Today's Robotics Pulse
Chinese startup Spirit AI tops global AI robot leaderboard, beating Nvidia
Spirit AI’s embodied intelligence model, Spirit v1.6, achieved a score of 1,924 on the RoboArena benchmark, surpassing Nvidia’s Cosmos3‑Nano‑Policy. The company also disclosed a ¥1.5 billion (≈$222 million) funding round to accelerate its robotics AI platform.
Also developing:
By the numbers: OneRobotics acquires Nanoleaf for $40M
EACON Auto BEV Fleet Delivers Cost & Emissions Reduction for Shougang
EACON’s autonomous battery‑electric haul trucks have been operating at Shougang Group’s Shuichang iron‑ore mine for a year, logging over 350,000 km and moving more than 11 million tonnes of material. The fleet’s regenerative‑braking system recovered 386,000 kWh of energy, equating to roughly 185 tonnes of CO₂ avoided. Mechanical‑brake usage fell 70%, brake‑pad life rose over 300%, and the operation saved about US$2.2 million annually in fuel and labour costs. Encouraged by these results, Shougang is extending the technology to its Dashihe project, creating a combined fleet of over 40 autonomous BEVs.
Carbon Fibers Bend and Straighten Under Electric Control
Researchers at the Polish Academy of Sciences have demonstrated that bare carbon fibers can be reversibly bent and straightened using electric fields in a closed bipolar electrochemical cell. The actuation relies on asymmetric ion insertion and redox reactions at the...
First Chinese Orthopaedic Surgical Robot Trialled at Chengdu
Yuanhua Tech’s HX Orthopaedic‑specific Robotic Arm has been clinically validated at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, marking the first domestically developed orthopaedic surgical robot in China. The system demonstrated zero‑lag, zero‑error performance and incorporates high‑precision zero‑gravity compensation, compliant control,...
Controlled Drives Are Redefining Industrial Automation Standards
🚀 Motion Control is becoming a key technology in industry. And many underestimate how fast things are changing. In my new video, Omar and I discuss why controlled drive systems are dominating more and more applications. ⚙️ Why traditional contactor...
Robotic Microfactory Prints Full-Scale Ship without Dockyard
Shipbuilding normally needs shipyards. This boat came out of a microfactory. Printed by robots. A full-scale vessel made inside an AI-driven facility, not a dockyard. Forget molds, heavy tooling, and offshore fabrication: Just a digital file → robotic print →...
Former Sales Chief at Drone Giant DJI Detained in Bribery Investigation
Former DJI sales vice‑president Yuan was detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of accepting large bribes. The investigation, reported by Jiemian News, alleges "huge amounts of illicit gains" during his 2019‑2024 tenure overseeing global sales. This follows DJI’s 2019 internal...
SAC Simplifies Quadruped Gait Tuning over PPO
In a world of PPO everything for reinforcement learning, I've been tinkering with SAC for training a quadruped gait. This gait is trained purely on CPU (training on one of the Dell GB10s) on a single environment. Training any particular run...
Instant Tech Measures Figure Skaters' Jumps at Olympics
Noticed anything different at this year’s Olympics figure skating judging? New tech tools are allowing instantaneous measurement of athletes’ jump heights, air times, and landing speeds. https://spectrum.ieee.org/winter-olympics-2026-tech
Flickstop
On February 15, 2026, a blog post announced the first deployment of the Toumai robotic surgery system at Orsi Academy. The post features an image of a surgeon in blue scrubs operating the robot from a console, underscoring the hands‑on...
A Million-Satellite Constellation, and Tough Sledding for Space Tourism
The episode explores SpaceX’s ambitious filing to launch up to one million satellites as an orbital data center, positioning the company toward a Kardashev Type II vision and highlighting regulatory waivers and the link to Elon Musk’s AI venture. It then...
Shared Resources Make Robot Swarms More Resilient
Robots helping other robots so none of them breaks. Instead of every robot needing its own battery, sensors, and connection, they share with their neighbors. If one robot “gets blind” or runs out of power, the others support it and...
AI's Proactive Personality Tested: Woman Lets Robot In
I’ve been thinking about AI being proactive—tricky to get this right….and how it could fine-tune its personality….an interesting case study: To Stay in Her Home, She Let In an A.I. Robot https://t.co/PGqWZjy7sN via @NYTimes
Has Waymo Finally Solved Robotaxi Supply?
Waymo has reportedly struck a $2.5 billion agreement with Hyundai to purchase 50,000 vehicles by 2028, pricing the cars at roughly $50,000 each including sensor packages. The deal promises to slash autonomous‑vehicle costs and address the chronic supply bottleneck that has...
MicroVision's Solid-State Lidar Targets Automotive ADAS Market
From $100,000 spinning sensors to compact solid-state units built for automotive scale, lidar has come a long way. MicroVision is betting its high-resolution sensing device can win over skeptics—and automakers. Lidar #ADAS https://spectrum.ieee.org/solid-state-lidar-microvision-adas?share_id=9165326
A Suddenly Unavoidable Podcast
The episode examines recent Waymo incidents, including a school‑child collision and repeated passes of stopped school buses, to illustrate how “unavoidable” crashes are often a product of flawed risk models rather than true inevitability. It reviews The Autonomous’s safety‑architecture report...
