What's happening: China sets first national standards for humanoid robots and embodied AI
China has released its inaugural national standard system governing humanoid robots and embodied artificial intelligence. The framework, organized into six components covering commonality, safety, ethics and the full product lifecycle, was drafted by more than 120 institutions under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The move aims to regulate the entire industrial chain from design to decommissioning.
Also developing:

Tensor and Arm announced a multiyear partnership to supply the compute architecture for Tensor’s Level 4 agentic AI robocar. Each vehicle will house 433 Arm‑based cores across Neoverse AE, Cortex‑X, Cortex‑A, Cortex‑R and Cortex‑M, complemented by Nvidia accelerators. The robocar features an extensive sensor suite—37 cameras, five lidars, 11 radars, plus numerous other detectors—and will debut in the US, EU and Middle East in 2026. The collaboration leverages Arm’s safety‑certified ecosystem to enable power‑efficient, redundant AI processing for real‑world deployment.

Researchers at the Polish Academy of Sciences have shown that bare carbon fibers can be bent and straightened reversibly using electricity, without any coatings or structural modifications. The fibers act as bipolar electrodes in a closed electrochemical cell, where asymmetric...
Manufacturers are increasingly rolling out their own RAMIS (Rapid Automated Manufacturing Integration Systems) platforms, intensifying competition in the industrial automation sector. The surge reflects a broader shift toward modular, AI‑enabled production lines that promise higher efficiency and lower downtime. Vendors...

Skydio’s Drone‑as‑First‑Responder (DFR) Command platform has processed over 10 million service calls, demonstrating that autonomous drones are now embedded in U.S. public‑safety workflows. The system pulls live 911, CAD, and sensor data directly into its Flight Deck, allowing operators to dispatch...
Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics Lab will showcase its MobED mobile platform at the Smart Factory & Automation World (AW) exhibition in Seoul from March 4‑6, 2026. MobED, unveiled in December 2025, features four independently controlled wheels and an eccentric mechanism...

In this episode, Claire Asher talks with Jamie Palmer, co‑founder and CTO of Icarus Robotics, about developing free‑flying, dexterous robots to assist astronauts on the ISS and future commercial stations. Palmer explains how the robots—essentially microgravity drones with manipulators—are being...
The UK has extended the service of its Watchkeeper Mk 1 UAV fleet by two years, costing roughly £95.7 million. The eight‑aircraft loss rate and a £1.35 billion run‑up have left the programme plagued by reliability concerns. Maintaining the drones will consume about...

Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre has launched the Middle East and North Africa’s first autonomous‑truck pilot, partnering with Autotech and AD Ports Group within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD). The AI‑driven trucks are being tested on dedicated routes...

Wing, Alphabet’s drone‑delivery arm, is hiring a remote Aviation Training & Operations Readiness Lead to steer its rapidly expanding flight‑operations program. The role will oversee training, operational evaluations, and the transition to Part 108‑compliant, highly automated deliveries across two continents. Reporting...

Arduino and Qualcomm, through Get Set Learn, are launching a K‑12 program that brings on‑device AI, robotics, and physical computing to Indian classrooms. The initiative replaces cloud‑centric tools with edge‑enabled hardware, allowing students to build and test intelligent systems locally....
Malaysia’s TTVision Holdings Berhad will launch a joint‑venture manufacturing plant in India in the second half of 2026 to produce automated optical inspection and high‑speed processing systems for photovoltaic production lines. The facility will act as a localized integrator linking...

CHC Navigation and MOVA unveiled the NAVAX 5000 AWD robotic mower at CES 2026, featuring CHCNAV’s satellite‑ground RTK service and an integrated high‑precision positioning chip that delivers centimeter‑level accuracy without a local base station or cellular data. The mower combines...

ISS Aerospace and Anduril UK announced a partnership to embed the ISSOS WASP launched effect into Anduril’s sovereign Lattice command‑and‑control platform. The integration, completed in a single day, was validated with a flight test at ISS Aerospace’s Oxford facility. WASP...

Ericsson successfully demonstrated a live proof‑of‑concept for its Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology at its Plano, Texas headquarters, using massive‑MIMO radios to detect and track drones in real time. The trial showed that existing 5G infrastructure can be repurposed...
Dental City, a 30‑year dental supply distributor, partnered with Infios to embed Locus Robotics autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) into its warehouse management system. Within three months the 40,000‑sq‑ft facility saw pick rates triple, enabling same‑day fulfillment and a two‑day nationwide...
TEPCO unveiled a 22‑metre, 4.6‑tonne snake‑like robot arm designed to retrieve radioactive debris from Fukushima Daiichi. The device can crawl through narrow tunnels, capture visual data, and is slated for a third trial removal later this year. Fukushima still houses...

