Today's Robotics Pulse
Spirit AI tops global robot AI leaderboard, secures $222M funding
Chinese robotics startup Spirit AI’s embodied intelligence model, Spirit v1.6, achieved the highest score of 1,924 on the RoboArena benchmark, overtaking Nvidia’s Cosmos3‑Nano‑Policy. The company also announced ¥1.5 billion (≈$222 million) of funding to accelerate its technology.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Shifters raises $10.2M seed round
CIS News
The CIS region’s medical robotics landscape is heating up, highlighted by Kazakhstan’s launch of the MISSO robot for orthopedic care and Intuitive Surgical’s Da Vinci 5 receiving FDA clearance for cardiac procedures. Robocath announced its first‑in‑human study of a next‑generation coronary robot, while remote telesurgery experiments show surgeons operating up to 1,700 miles away. Intuitive Surgical posted strong Q4 earnings, underscoring the sector’s rapid growth, and the upcoming CMRAI 2026 conference signals continued industry collaboration.
Corvus Robotics Launches Dedicated Cold Chain Drones for Autonomous Inventory in Sub-Zero Warehouses
Corvus Robotics unveiled Corvus One™ for Cold Chain, an autonomous drone system designed to perform inventory cycle counts inside sub‑zero freezers ranging from –20 °F to ambient temperatures. The drones feature re‑engineered thermal management, adaptive barcode scanners, and flight‑stabilization to handle...
Discontinued Electronic Products: In-Depth Analysis of PCB Reverse Engineering and IC Unlock Techniques
Planned obsolescence is pushing many electronic products into retirement, leaving users without official repair options. PCB reverse engineering and IC unlock techniques let engineers recreate schematics, bill‑of‑materials, and firmware from physical boards. The article outlines a step‑by‑step workflow, essential tools...
Kiwi Charge Takes EV-Charging Robot to Showroom Floor with $1.7-million Pilot Project
Toronto‑based Kiwi Charge is piloting its autonomous EV‑charging robot in a $1.7 million project with General Motors Canada and Pfaff Automotive. The robot, dubbed the “R2‑D2 for EV charging,” can self‑charge in 30 minutes and fully charge a vehicle in another 30 minutes,...
AutoAgri Introduces IC12 Multipurpose Autonomous Carrier
Norwegian firm AutoAgri unveiled the IC12, a fully electric, unmanned carrier designed for precise, cost‑effective agricultural work. The compact platform supports multiple payload configurations, including top, front, rear, and trailer mounts, and is offered in 2‑WD and 4‑WD versions with...
Nvidia Releases DreamDojo, a Robot ‘World Model’ Trained on 44,000 Hours of Human Video
Nvidia unveiled DreamDojo, a robot world model trained on a 44,000‑hour human egocentric video dataset, enabling robots to acquire physical intuition by observation before hardware‑specific fine‑tuning. The DreamDojo‑HV dataset is 15× longer, contains 96× more skills and spans 2,000× more...
E-TERRY: A Lightweight Weeding Robot for Mechanical In-Row Weed Control
German startup E‑TERRY has launched a lightweight, fully electric field robot for mechanical in‑row weed control in vegetables and specialty crops. Its patented ultra‑flexible chassis adapts to any row spacing, while an AI‑based phenotyping system identifies crops with over 95%...
Ocado Cost Saving Drive Puts 1,000 Jobs at Risk
Ocado Group is weighing a reduction of up to 1,000 jobs, roughly 5% of its staff, as part of a cost‑saving initiative after a challenging year for its automated warehouse operations. The potential redundancies would focus on head‑office functions such...
High School Team Delivers Practical Robot in Six Weeks
A high school team built a robot climbing system in six weeks. Watching this, what stands out is how practical it is. The mechanism looks thought through, stable, and realistic for competition use. No overengineering, no gimmicks, just something that...
Windracers Partners with HITRANS to Boost Remote Drone Deliveries
News from the UK's @Windracers as it announces MoU with Scotland's Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) to expand use of drone cargo deliveries to most remote regions of the UK #avgeek https://t.co/KpjvD28at5 https://t.co/7hDBSxpdfQ
OnRobot to Host Automation Roadmap Event in Dallas as Manufacturers Face Labor Shortages
OnRobot is hosting a free, in‑person "Build Your Automation Roadmap" event in Dallas on February 19, 2026, targeting manufacturers in metal fabrication, CNC machining, aerospace, food & beverage, and other sectors. The event will feature live Fanuc robot demos, hands‑on workshops, and...