Join Builders: Weekly Robotics & AI Insights
if you catch yourself going down rabbit holes about ‣ robotics ‣ ai ‣ physics ‣ mathematics ‣ manufacturing ‣ hardware + software ‣ design ‣ systems ‣ autonomy ‣ control ‣ perception ‣ embedded you’re at the right place....
NAVAIR Issues RFI for Marine Corps Medium Range Tactical UAS
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued a Sources‑Sought notice seeking a Medium‑Range Tactical (MRT) unmanned aircraft system for the U.S. Marine Corps. The RFI calls for a rugged, VTOL‑capable platform under 20 lb gross weight, with at least 2.5 hours endurance,...
Manifest 2026 Recap
In episode 230 of The Robot Report podcast, hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre recap the Manifest 2026 supply‑chain trade show in Las Vegas and interview eight robotics CEOs, including leaders from Gather AI, Robust.AI, Slamcore, Slip Robotics, Ambi Robotics, Corvus Robotics, Glid Technologies and AutoPallet. The episode...
Manifest 2026 Recap
Mike Oitzman and Gene Demaitre recap their experience at the Manifest 2026 tradeshow, highlighting cutting‑edge developments in warehouse and supply‑chain robotics. The episode features rapid‑fire news, a Zoox autonomous‑taxi demo, and in‑depth interviews with CEOs and executives from Gather AI,...
Build with Ukraine: Wingcopter and TAF Industries Establish Joint Venture to Scale Production of Reconnaissance Drones in Germany for Ukraine
Wingcopter and Ukraine’s TAF Industries signed an MoU at the Munich Security Conference to create a joint venture that will produce reconnaissance drones in Germany for Ukraine. The partnership combines TAF’s licensed battlefield‑proven designs with Wingcopter’s manufacturing and engineering capabilities,...
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Receives First Ukrainian Drone Manufactured in Germany by Quantum Frontline Industries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the first Linza 3.0 drone manufactured in Germany by the newly formed Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI) joint venture. The handover, attended by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, marked the opening of a production line that aims to deliver...
In Person Interview: Brian Alexander of Symbotic
Symbotic senior vice president Brian Alexander outlines the current robotics landscape, contrasting autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with high‑density automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS). He emphasizes the shift from traditional automation to AI‑powered solutions that can make decisions, predict demand...
Robotics & Automation News Publishes In-Depth Trend Analysis on the Future of Drone Logistics
Robotics & Automation News has released a premium trend analysis titled "Drone Logistics: Infrastructure, Economics and Market Outlook (2026‑2032)" that evaluates the operational realities and economic constraints of drone delivery. The report finds that drones will serve as a specialised...
World’s Largest Drone Fleet Deployed to Deter Russia
NATO has moved to operationalize its Task Force X Baltic, signing a letter of intent with eight member states to launch the second phase of the programme. The initiative demonstrated the rapid fielding of a fleet of over 50 commercially‑available...
Introducing Our 7th‑Gen Robotic Hand, Human‑Level Precision
I've been waiting 3 years to show you this We just launched our 3rd-gen humanoid, but we’re already on our 7th-gen hand Our team has quietly worked for years to approach parity with a human hand Excited to share a sneak peek of...
Women in Science, Robotics, Automation, SLAS, and Lilly Updates
The GEN podcast highlighted Women in Science Day, noting the term “scientist” was originally coined for a woman, and featured Medra CEO Michelle Lee discussing the integration of AI‑driven robotics into biological research. It also covered automation advances presented at...
Fincantieri Partners with Generative Bionics to Develop Humanoid Shipbuilding Robots
Fincantieri has entered a four‑year industrial partnership with Italian robotics firm Generative Bionics to develop a humanoid welding robot for its shipyards. The robot will incorporate AI‑driven perception, vision and manipulation to operate safely alongside human workers, targeting initial on‑site...
SlipLift Automates Trailer Unloading for More Sites, Says Slip Robotics
Slip Robotics unveiled SlipLift, a new autonomous platform that separates the mobile robot from its payload, allowing it to load or unload any trailer in roughly five minutes. The system supports freight up to 20,000 lb and requires no Wi‑Fi or...
Women in Science, Robotics, Automation, SLAS, and Lilly Updates
The episode opens with a celebration of Women in Science Day, highlighting the historic origin of the term “scientist” and the push for greater female leadership in biotech. Medra CEO Michelle Lee discusses how the company is merging robotics with...
Robot Talk Episode 144 – Robot Trust in Humans, with Samuele Vinanzi
In a recent Robot Talk episode, senior lecturer Samuele Vinanzi discussed how robots can evaluate human trustworthiness using behavioral cues. His work in cognitive robotics merges AI, psychology, and cognitive science to give machines social awareness. Vinanzi’s research emphasizes emotional...