U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has launched an SBIR solicitation for acoustic rainbow emitters (ARE) to silence tactical drones, aiming to cut acoustic signatures by at least 50%. The devices must weigh no more than 1 kg for Group 1 UAVs and...

Automation has shifted from simple limit switches to dynamic position‑feedback devices such as encoders and LVDTs, delivering continuous data across varying speeds. Encoders dominate motion‑to‑electrical conversion, with absolute models preserving position after power loss and incremental models tracking relative movement....
Coco Robotics unveiled Coco 2, its next‑generation autonomous delivery robot that moves beyond sidewalks into bike lanes and permitted roadways. The new platform halves delivery times and triples uptime, thanks to upgraded edge‑computing hardware and a dataset of millions of...

The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for two Switchblade loitering‑munition variants: the 600 Block 2 and the 300 Block 2. The 600 Block 2 brings advanced AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea platforms, while the 300 Block 2 is equipped with...
Attabotics, the Canadian robotics firm behind a patented cubic goods‑to‑person storage system, filed for bankruptcy in 2025 and was acquired by Danville‑based LaFayette Systems in September. The deal keeps Attabotics' engineering, business, and manufacturing operations in Calgary, with key legacy...

DJI’s flagship drones remain unavailable through official U.S. channels after the FCC’s recent ban on new DJI products. Despite the restriction, a handful of third‑party retailers have begun importing these high‑performance models, creating a fragmented supply chain. The gray‑market influx...
e-con Systems will unveil its next‑generation edge AI and multi‑camera vision solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026 in San Jose and Embedded World 2026 in Nuremberg. The company will demo Darsi Pro, a production‑ready platform built on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX that handles eight HDR GMSL...

University of Limerick researchers have created a drone‑based system that uses computer‑vision AI to locate plastic litter on beaches and feeds the data into a free mobile app. The platform can identify objects as small as 1 cm from 30 m altitude...
Boca Bearings has broadened its automation bearing portfolio, adding linear bearings in chrome, ceramic‑hybrid and full‑ceramic ZrO₂, plus expanded cam yoke, cam follower, 9900, 7500 DLG and 7600 DLG series. The off‑the‑shelf inventory is designed for quick access and same‑day...
Changingtek Robotics unveiled the X2, the world’s first adaptive left‑right dexterous hand, featuring a tendon‑driven system that can reconfigure between left and right orientations autonomously. The hand offers five independently controlled fingers, delivering up to 50 N grip force per hand...

Textron Systems won a U.S. Army prototype contract to field its Damocles™ loitering munition under the Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. The system integrates a vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a GEN2 Explosively Formed...

Uber Technologies has teamed up with Irish drone startup Manna to launch Europe’s first aerial food‑delivery pilot in Ireland, integrating Manna’s autonomous quadcopter system with the Uber Eats platform. The drones can transport up to 4 kg, travel 50 mph and deliver...
The UK Royal Navy’s Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATX) programme is advancing toward a hybrid air wing by 2040, with recent progress highlighted at the Defence IQ International Military Helicopter 2026 conference. Officials confirmed ongoing discussions to expand the deployment of the Peregrine...
HANetf announced plans to launch a UCITS exchange‑traded fund that gives investors exposure to companies developing unmanned aerial systems. The fund targets firms across military, public‑safety and commercial drone applications as the sector expands. Market forecasts show civil UAS revenue...

Swiss performance brand On has inaugurated its second automated footwear factory near Busan, South Korea, featuring 32 robots. The new plant, together with the Zurich site, is projected to boost global production capacity by 30 times in 2026, shifting the...

Manufacturers are accelerating digital transformation, but internal expertise often lags, driving demand for third‑party process automation services. The article highlights five leading providers—Malisko, Emerson, ABB Group, ATS Automation, and Yokogawa—each offering distinct strengths from IoT integration to turnkey solutions. These...

The U.S. Army issued a sources‑sought notice to find industry partners capable of delivering a standardized munition payload interface for uncrewed aerial systems, based on the Picatinny Common Lethality Interface Kit (CLIK) and the smaller Universal Payload Interface (sUPI). The...
Enterprises must first secure master data, integrate applications via open APIs, and modernize processes before chasing generative‑AI projects. Proven technologies such as adaptive robotic process automation, predictive analytics, and point‑based neural networks deliver reliable, low‑risk outcomes. Talent acquisition and continuous...

