Today's Autonomy Pulse
DARPA seeks swarm‑capable robot medics for battlefield casualty care
DARPA has released a Small Business Innovation Research solicitation for autonomous, swarm‑capable robot medics that can drag wounded soldiers, administer lifesaving drugs, and assemble self‑forming tourniquets. The robots must be able to move casualties at least 10 meters, either singly or linked together, and demonstrate injury assessment, rough‑terrain mobility, and shape‑changing abilities.
XELA Robotics Upgrades uSkin Sensors with Metal Handling, High-Speed Communication
XELA Robotics announced two upgrades to its uSkin tactile sensor line: magnetic interference compensation and CAN FD support. The new compensation eliminates distortion from strong magnets, making the sensors viable for handling iron and other ferrous parts in factories. CAN FD raises data‑transfer rates to 8 Mbps, allowing up to 64‑byte frames and sustaining 500 Hz measurements across multiple sensor modules. The enhanced sensors are available for order now, with first deliveries in May 2026 and magnetic‑compensation units shipping in Q3 2026.
What Will It Take to Make AI-Enabled Robots Safer?
Researchers from Penn Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University and Oxford published a paper in Science Robotics warning that AI‑alignment work focused on chatbots does not protect physical robots. They demonstrate that jailbreak prompts can coerce AI‑driven robots into dangerous actions, such...
GM Trains Super Cruise on 100 Years of Driving Data for 2028 Eyes‑off Launch
General Motors said it is stress‑testing Super Cruise in a digital environment that simulates roughly 100 years of human driving every day, aiming to debut an eyes‑off Level 3 system on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. The move follows a billion miles...
China Invests $1 Billion in 8,500 Humanoid and Robot Dogs for Power‑Grid Automation
The State Grid Corporation of China has earmarked 6.8 billion yuan (≈$1 billion) to purchase 8,500 AI‑powered robots, including 5,000 robot dogs and thousands of humanoid and dual‑arm units, to inspect and maintain the nation’s ultra‑high‑voltage electricity network. The move signals the...
Robot OSCAR Brings Automation to Irrigation and Nutrient Application
Osiris Agriculture has launched OSCAR, a field robot that automates row‑crop irrigation and fertigation. The four‑wheel platform can deploy a 900‑metre polyethylene pipe and a 44‑metre foldable boom that delivers water at one‑metre intervals, covering about 40 hectares per week....
Beyond Visual Line of Sight: Shaping the UK Unmanned Aircraft Infrastructure
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has released a consultation on command‑and‑control (C2) link policy for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations classified under Specific Assurance and Integrity Levels (SAIL) 1‑3. The proposal leans on existing telecom standards—such as...
Sony's Robot Defeats Pros, Mastering Table Tennis Chaos
this robotics breakthrough just broke my brain. sony just built the 1st robot that beats professional table tennis players. so insane because table tennis is one of the HARDEST things you can ask a robot to do in the real world. > the...
How to Solve the SKU Changeover Bottleneck with a Self-Learning Vision System
High‑mix manufacturers struggle with vision systems that take hours or weeks to commission, causing many short‑run SKUs to go uninspected. Self‑learning vision platforms solve this bottleneck by building a normal‑operation baseline directly on the production line within minutes, eliminating manual...
Robotaxis Are Priced Like Software, but Scale Like Infrastructure
The robotaxi market is being priced as if autonomy were a pure software product, a view amplified by Tesla’s shift toward a “physical AI” narrative. Analysts link the company’s soaring valuation to future robotaxi and humanoid‑robot revenue rather than traditional...
Zipline Grows Texas Footprint as Drone Delivery Scales
Zipline is expanding its drone‑delivery network in Texas, adding new restaurant and retail partners in Rowlett east of Dallas. The service now reaches more than 25 locations across the Dallas‑Fort Worth metroplex, including parks, a university campus and the Rowlett...
AWS Quick's Personal Knowledge Graph Is Making Orchestration Decisions Most Control Planes Can't See
AWS Quick has expanded into a desktop‑native agent that continuously builds a personal knowledge graph from a user’s files, calendar, email and SaaS apps. Unlike session‑based chat copilots, Quick maintains state and can proactively trigger actions across local and cloud...