Addverb’s Humanoid Bet: How This Noida Robotics Startup Is Building Physical AI
Addverb, a Noida‑based robotics firm backed by Reliance, has introduced its first humanoid robot—a six‑foot, 80 kg machine capable of carrying 15 kg and equipped with wheels for legs. The humanoid is designed for unstructured factory and warehouse settings where traditional automation...
Liquid Robots Redefine Control Without Fixed Form
This one actually made me pause. Scientists built a robot made of liquid. Not flexible. Liquid. It can split, merge, squeeze through tiny spaces, and then re-form. When it breaks, it heals itself. No motors. No joints. No rigid body. I’ve spent years thinking about AI as the brain...
Weekly ROS Roundup: ROSCon, Isaac ROS 4.1, Space Missions
Here is your #ROS and open source robotics news for this week: 💘Global ROSCon 2026 website is live 💘@NVIDIA Isaac ROS 4.1 released 💘@PicknikRobotics and Motive are sending ROS to space 💘New Metaquest streaming hand tracker for ROS 2 💘New ROS Diagnostic tools for...
Trener Robotics Acteris Platform Brings Pre-Trained Physical AI Skills to Industrial Robots
Trener Robotics unveiled the Acteris platform, a software layer that equips existing ABB, Universal Robots and FANUC machines with pre‑trained Physical AI skills. Backed by a $32 million Series A round, the company’s total funding now exceeds $38 million, enabling rapid market expansion...
Robots Share Power to Rescue Failed Neighbors
A new Science #Robotics study describes a method that enables robotic modules to share their resources with a “dead” neighbor, overcoming failure to ensure the reliability of robot collectives. @robotician @RRL_EPFL https://t.co/NRPlam3xZS https://t.co/pNiqhfqVwD
GE Aerospace Deploys Robots and Lean to Speed Repairs
GE Aerospace turns to robots and 'Lean' methods to tackle jet engine repair crunch https://t.co/0co9XBDhpz
Germany’s Helsing, HENSOLDT Team up on Autonomous Systems for Euro CCA
Germany’s Helsing and HENSOLDT have announced a joint effort to equip Helsing’s CA‑1 autonomous aircraft with AI‑driven combat capabilities. HENSOLDT will integrate its radar, optronics, self‑protection and electromagnetic warfare sensors through its Multi‑Domain Operations Core software. The AI‑pilot, named Centaur,...
Laser Weapon Airspace Closure Highlights Drone Policy Lag
Airspace Closure Over Laser Weapon Use A Glaring Example Of Drone Defense Policy Struggles After years of putting off the drone threat, the U.S. government is trying to do something about it, but policy is struggling to catch up. Story: https://t.co/VBGe87B1Ik
How to Make Automation and Process Control Ideas Work
Huffman Engineering, a 40‑year‑old system integrator, delivers end‑to‑end automation for highly regulated sectors by designing, building, and validating UL‑certified panels in‑house. The firm completes roughly 100 full‑scale projects each year, emphasizing custom, full‑process solutions over simple machine integration. By merging...
Crowded Field of Robot-Boat Makers Vies for Navy's Attention
Blue Water Autonomy plans to move its 190‑foot Liberty class autonomous patrol ship from prototype to production this year, joining a rapidly expanding market of unmanned surface vessel (USV) suppliers courting the U.S. Navy. The Navy is still defining how...
Cognibotics Helps Advance Motion Layer for AI-Guided Surgical Robotics in CAISA
Cognibotics is providing the motion‑control layer for the Vinnova‑funded CAISA project, linking AI perception and path‑planning modules in a paediatric heart‑surgery testbed. The collaboration, involving Region Skåne, Lund University and Cobotic, moves into a demonstrator phase using a 350 m² simulated...
From Labor to Compute: Economy’s Next Quantum Leap
1900: Internal Combustion + Electricity = 5x GDP growth. 2026: AGI + Humanoid Robotics + Space-based Energy = 50x GDP growth. This is NOT a cycle; instead, we are in a phase change for the species. The transition from being...
Bioinspired Eye Mimics Human Pupil for Better Vision
A #bioinspired eye can reflexively constrict or dilate its pupil in response to varying light levels like a human eye, which could improve image detection and find applications in autonomous driving. @baiwubin Learn more in Science #Robotics: https://t.co/p1uZy6rbky https://t.co/9TwSpPBNds
'She Makes Me Laugh': Seniors Are Building Deep Bonds With This Friendly AI Robot
Intuition Robotics’ ElliQ, a voice‑activated AI companion, is forging genuine relationships with seniors living alone, delivering up to 30 daily conversations. In New York, users who kept the robot for a month reported a 95% drop in loneliness, with many describing...
Robots Learn Skills Through Real-World Interaction
How can robots acquire skills through interactions with the physical world? An interview with Jiaheng Hu https://t.co/ey63WsiOEF