Last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Pyrotecnico deployed 1,020 pyro‑drones to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Daytime Fireworks Display. Each drone carried two smoke canisters, creating 2,024 vibrant plumes visible in broad daylight. The show combined...

Vertiq has launched servo firmware version 0.1.1, extending DroneCAN and IQUART functionality across its G2 and G1 servo modules. The update adds ArrayCommand support, ActuatorStatus telemetry, and dynamic node‑ID features while introducing unitless control types and linear displacement mapping for...

Predictive maintenance robotics leverages AI and machine‑learning to shift industrial upkeep from fixed‑schedule preventive care to condition‑based, data‑driven actions. Continuous sensor streams—vibration, acoustic, thermal, electrical—are analyzed in real time to spot anomalies and forecast component failures. The approach integrates with...

Software development is now the backbone of AI robotics, enabling machines to perceive, decide, and act in real‑world environments. Frameworks such as the Robot Operating System (ROS) and edge‑AI hardware like Nvidia Jetson streamline sensor fusion, simulation, and real‑time control....

Aerobits has opened a pre‑sale for its TR‑10 transponder, a 10‑W low‑power Mode A/C/S unit with optional ADS‑B extended squitter designed for small drones operating in Transponder Mandatory Zones. The 75‑gram, 53.5 × 43.5 × 18 mm device delivers +40 dBm output, a dynamic range of...

Greensea IQ has released the Bayonet Underwater Controller, a production‑grade, diver‑focused interface for commanding unmanned marine systems. The rugged unit operates to 40 m depth, offers six hours of battery life, and features 30 programmable buttons plus dual joysticks. Built on...
Deepak Pathak, Carnegie Mellon professor turned CEO, founded Skild AI to create a universal AI brain that can control any robot across tasks. The startup recently secured $1.4 billion in funding, valuing it at more than $14 billion, with investors including SoftBank,...

Ukraine’s leading drone maker Ukrspecsystems opened a £200 million production and testing facility in Suffolk, creating up to 500 British jobs. The plant will manufacture SHARK, Mini‑SHARK and PD‑2 drones that have already inflicted nearly $3 billion of damage on Russian forces....
Arbe Robotics reported Q4 2025 revenue of $300,000, a three‑fold increase year‑over‑year, while narrowing its operating loss to $11.5 million and maintaining a strong cash position of $52.6 million. The company highlighted progress toward four OEM design wins slated for the next...

Rheinmetall unveiled an integrated asymmetric‑warfare stack at Enforce Tac 2026, combining the RCWS320C‑UAS counter‑drone weapon station, the 40 mm SSW40 squad support gun, and the portable FV‑014 loitering munition. All systems are tied into a unified command‑and‑control layer that fuses Gladius...
Swisslog announced AgileStore, a four‑way roaming pallet shuttle, to debut at MODEX 2026. The system moves forward, backward, laterally and vertically, allowing cross‑aisle travel and level changes without extra lifts. AgileStore’s modular design promises higher density storage, dynamic routing and...
Cornell researchers unveiled EdemaFlex, a soft‑robotic glove equipped with 37 shape‑memory‑alloy actuators that apply sequential pressure across all five fingers and the palm. In a small home‑use study of seven edema patients, a single 30‑minute session reduced hand volume by...

Codelco has launched the Kinamics Arkytas MU-2.1 robot at its El Teniente mine to map newly blasted tunnel fronts. The remote‑controlled unit creates 3‑D photogrammetric models from 22 photos, allowing engineers to assess terrain without entering hazardous zones. Beyond imaging,...

Alphabet-owned Intrinsic, a robotics‑software specialist, is joining Google while remaining a distinct entity. The integration will link Intrinsic’s Flowstate platform and Vision AI model with Google DeepMind, Gemini AI models, and Google Cloud services. Earlier, Intrinsic expanded through acquisitions of...
UC Irvine computer scientists have uncovered a critical flaw in camera‑based autonomous target‑tracking drones, dubbed the FlyTrap attack. By attaching a specially designed visual pattern to an ordinary umbrella, attackers can trick drones into believing the target is receding, causing...
The Australian Department of Defence has signed a three‑year agreement with DroneShield to enhance counter‑drone capabilities through joint research and technology sharing. The partnership will involve data exchange on emerging drone technologies via the Defence Science and Technology Group, and...