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.
Elsight’s Halo, Its BLOS (Beyond Line-of-Sight) Connectivity Platform, Is Now Certified on the U.S. DCMA Blue UAS List, Enabling Faster...
Elsight's Halo beyond‑line‑of‑sight (BLOS) connectivity platform has been certified on the U.S. Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Blue UAS List, confirming it meets the department’s rigorous supply‑chain and cybersecurity standards. The certification lets U.S. military units procure Halo directly through the DCMA marketplace, bypassing the traditional, lengthy acquisition process. Halo’s multi‑link bonding aggregates cellular, satellite and peer‑to‑peer links to deliver resilient, high‑throughput data streams for UAVs and UGVs operating in contested electronic‑warfare environments. Inclusion positions Halo for broader deployment across the DoD’s Drone Dominance program and allied UAS initiatives.
The Newest Docent at This Historic Italian Palace Is a Robot
Turin’s historic Palazzo Madama has deployed R1, a four‑foot‑tall AI‑powered robot docent, to guide visitors through its Baroque collections. Developed by the Italian Institute of Technology under Project Convince, the robot runs on a two‑hour battery and uses cameras to...
The Hidden Ingredient Layer Behind Automated Food Processing
Food processors are discovering that the real driver of automation performance is not the robot arm or vision system, but the product’s formulation—moisture, texture, binders and coatings. Variations in these hidden ingredients cause clogs, broken pieces and quality rejects, even...
True Anomaly Raised $1 Billion to Build Weapons for a Programme the Pentagon Has Not Committed to Building
True Anomaly, a Colorado startup focused on autonomous spacecraft for orbital combat, closed a $650 million Series D round, bringing total capital raised to $1 billion and valuing the company at $2.2 billion. The funding arrived days after the U.S. Space Force named the...
Waymo in Portland
Waymo announced the start of manual‑driving operations in Portland, marking the first step toward a full autonomous ride‑hail service. The company is collaborating with city officials, state regulators, and community partners to forge a regulatory pathway. By manually piloting its...
FingerEye Bridges Touch and Vision to Improve Robot Handling Before and After Contact
Researchers at the National University of Singapore and RoboScience unveiled FingerEye, a compact vision‑tactile sensor that merges binocular RGB cameras with a compliant ring to deliver continuous perception before, during, and after contact. The sensor’s marker‑based pose estimation translates ring...
Waymo Begins Tests in Portland
Waymo announced the start of autonomous‑vehicle testing in Portland, Oregon, marking its presence in more than 20 U.S. cities. The initial phase still requires a safety driver behind the wheel, allowing the company to collect data in a region that...
Why Delivery Robots Are Becoming Essential in Modern Automation
Delivery robots are emerging as a pivotal bridge between AI‑driven digital systems and real‑world execution, extending automation beyond factories into logistics, healthcare, and retail. Their autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, and edge‑cloud integration enable cost‑effective, 24/7 last‑mile delivery, addressing labor shortages...
Untitled
Richtech Robotics announced that its flagship ADAM service robot has been installed at tm:rw, a high‑traffic tech store in Times Square. The robot now serves coffee and beverages to visitors, with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal receiving the first cup. ADAM...
Intramotev, Austria’s ÖBB Forge TugVolt Commercial Agreement
St. Louis‑based Intramotev has signed a commercial agreement with Austria’s ÖBB Rail Cargo Group to deploy its TugVolt autonomous battery‑electric freight railcar, marking the technology’s first regulated use case and first international rollout. ÖBB moves more than 1,000 freight trains...
EraDrive and Northrop Grumman Collaborate on AI-Enabled Autonomy
Silicon Valley startup EraDrive has signed a teaming agreement with Northrop Grumman to embed artificial‑intelligence into the autonomy stack of the defense contractor’s spacecraft. The partnership will demonstrate AI‑enabled rendezvous, proximity operations and onboard decision‑making, targeting pose estimation, GNC integration...
Tesla FSD Spots Illegal Pedestrian Crossing in Harsh Lighting
Even when it's dark and there are glaring lights, Tesla's FSD still sees the pedestrian crossing the street ... against the walk sign, and not even in the crosswalk, I might add.
