Articles tagged with "autonomous-mobile-robots"
Ati Motors releases Sherpa Mecha dual-armed mobile manipulator for manufacturing - The Robot Report
Ati Motors has launched the Sherpa Mecha, a dual-armed mobile manipulator designed for manufacturing applications. Unlike robots that strictly mimic human form, Sherpa Mecha emphasizes high-performance functionality tailored to industrial needs, such as machine tending, heavy bin transport, and parts inspection. The robot integrates deeply into manufacturing ecosystems to enhance information flow, automation, and system integration. Developed with input from academic and industry partners and tested on active factory floors, Sherpa Mecha features a humanoid-inspired design with proven actuation systems and modular AI, ensuring reliable performance and easy integration with existing automation lines. Founded in 2017 and based in Rochester Hills, Minnesota, Ati Motors specializes in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with AI, serving sectors including automotive, aerospace, and electronics. The Sherpa Mecha was first introduced in July 2023 for collaborative innovation and is now commercially available. Ati Motors’ broader AMR portfolio includes various material movers such as the Sherpa XT Lite, Sherpa Lite
robotindustrial-automationmobile-manipulatormanufacturing-roboticsautonomous-mobile-robotsAI-roboticsdual-armed-robotABB Group to sell ABB Robotics to SoftBank for $5.375B - The Robot Report
ABB Group has announced the sale of its ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation division to SoftBank Group Corp. for $5.375 billion. The Zurich-based industrial automation giant had previously planned to spin off the unit due to declining orders and revenues from 2023 through early 2025. ABB Robotics generated $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024, accounting for about 7% of ABB’s total revenue, with an operational EBITDA margin of 12.1%. The division employs roughly 7,000 people and includes a product portfolio featuring the OmniCore controller, industrial automation solutions, robot arms, and autonomous mobile robots acquired through ASTI Mobile Robotics. ABB intends to use the proceeds from the sale according to its capital allocation principles while maintaining focus on its core electrification and automation strategies. SoftBank, which has a history of investments and ownership in robotics companies with mixed outcomes, views this acquisition as a strategic move to advance its vision of “physical AI” by combining ABB Robotics’
roboticsindustrial-automationABB-RoboticsSoftBankautonomous-mobile-robotsrobot-armsrobotics-investmentEdge-to-cloud robotics: eInfochips teams up with InOrbit - The Robot Report
eInfochips, an Arrow Electronics company specializing in product engineering and digital transformation, has formed a strategic partnership with InOrbit, a provider of AI-powered robot orchestration. This collaboration aims to deliver scalable, optimized edge-to-cloud robotics solutions for industries requiring large-scale autonomous mobile robot (AMR) deployments, such as warehouses, factories, and industrial hubs. Leveraging eInfochips’ Robotics Center of Excellence, the partnership will support the entire robotics stack—from hardware design and sensor fusion to edge AI and digital twins—while InOrbit’s Space Intelligence platform will provide tools for real-time fleet management, incident response, multi-vehicle orchestration, and continuous performance optimization. The integrated offering is designed to simplify and accelerate the deployment of AMR fleets, enabling businesses to automate repetitive tasks like material handling and sorting with greater flexibility and operational scale. eInfochips brings extensive expertise in AI, hardware integration, and partnerships with platform providers like NVIDIA and Qualcomm, while InOrbit contributes its experience in managing thousands of robots
roboticsedge-computingautonomous-mobile-robotsAIIoTcloud-roboticsindustrial-automationCaPow Genesis power-in-motion tech receives CE Mark for European market - The Robot Report
CaPow Technologies Ltd., an Israeli company specializing in wireless power delivery for mobile robots, has received CE certification for its Genesis power-in-motion technology, enabling its entry into the European market. The CE Mark confirms compliance with the EU’s health, safety, and environmental standards. The Genesis platform provides wireless charging to automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) as they operate, eliminating downtime and ensuring continuous throughput. CaPow emphasizes its robot-agnostic, modular system that integrates easily into existing factory and warehouse infrastructures, minimizing installation time and operational disruptions. The technology has proven commercially successful in the U.S., with clients such as Hyundai Glovis benefiting from improved productivity and guaranteed 100% fleet uptime. CaPow highlights that wireless charging reduces the need for large robot fleets by up to 30%, cuts hazardous battery storage requirements, saves space, lowers carbon emissions, and supports scalable automation deployments. With CE certification, CaPow aims to expand its footprint across the European Economic Area and
