple candidate action sequences and select those with the best predicted outcomes over longer horizons. This strategic planning enables robots to perform complex tasks
roboticsrobot-controlAI-in-roboticsNVIDIA-Cosmos-Policyrobot-planningvideo-prediction-modelsrobotic-manipulationBoston Dynamics turns to Google DeepMind to power its humanoid robots
Boston Dynamics has announced a strategic partnership with Google DeepMind to enhance the AI capabilities of its next-generation humanoid robots, specifically the Atlas® model. Unveiled at CES 2026, this collaboration aims to integrate Google DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics AI foundation models with Boston Dynamics’ robots to enable them to perform a wide range of industrial tasks, starting with the automotive sector. The joint research, set to begin soon, will focus on developing AI systems that can control complex humanoid robots safely and efficiently, emphasizing autonomy, adaptability, and reliability in high-impact applications. The partnership marks a significant step in combining advanced robotics hardware with large-scale multimodal AI models that handle perception, reasoning, and decision-making in real-world environments. Boston Dynamics sees this collaboration as essential to building the world’s most capable humanoid robots by establishing new visual-language-action models. Both companies view this convergence of robotics and AI as transformative for the manufacturing industry and beyond, aiming to redefine industry paradigms and enable robots to scale
roboticshumanoid-robotsBoston-DynamicsGoogle-DeepMindAI-in-roboticsindustrial-automationrobotics-partnershipRobohub highlights 2025 - Robohub
The article "Robohub highlights 2025" provides a comprehensive review of notable contributions and activities featured on Robohub throughout the year. It highlights a variety of research and discussions from global experts in robotics and AI, including innovative frameworks for robot manipulation learned solely from language instructions, as presented by Jiahui Zhang and Jesse Zhang, and RobustDexGrasp, a novel grasping framework introduced by Hui Zhang at CoRL 2025. The article also covers insightful interviews and podcasts, such as conversations with Heather Knight on integrating performing arts methods into robotics, and Professor Marynel Vázquez on human-robot interactions and social navigation by robots. Further, the summary touches on advancements in reliable controller design under uncertain environments (IJCAI 2025), reinforcement learning guided by social and ethical norms, and scalable deep learning for human activity recognition using wearable sensors. It also features updates from RoboCup 2025, including award-winning research, AI applications in the Small Size League, and the Robo
roboticsrobot-manipulationhuman-robot-interactionreinforcement-learningAI-in-roboticsRoboCuprobot-graspingMuscular humanoid robot folds towel autonomously by watching humans
US startup Kinsi Robotics has developed the KR-1, a muscular humanoid robot capable of autonomously folding towels by observing human demonstrations. The robot uses simultaneous perception, planning, and dexterous manipulation to pick up towels from random positions and fold them neatly, mimicking human behavior. Central to this capability is kinesthetic teaching, a method where a human operator physically guides the robot through the task while the system records visual inputs and corresponding arm and gripper movements. This approach allows the robot to learn a flexible, adaptable skill rather than a fixed sequence, enabling it to handle varying towel configurations. Unlike rigid objects, soft deformable materials like towels pose a significant challenge for robots due to their continuously changing shape, which is difficult to model with traditional physics-based methods. Instead, KR-1 learns through repeated experience, internalizing how the towel responds to different manipulations by mapping visual cues directly to physical actions without explicit labeling of towel features. This experiment exemplifies a broader trend in robotics toward learning
roboticshumanoid-robotautonomous-robotkinesthetic-teachingrobotic-manipulationAI-in-roboticssoft-object-handlingPhotos: High-tech humanoids steal the spotlight at Japan’s 2025 International Robot Exhibition
The 2025 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, marking its 26th edition, spotlighted advanced humanoid and AI-driven robots designed to collaborate with humans rather than replace them. Centered on the theme "Sustainable Societies Through Robotics," the event emphasized robots’ roles in supporting industries and addressing social challenges by working alongside people in homes, factories, and public spaces. Major companies and research groups showcased intelligent machines capable of object recognition, voice command processing, and complex decision-making, reflecting a growing expectation for adaptable robotic systems. Notable demonstrations included Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ humanoid robot performing emergency tasks like extinguishing a fire and rescuing a toy cat, highlighting its potential use in hazardous environments. Kawasaki also presented CORLEO, a personal mobility robot aimed at everyday transportation. Fanuc exhibited a robotic arm that used AI to follow voice instructions and visually identify and manipulate objects, showcasing advances in simplifying human-robot interaction. The exhibition also revealed intensifying international competition, particularly between China and the U
roboticshumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsindustrial-robotshuman-robot-collaborationautomationintelligent-machinesWaymo starts autonomous testing in Philadelphia
Waymo has expanded its autonomous vehicle testing to Philadelphia, marking the addition of a fourth city to its robotaxi rollout efforts. Alongside Philadelphia, the company is beginning manual driving data collection in Baltimore, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh. While Waymo has not provided specific timelines for commercial service launches in these new cities or confirmed potential partnerships, the move adds to its presence in over 20 cities where it is either offering rides, preparing for commercial launches, or conducting tests. Notably, Waymo also operates autonomous rides on freeways in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area, aiming to reach one million rides per week by the end of 2026. Despite these advancements, Waymo faces scrutiny regarding safety concerns. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating incidents involving Waymo vehicles driving around stopped school buses, including footage from Atlanta in September. Further reports from Austin indicate that Waymo vehicles have repeatedly driven past school buses during loading and unloading, even
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymorobotaxiself-driving-carstransportation-technologyAI-in-roboticsTop 10 robotics developments of November 2025 - The Robot Report
The Robot Report’s November 2025 roundup highlights significant developments in the robotics industry, including funding milestones, new product launches, and strategic partnerships. Notably, Physical Intelligence secured $600 million in Series B funding to develop foundational models enabling robots to better understand and interact with the physical world, moving beyond deterministic programming. Foxconn partnered with Alphabet subsidiary Intrinsic to create AI-powered flexible robots for its U.S. factories, while Foxglove raised $40 million to expand its data platform supporting robotics development. Additionally, Agile Robots introduced Agile ONE, an industrial humanoid designed for safe collaboration with humans in manufacturing environments. The month also saw challenges for established companies: iRobot reported a 24.6% revenue decline in Q3 2025 compared to the previous year, reflecting ongoing struggles despite its legacy as a pioneer in consumer robotics with the Roomba vacuum. Teradyne Robotics, owner of Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots, conducted another workforce reduction of 14% following a prior 10
