Today's Robotics Pulse
Komatsu hits milestone with 1,000 autonomous haul trucks
Komatsu commissioned its 1,000th autonomous ultra‑class haul truck, a 930E‑5AT deployed at Barrick’s Nevada gold mines, becoming the first OEM to reach this scale. The fleet now comprises 52% 930E models and has moved over 11.5 billion metric tons, generating roughly $2.4B in revenue.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Kraken Robotics acquires UK underwater sensing firm for $442M
Foxglove Launches Unified Data Search and Curation Capabilities
Foxglove unveiled Data Search and Curation, tools that let robotics teams query multimodal logs directly and tag high‑value events without building separate warehouses. The company also introduced a free Basic Seat tier to broaden visualization access across non‑engineering roles and a Bring Your Own Storage (BYOS) deployment that lets customers host data in their own cloud while Foxglove provides managed compute. These updates aim to replace fragmented manual workflows with a unified platform that speeds debugging, model training, and safety reviews as robot fleets scale.
SiFly Drones Now Appear on ADS-B Exchange
SiFly Aviation announced that its cloud‑connected Q12 drones now appear on ADS‑B Exchange’s live airspace map, placing unmanned aircraft alongside traditional planes. The drones transmit telemetry via secure cloud connectivity, eliminating the need for onboard ADS‑B transponders. Live tests have shown...
China Deploys Robot Dogs, Drones, and Humanoids to Run a ‘Full-Space’ Metro System
During February’s Spring Festival rush, Hefei’s metro deployed a coordinated fleet of robot dogs, drones and humanoid assistants, forming China’s first “full‑space” robot cluster for rail transit. Managed by a single AI‑driven dispatch platform, the machines handle platform patrols, tunnel...
NHTSA Releases First Comprehensive Robotaxi Crash Data, Waymo Leads with 697 Incidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a dataset of 825 reported autonomous‑driving system incidents, showing Waymo with 697 crashes and Tesla with 18. The figures expose stark differences in fleet exposure, injury outcomes, and companies’ willingness to disclose crash...
UBTECH Signs Partnership with Terra Robotics, Humanoid Robots Deployed in European Retail Logistics Scenarios
UBTECH Technology has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Terra Robotics to sell its full‑size embodied intelligent humanoid robots across Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Terra is deploying dozens of Walker S series units in ROSSMANN’s retail logistics centers, marking the...
BMW Deploys Hexagon’s AEON Humanoid Robots on Spartanburg EV Line, Targeting 30,000‑Vehicle Scale
BMW announced a pilot of Hexagon Robotics' AEON humanoid robots on its Spartanburg, South Carolina, electric‑vehicle assembly line. The robots, which previously helped produce more than 30,000 vehicles, will now be tested in real‑time production and later rolled out to...
Komatsu Commissions 1,000 Autonomous Ultra-Class Trucks
Komatsu has commissioned its 1,000th autonomous ultra‑class haul truck, a 930E‑5AT deployed at Barrick’s Nevada Gold Mines, making it the first OEM to reach this milestone. Roughly 52% of the fleet are 930E models, with 830E and 980E each accounting...
Engineers Build Self‑Wiring Neurobots From Living Cells
Engineers have created "neurobots": tiny, free-swimming assemblages of living cells that organize into self-directed systems, complete with neurons that wire themselves into functional circuits. https://spectrum.ieee.org/neurobot-living-robot-nervous-system
Robotic Cataract Surgery Opens Path for Millions
this is so exciting to see a robot just performed the first complete cataract surgery on a human patient, with no surgeon's hands on the tools and no general anesthesia cataract surgery is where the eye's clouded lens gets swapped for an...
Deploying Autonomous Trucks at NASA Speed
Kelly Smith, lead systems engineer for autonomy at Kodiak Robotics, leverages 13 years of NASA experience to bring aerospace‑grade safety to autonomous trucks. The company applies Class A flight‑software standards, redundant computing and probabilistic risk assessment to its fleet operating in...