robotenergywireless-chargingautomated-guided-vehiclesautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-automationCE-certificationRobots cut 30% travel time using human-like memory in smart factories
Researchers at South Korea’s Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) have developed a new “Physical AI” technology that enhances the navigation efficiency of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in environments such as logistics centers and smart factories. This technology mimics human-like memory by modeling the social phenomenon of spreading and forgetting information, enabling robots to distinguish between relevant, real-time obstacles and outdated, unnecessary data. By forgetting obsolete information—such as obstacles that have been cleared—the robots avoid unnecessary detours, improving movement efficiency and productivity in complex, dynamic settings. Testing in a simulated logistics center demonstrated significant performance improvements, with average travel times reduced by up to 30.1% and task throughput increased by 18.0% compared to conventional ROS 2 navigation systems. The technology requires only 2D LiDAR sensors, making it cost-effective and easy to integrate as a plugin into existing ROS 2 navigation stacks without hardware modifications. Beyond industrial applications, this approach holds promise
robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsphysical-AIsmart-factorieslogistics-automationrobot-navigationcollective-intelligence-algorithmABB Robotics adds generative AI assistant to RobotStudio Suite - The Robot Report
ABB Robotics has integrated a generative AI assistant into its RobotStudio Suite to enhance robot programming by providing real-time, step-by-step guidance. This AI Assistant leverages a large language model (LLM) that interprets human language and draws from ABB’s extensive manuals and documentation to deliver context-rich responses. The feature aims to make robot programming faster, easier, and more accessible, particularly benefiting less experienced users and helping experts address technical challenges more efficiently. ABB emphasizes that this addition addresses the growing demand for AI in robotics driven by the need for greater flexibility, faster commissioning, and a shortage of specialist programming skills. By improving accessibility, ABB hopes to support smaller businesses and emerging sectors that often lack robotic automation expertise. The AI Assistant is integrated into RobotStudio’s cloud-hosted offline programming environment, serving as an effective training tool for students and early-career professionals. RobotStudio itself is a collaborative robot programming and simulation platform with features like automatic path planning to optimize productivity and reduce energy use. The AI Assistant
roboticsgenerative-AIrobot-programmingindustrial-robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsautomationAI-assistantRethink Robotics shuts down -- again
Rethink Robotics, a pioneer in collaborative robots (cobots), has shut down for the second time. Originally founded in 2008 as Heartland Robotics by Rodney Brooks and Ann Whittaker, the company rebranded as Rethink Robotics in 2012 and gained attention with its Baxter and Sawyer cobots. Despite raising $150 million, the company struggled with issues related to precision and repeatability due to its use of series elastic actuators. After declaring bankruptcy in 2018, Rethink was acquired by Germany’s HAHN Group, which aimed to improve the technology. However, by 2024, after being relaunched under the United Robotics Group (URG) and returning to the U.S., Rethink faced new challenges with its latest products—Reacher robot arms, Ryder autonomous mobile robots, and Riser mobile manipulators—that were not market-ready, leading to poor sales. The financial difficulties culminated when URG’s investors withdrew funding, forcing
roboticscollaborative-robotscobotsautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-automationrobotics-startupsRethink-RoboticsUjjwal Kumar steps down as president of Teradyne Robotics - The Robot Report
Ujjwal Kumar has stepped down as president of Teradyne Robotics Group, announcing his departure on LinkedIn while committing to remain with the company through September 2025 to assist in the transition to his successor, Jean-Pierre Hathout. During his tenure of over two years, Kumar helped expand the product and customer portfolios of Universal Robots (UR) and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), promoted Physical AI, and supported customer transformation efforts. Kumar did not disclose his next career move but expressed continued interest in business transformation, Physical AI, Industry 5.0, and automation. Teradyne Robotics, which includes UR (a leader in collaborative robot arms) and MiR (an autonomous mobile robot developer), has faced challenges recently, including a 17% year-over-year revenue decline in Q2 2025 and a workforce reduction of about 10% earlier in the year to better align with market conditions. Leadership changes at both UR and MiR aim to sharpen strategic focus and improve execution.