roboticshumanoid-robotsrobot-startupsAI-in-roboticsindustrial-robotsrobot-foundation-modelsteleoperationChinese model helps humanoid robots adapt to tasks without training
Researchers from Wuhan University have developed a novel framework called the recurrent geometric-prior multimodal policy (RGMP) to enhance humanoid robots' ability to manipulate objects with human-like adaptability and minimal training. Current humanoid robots excel at specific tasks but struggle to generalize when objects change shape, lighting varies, or when encountering tasks they were not explicitly trained for. RGMP addresses these limitations by incorporating two key components: the Geometric-Prior Skill Selector (GSS), which helps the robot analyze an object's shape, size, and orientation to select the appropriate skill, and the Adaptive Recursive Gaussian Network (ARGN), which models spatial relationships and predicts movements efficiently with far fewer training examples than traditional deep learning methods. Testing showed that robots using RGMP achieved an 87% success rate on novel tasks without prior experience, demonstrating a significant improvement over existing diffusion-policy-based models, with about five times greater data efficiency. This advancement could enable humanoid robots to perform a wider range of tasks in dynamic environments such
roboticshumanoid-robotsrobot-learningdata-efficient-roboticsrobotic-manipulationAI-in-roboticsrobotic-skill-adaptationPhysical Intelligence raises $600M to advance robot foundation models - The Robot Report
Physical Intelligence, a San Francisco-based robotics AI startup founded in 2024, has raised $600 million in a Series B funding round led by CapitalG, Alphabet’s growth fund, along with participation from Lux Capital, Bond, Redpoint, and Sequoia Capital. This latest financing brings the company’s total funding to $1.1 billion and values it at approximately $5.6 billion. The company aims to advance robot foundation models that enable robots to learn and generalize behaviors from real-world data more efficiently than traditional reinforcement learning methods. Their vision-language-action (VLA) model, recently updated to version 0.6, uses a transformer-based approach to process visual and movement data, allowing robots to perform complex tasks such as making coffee, folding laundry, or assembling boxes with doubled throughput and reduced failure rates. Physical Intelligence’s technology tokenizes robot sensory inputs and movement histories to predict subsequent actions in real time, enabling robots to execute commands safely and adaptively. The company has open
roboticsartificial-intelligencerobot-foundation-modelsmachine-learningautomationphysical-intelligenceAI-in-roboticsUS OpenMind's BrainPack makes humanoid robots ‘real-world' smart
OpenMind has introduced BrainPack, a modular, backpack-sized platform that integrates key autonomous robot functions—such as advanced mapping, object labeling, privacy-protected vision, remote operation, and self-charging—into a single unit powered by Nvidia’s high-performance computing. Designed to bridge the gap between robotics and intelligence, BrainPack enables robots not only to move but also to observe, interpret, and learn from their surroundings by building detailed 3D maps and recognizing objects autonomously. Privacy features include automatic face detection and blurring to anonymize humans in view, while remote control and secure video streaming enhance usability. The platform combines research-grade reliability with consumer-level simplicity, making autonomous robotics more accessible without the need for specialized labs or complex setups. Early tests have demonstrated that BrainPack-equipped robots can perform self-guided patrols, map multi-room environments, recognize and label objects, and self-dock for charging—all without direct supervision. Additionally, OpenMind has developed OM1, a hardware-agnostic
roboticshumanoid-robotsautonomous-robotsrobot-autonomyAI-in-roboticsrobot-mappingself-charging-robotsRobot Talk Episode 133 – Creating sociable robot collaborators, with Heather Knight - Robohub
In Robot Talk Episode 133, Claire interviews Heather Knight from Oregon State University about integrating performing arts techniques into robotics to create more sociable robot collaborators. Heather Knight leads the CHARISMA Robotics research group and has a strong background in expressive motion for robots, holding a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University and degrees from MIT. Her diverse experience includes work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Aldebaran Robotics, and creative projects such as the Robot Film Festival, a robotic flower garden called Cyberflora, robot comedy featured on TED.com, and an award-winning Rube Goldberg machine for the band OK Go. The episode highlights how Knight applies principles from theater and performance to enhance robot expressiveness and social interaction, aiming to make robots better collaborators with humans. This interdisciplinary approach bridges engineering, art, and human-robot interaction, reflecting Knight’s unique career path and innovative contributions to robotics. The podcast itself focuses on developments in robotics, AI, and autonomous machines, providing insights into cutting-edge research and creative applications
roboticssociable-robotsautonomous-machinesexpressive-motionrobot-collaborationAI-in-roboticsperforming-arts-in-roboticsTeradyne Robotics lays off another 14% of workforce
Teradyne Robotics, owner of collaborative robot maker Universal Robots (UR) and autonomous mobile robot developer Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), has laid off approximately 14% of its global workforce, following a 10% reduction about nine months earlier. The layoffs reflect slower-than-expected revenue growth amid a cooling global automation market, particularly in Europe due to geopolitical uncertainties like the war in Ukraine. Prior to these cuts, Teradyne Robotics employed over 1,400 people worldwide, with reductions affecting teams across its global operations. The company framed the decision as a strategic move to improve long-term sustainability, operational efficiency, and to better align costs with current market realities. Despite these challenges, Teradyne Robotics remains committed to its customers and plans to adjust its product roadmap with a stronger focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The company sees AI as a transformational factor in robotics, aiming to position UR cobots as the preferred AI-driven workcell platform and enhance AMR performance through AI features. AI-related
roboticscollaborative-robotsAI-in-roboticsautomationworkforce-reductionindustrial-robotsTeradyne-RoboticsAdvantech introduces edge AI systems for a range of robot embodiments - The Robot Report
Advantech has launched a new lineup of Edge AI systems powered by NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor platform, targeting real-world robotics, medical AI, and data AI applications. These systems integrate application-specific hardware with pre-installed JetPack 7.0, remote management tools, and vertical software suites like Robotic Suite and GenAI Studio. Built on a container-based architecture, they offer enhanced flexibility and faster development cycles. The NVIDIA Jetson Thor modules deliver up to 2070 FP4 TFLOPS of AI performance, alongside improved CPU performance and energy efficiency. Advantech also collaborates with ecosystem partners on sensor and camera integration and thermal design to facilitate faster and more efficient edge AI application deployment. Advantech’s robotic controllers, ASR-A702 and AFE-A702, are designed for humanoids, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and unmanned vehicles, providing real-time AI inference with GPU-accelerated SLAM and support for multi-camera and sensor inputs. These controllers feature hardware