NEURA Robotics Partners with AWS to Scale Physical AI at the Edge
NEURA Robotics and Amazon Web Services unveiled a strategic collaboration to accelerate Physical AI at scale, merging NEURA's cognitive robotics platform with AWS's global cloud and AI services. The alliance targets the data gap that limits robot learning, aiming to...
South Korea to Slash 75% of DMZ Troops, Swap Soldiers for AI Surveillance and Drones by 2040
South Korea’s Defense Ministry announced a plan to reduce the 22,000‑strong troop presence at the Demilitarized Zone by roughly 75% to about 6,000 by 2040, replacing most soldiers with AI‑powered surveillance, drones and combat robots. The move, backed by a...
South Korean Retailers Deploy Service Robots to Revamp In‑Store Shopping
Lotte Shopping introduced the HyperShell wearable robot on its Lotte On platform, while offline chain Electro Mart opened a robot experience zone at its Yongsan flagship store. Both moves signal a rapid shift toward AI‑driven customer service and inventory automation...
First AI Driverless Trucks Deployed to Tackle Hong Kong Port Labour Shortage
Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has introduced Hong Kong’s first AI‑powered driverless trucks, deploying six electric autonomous vehicles at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 4. Since their January launch, the fleet has moved over 8,000 containers, helping alleviate a chronic shortage of commercial‑vehicle drivers. The...
How YellowScan Navigator Closes the Land-Water Data Gap in UAV Lidar Surveys
YellowScan’s Navigator UAV lidar system merges topographic and bathymetric scanning in a single flight, using a green laser to capture both land and underwater data. Weighing 3.7 kg, it offers 3 cm accuracy, 45 minutes of endurance, and can map a 300‑meter river...
FedEx Conducts India's First Intra-City Drone Delivery Trials in Bengaluru
FedEx announced the successful completion of India’s first intra‑city drone delivery trial in Bengaluru, partnering with IIT‑Madras and securing DGCA clearance. The drone flew a 39‑42 km direct route in about 21 minutes, cutting a typical one‑hour ground trip. In the same...
Tilbury Douglas Deploys £15,000 Humanoid Robot
Tilbury Douglas, a UK tier‑one contractor, has introduced a humanoid robot called Douglas on a live construction site, costing about £15,000 (≈ $19,000). The robot autonomously captures 360‑degree imagery, performs laser scanning and generates progress, defect and safety reports, replacing roughly...
Oceaneering Pilots ROV on Brazilian Offshore Drilling Rig From Land
Oceaneering successfully piloted a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on a Petrobras drilling rig offshore Brazil from its on‑shore Remote Operations Centre (OROC) in Macaé. The test marks the first land‑based control of an offshore ROV in the region, building on...
Ukrainian Ground Robots Seize Russian Position, Marking New Era of Autonomous Warfare
Ukraine’s defence forces captured a Russian-held position using only autonomous ground robots and drones, completing more than 22,000 front‑line missions in three months. The operation, highlighted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscores a shift toward precision, unmanned warfare that could redefine...
Chinese Humanoid Robot Lightning Beats Half-Marathon World Record in Beijing
Honor's bright‑red humanoid robot Lightning finished the 2026 Beijing E‑Town half‑marathon in 50 minutes 26 seconds, eclipsing the human world record by nearly seven minutes. The feat, achieved in front of 12,000 runners and 300 competing robots, signals a rapid...
BlackBerry QNX Deepens Nvidia Edge AI Tie‑up, Fuels Enterprise Growth
BlackBerry's QNX division announced an expanded integration of its Safety 8.0 OS with Nvidia's IGX Thor edge AI platform at Hannover Messe, while Chinese EV maker Leapmotor selected QNX for its new D19 SUV. The moves broaden QNX's reach beyond automotive...
Researchers Automate Calibration For 3D Printer Swarms
Researchers have introduced an automated calibration workflow that synchronizes multiple robotic FFF 3D printers into a shared coordinate system. The method replaces manual probing and external rigs with onboard sensing and iterative error minimization, achieving sub‑millimeter alignment before and during...