roboticscollaborative-robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsTeradyne-Roboticsindustry-5.0automationphysical-AIRealSense deepens NVIDIA ties with new D555 depth camera
RealSense, now an independent company, is strengthening its collaboration with NVIDIA, a partnership previously limited due to RealSense’s former ownership by Intel. This collaboration centers on the new RealSense D555 depth camera, which features the v5 Vision Processor with on-chip Power over Ethernet, a global shutter, integrated IMU, and native ROS 2 support. The D555 enables direct streaming into NVIDIA’s Holoscan platform for ultra-low-latency sensor fusion and real-time computing, enhancing obstacle avoidance, safe human-robot interaction, and navigation for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and humanoids. The integration leverages NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor platform, powered by the Blackwell GPU architecture, delivering up to 2070 teraflops of AI performance with significantly improved energy efficiency compared to its predecessor, Jetson Orin. This allows robotics developers to run large-scale generative AI models and advanced perception pipelines at the edge. The partnership offers three main benefits: accelerated simulation-to-deployment
roboticsdepth-cameraNVIDIA-JetsonAI-perceptionsensor-fusionautonomous-mobile-robotsreal-time-computeRobotics investments top $4.3B in July 2025
In July 2025, the robotics sector saw robust investment activity, with a total of at least $4.35 billion raised across 93 funding rounds globally. The United States and China were the leading contributors, securing approximately $1.8 billion and just over $1 billion respectively. Israel also made a notable impact with $825 million, primarily due to a post-IPO secondary round by autonomous vehicle developer Mobileye. A significant milestone was achieved when Geekplus, a Chinese company specializing in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for logistics, became the first warehouse AMR robotics firm to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising $281 million through its IPO. Investment interest was diverse, with aerial drones and drone-related services leading the number of individual rounds at 13. Other sectors attracting significant funding included humanoid robots, manufacturing robots, maritime robots, medical robots, sensors, and robotics software. The month also featured at least eight acquisitions, highlighted by Zimmer Biomet’s purchase of Mon
roboticsautonomous-mobile-robotsdrone-technologyrobotics-investmentsmanufacturing-robotsmedical-robotsrobotics-startupsAMR 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-solutionsAutomated Warehouse Week to help navigate transformative technologies - The Robot Report
Automated Warehouse Week is a free, virtual webinar series designed to help professionals across industries navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of warehouse automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Targeting a broad audience including robotics end users, suppliers, integrators, and developers, the event addresses challenges such as labor shortages, competitive pressures, and throughput demands in fulfillment and distribution centers. Attendees from retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and third-party logistics sectors will gain insights into deploying systems like autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and throughput. Scheduled for September 8-12, 2025, the sessions cover key topics including the current state of warehouse automation, strategies for modernizing fulfillment without operational disruption, evaluating automation investments to ensure ROI, and exploring advanced technologies like mobile manipulation and humanoid robots. Industry experts from companies such as Hai Robotics, Zebra Robotics Automation, and Novanta will share their knowledge, with Automated Warehouse editors Eugene Demaitre and
roboticswarehouse-automationautonomous-mobile-robotsAI-in-logisticsautomated-storage-and-retrieval-systemshumanoid-robotssupply-chain-technologyDigiKey, onsemi discuss the intersection of robotics and physical AI - The Robot Report
DigiKey and onsemi recently explored how advancements in sensing technologies and physical AI are driving the evolution of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which have the potential to transform industrial and commercial sectors. AMRs utilize a variety of sensors—including lidar, cameras, ultrasonic detectors, and radar—to enhance safety, improve productivity, and navigate complex environments. Similar to self-driving vehicles, AMRs employ technologies such as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to create real-time maps and localize themselves, enabling them to operate beyond controlled indoor settings into more unpredictable outdoor environments. These developments are supported by improvements in sensor integration, edge computing, and AI, which collectively make AMRs more autonomous, adaptive, and capable of performing a wider range of tasks safely alongside humans. The discussion also highlighted the shift in communication protocols within AMRs, moving from traditional CAN (Controller Area Network) to the newer 10BASE-T1S Ethernet-based protocol, led by onsemi. This protocol offers higher data rates (10 Mbps