robotedge-AINVIDIA-Jetsonrobotic-controllersIoTAI-in-roboticsedge-computingBoston Dynamics humanoid robot gets new hands for heavy lifting
Boston Dynamics has introduced a significant upgrade to its humanoid robot Atlas by developing a new three-fingered gripper designed to improve its ability to handle both delicate and heavy objects. Unlike attempts to fully replicate the human hand, the company focused on creating a rugged, reliable gripper with seven degrees of freedom and seven actuators, including an articulated thumb joint. This design enhances Atlas’s dexterity, allowing it to perform complex tasks such as sorting, picking, packing, and manipulating objects with precision. The gripper also incorporates tactile sensing on the fingertips and cameras embedded in the palm, enabling the robot to adjust its grip based on the shape and delicacy of items. In addition to hardware improvements, Boston Dynamics has partnered with the Toyota Research Institute to develop a Large Behavior Model (LBM), an AI system trained on extensive human action datasets. This AI enables Atlas to understand, generate, and adapt human-like behaviors without the need for manual programming of each task. Demonstrations showed Atlas performing tasks such
roboticshumanoid-robotBoston-Dynamicsrobot-handstactile-sensingAI-in-roboticsrobot-gripperWomen in robotics you need to know about 2025 - Robohub
The article "Women in Robotics You Need to Know About 2025" from Robohub celebrates International Women in Robotics Day by highlighting 20 influential women shaping the robotics field worldwide. Robotics today extends beyond traditional manufacturing to areas like space exploration, healthcare, agriculture, and global connectivity. The featured women include professors, engineers, startup founders, and communicators from diverse countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. Their work spans tactile sensing, swarm robotics, embodied AI, and more, demonstrating the broad scope and impact of robotics research and innovation. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing women's contributions to robotics to combat their historical invisibility and encourage greater representation. Among the honorees are Heba Khamis, co-founder of Contactile developing tactile sensors; Kelen Teixeira Vivaldini, researching autonomous robots for environmental applications; Natalie Panek, a senior engineer in space robotics; and Joelle Pineau,
roboticswomen-in-roboticstactile-sensorsautonomous-robotsAI-in-roboticsswarm-roboticsrobotics-innovationTop 10 robotics developments of September 2025 - The Robot Report
In September 2025, the robotics industry experienced significant developments, highlighted by major funding rounds, new product launches, and shifts in technology platforms. UBTECH Robotics secured up to $1 billion in financing from Infini Capital to expand humanoid robot production in the Middle East, planning a superfactory and R&D center. Similarly, Figure AI raised over $1 billion in Series C funding, reaching a $39 billion valuation to accelerate general-purpose humanoid robot deployment. These investments underscore the growing emphasis on humanoid robots as key players in industrial and service sectors, despite ongoing challenges in advancing their capabilities at the pace of AI chatbots. Several companies introduced innovative technologies addressing automation and robotics control. Google DeepMind and Intrinsic collaborated on AI solutions for multi-robot planning to reduce programming complexity in industrial settings, where over 4.3 million robots are currently in use. U.K.-based startup Humanoid launched the HMND 01 Alpha, a dual-armed mobile manipulator designed to help alleviate
roboticshumanoid-robotsindustrial-robotsAI-in-roboticsrobot-automationmulti-robot-planningrobotics-industry-developmentsOxford Robotics Institute director discusses the truth about AI and robotics - The Robot Report
Nick Hawes, director of the Oxford Robotics Institute and professor at the University of Oxford, highlights significant advances in robotics and AI that are transforming business applications. He emphasizes that autonomous robotics—robots capable of operating independently without direct human control—are becoming increasingly common, especially in logistics and inspection tasks. Examples include quadruped robots and drones that autonomously monitor sites for issues requiring human attention. While humanoid robots generate excitement, Hawes advises caution for immediate business adoption, suggesting their practical use cases may emerge within the next five to ten years. In AI, he points to foundation models, such as large language and vision-language-action models, as pivotal technologies that enable robots to better understand and interact with complex, unstructured environments. Hawes draws on extensive experience deploying autonomous robots across diverse environments to illustrate their potential. Early projects involved autonomous mobile robots performing security patrols in offices and assisting nursing staff in care homes and hospitals, operating continuously without human intervention. His work also includes underwater autonomous robots collecting
roboticsartificial-intelligenceautonomous-robotsAI-in-roboticsrobotics-applicationshumanoid-robotsrobotics-researchIt's time to recreate China's robotics strategy in the U.S. - The Robot Report
The article highlights the urgent need for the U.S. to develop a comprehensive national robotics strategy to compete effectively with China, particularly in manufacturing and automation. While China has already established a dominant position in sectors like electric vehicles—creating major companies such as CATL and BYD and improving urban air quality—the U.S. lags behind due to labor shortages and slower adoption of advanced robotics. With the manufacturing sector facing a projected shortfall of 2.1 million workers by 2033, the article argues that automation and robotics are essential for maintaining global competitiveness and driving domestic industrial growth. Significant private investment in robotics startups, fueled by advances in AI and computer vision, is positioning the U.S. to potentially leap forward in automation capabilities, enabling robots to perform increasingly complex tasks autonomously. However, the article stresses that without a unified national strategy, the U.S. risks missing a critical technological inflection point. Beyond economic benefits, robotics also offers substantial environmental advantages by improving resource efficiency and supporting climate
roboticsautomationmanufacturingindustrial-robotsAI-in-roboticsU.S.-manufacturingrobotics-strategyASI CEO to share insights from large-scale deployments at RoboBusiness - The Robot Report
Autonomous Solutions Inc. (ASI), a Utah-based company founded in 2000, recently expanded with a new facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, complementing its existing 100-acre proving ground in Northern Utah. ASI specializes in autonomous fleet management through its Mobius system, which serves industries including agriculture, construction, landscaping, and logistics. Co-founder and CEO Mel Torrie highlighted the company’s longevity and resilience in a high-failure robotics market, attributing success to a bootstrapped business model that avoids pressure from venture capital timelines and exit-driven strategies. Torrie will present at RoboBusiness 2026 on lessons learned from ASI’s large-scale mining deployments. ASI has demonstrated significant achievements in deploying autonomous systems for heavy industrial vehicles, notably partnering with mining equipment manufacturer Epiroc. Their collaboration led to managing what they claim is the world’s largest autonomous mining site in Australia, coordinating up to 300 vehicles remotely with high uptime and better-than-human performance. This milestone validated their