ABB Showcases the Future of Lab Automation at SLAS 2026
ABB Robotics is highlighting its Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR) platform at the SLAS 2026 conference in Boston, demonstrating AI‑driven collaborative robots that increase laboratory throughput and reproducibility. The company showcased three process‑cell demos, including multi‑step analytical workflows with Mettler Toledo...
From Demos to Daily Transport: How Las Vegas Is Turning Autonomy Into Real Urban Infrastructure
Las Vegas is rapidly converting autonomous technology from pilots to everyday infrastructure, with Amazon‑owned Zoox launching a public robotaxi service on the Strip. Remote‑driving startup Vay now delivers rental cars via teledrivers, while the Regional Transportation Commission runs autonomous shuttles...
3 Surprising Trends That May Change Your View of Autonomous Farming Technology
Sabanto has deployed over a hundred autonomous tractors by retrofitting existing farm equipment rather than building new machines. The company finds that autonomy is being used to amplify the productivity of current workforces, allowing farms to scale without hiring additional...
From Neurons to AlphaGo: Robotics Deep Learning Curriculum
Deep learning curriculum for robotics. [📍 Link to Playlist below ] Modern robotics workflows often integrate deep learning models with traditional algorithms for mapping, localization, and control. This playlist builds it from scratch: Single neurons → Backprop → CNNs →...
Stop Building Robot Infrastructure—Use Cloud-Native Platform
The biggest lie in robotics is that you need to build your own infrastructure. One founder just raised $3M to build the “AWS for robots.” 🧵 I talk to founders every week who are burning 80% of their seed round...
Flickstop
A recent BMJ article outlines a comprehensive telesurgery architecture comprising robot, telecommunication, and teleconference subsystems. The design employs a dedicated line with a backup path to link the surgeon console and patient cart, while a secondary console resides in the...
The Best AR and MR Glasses in 2026: Expert Tested and Reviewed
ZDNet’s 2026 roundup evaluates the fastest‑growing AR and MR glasses market, naming Meta Ray‑Bans 2 as the overall best choice thanks to its 3K video, longer battery and sleek design. The guide also highlights niche leaders such as Viture Beast for...
Nvidia Launches Robotics Hackathon with $5,000 Top Prize to Spur Physical AI Development
Nvidia has launched the Cosmos Cookoff, a global virtual hackathon aimed at accelerating robotics and physical AI development. Participants must build applications using Nvidia’s Cosmos foundation models, with registration open Jan 29 to Feb 19 and submissions due Feb 26. The competition offers...
ABB Launches ‘Automation Extended’ to Help Industries Modernize Control Systems without Disruption
ABB unveiled Automation Extended, a new architecture that lets industrial operators upgrade control systems without costly shutdowns or full equipment replacement. The solution builds on ABB’s existing DCS portfolio—800xA, Symphony Plus, and Freelance—while adding AI, advanced analytics, and IoT capabilities through a...
Students Lead Robots, Amplify STEM Outreach Impact
One of my biggest sources of pride is when my students follow my lead & take my robots to do STEM outreach. I can't be everywhere but my students can have just as much impact. My robots built by kids...
The Rise of Collaborative Robots and Human-Robot Teams in Modern Factories
Collaborative robots, or cobots, are increasingly deployed in factories to work side‑by‑side with human operators, delivering flexibility and rapid reconfiguration. Unlike traditional isolated robots, cobots handle delicate assembly, inspection and quality‑control tasks, demanding high positional accuracy. Manufacturers are turning to...
Amazon Plans $200B Capex for 2026, up From $131.8B in 2025
Amazon disclosed a $200 billion capital‑expenditure plan for 2026, up sharply from $131.8 billion in 2025. The budget targets AI compute, custom chips, advanced robotics and its Project Kuiper satellite internet service. While the announcement nudged the stock lower, Amazon’s cloud arm,...
All‑Level Robotics Resource Library: Open‑Source Projects & Learning Paths
A complete library of resources that caters to all levels of Roboticists. 📍Save the GitHub for later This one is not a single project or course. It is a curated robotics resource library. Open-source robots Hands-on project ideas Research repositories...