roboticsautonomous-mobile-robotsphysical-AIsensorsindustrial-robotsedge-computingAI-integrationTeradyne Robotics generates $75M in Q2
Teradyne Robotics, encompassing Universal Robots (UR) and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), reported $75 million in revenue for Q2 2025, marking a 9% increase from Q1 but a 17% decline compared to the same quarter in 2024. Universal Robots remained the dominant contributor with $63 million (84% of the group’s revenue), while MiR generated $12 million. The year-over-year decline reflects ongoing challenges in the global automation market, including extended sales cycles and cautious capital spending in manufacturing sectors. Despite these headwinds, a structural reorganization consolidating UR and MiR’s sales, marketing, and service teams in early 2025 helped drive quarter-on-quarter growth and improved operational efficiency. Looking ahead, Teradyne Robotics secured a significant, undisclosed deal expected to be a major growth driver in 2026 and plans to open a U.S.-based manufacturing facility to better serve regional customers. The company also continues to invest in international markets
roboticscollaborative-robotsTeradyne-RoboticsUniversal-Robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-automationrobot-market-trendsAfter Intel exit, RealSense maps its own future in 3D vision
RealSense, a company specializing in 3D depth cameras for robotics, has officially spun out from Intel Corp. as an independent entity, backed by $50 million in funding from Intel Capital and MediaTek Innovation Fund. This move follows a period of uncertainty after Intel initially announced winding down RealSense in 2021 but later reversed course. The new RealSense company has 130 employees, mostly former Intel staff who received stock options to incentivize retention and attract talent. CEO Nadav Orbach, a long-time Intel veteran, positions RealSense as a nimble startup focused on providing advanced vision tools that enable robots to better understand and navigate their environments. RealSense’s technology is already embedded in thousands of robots, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), robot arms, and humanoids, with a customer base exceeding 3,000 and partnerships covering 60% of AMR and humanoid developers. The company is intensifying its focus on software, particularly in visual SLAM for navigation and
robotics3D-visiondepth-camerasautonomous-mobile-robotsvisual-SLAMedge-AIRealSenseAmazon launches new AI foundation model, deploys 1 millionth robot - The Robot Report
Amazon has reached a significant milestone by deploying its 1 millionth robot across its global fulfillment network, solidifying its position as the world’s largest operator and manufacturer of industrial mobile robots. This achievement builds on a robotics journey that began with the acquisition of Kiva Systems in 2012 and has since evolved to include advanced autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) like Proteus, Hercules, Pegasus, and Titan, capable of handling various inventory weights and tasks with precision navigation and safety around employees. Alongside this milestone, Amazon introduced DeepFleet, a generative AI foundation model designed to optimize the coordination and movement of its robotic fleet. DeepFleet acts like an intelligent traffic management system, improving robot travel times by 10%, reducing congestion, and enabling faster, more cost-effective package deliveries. This AI leverages Amazon’s extensive inventory data and AWS tools to enhance operational efficiency while supporting the company’s processing of billions of orders annually. Despite the increasing automation, Amazon emphasizes its commitment to workforce development, retraining
robotartificial-intelligenceautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-automationAmazon-RoboticsAI-foundation-modelwarehouse-automationComau launches mobile robots, cobots, and exoskeletons at Automatica - The Robot Report
Comau S.p.A. introduced its new MyMR family of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at Automatica 2025 in Munich, marking its entry into the rapidly growing intralogistics automation market. The MyMR line features three models with payload capacities of 300, 500, and 1,500 kg, designed to address challenges such as labor shortages, material handling inefficiencies, and safety concerns across manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics environments. These AMRs offer advanced capabilities including intelligent fleet management, real-time obstacle avoidance, dynamic adaptation to layout changes without requiring fixed infrastructure, and the ability to convert between AMR and automated guided vehicle (AGV) modes, enhancing operational flexibility and uptime. In addition to the MyMR AMRs, Comau unveiled the MyCo family of collaborative robots (cobots), comprising six models with payloads from 3 to 15 kg and reach between 590 and 1,300 mm. These cobots are designed for versatile applications