robotautonomous-vehiclesmining-automationfleet-managementrobotics-deploymentindustrial-roboticsAI-in-roboticsIcarus raises $6.1M to use robots to supplement space labor - The Robot Report
Icarus Robotics, a New York-based startup, has raised $6.1 million in seed funding led by Soma Capital and Xtal to develop robotic solutions that address labor shortages and logistical challenges in space, particularly on the International Space Station (ISS). The company’s initial product is a free-flying robot equipped with dexterous arms designed to perform routine logistics tasks such as cargo unpacking, seal inspection, and filter changes—activities that currently consume significant astronaut time. CEO Ethan Barajas, who has NASA and lunar rover experience, highlights that astronaut labor is costly and limited, with much time dedicated to non-experimental activities, making automation of mundane tasks critical for efficient space operations. Icarus aims to start with semi-autonomous, teleoperated robots and progressively move toward fully autonomous systems. The company faces unique challenges in developing AI for space due to the scarcity of relevant robotics data and the complexities of operating in zero-gravity environments. Barajas notes that many of the logistical tasks astronauts
roboticsspace-robotsautomationspace-laborInternational-Space-Stationrobotic-logisticsAI-in-roboticsFrom teleoperation to autonomy: Inside Boston Dynamics' Atlas training
In Episode 212 of The Robot Report Podcast, Boston Dynamics’ VP of robotics research, Scott Kuindersma, discussed the development of large behavior models (LBMs) for the Atlas humanoid robot. The team collected 20 hours of teleoperation data to train these LBMs, which enable Atlas to generalize manipulation tasks such as bi-manual operations, including picking and placing parts for the Spot quadruped robot. The development process involved data collection, annotation, model training, and evaluation, with a strong emphasis on combining simulation data and human demonstration data. Boston Dynamics plans to further test Atlas in Hyundai facilities and leverage AI-driven advancements to improve humanoid manipulation and dynamic behaviors. The episode also covered recent robotics industry news, including Serve Robotics’ acquisition of Voysys’ assets to enhance its autonomous delivery fleet with low-latency video streaming for remote monitoring and teleoperation. Zoox, an Amazon subsidiary, launched a free robotaxi service on the Las Vegas Strip, with plans to expand testing
roboticsBoston-DynamicsAtlas-robotteleoperationautonomous-robotsAI-in-roboticsrobot-manipulationAgility Robotics explains how to train a whole-body control foundation model - The Robot Report
Agility Robotics has developed a whole-body control foundation model for its Digit humanoid robot, designed to enable safe, stable, and versatile task execution in complex, human-centric environments. This model acts like a "motor cortex," integrating signals from different control layers to manage voluntary movements and fine motor skills. It is implemented as a relatively small LSTM neural network with fewer than one million parameters, trained extensively in NVIDIA’s Isaac Sim physics simulator. Remarkably, the model transfers directly from simulation to the real world without additional training, allowing Digit to perform tasks such as walking, grasping, and manipulating heavy objects with high precision and robustness to disturbances. The model can be prompted using various inputs, including dense spatial objectives and large language models, enabling Digit to execute complex behaviors like grocery shopping demonstrated at NVIDIA’s GTC event. Agility Robotics aims to provide an intuitive interface for humanoid robots similar to fixed-base robots, where users specify desired end-effector poses and the robot autonomously positions itself accordingly.
roboticshumanoid-robotswhole-body-controlneural-networksAI-in-roboticsrobot-manipulationAgility-RoboticsWe are entering a golden age of robotics startups — and not just because of AI
The article highlights a significant shift in the robotics startup ecosystem, marking what many investors consider a "golden age" for the sector. Around 2015, early-stage robotics startups struggled to secure venture capital, as most funding favored mature software applications rather than hardware-focused robotics. However, over the past decade, the robotics market has matured substantially, driven by improvements in hardware and software that have become both more advanced and affordable. This maturation, coupled with growing investor interest, has led to a surge in funding—$6 billion poured into robotics startups in the first seven months of 2025 alone, with projections indicating funding will surpass 2024 levels, making robotics one of the few non-AI sectors experiencing such growth. The industry's momentum did not arise solely from recent AI advancements, though AI has played a role in enhancing robotic technologies. Instead, a pivotal moment was Amazon’s acquisition of Kiva Systems in 2013, which catalyzed a wave of robotics startups and attracted engineering talent to
roboticsrobotics-startupsventure-capitalAI-in-roboticsautomationrobotics-fundingrobotics-industry-trendsFrom 5 to 5M: Robotics experts share lessons from scaling deployments at RoboBusiness - The Robot Report
The article previews a panel discussion titled “Scaling Robot Deployments: from 5 to 5M” at RoboBusiness 2025, focusing on the challenges and lessons learned in expanding robotic operations from small-scale proofs of concept to large, global deployments. The panelists, all experienced robotics founders and executives, emphasize that scaling robotics requires more than just technical innovation; it demands operational efficiency, employee training, evolving workforce roles, and strong executive support. The discussion aims to provide candid insights into what strategies have proven effective, what obstacles remain, and how the robotics industry can build towards scalable automation. Panelists include Jordan Bryan (Bear Robotics), who has driven significant growth in active robots and locations through operational optimization; Saman Farid (Formic), who leads a robotics-as-a-service company helping manufacturers overcome labor and productivity challenges by removing barriers to automation adoption; and Florian Pestoni (InOrbit.AI), who develops AI-powered orchestration platforms to manage and scale robot operations globally. Also featured are
roboticsrobot-deploymentautomationrobotics-scalingrobotic-operationsAI-in-roboticsrobotics-industryChina experiences physical AI surge - and how the U.S. should respond - The Robot Report
The article highlights China's rapid surge in physical AI and industrial automation, underscored by the latest data from the International Federation of Robotics showing that China received 54% of the roughly 520,000 industrial robots installed worldwide in 2024. This contrasts with declines in robot shipments in the European Union, Japan, and the U.S. China has overtaken the U.S. in robot density, a key automation metric, reflecting its decisive push toward smart, connected manufacturing aimed at technological leadership and potential reshoring benefits. Supported by state policies and a robust domestic industrial ecosystem, China’s share of the industrial robot market has grown significantly, with local suppliers dominating collaborative and mobile robots. The country leads in sectors like electric vehicles, batteries, photovoltaics, drones, and autonomous driving, and Chinese industrial robots are notably more affordable than European or Japanese alternatives. China’s strong emphasis on STEM education has cultivated a deep talent pool, graduating far more science majors than the EU or U.S., and Chinese-origin scholars