Fabricating Perovskite Solar Cells with Robotic Boxes
An international team unveiled an AI‑driven robotic platform that autonomously designs, fabricates, and optimizes perovskite solar cells. The closed‑loop system produced and tested 50,764 devices, achieving a peak power conversion efficiency of 27% (certified 26.5%). The workflow combines a recipe...
Agent‑Based AI Copilot Turns PLC Engineering Into Collaboration
“AI in TIA Portal? Sounds promising… but does it really add value in daily engineering?” 🤔 Siemens Industry recently shared insights into the new Engineering Copilot TIA. And yes: our feedback at GROLLMUS as beta testers was part of it....
Hong Kong Launches Automated Parking System at Yau Ma Tei Short-Term Tenancy Site
Hong Kong’s Transport Department has installed an automated parking system (APS) at the Hoi Wang Road short‑term tenancy car park in Yau Ma Tei. The puzzle‑stacking setup provides 117 APS slots within a 200‑space facility, the largest APS deployment at a...
Master Robotics AI: From Neurons to AlphaGo
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 →...
Wearable Robot Boosts Natural Walking and Running
Real-Time #Wearable #Robot Enhances Walking and Running Naturally via @ZappyZappy7 #Robotics #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/Gj04PjXDpr
Rise of Physical AI – KUKA and NVIDIA Partner to Launch Automation 2.0
KUKA and NVIDIA announced a strategic partnership at NVIDIA GTC, unveiling the KUKA Automation Management Platform (KUKA AMP) that blends traditional rule‑based control with intent‑based AI. The collaboration marks the launch of what KUKA calls Automation 2.0, a Physical AI framework that...
Pentagon Requests $75B for Drones, Counter‑Drone Efforts
The Pentagon’s largest-ever budget request earmarks $75 billion for drones and technologies to counter them, mainly for a massive increase for a little-known office working with US commandos, according to defense officials
Factory Humanoids Ready Now; Home Robots Five Years Out
Home-based robots are about 5 years away from mass adoption ... but factory-based humanoids are ready for serious work today. Inside Factories (today; $10 an hour) --> Last-Mile Delivery (3 years; $5 an hour) --> Inside Home (5 years; $1...
China’s Drone-Laid Mines Aim to Trap US in a Taiwan War
China’s People’s Liberation Army is fielding the AJX002 extra‑large unmanned underwater vehicle, a stealthy XLUUV capable of carrying up to 20 naval mines over a 1,000‑nautical‑mile radius. The drones are designed for offensive minelaying along the First Island Chain, aiming...
Autonomous Labs: America’s Edge in Manual Work
Robots are how the US wins in manual work long term. Including at the lab bench ! Need autonomous labs
Intelligent Robots Streamline Operations in Modern Bakeries
Romias #Robotics Builds Intelligent #Robot System to Support Modern Bakeries by @lukas_m_ziegler #FoodTech #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/4lqaHVMyH0
Waymo’s Atlanta Robotaxi Jam Revives San Francisco Blackout Concerns
Waymo’s autonomous Jaguar I‑PACE robotaxis caused a three‑vehicle traffic jam in Atlanta over the weekend, mirroring a December blackout that forced a one‑day service halt in San Francisco. The incidents highlight operational vulnerabilities when traffic signals fail.
Foundation Models Bring Robots Human‑Level Dexterity
#Robot Foundation Models: Unlocking Human-Level Dexterity and Intelligence via @ZappyZappy7 #AI #Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/fxIubVoWOS
Graduate-Student Duo Unveils Fascinating Tentacle Robot
Apparently, a tentacle robot video is the most interesting thing I've ever shared with the world, so here is another one. I worked on it with my wife when we were grad students. https://t.co/nR0w7Kpx79
U.S. Army Deploys Ukraine‑Tested Merops Drones to Counter Iranian Shahed Threat
The U.S. Army has started fielding the Merops low‑cost interceptor drone, first used by Ukraine, to counter Iran‑made Shahed UAVs. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said 13,000 units were bought in eight days at about $15,000 each, a price that could...
