Today's Robotics Pulse
XPeng CEO Takes Direct Control of Robotics Division to Accelerate IRON Humanoid Production
He Xiaopeng, XPeng's chief executive, is now leading the company's robotics unit as it prepares to mass‑produce the IRON humanoid robot this year, with commercial sales slated for next year. The move comes amid a 33% drop in Q1 vehicle deliveries to 62,682 units and a 17.6% revenue decline to $1.92 billion, underscoring a strategic shift toward physical AI.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Waymo acquires Apple’s Arizona Proving Ground for $220M
Boston Dynamics Trains Atlas Humanoid Robot to Pick up and Place Washing Machine
Boston Dynamics unveiled footage of its electric Atlas humanoid robot lifting a mini‑fridge and a loaded 100‑lb refrigerator, demonstrating heavy‑lifting capability for industrial use. The robot relies on AI‑driven whole‑body control and reinforcement‑learning trained in massive simulated environments, narrowing the sim‑to‑real gap. Atlas’s simplified hardware—uniform actuators, field‑replaceable modules, and cable‑free joints—targets durability and low maintenance in factories, warehouses, and construction sites. The showcase signals a shift from locomotion demos toward practical, adaptable physical work in real‑world settings.
Turning Surroundings Into a 'Virtual Screen' Could Help Machines See Better in 3D
Researchers at the University of Arizona have created a novel 3D‑imaging system that turns an entire room’s diffuse surfaces into a virtual screen for measuring reflective objects. By separating matte and specular components and using a neuromorphic event camera, the...
Shield AI Selected to Bring AI-Powered Swarming to LUCAS Kamikaze Drone Program
Shield AI has been chosen by the U.S. Army’s Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering to embed its Hivemind autonomy software into the Low‑Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS). LUCAS is a new class of...
Transfer World Model, Not Policy, for Sim‑Real Success
15–30 minutes of real-world robot data. That's now enough to go from sim-to-real failure to working robot. Let’s see… You train a robot in simulation. You deploy it in the real world. It fails. The physics don't match. So you...
Humanoid Robots Could Offset 60% of China’s Labor Decline
Bloomberg: China’s deployment of humanoid robots could offset as much as 60% of its projected decline in the labor force by 2035, according to Barclays, helping sustain the industrial base as the population shrinks at a pace not seen in...
The Flight Plan for Drone Technology – Cracking the Chicken/Egg Challenge of Funding and Enabling Innovation
UK drone innovation faces a chicken‑egg dilemma where scaling requires funding, yet investors demand proven scalability. The National Drone Hub in Cornwall provides 8,000 km² of segregated airspace and support services, helping SMEs accelerate testing while preserving cash flow. However, the...
Ukrainians Tricked Out Their Long-Range Exploding Drones to Unleash Rocket Fire on Russian Air Defenses
Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces have equipped their long‑range FP‑1/FP‑2 attack drones with rocket pods carrying up to eight cheap unguided rockets per aircraft. The modification lets the drones launch rockets from wing‑mounted pods while preserving the 132‑pound warhead for high‑value...
Capra Robotics Launches Versatile Mobile Robot Platform
Capra #Robotics Unveils Advanced Mobile #Robot Platform for Industrial and Urban Operations via @WevolverApp #Robots #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/3Ge5MIM1ME
Spinal Neuromotor Rehabilitation Using a Portable Isokinetic Training Robot
Researchers at Beihang University and MIT unveiled a 0.96‑kg wearable robot that provides isokinetic resistance training for juveniles with spinal muscular atrophy type II. In a six‑week clinical trial with six participants, the device produced a 7° improvement in sit‑to‑stand knee...
FCC Expands Conditional Drone Approvals Under Covered List
The Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau granted conditional approvals to drone systems from Swiss‑based Elevon Aerial AG and German‑based Air6 Systems GmbH. The approvals, which run through the end of 2026, come despite the FCC’s broader...
Fanuc Deepens Nvidia Tie‑Up to Boost AI Robot Simulation and Digital Twins
Fanuc announced a tighter integration of its RoboGuide simulation software with Nvidia's Isaac Sim platform, creating a seamless digital‑twin environment for industrial robots. The partnership adds two new integration modes, real‑time control via teach pendants and physics‑enhanced bin‑picking simulations, aiming...