robotsindustrial-automationChina-technologyhumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsmanufacturing-automationrobotics-industryHow robotics is transforming healthcare, inside and outside the operating room - The Robot Report
The article discusses how robotics is increasingly transforming healthcare both inside operating rooms and throughout hospital environments, addressing critical challenges such as workforce shortages and budget constraints. By 2030, a global shortage of at least 10 million healthcare workers is expected, with the U.S. facing a significant physician deficit by 2036. Hospitals, especially in rural areas, are also grappling with tighter budgets due to federal funding cuts. Robotics, including automated guided vehicles for logistics and advanced surgical robots, offers a way to alleviate these pressures by automating repetitive tasks and enhancing surgical capabilities. Surgical robotics is becoming more accessible as competition grows and costs decrease, with companies like SS Innovations, Medtronic, and others developing new systems that integrate AI and machine learning. Advances in telesurgery allow expert surgeons to remotely guide or take over procedures, expanding patient access to specialized care and enabling remote training through tele-proctoring. Beyond the operating room, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of logistics robots to reduce staff exposure
roboticshealthcare-roboticssurgical-robotstelesurgeryAI-in-roboticsmedical-technologyrobotic-surgery-systemsTop 10 robotics developments of August 2025 - The Robot Report
In August 2025, The Robot Report highlighted significant developments in the robotics industry, emphasizing both business dynamics and technological advancements. Robotics investments surged to over $4.35 billion in July 2025, driven primarily by the U.S. and China through 93 funding rounds. Key funding news included FORT Robotics securing an additional $18.9 million to enhance robotic safety and OpenMind raising $20 million to advance its OM1 operating system aimed at connecting intelligent machines globally. Teradyne Robotics reported $75 million in Q2 revenue, reflecting a 9% increase from the previous quarter despite a 17% year-over-year decline. On the innovation front, Boston Dynamics and TRI are leveraging large behavior models to train the Atlas humanoid robot for versatile task competence, including object manipulation and dynamic balance. University of Waterloo researchers are pioneering tiny robots designed to dissolve kidney stones, potentially transforming treatment for a condition affecting 12% of people. Unitree Robotics introduced the A2 quadruped robot
roboticshumanoid-robotsrobot-investmentsrobotic-safetymedical-robotsAI-in-roboticsautonomous-robotsThe startup journey, from prototype to production
In Episode 209 of The Robot Report Podcast, hosts Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman interview Bren Pierce, CEO and founder of Kinisi Robotics, focusing on the challenges and strategies involved in deploying autonomous robots in warehouse environments. The discussion highlights the complexities of navigating logistics, integrating robots with existing systems, and how industry leaders are innovating to enhance efficiency and automation in warehouse operations. This episode sheds light on the transformative impact robotics can have on supply chain and warehouse management. The episode also covers recent industry news, including Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute’s collaboration on developing large behavior models (LBMs) for the Atlas humanoid robot to enable it to perform complex, long-horizon manipulation tasks. Additionally, FieldAI announced a $405 million funding round to accelerate global growth and product development in locomotion and manipulation, leveraging their Field Foundation Models designed for embodied intelligence. The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in China showcased autonomous and manually controlled robots competing in various events, signaling growing interest and formalization
roboticsautonomous-robotswarehouse-automationhumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsBoston-DynamicsKinisi-RoboticsBoston Dynamics and TRI use large behavior models to train Atlas humanoid - The Robot Report
Boston Dynamics, in collaboration with Toyota Research Institute (TRI), is advancing the development of large behavior models (LBMs) to enhance the capabilities of its Atlas humanoid robot. Recognizing that humanoid robots must competently perform a wide range of tasks—from manipulating delicate objects to handling heavy items while maintaining balance and avoiding obstacles—Boston Dynamics is focusing on creating AI generalist robots. Their approach involves training end-to-end, language-conditioned policies that enable Atlas to execute complex, long-horizon manipulation tasks by leveraging its full-body mobility, including precise foot placement, crouching, and center-of-mass shifts. The development process involves four key steps: collecting embodied behavior data via teleoperation on both real hardware and simulations; processing and annotating this data for machine learning; training neural network policies across diverse tasks; and evaluating performance to guide further improvements. To maximize task coverage, Boston Dynamics employs a teleoperation system combining Atlas’ model predictive controller with a custom VR interface, enabling the robot to perform tasks
roboticshumanoid-robotsBoston-DynamicsAI-in-roboticsmachine-learningrobot-manipulationautomationBoston Dynamics’ humanoid robot handles annoying co-worker gracefully
Boston Dynamics, in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), has made significant advancements in its humanoid robot Atlas by developing a Large Behavior Model (LBM). This new system, trained on extensive datasets of human actions, enables Atlas to understand, generate, and adapt complex human behaviors in real-world settings without the need for laborious hand-coding. A recently released video demonstrates Atlas performing precise human-like tasks such as picking up and transferring objects, walking, crouching, and organizing items, albeit at a somewhat slow pace. Notably, the robot maintained focus and completed its tasks despite repeated disturbances from a human, showcasing improved robustness and adaptability. The integration of LBMs represents a paradigm shift in robotics, allowing new skills to be added quickly through human demonstrations rather than traditional programming. According to Boston Dynamics and TRI executives, this approach enhances generalization across long-horizon manipulation tasks and whole-body control, potentially transforming how robots operate in existing environments. The project, co-led by Scott Kuinders
roboticshumanoid-robotBoston-DynamicsAtlas-robotrobot-behavior-modelAI-in-roboticsrobot-manipulationInaugural World Humanoid Robot Games step into the spotlight - The Robot Report
The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games 2025 took place at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, featuring 280 teams from 16 countries competing in 487 contests across 26 events. The competition included races, mixed martial arts, soccer, and a warehouse material sorting challenge that tested robots’ embodied AI, perception, and problem-solving skills. While many robots were teleoperated rather than fully autonomous, the event showcased both commercial and experimental humanoid robots, with Unitree Robotics’ H1 humanoid winning multiple foot races and setting a new world record in the 1,500 m event. Notably, an autonomous robot was awarded first place in the 100 m sprint after applying a time-coefficient advantage for autonomy. A key outcome of the event was the creation of the World Humanoid Robot Sports Federation, which will govern future humanoid robot competitions. The games highlighted the current state of humanoid robotics, balancing teleoperation and autonomy, and emphasized real-world applications such as logistics and