Robots that Keep Moving when Flipped? Sea Star Tube Feet Offer a Blueprint
Researchers at USC’s Kanso Bioinspired Motion Lab have uncovered how sea stars achieve locomotion using decentralized control of hundreds of tube feet. By attaching a 3D‑printed backpack and measuring individual foot responses, they showed each tube foot adjusts adhesion via...
Robotics Must Deliver Real Value, Not Just Hype
Peak robotics demo. Still no dishwasher replacement. And to be fair: this is impressive. The roboticists building this are world-class engineers. But in many conversations with founders, one thing is clear: as an industry, we now have to start delivering...
Amazon’s Delivery Dreams Grounded as Texas Drone Crash Sparks Fresh Safety Fears
Amazon’s Prime Air MK30 drone collided with a Richardson, Texas apartment building on February 4, 2026, sparking renewed safety concerns. The crash follows earlier mishaps in Arizona and Waco, highlighting potential flaws in the MK30’s LiDAR‑based navigation system. Critics argue...
The View From Zasche: Where Human Skill Meets Smart Automation – the Case for Semi-Automated Bin Picking
Zasche Handling promotes semi‑automated bin picking as a middle ground between manual handling and full‑scale robotics. The approach lets operators retain judgment while machines perform the physically demanding lifting and positioning tasks, improving safety and productivity. Flexible grippers and modular...
RC Mowers Awarded Canoe Procurement Group Cooperative Contract
RC Mowers has secured a cooperative purchasing contract with Canoe Procurement Group, granting Canadian municipalities, public agencies and nonprofits streamlined access to its autonomous mowing systems. The agreement reduces procurement cycles from months to weeks and aligns with Canoe’s partnership...
Micropolis Robotics Appoints AfricAI as Its Exclusive Continental Partner
Micropolis Robotics has granted AfricAI exclusive, multi‑year rights to commercialise, deploy and scale its advanced robotics platforms across Africa. The partnership prohibits direct sales or other distributors, positioning AfricAI as the sole gateway for autonomous systems in security, logistics, industrial...
Comau Deploys in.Grid Robot Monitoring Platform at Iveco Plant to Advance Smart Manufacturing
Comau has installed its cloud‑based in.Grid Robot Monitoring platform on the Door Ring and Mascherone lines at Iveco’s Valladolid plant in Spain. The system autonomously captures production data, flags anomalies, and tracks user‑defined KPIs to boost robot utilization and cut...
How ADR and Intel Went Underground with Edge AI
Australian Droid + Robot (ADR) has teamed with Intel to embed Xeon and Core Ultra processors into its Explora autonomous inspection robots for underground mining. The edge‑AI platform processes 3D lidar, thermal imaging, and gas‑sensor data in real time, enabling...
US Marine Designs Corps’ First NDAA-Compliant 3D-Printed Drone
The U.S. Marine Corps unveiled HANX, its first 3D‑printed first‑person view drone that meets National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) security requirements. Developed by Sgt. Henry David Volpe at the II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus, the drone is approved by...
Josh Ogden Thinks Canada’s Drone Industry Can Gain some Altitude
Josh Ogden, CEO of AVSS, warns that Canada’s drone sector has dwindled to fewer than 20 manufacturers that merely assemble foreign components rather than develop core technology. He points to historic successes like Aeryon Labs, many of which were acquired...
Norway Drone ‘Threat’ Fails to Materialise as Spy Service Finds No Link to Foreign States
Norway’s Police Security Service (PST) concluded that none of the dozens of drone sightings reported in 2025 were linked to foreign intelligence agencies. Investigations revealed that most incidents were misidentified celestial bodies, weather phenomena, or conventional aircraft. The surge in...
Mathematical Foundations of Robotic Manipulation Explained
A Mathematical Introduction to Robotic Manipulation. [📍Save for later] It is a foundational robotics textbook that universities use to teach full graduate-level courses. From body motion to manipulation, grasping, control, and nonholonomic planning. This is the mathematical backbone behind robot...
Waymo Builds Fancy AI-Based Simulator Tool To Improve Robotaxi Tests
Waymo announced an AI‑driven simulation platform built on Google Gemini that automatically generates diverse driving scenarios for its robotaxi fleet. The tool accelerates testing cycles by creating thousands of edge‑case situations without manual scripting, feeding directly into Waymo’s existing simulation...
