Articles tagged with "robotics-engineering"
Luminar sale approved despite last-minute mystery bid
Just before a bankruptcy judge was set to approve the sale of Luminar’s lidar business, an unidentified party submitted a last-minute bid that significantly exceeded the leading $33 million offer from MicroVision. Despite the higher amount, Luminar’s leadership and legal teams found “infirmities” in the mysterious bid, which was reportedly from an “insider purchaser,” likely company founder Austin Russell. Russell had previously attempted to reacquire the company before its bankruptcy following his resignation as CEO. Ultimately, Luminar chose to proceed with MicroVision’s $33 million bid, and the judge approved the sale alongside the sale of Luminar’s semiconductor division to Quantum Computing Inc. These transactions are expected to close soon, marking the end of Luminar as a company. MicroVision’s CEO Glen DeVos expressed optimism about integrating Luminar’s lidar technology and engineering talent into his company, which previously lacked long-range sensing capabilities critical for automotive applications. MicroVision aims to leverage Luminar’s existing commercial relationships with automakers,
robotautonomous-vehicleslidar-technologyMicroVisionautomotive-sensorssemiconductorrobotics-engineeringBoston Dynamics' Aya Durbin on taking humanoid robots from labs to factories
Boston Dynamics is advancing humanoid robots from research prototypes to practical tools for industrial use, aiming to address physically demanding, repetitive tasks in US factories that conventional automation struggles to handle. Aya Durbin, product lead for humanoid applications, highlights the transition from the hydraulic Atlas robot designed for research to the new all-electric Atlas built for real-world factory environments. This new version emphasizes human-like capabilities—such as reaching high, lifting heavy objects, and maneuvering in cluttered spaces—while ensuring reliability, manufacturability, and supportability for scaled production. Durbin explains that beyond hardware improvements, significant software development was necessary to enable Atlas to operate autonomously in complex industrial settings. The robot must quickly learn to manipulate diverse objects, adapt to various equipment, and be easily taught new tasks. Additionally, a user-friendly software interface allows human operators to monitor progress and intervene when needed. While Boston Dynamics acknowledges the ongoing role of specialized robots, they see humanoids like Atlas as uniquely suited for versatile tasks such as
roboticshumanoid-robotsBoston-Dynamicsindustrial-automationelectric-robotsfactory-automationrobotics-engineeringAirless wheel can enable robust, reconfigurable two-wheel lunar rovers
Scientists led by Seong-Bin Lee at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a flexible, airless wheel designed for two-wheeled lunar rovers. This innovative wheel can expand from a compact 230mm diameter to a robust 500mm diameter without hinges, thanks to elastic steel strips arranged in a woven, crossed-helical pattern that evenly distribute weight and reduce wear. The wheel’s unique hub design allows two sides to rotate in opposite directions, enhancing adaptability and durability. In tests, a rover equipped with these wheels successfully traversed simulated lunar soil, climbed over obstacles, withstood a four-meter drop, endured fire exposure, and operated under extreme temperatures, demonstrating its resilience and operational efficiency. The development addresses key challenges in lunar exploration, particularly the need for reliable transportation over rocky, unstable terrain near natural shelters like caves and pits, which are crucial for future lunar bases. Unlike traditional heavy machinery, these reconfigurable wheels offer a safer, more adaptable solution for navigating difficult environments
robotlunar-roverairless-wheelspace-explorationrobotics-engineeringrover-technologyadaptive-materialsChina’s Xiaomi taps ex-Musk engineer to advance robot hand tech
China’s Xiaomi has hired Zach Lu Zeyu, a former senior robotics engineer from Elon Musk’s Tesla Optimus humanoid robot team, to lead the development of its dexterous robot hand technology. Lu’s expertise in dexterous grasping and tactile sensing—critical capabilities that enable robots to manipulate objects with human-like precision and sensitivity—signals Xiaomi’s strong commitment to advancing embodied AI and robotics. This move is part of Xiaomi’s broader strategy to become a major player in the global humanoid robotics market, following its initial ventures into electric vehicles and robotics prototypes such as a quadrupedal robot dog and a humanoid robot. Xiaomi’s recruitment drive includes over 200 robotics-related roles and recent hires like AI researcher Luo Fuli, underscoring its ambition to build a world-class robotics team. The company also released MiMo-Embodied, an open-source foundation model combining autonomous driving and embodied AI technologies. This expansion occurs amid a competitive U.S.-China race in humanoid robotics