robothumanoid-robotsrobotics-competitionautonomous-robotsteleoperated-robotsAI-in-roboticsrobot-sports-federationUnitree dominates inaugural humanoid robot games with four golds
At the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing, Unitree Robotics emerged as the dominant force, securing four gold medals in key track events including the 400m dash, 1,500m race, 100m hurdles, and the 4×100m relay. The Hangzhou-based company’s H1 humanoid robots showcased superior mechanical design powered by their proprietary M107 joint motor, enabling longer strides and stronger kicks. Unitree topped the overall medal table with 11 medals, highlighting its leadership in humanoid robot performance. Independent teams using Unitree’s G1 platform also earned multiple medals, demonstrating the versatility of its hardware. Other Chinese teams also performed strongly, with X-Humanoid (Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre) winning 10 medals, including golds in the 100m sprint and a materials handling contest. Their Tien Kung robot, notable for running autonomously without remote control, recently won a half-marathon against human runners and is being developed as
roboticshumanoid-robotsUnitree-Roboticsrobot-competitionsAI-in-roboticsrobotic-motorsautonomous-robotsAMR experts weigh in on global challenges and opportunities for the industry - The Robot Report
The article discusses the current state and future prospects of the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) industry, highlighting both challenges and opportunities. Despite a recent $800 million downward revision in market forecasts by Interact Analysis due to geopolitical, economic, and industry-specific issues, the demand for AMRs is expected to grow driven by global labor shortages. Experts from Ati Motors, InOrbit, and ABB Robotics emphasize that across various industries and regions, finding workers for repetitive, mundane tasks is increasingly difficult, a trend exacerbated by aging workforces and reduced immigration. This universal labor challenge is pushing companies to adopt AMRs beyond traditional, highly repetitive applications to a wider array of workflows. The integration of advanced AI technologies, particularly large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, is seen as a key enabler for scaling AMR deployments. These AI advancements simplify human-robot interaction by allowing robots to understand spoken instructions and gestures without specialized programming, and improve operational efficiency through continuous learning, predictive maintenance, and smarter
roboticsautonomous-mobile-robotsAMR-industrywarehouse-automationmanufacturing-automationAI-in-roboticslabor-shortage-solutionsBody, not brain: Why humanoid robots still fail outside the lab
The article "Body, not brain: Why humanoid robots still fail outside the lab" argues that despite advances in AI and impressive demonstrations by humanoid robots like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and Tesla’s Optimus, fundamental limitations in robot body design prevent these machines from performing robustly in real-world environments. Experts highlight that current robots have rigid, inflexible bodies with limited joints and sensor capabilities, which restrict their ability to move naturally and adapt to complex, unpredictable terrain. This results in high energy consumption, frequent breakdowns, and limited endurance compared to humans, who benefit from mechanically intelligent bodies that passively assist movement and adaptation. Hamed Rajabi, director of the Mechanical Intelligence Research Group, critiques the prevailing “brain-first” approach that relies heavily on software to compensate for mechanical shortcomings. He emphasizes that smarter bodies—featuring flexible, adaptive structures inspired by biological systems—are essential for improving robot performance. Mechanical intelligence, or morphological computation, allows natural organisms to perform complex physical tasks efficiently without extensive neural
roboticshumanoid-robotsmechanical-intelligencerobot-designenergy-efficiencyflexible-roboticsAI-in-roboticsChina reports 5% industrial robot installation growth as US, EU fall
In 2024, China’s industrial robot installations grew by 5% to approximately 290,000 units, capturing 54% of the global market, up from 51% in 2023. This growth occurred despite a global decline in robot installations, with Japan, the US, and the EU experiencing decreases of 7%, 9%, and 6% respectively. China’s surge is driven by its strategic push to upgrade manufacturing through automation, shifting from labor-intensive methods to technology-driven growth. In the first half of 2025, China’s industrial robot production rose 35.6% year-on-year, reaching nearly 370,000 units. The country also improved its global robot density ranking, moving to third place with 470 robots per 10,000 workers in 2023, up from ninth place in 2020. Beyond traditional sectors like electronics and automotive, China is expanding robot adoption into general industries, which accounted for 53% of installations in 202
industrial-robotsautomationmanufacturing-technologyrobotics-growthChina-robotics-marketAI-in-roboticsrobot-densityInsect-inspired drones get AI brains to race through tight spaces
Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed an innovative AI-based system that enables drone swarms to navigate complex, cluttered environments at high speeds without expensive hardware or human control. Unlike traditional modular drone navigation systems that separate tasks like mapping and obstacle detection—often leading to slow reactions and accumulated errors—the team created a compact, end-to-end neural network using differentiable physics. This approach allows the system to learn flight control directly through simulation and backpropagation, significantly improving learning speed and real-world performance. The drones rely on ultra-low-resolution 12x16 pixel depth cameras, inspired by insect compound eyes, to make real-time navigation decisions, achieving speeds up to 20 meters per second and a 90% success rate in cluttered spaces, outperforming previous methods. A key advantage of this system is its low cost and efficiency: the neural network runs on a $21 development board without requiring a graphics processing unit, making large-scale swarm deployment more accessible. The AI was trained entirely in simulation
roboticsdrone-technologyswarm-intelligenceartificial-intelligenceautonomous-navigationAI-in-roboticslightweight-AI-systemsRoboCupRescue: an interview with Adam Jacoff - Robohub
The RoboCupRescue League, now in its 25th year, is a key component of the international RoboCup competition focused on advancing autonomous robotic technologies for emergency responders. Co-founded by Adam Jacoff, the league develops and validates robots designed to perform hazardous search and rescue tasks, such as navigating compromised or collapsed structures, thereby enabling safer operations from a distance. Unique among RoboCup leagues, RoboCupRescue emphasizes realistic, chaotic arenas and uses twenty standardized test methods—developed in collaboration with emergency responders—to simulate complex, real-world challenges. These tests progressively increase in difficulty from flat terrains in preliminaries to slippery, obstacle-laden environments in the finals, pushing both autonomous and remotely operated robots to adapt and perform effectively. The league serves three main purposes: guiding research with practical, reproducible challenges that reflect actual emergency scenarios; providing an intense educational experience that helps recruit and advance engineers and computer scientists into robotics careers; and bridging the gap between research and commercial deployment of robotic technologies. By focusing