Oil and Gas Robotics Deployment Expands as Global Market Heads Toward $205 Billion in 2030, Says GlobalData
Robotics in oil and gas is entering a rapid expansion phase, propelled by AI and cloud computing that enable autonomous decision‑making and navigation. GlobalData projects the overall robotics market to climb from $90.2 billion in 2024 to $205.5 billion by 2030, with...
What Happens when Waymo Runs Into a Tornado? Or an Elephant?
Waymo has launched a new "World Model" built on Google’s Genie 3 AI, enabling the creation of hyper‑realistic 3D driving simulations from simple text or image prompts. The platform can generate extreme edge cases—tornadoes, flooded streets, rogue elephants—and run them at...
Around the Commercial Drone Industry: Air Taxi Demos, Police Drone Programs, and Weather Forecasting
SkyDrive Inc. will showcase its SD-05 eVTOL passenger drone in Tokyo this February, a public demonstration that precedes a planned 2028 market launch and supports Japan’s 2030 commercial vertiport roadmap. In Ohio, six police agencies have adopted Skydio drones, fielding...
Friday Fun
Researchers at Samsung Medical Center, led by Namkee Oh, announced a breakthrough in surgical robotics by integrating a bimanual mobile robot into minimally invasive procedures. In partnership with Minho Hwang and Rainbow Robotics, the team successfully implemented a virtual remote...
Robot Talk Episode 143 – Robots for Children, with Elmira Yadollahi
Robot Talk’s Episode 143 featured Elmira Yadollahi, an assistant professor at Lancaster University, discussing how children interact with robots. Yadollahi’s research focuses on explainability, multimodal perception, and managing expectations to build trust and AI literacy among young users. She has...
Hail Our New Robot Overlords! Amazon Warehouse Tour Offers Glimpse of Future
Amazon opened its Stone Mountain, Georgia warehouse to the public, offering a rare glimpse of the robots that now assist human pickers and stowers. The tour revealed only a handful of mobile shelf‑moving units, a single palletising arm, and a...
7.5 Metres Wide Autonomous Implement Carrier From Cyclair
French ag‑tech startup Cyclair unveiled its hybrid autonomous implement carrier line at GOFAR’s field day, showcasing the 2‑metre Rover GS prototype and announcing the larger 7.5‑metre Rover GW slated for commercial release in late 2026. The Rover GW will weed up to 5.4 metres...
Episode 143: Robots for Children - Elmira Yadollahi
In this episode, Claire talks with Elmira Yadollahi, an assistant professor at Lancaster University, about how children engage with robots and the unique challenges this presents. They explore key themes such as managing children’s expectations, building trust, and fostering AI...
Stacked Carbon Nanotube Films Turn a Touch Sensor Into a Self-Computing Skin
Researchers at Xiamen University have created a flexible electronic skin that uses vertically stacked carbon‑nanotube films to sense both touch location and pressure simultaneously. The multilayer design produces a single analog signal for position and uses the number of activated...
Robotics Build Path From Rural Kenya to World Stage
Jeremiah Kithinji, once a computer‑naïve student, now leads robotics clubs in Laikipia, Kenya. The clubs, serving roughly 200 pupils, recently sent a three‑member team to the World Robotics Olympiad in Singapore, where Kithinji also acted as the competition’s first Kenyan...
Steer Pretrained Robots in Real Time without Retraining
A training-free framework that guides robot behavior in real time. [📍 Project, paper & videos below 👇] VLS runs uncut, steering pretrained policies across long-horizon tasks. Most robots don’t fail because they lack skill. They fail because their behavior isn’t...
Bout-and-Glide Swimming Proven More Energy Efficient
A recent Science #Robotics study uses a #bioinspired robot to demonstrate that “bout-and-glide" swimming, seen in aquatic animals such as zebrafish and humpback whales, is more energy efficient than continuous swimming. https://t.co/8EWURPmuCh https://t.co/bUXSw19YsT
Execution-Level Learning Accelerates Robot Improvements in Production
i wrote a lil essay on why execution-level learning changes how robots improve in production on @airstreetpress frontier robotics is moving fast in the lab, but even faster in @sereactai customer facilities today :) https://t.co/SPe81uBAAc