Delta Drone Transforms to Fly and Roll Seamlessly
Delta: The Shape-Shifting #Drone That Flies and Rolls with Ease by @spaceandtech_ #EmergingTech #Engineering #Technology https://t.co/6HyCAQKvm5
Kakao Mobility Rolls Out South Korea’s First Level‑4 Robotaxi Service in Seoul
Kakao Mobility has launched a Level‑4 robotaxi service in Seoul, marking the first fully autonomous ride‑hailing operation in South Korea. The rollout is a cornerstone of the company’s “physical AI” strategy that links driverless vehicles, robotics and a cloud‑based platform....
GITAI's Centaur Robot Tackles Moon’s Harsh Terrain
GITAI’s Centaur-Like #Robot Is Built to Work on the Moon’s Harsh Terrain by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML https://t.co/1pzYzZDBkz
Axon Leads $10.4 M Funding for Ukrainian Drone Firm Buntar, Boosting U.S. Counter‑UAS Push
Axon has led a $10.4 million financing round for Ukraine’s Buntar Aerospace and backed drone‑autonomy firm The Fourth Law, signaling a rapid expansion of its counter‑UAS capabilities. The moves position Axon to import battlefield‑tested drone and anti‑drone technology into the United...
China’s Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot Skates, Spins, and Flips in New Demo
Unitree Robotics released a video of its G1 humanoid robot gliding on roller‑skates and ice‑skates, spinning on one leg and performing front flips while staying balanced. The G1’s hybrid chassis lets it switch instantly between legged walking, wheeled rolling and...
Mariana Minerals Starts Its Copper Mine
Mariana Minerals has restarted the Copper One mine in Utah, formerly known as Lisbon Valley, positioning it as an autonomous‑first copper producer. Backed by Silicon Valley capital, the project aims to leverage end‑to‑end automation to cut operating costs and boost...
Textron Debuts RIPSAW M1 Combat Robot at Marine Expo
Textron Systems and its Howe & Howe subsidiary unveiled the RIPSAW M1 unmanned ground vehicle at Modern Day Marine on April 28, 2026. The wheeled, all‑electric platform weighs 4,300 lb, can haul up to 2,000 lb of payload, and reaches 53 mph with a...
Are Your Agents Quietly Draining Your Budget?
Enterprises are rapidly scaling autonomous AI agents, with deployments doubling in 2025 as pilots move into production. Real‑world usage reveals cost spikes up to ten times the prototype budget, often driven by looping or misconfigured agents that can squander tens...
Apptronik Poaches Top Robot Talent Amid Growing War
The humanoid robot talent wars are heating up ... >> Apptronik Teases New Robot, Stacks C-Suite With Waymo, Boston Dynamics, Amazon Vets https://t.co/uPY9OnVW7O
American Rheinmetall Shows Next-Gen Squad Systems at Modern Day Marine
American Rheinmetall showcased its Mission Master Silent Partner Hotel (MMSP‑H) autonomous amphibious UGV and Marom Dolphin’s Wild Goose drone at the Modern Day Marine expo. The MMSP‑H can haul 2,200 lb on land and 880 lb afloat, holds NAVAIR certification and is...
Tesla Begins Probing Owners on FSD’s Navigation Errors with Small but Mighty Change
Tesla’s latest Full Self‑Driving update (v14.3.2, version 2026.2.9.9) replaces the generic “Other” option in the intervention menu with a dedicated “Navigation” label. The change lets owners directly report map‑related disengagements, giving Tesla cleaner data on routing and speed‑limit errors. Navigation...
Humanoid Robots May Be About to Break the 100-Metre Sprint Record
In April 2026, Chinese smartphone maker Honor unveiled a humanoid robot that eclipsed the human half‑marathon record, while robotics firm Unitree fielded a biped that ran the 100‑metre dash within a second of the world‑record pace. Both feats highlight rapid...
A Billion Miles in Less than a Decade: GM's Super Cruise Reaches a Milestone
General Motors’ Super Cruise hands‑free driver‑assist system has surpassed one billion driven miles across roughly 750,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada since its 2017 debut. Usage has doubled year‑over‑year, with 7.1 million hours logged and 485.9 million miles covered in 2025...