Robots Take Hazardous Tasks, Humans Shift to Supervision
Robotics is entering hazardous operations as a structured component of industrial execution, not as isolated automation. Safety targets and workforce gaps push organizations to redesign processes so machines handle exposure and people move toward supervision Microblog @antgrasso https://t.co/4JNVQLCk47
Timing Belts Deliver Precise Multi‑Axis Robot Wrist Motion
Inside Modern #Robot Wrists: How Timing Belts Enable Precision Multi-Axis Movement by @mechanical_4u #Robotics #Tech #Technology #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/x3UyfnNNKH
Milvus Robotics Launches SEIT F1500S, Fastest Forklift AMR with 3,500‑lb Capacity
Milvus Robotics introduced the SEIT F1500S forklift‑type autonomous mobile robot, boasting a 3,500‑lb payload and the highest speed among forklift AMRs. The new unit aims to replace manual forklift work with a fully autonomous, safety‑focused solution for dynamic warehouse and...
Spot Robot Uses AI to Precisely Manipulate 15 Kg Tires
Boston Dynamics’ Spot Masters Whole-Body Manipulation — Using AI to Drag, Roll, and Stack 15 kg Tires with Precision by @rai_inst #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/yDuIm45GmD
Humanoid Robots Transform Shopping in Hangzhou
The Future of Shopping: Humanoid #Robots Take Over Store Operations in Hangzhou by @CyberRobooo #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/qP9ZmkWQNw
Lattice and TI Join Forces to Advance Real-Time Edge AI Sensor Fusion
Lattice Semiconductor and Texas Instruments have teamed up to simplify sensor integration for edge AI, pairing TI’s mmWave radar and camera technologies with Lattice’s low‑power Holoscan Sensor Bridge FPGA solution. The joint architecture streams synchronized sensor data directly into GPU‑accessible...
Multi-Purpose Electric Cart Powers Indoor and Outdoor Robots
Meet the Multi-Purpose Electric Cart: The Foundation of Indoor and Outdoor #Robots via @ZappyZappy7 #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/SkZJxacc2P
Autonomous Robot Uses Subway to Deliver Station Goods
This #Robot Rides the Subway Alone to Deliver Goods Inside Stations by @XueJia24682 #Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/c3NAfYLRKQ
Saildrone Joins Growing Competition for Navy's Medium-Sized Drone Vessel
San Francisco‑based Saildrone entered the Navy's Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) competition with its Spectre design, a 250‑tonne craft capable of 27 knots and a 25‑tonne payload. The vessel features optional sail‑driven, near‑silent propulsion for anti‑submarine warfare and can be reconfigured...
AI‑guided Dinghies Steal the Spotlight at Sea Air Space 2026
This is going to piss a lot of people off but none advertise or consult with me so IDC… the big buzz at Sea Air Space 2026 isn’t nuclear, shipbuilding, sealift, fighter planes, or space rockets. It’s dinghies One looked just like...
Why the US Can’t Copy Ukraine’s Robot Navy
U.S. Navy officials say Ukraine’s success with sea drones cannot be directly replicated in the open Pacific or Red Sea, where vast distances and constant surveillance demand different capabilities. The service recently took delivery of its first 145‑ton unmanned trimaran,...
Pongbot Uses AI-Powered Robots to Address Sports Coaching Gap
Pongbot, founded by Zhang Haibo, has turned AI‑driven robotics into a scalable tennis‑training solution. After a successful 2024 Kickstarter that raised over $2.7 million, the company completed a Series A, bringing total funding to roughly $29.3 million across three rounds. Its Pace series...
Drones Revolutionize China's Power Grid Construction
Sky Builders: #Drones Transform Power Grid Construction in China via @XH_Lee23 #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/M1JxNH86IA