Epson Robots Expands SCARA Lineup with High-Payload LS50C
Epson Robots introduced the LS50C, its largest‑payload SCARA robot, delivering up to 50 kg payload and a 1 m reach in a compact chassis. The model incorporates SafeSense technology, which can reduce reliance on traditional safety guarding after proper risk assessment. Integrated...
Driving Lyft Into the Future
Lyft CEO David Risher announced that 2026 will be a transformational year as the company rolls out autonomous vehicles and pivots from a pure ride‑sharing app to a global hybrid transportation platform. The plan includes launching a self‑driving fleet in...
EDITOR’S PICKS: Presentation Highlights Ahead of This Year’s Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo
The Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo will run June 23‑25, 2026 in Stuttgart, featuring over 80 speakers. Highlights include Mercedes‑Benz presenting digital twins of European proving grounds to validate virtual tests, and Uber discussing revamped data pipelines for vision‑language models. Volkswagen...
Saildrone’s Largest USV Integrates Composite Wing, Multi-Mission Defense Capabilities
Saildrone unveiled Spectre, its largest unmanned surface vessel, measuring 52 meters, weighing 250 tonnes and capable of 30 knots. The USV features a 43‑meter composite wing, hybrid electric‑diesel propulsion and a modular deck that can host vertical launch systems, sonar arrays and electronic‑warfare...
Grocery Automation Is Back on Retailers’ Radar with Ocado CEO Tim Steiner | WRC 2026
In this WRC 2026 interview, Ocado CEO Tim Steiner explains how grocery fulfillment is diverging worldwide, with the UK dominated by scheduled delivery, France by pickup, and the US split between the two. He argues that large‑scale, centralized automation works...
WeRide and Lenovo Commit to Deploy 200,000 Level‑4 Robotaxis by 2031
WeRide and Lenovo sealed a partnership at Auto China 2026 to roll out 200,000 Level‑4 autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, over the next five years. The deal hinges on Lenovo’s HPC 3.0 compute platform, which slashes hardware costs by 50% and total...
Tesla FSD Improves Manual Turn Signal Navigation, Still Imperfect
It doesn't work all the time but Tesla's FSD is getting better at following manual turn signal input for navigational preferences. First, navigation wanted to go right on Roosevelt and I had it turn left. Second, it wanted to go straight...
Japanese Airports Trial Humanoid Robots for Baggage Handling Amid Labor Shortage
Japan Airlines and its partner GMO Internet Group have launched a trial of Chinese‑made Unitree and UBTECH humanoid robots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, starting in early May and running until 2028. The pilots aim to offset a deepening labor shortage...
Cleveland-Cliffs Partners with Palantir on AI-Driven Steelmaking
Cleveland‑Cliffs announced a three‑year partnership with Palantir Technologies to embed its AI platform into the company’s flat‑rolled steel production, planning, and order‑entry workflows. The AI integration aims to provide real‑time data coordination across the firm’s 32 North American sites, boosting...
Orca AI and SHI Team up on Next-Gen Autonomous Vessel Tech
Orca AI and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fuse SHI’s autonomous ship hardware with Orca AI’s AI‑driven maritime platform. The collaboration will embed SHI’s SVISION berthing assistance and autonomous speed control into Orca’s SeaPod...
HMMWV Builder AM General Debuts Combat-Ready Autonomous Vehicle
At Modern Day Marine 2024, AM General showcased its next‑generation unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) alongside the MIMIC‑V High Performance Truck. The UGV, built with partners Textron Systems, Carnegie Robotics and Moog, features a 250‑hp turbocharged 6.5‑liter engine and a modular...
Motorless Microscopic Robot Swims and Navigates via Physics
Scientists just built a robot smaller than the width of a human hair (!) It has no motor, no computer and no battery It's a 3D-printed, flexible chain of microscopic segments that, after being hit with an electric field, started swimming through...
Ultralightweight Sonar Plus AI Lets Tiny Drones Navigate Like Bats
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have created an ultralight ultrasound‑based perception system that lets tiny drones navigate using bat‑like echolocation. By pairing a bio‑inspired acoustic shield with a neural network called Saranga, the drones can filter out propeller noise and...