GM Hits 1 Billion Hands-Free Miles, Will Drop Google Gemini Into 4 Million Cars
General Motors announced that its Super Cruise driver‑assistance system has accumulated 1 billion hands‑free miles across a fleet of roughly 750,000 North American vehicles. The automaker expects paid subscriptions to exceed 850,000 by year‑end, with about 40% of users renewing after...
Cardboard Drones Are Now Part of Japan’s Military Arsenal
Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with Air Kamui, a startup that builds cardboard drones, after the Maritime Self‑Defense Force adopted the low‑cost platforms as aerial targets. The meeting underscores Tokyo’s ambition to become the world’s leading user of drones and...
Tesla Beats EPS but Misses Revenue; Stock Holds Near‑Term Levels
Tesla reported earnings that topped analysts' EPS expectations while revenue lagged, yet the stock barely moved. The high‑valuation EV maker leans on AI and robotaxi ambitions to sustain investor interest despite a 16% YTD decline.
Bubble Robotics Raises $5M to Deploy AI‑Infused Offshore Inspection Robots
Bubble Robotics, a startup founded by former NASA and ETH Zürich engineers, emerged from stealth in April 2026 with a $5 million pre‑seed round. The company will use AI‑infused autonomous robots to replace costly offshore vessels, aiming to cut inspection expenses...
Appetronix Acquires Salad Assembly Robotics Co Cibotica
Toronto‑based Appetronix has acquired Canadian robotics startup Cibotica, adding its ingredient‑dispensing platform to the company’s automated pizza kitchens. The deal, terms undisclosed, enables Appetronix to roll out new cuisine formats—Asian noodles, Mexican burrito bowls and coffee—by the end of the...
AtkinsRéalis and Oxford Robotics Institute Form Partnership to Develop Robots for Nuclear Work
AtkinsRéalis has teamed up with Oxford’s Robotics Institute to turn proven UK autonomous‑robot prototypes into commercial products for nuclear and energy sites. The collaboration will refine navigation, mapping and radiation‑hotspot detection systems in ORI’s labs before deploying them through AtkinsRéalis’s...
Honda's P2 Humanoid Robot Recognized as "Milestone" For Smooth Walking
Honda announced that its 1996 P2 humanoid robot has been awarded an IEEE Milestone plaque, recognizing its pioneering smooth bipedal walking on uneven surfaces and stairs. The honor, given to technologies at least 25 years old, underscores P2’s role as the...
How Autosteer Systems Are Becoming Smarter and More Connected
Autosteer retrofit systems are evolving from isolated steering aids into fully connected components of digital farming ecosystems. Manufacturers are prioritizing seamless data exchange between in‑cab displays and cloud‑based farm management platforms, eliminating USB‑stick transfers. New high‑performance displays serve as central...
Zoox Expands Autonomous Robotaxi Testing to Miami
Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous‑vehicle arm, has begun deploying its purpose‑built robotaxi on public roads in Austin, Texas, after a mid‑2024 mapping program that used retrofitted vehicles with safety drivers to train its AI. The initial phase targets key neighborhoods such as...
Textron Unveils Autonomous Ground Vehicle Designed for Marine Corps Littoral Units
Textron unveiled the RIPSAW M1 autonomous ground‑vehicle demonstrator at the Modern Day Marine conference, targeting the Marine Corps’ littoral units. The M1 uses a modular open‑systems architecture that can carry payloads ranging from reconnaissance sensors to counter‑UAS kits and loitering‑munition...
Waymo Says Blocking Bike Lanes Is 'Normal Practice'
Waymo has publicly acknowledged that its driverless taxis often pull into bike lanes to pick up or drop off passengers, describing the behavior as "normal practice." The admission follows a lawsuit filed by a San Francisco cyclist who was injured after...
From Detection to Suppression: Drones Join Fleet of Wildfire Fighting Aircraft
Wildfire activity in the western United States has already scorched over 1.8 million acres this year, prompting agencies to adopt advanced drone solutions. Companies such as EDM International and CAL FIRE use aerial imagery, GIS, and long‑endurance drones to monitor utility infrastructure...