robotautonomous-robotsRoboCupRescuesearch-and-rescue-robotsemergency-response-technologyrobotics-competitionAI-in-roboticsTrends in supply chain robotics with John Santagate of infios
Episode 203 of The Robot Report Podcast features John Santagate, senior vice president of global robotics at Infios, who discusses key trends in supply chain robotics. Santagate highlights Infios’s recent rebranding from Körber Supply Chain Software and emphasizes the growing impact of automation and AI in warehousing. He shares insights from recent trade shows and addresses challenges such as tariffs affecting the industry. While acknowledging the potential of humanoid robots, Santagate believes the market is not yet ready for them and that these robots need to find clear, practical purposes within supply chain operations. He also stresses the importance of adapting to evolving technology and market conditions in supply chain management. The episode also covers broader industry news, including the bankruptcy filing and layoffs at Attabotics, a Calgary-based automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) company, which despite raising over $194 million and generating $50 million in revenue last year, faced significant losses. Additionally, Interact Analysis has downgraded its 2025 mobile robot
roboticssupply-chain-automationwarehouse-robotshumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsmobile-robotsrobotics-industry-trendsDiligent Robotics hires two notable Cruise alumni to its leadership team
Diligent Robotics, an Austin-based startup specializing in humanoid robots for healthcare settings, has strengthened its leadership team by hiring two former Cruise executives: Rashed Haq as chief technology officer and Todd Brugger as chief operating officer. Both bring extensive experience from Cruise, where Haq led AI and robotics efforts and Brugger served as COO. The company, co-founded by Andrea Thomaz and Vivian Chu in 2017, has deployed around 100 Moxi robots across more than 25 healthcare networks, assisting with non-patient-facing tasks in hospitals and pharmacies. Thomaz emphasized that these hires come at a pivotal moment as Diligent prepares to scale operations after a period of refining operational efficiencies. Haq and Brugger see Diligent as a natural progression from their work at Cruise, noting similarities between autonomous vehicles and mobile robots. Haq highlighted the “stickiness” of Diligent’s robots, which are integrated into daily workflows rather than generating transient “vibe revenue.” Brug
roboticshumanoid-robotshealthcare-robotsAI-in-roboticsautonomous-systemsrobotics-leadershiprobot-deploymentTop 10 robotics developments of June 2025 - The Robot Report
In June 2025, Automatica 2025 showcased significant robotics advancements, with The Robot Report highlighting the top 10 developments that captured industry and reader interest. Key product launches included Hexagon AB’s AEON humanoid robot designed to address labor shortages in industrial settings, and 1X Technologies’ Redwood AI model enhancing the autonomy of its NEO humanoid for household tasks. NEURA Robotics unveiled multiple innovations including the third generation of its 4NE1 humanoid, the MiPA cognitive robot, and the Neuraverse open robotics ecosystem, emphasizing cognitive and service robotics progress. Funding milestones marked the month as well, with Coco Robotics raising $80 million to expand its sidewalk delivery robot fleet and AI platform, and Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics achieving unicorn status with $125 million in Series D funding, doubling its valuation to $1.25 billion. Beewise secured $50 million to broaden access to its AI-powered BeeHome, a climate technology solution supporting pollination critical to global food crops.
roboticshumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsindustrial-robotsrobot-fundingautonomous-robotsrobot-applicationsAmazon deploys its one millionth robot, releases generative AI model
Amazon has reached a significant milestone by deploying its one millionth robot in its warehouses, with the latest unit delivered to a fulfillment center in Japan. This achievement highlights the company's rapid expansion of warehouse automation over the past 13 years, bringing the number of robots close to matching the number of human workers in its facilities. Currently, 75% of Amazon’s global deliveries involve robotic assistance, underscoring the integral role of automation in its logistics network. In addition to this milestone, Amazon unveiled a new generative AI model called DeepFleet, designed to optimize the coordination and routing of its warehouse robots. Developed using Amazon SageMaker and trained on proprietary warehouse data, DeepFleet is expected to boost the operational speed of the robotic fleet by 10%. Amazon has also advanced its robotic technology with models like the Vulcan robot, which features dual arms and tactile sensing capabilities to handle inventory more precisely. Furthermore, Amazon is expanding its robotic workforce with new fulfillment centers designed to house ten times more robots than current facilities
roboticswarehouse-automationAmazon-robotsAI-in-roboticsgenerative-AIrobotic-fleet-managementindustrial-robotsAmazon’s 1 millionth robot powers world’s biggest mobile bot army
Amazon has reached a significant milestone by deploying its one millionth robot in a fulfillment center in Japan, solidifying its status as the world’s largest operator of mobile robotic systems with over 300 facilities utilizing such technology globally. Since beginning its robotics development in 2012 with a focus on shelf transport, Amazon now operates a diverse fleet of robots tailored to specific logistical tasks, including the Hercules platform for heavy inventory handling, the Pegasus system for sorting and routing, and Proteus, the first fully autonomous mobile robot designed to safely operate alongside human workers. The company emphasizes that robotics complements rather than replaces its workforce, supported by extensive employee upskilling programs. A key innovation accompanying this milestone is DeepFleet, a generative AI foundation model developed using Amazon’s internal logistics data and AWS tools like SageMaker. DeepFleet acts as an intelligent control layer that dynamically manages thousands of autonomous robots within high-density fulfillment centers, optimizing their movement to reduce congestion, improve throughput, and lower energy consumption. By integrating warehouse navigation
roboticsautonomous-robotswarehouse-automationAI-in-roboticsmobile-robotsAmazon-roboticsrobotic-logisticsUS: Dublin city to add AI-powered safety robot to boost public safety
The city of Dublin, Ohio, is set to deploy an AI-powered autonomous safety robot named Dubbot, developed by California-based Knightscope, to enhance public safety. Dubbot, a K5 Autonomous Security Robot, is equipped with advanced technologies including LiDAR, sonar, GPS, microphones, 360-degree cameras, and AI-driven analysis for continuous monitoring and proactive threat detection. Scheduled to begin operation in summer 2025, Dubbot will patrol high-traffic areas such as Riverside Crossing Park, operating in 12-hour shifts and autonomously returning to charging docks. It provides real-time video feeds to police control rooms and features two-way emergency communication and broadcast alert capabilities. Dublin officials emphasize that Dubbot will complement, not replace, human police personnel by expanding patrol coverage and presence in public spaces. The robot is part of a broader two-year public safety strategy that includes drones, body-worn cameras, and traffic monitoring tools, aiming to evaluate the impact of autonomous technologies on safety. Residents were involved