robotautonomous-mobile-robotscobotsindustrial-automationintralogisticswarehouse-automationhuman-machine-collaborationDigital Teammate from Badger Technologies uses multipurpose robots - The Robot Report
Badger Technologies LLC recently launched its Digital Teammate platform, featuring autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) designed to work collaboratively with retail store associates to enhance productivity and operational efficiency. These multipurpose robots integrate computer vision and artificial intelligence to assist employees by automating tasks such as hazard detection, inventory monitoring, price accuracy, planogram compliance, and security. The platform aims to complement rather than replace human workers, providing critical data that improves store operations and customer shopping experiences. Badger emphasizes that the robots act as digital teammates, extending staff capabilities and enabling more meaningful human interactions. The Digital Teammate platform combines hardware and software, including RFID detection and retail media network advertising, to augment existing retail systems and data analytics. A mobile app delivers prioritized tasks and insights to all levels of retail staff, from floor associates to executives, facilitating data-driven decision-making without requiring users to become analysts. The robots help retailers "triangulate" data by comparing expected inventory with actual shelf conditions and support a persona-based
robotautonomous-mobile-robotsretail-automationartificial-intelligencecomputer-visioninventory-managementRFID-technologyABB Robotics launches large industrial robots, heavy duty AMR at Automatica - The Robot Report
ABB Robotics has expanded its industrial robot portfolio with the introduction of new high-performance models, including the IRB 670S, IRB 6730S, IRB 6750S shelf-mounted robots, and the IRB 6760 press-tending robot. These robots are designed to enhance production density and flexibility, with payload capacities up to 350 kg and advanced motion capabilities suitable for industries such as automotive, foundry, construction, and general manufacturing. Powered by ABB’s OmniCore controllers, these robots offer up to 20% energy savings and improved precision, with path accuracy down to 0.9 mm. ABB highlighted that these next-generation robots can collaborate to optimize plant productivity, such as increasing spot welds on car bodies by integrating shelf-mounted and floor-mounted units. In addition to the new robots, ABB introduced the Flexley Mover P603, a compact autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of handling heavy payloads up to 1,500 kg. This AM
roboticsindustrial-robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsABB-Roboticsautomationmanufacturing-technologyenergy-efficiencyHumanoid robots could soon build Nvidia chips at US Foxconn facility
Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn is collaborating with Nvidia to develop humanoid robots intended for deployment at a new Foxconn facility in Houston, Texas. The plan, still under negotiation but expected to be finalized soon, aims to use these robots to assist in the production of Nvidia’s upcoming GB300 AI servers. If realized, this would mark the first time Nvidia products are developed with humanoid robot assistance. The Houston factory was chosen due to its new construction and ample space, facilitating the integration of advanced robotics to potentially increase production speed and reduce manufacturing costs. Foxconn is developing two types of humanoid robots, one with legs and another with a wheeled autonomous mobile robot (AMR) base, the latter being a more cost-effective option. These robots are expected to be operational by early next year, coinciding with the start of GB300 server production. This initiative aligns with broader industry trends, as companies like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have also tested humanoid robots on their production lines. Nvidia recently
humanoid-robotsNvidiaFoxconnAI-serversrobotics-manufacturingautonomous-mobile-robotsrobot-foundation-modelIndustry experts share their outlook on the future of AMRs - The Robot Report
robotAMRautonomous-mobile-robotsroboticsAIwarehouse-automationmulti-vendor-solutionsAutomate 2025: 5 ways cobots and AMRs top humanoid robots - The Robot Report
robotautomationcollaborative-robotsautonomous-mobile-robotsindustrial-applicationsAI-in-roboticsmanufacturing-technologySonair debuts ADAR, a 3D ultrasonic sensor for autonomous mobile robots
robotautonomous-mobile-robotssensor-technologysafetyhuman-robot-collaboration3D-sensingADAR