PALFINGER Expands Into Robotic Construction with ICON Collaboration
PALFINGER, the Austrian crane and lifting‑equipment leader, has teamed up with U.S. robotic builder ICON to develop Titan, a 27‑foot (8.2 m) construction‑scale 3D‑printing robot. The partnership taps PALFINGER’s Special Lifting Solutions and heavy‑machinery expertise to provide the stability and precision...
Start with the Sensors, Then Design the Rest: How Zoox Built Its Robotaxi
Zoox, acquired by Amazon in 2020, is shifting from retrofitted test fleets to a purpose‑built robotaxi that debuted in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Austin. The vehicle’s design starts with sensors mounted on all four corners, giving unobstructed forward vision and enabling...
Pickle Robot - Using Celonis to Teach Robots the Language of Customer KPIs
Pickle Robot Company, a physical‑AI startup, has deployed autonomous truck‑unloading robots at major North American logistics firms. In February 2026 it partnered with Celonis and its parent LeafLabs to launch the Celonis Robotic Systems Intelligence Manager, which converts 100 GB of...
Tesla Beats Estimates and Unveils 'Terafab' Chip Strategy to Accelerate Autonomy
Tesla posted an adjusted $0.41 earnings per share, surpassing forecasts, and hinted at a new internal semiconductor venture called Terafab. Analysts see the move as a bid to tighten feedback loops for its autonomous‑driving stack, potentially reshaping the market for...
Texas Liquor Store Tests Robotic Fulfillment Tech
Goody‑Goody Liquor, a Dallas‑based family store, is piloting a robotic fulfillment system at its Greenville Avenue location. Shoppers scan QR codes on glass‑encased bottles, add items to a digital cart, and watch robots assemble orders on overhead screens. Staff deliver...
Why AI Agents Could Be the Missing Link Between Factory Automation and Real Results?
A new Eclipse Automation report finds that despite widespread robotics, most North American manufacturers are stuck on an automation plateau because their systems cannot coordinate in real time. The missing piece is autonomous AI agents that can perceive data, set...
D1 MAX: Unstoppable All‑Terrain Robot Redefines Mobility
Meet D1 MAX — The All-Terrain #Robot That Won’t Stop by @XRoboHub #Robotics #Innovation #EmergingTech #Technology #Tech https://t.co/e35M9Gz5mg
Book Review: ‘Project Maven,’ by Katrina Manson
‘Project Maven’ by Katrina Manson examines the Pentagon’s AI program that automates target selection and weapon deployment. The book reveals how AI now controls every stage of drone strikes, with human operators often deferring to algorithmic recommendations. It highlights the...
Chinese Robotaxi Companies Ramp International Plans
Chinese robotaxi leaders Pony AI and WeRide announced aggressive international expansion plans at the Beijing Auto Show. Pony AI unveiled a seventh‑generation vehicle priced below ¥230,000 (≈ $33,000), undercutting the entry‑level Tesla Model 3, and aims to ship 3,000 units globally by 2027. WeRide,...
TITA: Autonomous Robot Revolutionizes Terrain Assessment
TITA: An #Autonomous Terrain-Assessing #Robot by Direct Drive #Tech by @DirectDriveTech #Robotics #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/cI7gJ1FINN
Top 10 Physical AI Models Powering Real-World Robots in 2026
The article surveys the ten most influential physical AI models shaping robot deployment in 2026, from NVIDIA's GR00T N‑Series to Google DeepMind's Gemini Robotics and open‑source efforts like OpenVLA and Octo. Recent releases such as NVIDIA GR00T N1.7 and Gemini...
Antigravity’s Latest Drone Update Mixes DJI-Style Safety with a Feature I’ve Never Seen Before
Antigravity has released the U3 firmware update for its A1 360º drone, adding omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, voice‑controlled commands, a third‑person virtual cockpit view, and AI‑enhanced Auto Edit tools. The safety upgrades let the drone detect and navigate around obstacles from...
ADAS Calibration Systems Cost Up to $20,000: Why Sensor-Driven Windshield Repairs Are Reshaping the Automotive Aftermarket
Modern windshields now host cameras, radar and light sensors that feed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). When glass is replaced, even minute shifts can misalign these sensors, leading to degraded lane‑keeping, automatic emergency braking or traffic‑sign recognition. Recalibrating the sensors...