roboticshumanoid-robotsdexterous-handtactile-sensingXiaomirobotics-engineeringembodied-AIPI releases H-815 hexapod robot for industrial applications - The Robot Report
PI Physik Instrumente L.P. (PI) has launched the H-815, a six-axis hexapod robot designed for continuous 24/7 industrial operation. This compact and robust parallel kinematic motion system offers high reliability, fast velocity (up to 20 mm/s), and ultra-precise movement with six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, pitch, roll, yaw). Engineered for applications in silicon photonics, semiconductor manufacturing, optics, metrology, automotive, electronics, and photonics, the H-815 features high-quality cardanic joints with Z-offset for superior stiffness and backlash-free operation, even in varied orientations. Its low-profile design (155 mm height, 222 mm baseplate diameter) supports a 10 kg load capacity, enabling integration into existing production lines. The H-815 uses ball-screw actuators with absolute-measuring encoders on all six axes, eliminating the need for referencing and reducing startup time while enhancing precision. It achieves
robotindustrial-automationhexapod-robotprecision-motionsemiconductor-manufacturingphotonicsrobotics-engineeringWorld’s first driverless race sees cars zip through at 155 mph
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) hosted the world’s first fully driverless car Grand Final at Yas Marina Circuit, marking a significant milestone in artificial intelligence and robotics. Six autonomous racecars competed, with Germany’s TUM team winning the championship after a fiercely contested 20-lap race against Italy’s Unimore team. Both teams pushed their cars to speeds exceeding 155 mph (250 km/h), engaging in a close battle that lasted over half the race. A pivotal moment occurred when Unimore collided with a slower car while attempting an overtake, allowing TUM to regain and maintain the lead to secure victory. Despite the crash, Unimore earned the Fastest Lap Award, highlighting their competitive pace. The event was celebrated by prominent UAE officials, including Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Faisal Al Bannai, who emphasized the race’s role as a convergence of engineering disciplines and a testbed for accelerating autonomous technologies. Al Bannai described A2
roboticsautonomous-vehiclesAIdriverless-carsautonomous-racingartificial-intelligencerobotics-engineeringUS firm's humanoid robots to transform shipyard operations
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has partnered with Houston-based robotics company Persona AI to introduce industrial-grade humanoid robots into shipyard operations. This collaboration aims to adapt Persona AI’s humanoid robots to perform a variety of shipyard tasks, leveraging their flexibility and mobility to operate effectively in complex and confined environments designed for human workers. The partnership will also focus on developing new ABS standards for data quality and types needed to support digital and remote survey techniques, which will guide future robot design and certification processes in the maritime industry. ABS and Persona AI’s joint efforts mark a significant milestone for shipbuilding, as they work to integrate emerging robotic technologies safely and reliably into shipyard workflows. Persona AI emphasizes that their humanoid robots are designed to work alongside human workers, enhancing safety and productivity rather than replacing personnel. These robots utilize advanced NASA robotic hand technology to achieve the dexterity required for skilled tasks in dynamic, unstructured environments. This innovation addresses critical workforce challenges in shipyards, where high attrition and
robothumanoid-robotsshipyard-automationrobotics-engineeringmaritime-industryindustrial-robotsrobotics-standardsCCTY highlighting humanoid motion control at RoboBusiness
CCTY, a specialist in robotic and humanoid bearings and linkages, will showcase its advanced motion control components at RoboBusiness 2025, held October 15-16 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. At Booth #616, attendees can explore CCTY’s miniature bushings, crossed roller bearings, rod ends, linkages, and spherical plain bearings, all designed to enable smooth, efficient humanoid motion through application-specific engineering. CCTY emphasizes how its products support roboticists in achieving superior motion control, highlighting the company’s engineering and production strengths. RoboBusiness 2025 is a major robotics industry event attracting over 2,000 professionals and featuring 100+ exhibitors, 50+ educational sessions, keynotes, and hands-on demos. The event focuses on the latest humanoid robotics advancements, physical AI, field robotics, and enabling technologies, alongside investment trends and business best practices. A dedicated humanoid track includes sessions on lessons from early humanoid deployments, mastering safety