LG CNS and Kurly Launch First Humanoid Robot Pilot in Korean E‑commerce Logistics
LG CNS and Kurly signed an MOU to run a proof‑of‑concept pilot that places humanoid robots in Kurly’s logistics hubs. The trial will measure task accuracy, execution speed and efficiency gains, marking the first joint deployment of service robots for...
Amprius and Matternet Partner to Advance Drone Delivery
Amprius Technologies and Matternet announced a strategic partnership to integrate Amprius’s silicon‑anode lithium‑ion cells into Matternet’s M2 delivery drones. The cells deliver up to twice the energy density of traditional graphite batteries, extending range, payload and reducing charge time. Both...
AI Humanoid Robots Reach Continuous 24/7 Operation Milestone
‘Uncharted territory’: Figure #AI humanoid #Robots hit 24/7 nonstop work milestone by Neetika Walter @IntEngineering Learn more: https://t.co/TtnRTTkwyK #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/TW5zr2Y7D2
Terra Drone Commences Operational Deployment of Fixed-Wing Interceptor Drone “Terra A2” In Ukraine
Terra Drone Corporation has begun operational deployment of its fixed‑wing interceptor, the Terra A2, with Ukrainian forces. The drone offers a top speed of 312 km/h, a 75 km coverage radius and more than 40 minutes of endurance, integrating radar for detection and interception....
A Ukrainian Ground Robot Defended a Position From Russian Assault for Six Weeks
A Ukrainian remote‑controlled ground combat vehicle, the Droid TW 12.7, defended a critical intersection for 45 days last summer, marking the nation’s first fully robotic defensive operation. Operated from 10 km away, the robot’s machine‑gun disrupted every Russian breakthrough attempt without Ukrainian casualties....
Open-Source Framework Lets Drones Dodge Obstacles in Milliseconds While Minimizing Travel Time
MIT and the University of Pennsylvania unveiled MIGHTY, an open‑source trajectory‑planning framework that lets drones dodge obstacles in milliseconds while minimizing travel time. The system leverages a Hermite‑spline formulation and iterative optimization to compute smooth, time‑optimal paths using only onboard...
MQ-25A Stingray Cleared for Deployment, Says Cao
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao announced the MQ‑25A Stingray has cleared Milestone C, moving into low‑rate initial production and deployment. The carrier‑based unmanned refueling drone, developed by Boeing under an $805 million contract, is projected to cost about $13 billion...
Robots Could Turn E-Waste Into a Source of Legacy Chips
Electronic waste is set to hit 82 million tonnes annually by 2030, prompting stricter regulations worldwide. San Francisco startup Tuurny has built a robotic system, Nantul, that can extract up to 300 intact RAM chips per hour from circuit boards before shredding....
Allient Inc. To Present at Upcoming Webinar on Engineering Thermally-Optimized Joints for Humanoids
Allient Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNT) will present at the "Engineering Thermally-Optimized Joints for Humanoids" webinar on May 21, 2026. The session will address the challenges of humanoid joint design, emphasizing system‑level motor data interpretation rather than relying on standard specifications. Allient’s Chief Commercial...
Rivian’s Mind Robotics Valued at $3.4 B After $400 M Funding Round
Rivian’s robotics subsidiary, Mind Robotics, closed a $400 million financing round that lifts its post‑money valuation to $3.4 billion. The funding underscores Rivian’s strategy to use advanced robots for its own factories and to sell the technology to other manufacturers, potentially unlocking...
Schaeffler to Deploy Over 1,000 Humanoid Robots in Factories Worldwide by 2032
German industrial giant Schaeffler has signed a phased deployment agreement with London‑based Humanoid to install over 1,000 humanoid robots across its global manufacturing sites by 2032. The first units will start live production at two German plants before the end...
2026 Safer Skies Act Paves the Way for Drone Defense in the U.S.
Congress enacted the Safer Skies Act as part of the FY 2026 NDAA, granting state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) law‑enforcement agencies explicit authority to detect and mitigate credible unmanned aircraft threats. The law is paired with a $500 million FEMA funding...
China Can Outproduce All Drones; Russia only Rival
China is now capable of manufacturing a drone armada that can easily outmatch that of every other country on the planet combined, if it wants to. And except for Ukraine, Russia is now the only country on Earth that knows...