Korcomptenz Expands Agentic AI Capabilities to Power Autonomous ERP and CRM Workflows
Korcomptenz, a Microsoft‑focused transformation partner, announced expanded Agentic AI capabilities that embed autonomous agents directly into Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM workflows. The new offering moves AI beyond copilots and pilots, enabling agents to handle approvals, exception management, reconciliation,...
Eufy Omni E25 Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review: Strong Suction, Smart Mopping and Minimal Effort
The Eufy Omni E25 robot vacuum‑mop, launched last year, offers a high‑end all‑in‑one cleaning station at a relatively modest price point. It retails for £849 (about $1,080) and is currently on sale for £599 (≈$760). Featuring 20,000 Pa suction, a HydroJet...
Foreign Tier 1s in China: 18 Months Is Just the Baseline, Speed Has No Ceiling
Aumovi Group China announced that its 18‑month high‑performance‑computing development cycle, once a benchmark, is now a baseline as Chinese automakers demand 12‑18‑month model launches. To meet this pace, the company has shifted decision‑making authority to its China Management Committee, granting...
Richtech Robotics Inc. Now Available in the Microsoft Marketplace
Richtech Robotics Inc. (Nasdaq: RR) announced that its fleet of AI‑driven service robots and data services are now listed on the Microsoft Marketplace, allowing customers to deploy solutions directly through Azure. The move leverages the company’s work with Microsoft’s AI...
GFT Takes AI From Visual Inspection to Physical Action For Auto Manufacturers
GFT Technologies unveiled an AI‑powered robotic line that not only inspects automotive components but also physically removes defective parts from the assembly line. The system combines a camera‑equipped gripper, a marking robot, and a third arm that repositions or extracts...
Xpeng VLA 2.0 Test Drive: Tesla Is Not Alone with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Anymore
Xpeng rolled out its Vision‑Language‑Action (VLA) 2.0 autonomous driving system in March 2026 via OTA updates to the P7, G7 and X9 Ultra models. The end‑to‑end vision‑to‑action architecture, powered by a proprietary Turing AI chip delivering up to 2,250 TOPS, improves driving efficiency...
California Adopts Rules Allowing Testing And Deployment of Heavy-Duty AVs
The California Department of Motor Vehicles approved new regulations that lift the ban on autonomous vehicles over 10,001 pounds, allowing heavy‑duty driverless trucks to be tested and eventually deployed on state roads. Manufacturers must start testing with a safety driver,...
Royal Navy Receives First Sizable Uncrewed Vessel Fleet
The Royal Navy has taken delivery of 20 uncrewed vessels from UK firm Kraken under Project Beehive, marking the first sizable autonomous fleet for the service’s “Hybrid Navy.” The boats will support 47 Commando Royal Marines and were highlighted in...
Boomer's Blueprint: The Agentic Workforce Means Big Changes for CPA Firms
The ThoughtSpot 2026 report reveals a "latency crisis" in CPA firms, where 39% wait over 24 hours for a single insight and a quarter wait a week or more. Firms relying on a "dashboard factory" model are losing relevance as clients...
Opera Neon: Fully Autonomous AI Browser Handles Tasks Alone
Wow... Opera just built a browser that runs your computer for you. It's called Opera Neon. A fully autonomous AI agent that fills forms, replies to emails, organizes files, and does deep research while you sleep. No prompts. No babysitting. Just open...
Genki Robotics Accelerates Humanoid Integration with A16z, AMD Support
Genki #Robotics Aims to Fast-Track Humanoid Integration, Backed by a16z and AMD by @TheHumanoidHub #Robots #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #DeepLearning #ML https://t.co/OtGHhvtK9w
Nikon Begins Commercial Deployment of Its Next-Generation APDIS MV5X Laser Radar System Powered by Aeva
Nikon Metrology has started commercial shipments of its next‑generation APDIS MV5X Laser Radar, which incorporates Aeva’s Eve high‑precision sensor. The system delivers micron‑level accuracy, faster data acquisition and a compact footprint for automated inspection in automotive, aerospace and energy manufacturing....