robothumanoid-robotsmotion-controlrobotics-engineeringrobotic-bearingsrobotic-actuationRoboBusinessHow Elon Musk’s humanoid dream clashes with 100,000-year data reality
The article discusses the significant challenges facing Elon Musk’s vision of humanoid robots, emphasizing insights from UC Berkeley roboticist Ken Goldberg. Despite advances in large language models (LLMs) trained on vast internet text, robotics lags far behind due to a massive "100,000-year data gap" in the kind of rich, embodied data required for robots to achieve human-like dexterity and reliability. Simple human tasks such as picking up a glass or changing a light bulb involve complex perception and manipulation skills that robots currently cannot replicate. Attempts to use online videos or simulations to train robots fall short because these sources lack detailed 3D motion and force data essential for fine motor skills. Teleoperation generates data but only at a linear, slow rate compared to the exponential data fueling language models. Goldberg highlights a debate in robotics between relying solely on massive data collection versus traditional engineering approaches grounded in physics and explicit world modeling. He advocates a pragmatic middle ground: deploying robots with limited but reliable capabilities to collect real-world
roboticshumanoid-robotsmachine-learningdata-gapautomationrobotics-engineeringartificial-intelligenceMilan Kovac, Head Of Tesla Optimus Program, Departs - CleanTechnica
Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot program, announced his departure on June 6, 2025, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. Despite initial speculation about possible conflicts with Elon Musk, Kovac expressed strong support for Musk and confidence in the Tesla team’s ability to advance the Optimus project. Tesla confirmed that Ashok Elluswamy, head of the Autopilot team, will assume leadership of the Optimus program. Both Kovac and Musk exchanged respectful public statements, indicating an amicable transition without signs of urgency or internal strife. Elon Musk continues to position Optimus as a transformative product, claiming it could be Tesla’s most significant development ever, with a target price around $30,000. Musk envisions the robot performing everyday tasks such as folding clothes, walking dogs, and cleaning dishes, and he has publicly declared that autonomy and Optimus are Tesla’s long-term priorities. However, skepticism remains among observers and industry watchers, who note that Tesla’s promotional videos—like the one showing Optimus folding a shirt—are staged and that the robot is not yet capable of autonomous operation. Critics draw parallels to previous Tesla hype cycles, such as with Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, suggesting that Optimus may be similarly overpromised and years away from practical reality. Overall, while Kovac’s departure marks a leadership change, Tesla’s commitment to the Optimus project remains firm under Musk’s vision. Yet, the program faces scrutiny over its current capabilities versus public expectations, highlighting the challenges Tesla faces in delivering on its ambitious humanoid robot goals.
robotTesla-Optimushumanoid-robotautonomous-robotsAI-roboticspersonal-assistant-robotsrobotics-engineeringTesla’s Optimus robot VP is reportedly leaving the company
Milan Kovac, the vice president leading Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot program, is reportedly leaving the company, according to Bloomberg News. Kovac, who has been with Tesla for nearly a decade and previously worked as a top engineer on the Autopilot team, was appointed to lead the Optimus development in 2022 and became VP of the program in late 2024. He was responsible for driving the engineering teams behind both Optimus and the shared software infrastructure with Autopilot. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ambitious plans for the Optimus robot, projecting that “thousands” of units will be operating in Tesla factories by the end of 2025, with a rapid scale-up to millions of units per year as soon as possible. Following Kovac’s departure, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s vice president of AI software, will take over leadership of the Optimus project. This leadership change comes amid Tesla’s aggressive push to advance its humanoid robot technology and integrate it into its manufacturing operations.
robotTeslahumanoid-robotOptimusAI-softwarerobotics-engineeringautomation