EndoQuest Advances Multicenter PARADIGM Trial with Completion of Procedures at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
EndoQuest Robotics announced that Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center has become an active site in its multicenter PARADIGM trial, successfully completing its first robotic endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) procedures using the Endoluminal Surgical (ELS) System. The trial, which evaluates safety and...
Untitled
Romark Logistics has adopted Dexory's AI‑powered DexoryView platform to provide real‑time inventory visibility at its Hazleton, Pennsylvania warehouse. The system uses autonomous robots and digital‑twin technology to conduct cycle counts between shifts, eliminating disruption to existing automated guided vehicle operations....
Lightweight Open-Source Policy Stabilizes Unfamiliar Quadrotors in Wind
A new Science #Robotics study highlights an open-source, computationally light policy that can adapt to control unfamiliar quadrotors and stabilize against external perturbations like strong winds. @loiannog @jonas_eschmann https://t.co/b1UyRcLggD https://t.co/CeQT35aTis
Chef Robotics Advances Bi-Manual Physical AI System for Prep Table Food Assembly Powered by a Food Foundation Model
Chef Robotics unveiled a bi‑manual physical AI system designed for prep‑table food assembly, extending its automation reach beyond high‑throughput conveyor lines. The robot uses two coordinated arms to perform complex tasks such as burger and burrito construction, targeting ghost kitchens,...
Tattu Launches 5.0 Smart Battery Platform as Heavy-Lift Drones Demand Faster Charging and Smarter Fleet Power Management
Tattu, the UAV battery arm of Shenzhen Grepow, unveiled its 5.0 Smart Battery Platform aimed at 100 kg‑class agricultural and logistics drones. The system combines 6C fast charging, 12C continuous discharge, an intelligent BMS, and lifecycle data access, and pairs with...
GFT Technologies Deploys AI‑Driven Robotic Arms to Remove Defective Auto Parts
GFT Technologies unveiled a three‑robot AI system that inspects, marks and physically extracts faulty auto components on assembly lines. A major U.S. automaker has already begun using the solution, which could save manufacturers tens of millions by preventing costly recalls.
Arrow Electronics Addresses Rising Autonomous Mobile Robot Demand in Southeast Asia with System-Level Solutions
Arrow Electronics announced two technical seminars in Singapore (May 19) and Bangkok (May 21) to address the surge in autonomous mobile robot (AMR) demand across Southeast Asia. The events, co‑hosted with onsemi and other semiconductor partners, will demonstrate AI‑enabled navigation, advanced sensing,...
Beyond GPS: How ANELLO Photonics Is Building Navigation Resilience for Commercial Drones
GPS has become the backbone of commercial drone navigation, but its signal can be lost in tunnels, orchards, or under intentional jamming, leaving many UAVs unable to fly. ANELLO Photonics’ SiPhOG—an optical gyroscope built on a silicon‑photonic chip—offers vibration‑immune inertial...
Tesla Robot and Space Exploration Applications
Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, slated for mass production in its Fremont and Texas factories, is primarily built for repetitive industrial work. While its bipedal form shares traits with space‑focused robots, significant redesign would be needed to survive vacuum, radiation, dust...
Home Robot Safety Is All About Relationships
ISO is finalizing a revision of its 12‑year‑old ISO 13482 standard for personal‑care robots as domestic humanoids move from prototypes to market‑ready products. The draft expands hazard identification and risk assessment to include the bidirectional nature of human‑robot interaction, but it...
CiS Unveils Autonomous Drone Dock for Moving Ships
German autonomous‑systems firm CiS introduced the ORKA Dock, a fully automated launch and recovery hangar for its ORKA uncrewed aerial system, at the Combined Naval Event. The dock can open, launch, retrieve and recharge a drone in under 30 seconds...
Figure AI’s Humanoid Robot Loses to Human in 10‑Hour Package‑Sorting Race
Figure AI staged a 10‑hour package‑sorting showdown at its San Jose headquarters, where intern Aimé Gérard out‑sorted the company's humanoid robot by 192 packages. The human averaged 2.79 seconds per item, the robot 2.83, underscoring the still‑narrow gap between AI‑driven...
Taiwan Pushes for Role in Non-China Drone Supply Chains
Taiwan’s finished‑drone exports to Europe exploded, rising from 2,574 units in 2024 to 107,433 in 2025 and reaching 136,010 units in the first quarter of 2026. The surge is driven by Western efforts to replace Chinese UAVs with trusted alternatives,...