Safety-First Approach Sets Industry Standard, Waymo Honored
Honored to see @Waymo once again recognized by @TIME. Solving full autonomy requires both prescience and patience. We’ve always believed in a safety-first, holistic approach, spending years ensuring it’s the non-negotiable foundation of our Driver. That approach is now defining...
Waymo May Target Cincinnati After Grayson Success
Grayson got this one right. Will Cincinnati be next for @Waymo? 👀 Autonomy Markets. Every Saturday.
Coco Robotics Unveils Largest Multi-Brand Campaign on Autonomous Miami Delivery Fleet Across F1 Window
Coco Robotics announced that more than 100 autonomous delivery robots in Miami are now wrapped with brand advertising, creating the largest multi‑brand out‑of‑home (OOH) campaign to coincide with the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. The seven participating brands—NVIDIA, Coca‑Cola, BYLT, Live...
Marines to Receive First MQ-58 Valkyrie Drones in 2029
First USMC MQ-58 Valkyrie CCA Drones To Arrive In 2029 The MQ-58 with conventional landing gear will mark the beginning of the Marines’ operational Collaborative Combat Aircraft journey, with other types likely to follow. https://t.co/Ohdxn0CtPI
From Human Habits to Scalable Autonomous Driving
I really enjoyed talking with @PJVogt for this recent Search Engine episode about the early days of the Google self-driving car project, the challenges in distilling the "hows" and "whys" of human-driving habits and the imperative for deploying autonomous vehicles...
Reflex Robotics Selects Manufacturo to Scale Robot Production With Built-In Traceability and Quality Control
Reflex Robotics, a New York‑based maker of low‑inertia humanoid robots, has partnered with Manufacturo to embed a cloud‑based manufacturing management platform into its production line. The solution creates a single system of record that captures as‑built history, tracks design revisions,...
Melody Robot Achieves Lifelike Presence with 39 DOF
Melody: Humanoid #Robot masters 39 degrees of freedom to achieve lifelike presence by Mrigakshi Dixit @IntEngineering Learn more: https://t.co/9jKh3PHJWA #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #Innovation https://t.co/PTwrGpdlX6
Titan Robot 3D‑prints Concrete Homes for Affordable Housing
Meet Titan: The #Robot That #3D-Prints Concrete Homes by @IntEngineering #3Dprinted #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/rvVM8Q2aV7
ARX Robotics, Supacat Collaborate on Robotic Mobility for Land Forces
ARX Robotics and UK‑based vehicle specialist Supacat have signed a memorandum of understanding to co‑develop autonomous and optionally crewed land systems for British and NATO forces. The deal pairs ARX’s uncrewed ground vehicles and Mithra AI software with Supacat’s high‑mobility...
Eka's Unconventional Path Yields Eerie New Robot Intelligence
A lot of companies are currently chasing a "ChatGPT moment for robotics". Eka, founded by @pulkitology and @haarnoja, is taking a different approach to most, and it has already produced an eerie new kind of robot intelligence. (My latest piece...
Optimus Could Soon Drive Any Car or Truck
A big 'what if' for Tesla Optimus humanoids: what if it can drive any car/truck?
Ukraine to Procure 25,000 Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Frontline Logistics by 2026
Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced a plan to purchase 25,000 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) by mid‑2026, targeting 100% robotic handling of frontline logistics. The move follows recent footage of a rescue robot evacuating a civilian in eastern Ukraine, underscoring the operational...
Tesla’s Cybercab Is Finally Real—But Is It Enough?
Tesla has begun production of its long‑awaited Cybercab, turning the robotaxi concept into a physical product. The move arrives just days after an earnings report that highlighted a slowdown in Tesla's core EV business and underscored its AI ambitions. While...
What to Expect at ITS America 2026: Tech, Cybersecurity and the Future of Transportation
The ITS America Conference & Expo returns to Detroit June 9‑12, 2026 under the “Empowering Innovation” theme. Organized by Rx Global and ITS America, the four‑day event will spotlight connected, automated and data‑driven transportation technologies. A dedicated Cybersecurity & Data Zone and...