robotautonomous-robotAI-powered-robotpublic-safety-robotKnightscope-K5security-technologyAI-in-roboticsVC reflects on robotics trade show season - The Robot Report
The article reflects on the vibrant robotics trade show season in the U.S. during May and June, focusing on major events like Automate and Xponential. The author, an industry insider with nearly a decade of experience attending these shows, notes the significant presence and evolution of robotics technology, particularly in cities like Detroit, which is poised for an industrial renaissance driven by automation. Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), emphasized that increased robot sales correlate with job growth, as robots enhance productivity, quality, and competitiveness, ultimately leading to better, safer, and higher-paying jobs. Automate, once a smaller segment of ProMat, has grown into a major standalone event attracting over 45,000 attendees, with plans to move to Chicago in 2026 due to its expansion. The trade show floor was fully occupied, showcasing cutting-edge robotics technology, including AI-infused 3D computer vision applications by companies like Cambrian Robotics. Cambrian’s demonstrations, such
roboticsautomationindustrial-robotsAI-in-roboticsmanufacturing-technologyrobot-trade-showsworkforce-automationChinese firm eases humanoid, legged robot development with new suite
EngineAI Robotics, a Shenzhen-based Chinese firm, has launched EngineAI RL Workspace, an open-source, modular reinforcement learning platform tailored specifically for legged robotics development. This comprehensive suite includes dual frameworks—a training code repository and a deployment code repository—that together provide an end-to-end solution from algorithm training to real-world application. The platform is designed to enhance development efficiency through reusable logic structures, a unified single-algorithm executor for both training and inference, and decoupled algorithms and environments that enable seamless iteration without interface changes. The EngineAI RL Workspace integrates the entire development pipeline with four core components: environment modules, algorithm engines, shared toolkits, and integration layers, each independently encapsulated to facilitate multi-person collaboration and reduce communication overhead. Additional features include dynamic recording systems for capturing training and inference videos, intelligent version management to maintain experiment consistency, and detailed user guides to support rapid onboarding. At CES 2025, EngineAI showcased humanoid robots like the SE01, a versatile 5.
roboticshumanoid-robotsreinforcement-learninglegged-robotsrobot-developmentAI-in-roboticsmodular-robotics-platformRoboBusiness 2025 call for speakers ends June 12
WTWH Media, the producer of The Robot Report and the Robotics Summit & Expo, has announced a call for speakers for RoboBusiness 2025, scheduled for October 15-16 in Santa Clara, California. Founded in 2004, RoboBusiness focuses on robotics technology development, investments, and business challenges. For 2025, the event introduces new tracks including the Physical AI Forum, which explores robot learning from sensor data and adaptation, and Humanoids, which centers on humanoid robot design and early applications. The Field Robotics track has been expanded to cover best practices for outdoor robot deployment. Other tracks include Enabling Technologies, Design & Development, and Business, addressing topics from motion control and software advances to investment strategies and startup scaling. Speaker proposals are due by June 12, and selected speakers will receive complimentary full conference passes for themselves and up to two guests. RoboBusiness is also hosting the Pitchfire Robotics Startup Competition for investors and emerging startups. The event will be co-located with DeviceTalks West, a leading medical technology industry event that includes surgical robotics and attracts professionals from healthcare and medical technology sectors. For inquiries about speaking, sponsorship, or exhibition opportunities, contacts are provided within the announcement.
robotroboticshumanoid-robotsfield-roboticsAI-in-roboticsrobotics-conferencerobotics-startup-competitionChina's humanoid robot with full embodied AI works at auto factory
China has deployed AlphaBot2, a general-purpose humanoid robot with full embodied AI, in an automotive factory operated by Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co. Developed by Shenzhen-based AI² Robotics, AlphaBot2 performs diverse tasks such as quality inspection, assembly, logistics, and maintenance. This deployment marks the first full-scenario validation of a domestically developed embodied AI model in China’s automotive sector. The robot leverages real factory data to continuously improve its spatial intelligence and learning capabilities through a feedback loop with AI² Robotics’ self-developed embodied large model, enhancing its efficiency, precision, and adaptability in complex, evolving manufacturing environments. AlphaBot2 is powered by the advanced GOVLA AI model, a Vision-Language-Action system built on the AI²R Brain platform, enabling near-human dexterity and full-body coordination with over 34 degrees of freedom. It features 360° spatial sensing, autonomous navigation, and a vertical working range of up to 240 cm, with over six hours of battery life for extended operations. The robot’s flexible manipulation and rapid adaptation reduce deployment time and support mixed-model automotive production lines, demonstrating significant advancements in intelligent manufacturing and factory automation in China.
robothumanoid-robotembodied-AIintelligent-manufacturingfactory-automationroboticsAI-in-roboticsHuman-like robot hands could soon rule factories with Nvidia tech
South Korean robotics firm Tesollo is advancing automation with its human-like robotic hands, aiming to replace manual labor across industries globally. The company recently joined Nvidia’s Inception Program, which provides startups with technical guidance, GPU optimization, business support, and global networking to accelerate innovation. Tesollo’s latest product, the DELTO Gripper 5-Finger (DG-5F), launched in March 2025, closely replicates the human hand’s structure with 20 independently controlled joints, enabling precise, complex movements and multiple grip modes such as pinch, power, and precision grips. The DG-5F also features optional high-precision fingertip sensors that provide force feedback and dynamic grip adjustments, making it suitable for tasks requiring delicate handling in environments designed for human workers. In addition to the DG-5F, Tesollo offers the DELTO Gripper 3-Finger (DG-3F), which boasts a modular design for easy maintenance and enhanced durability. Powered by a high-performance BLDC motor and equipped with high-strength steel gears, the DG-3F can withstand over 3 million operational cycles and deliver torque up to 2Nm. It supports multiple operational modes, including Parallel Mode for standard gripping and Smooth Mode for handling delicate objects, with features like target arrival recognition and post-grip position adjustment to improve precision. Both grippers are designed for diverse industrial applications, including automated assembly in smart factories and efficient object handling in logistics, positioning Tesollo’s technology as a significant step toward widespread robotic automation.
roboticsrobotic-handsNvidia-Inception-Programautomationhumanoid-robotsAI-in-roboticsindustrial-automationAutomate 2025: 5 ways cobots and AMRs top humanoid robots - The Robot Report
robotautomationcollaborative-robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-applicationsAI-in-roboticsmanufacturing-technology