Kia to Test Boston Dynamics' Atlas Humanoid Robots at Georgia Plants Starting 2028
Kia President Song Ho-sung announced that Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid will be piloted at Hyundai Motor Group's Metaplant America in Georgia in 2028, followed a year later by a trial at Kia's Georgia factory. The rollout aligns with Hyundai's plan...
Ant‑Inspired Simple Robots Cooperatively Build and Dig
Simple #Robots inspired by ants collectively build and excavate by Anne J. Manning @TechXplore_com Learn more: https://t.co/ylVIDtROy6 #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/wOWwYWMTlb
MANET Wave Relay Ecosystem to Expand for Autonomous Systems & Battlefield Connectivity
AEVEX has joined Persistent Systems’ Wave Relay ecosystem as its 20th partner, integrating the Wave Relay mobile ad‑hoc network (MANET) into its Atlas unmanned aerial system and Mako/Mako Lite surface vessels. The partnership brings high‑scalability, electronic‑warfare‑resilient communications and Persistent’s Cloud...
IDGA Presents Its Inaugural Next Generation UAS Summit
IDGA will host its inaugural Next Generation UAS Summit June 23‑24 at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel in Arlington, VA. The two‑day event brings senior leaders from the U.S. military, defense agencies, and top aerospace contractors to discuss how the...
Arkeus Secures A$25 M Series A After Winning Pentagon Drone Sensor Contracts
Melbourne‑based Arkeus closed a A$25 million (≈US$16.5 million) Series A round at a $100 million post‑money valuation, driven by newly won US Department of Defense contracts for its hyperspectral AI drone sensors. The funding will fund a Queensland manufacturing hub and expand the...
Disney Imagineering Shows Next‑Gen Animatronics to Make‑A‑Wish Guest
Disney's Imagineering robotics lab invited 12‑year‑old Eli, a Make‑A‑Wish recipient, to see and operate its newest BDX Droids. The demonstration showcased custom hardware, reinforcement‑learning control and handheld interfaces, underscoring Disney’s push to fuse advanced robotics with narrative experiences.
NSK and Delta Electronics Form Partnership, Tackling Robot Joint Modules
NSK announced a memorandum of understanding with Delta Electronics to co‑develop next‑generation robot actuators, focusing on rotary and linear joint modules. The partnership leverages NSK’s bearing and linear motion expertise with Delta’s high‑performance servo drives and power technology. A new...
Robotics Summit & Expo to Feature a Track on Warehouse Automation
The 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, scheduled for May 27‑28, will debut a dedicated logistics automation track featuring seven expert sessions on scaling autonomous robots, AI‑driven material handling, and lights‑out warehouses. Interact Analysis reports a 7% rise in...
RLWRLD Harvests Hotel Staff Motions to Teach Service Robots
South Korean AI firm RLWRLD is recording the motions of Lotte Hotel employees and other frontline workers to create a massive motion‑capture library for training service robots. The effort, backed by a recent $33 million government grant, aims to accelerate “physical...
Einride Deploys Autonomous Electric Trucks in Ohio Freight Corridor Pilot
Einride and EASE Logistics have launched a proof‑of‑concept service using two SAE Level 4 autonomous electric trucks on a freight corridor between EASE warehouses in Marysville, Ohio. The pilot, part of the Ohio Department of Transportation and DriveOhio Truck Automation Corridor...
Epson Robots Expands SCARA Lineup with High-Payload LS50C
Epson Robots has introduced the LS50C, the company’s highest‑payload SCARA robot, capable of a 1,000 mm reach and up to 50 kg payload. The model combines a compact, cost‑effective footprint with SafeSense technology that can reduce the need for traditional safety guarding...
Sim‑trained Boston Dynamics Robot Masters Fridge Manipulation
Boston Dynamics robot moving a fridge. This is particularly impressive because it is a manipulation (vs locomotion) task trained primarily in simulation (vs live teleop data). These guys are still pushing the industry envelope despite now competing with 100s...
Linker Hand06 Delivers Human‑Scale Precision in Robotics
Next-Level #Robotics: Linker Hand06 Brings Human-Scale Precision by @CyberRobooo #Robots #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology #Tech https://t.co/eUqq3tByzK