Today's Robotics Pulse
XPeng CEO Takes Direct Control of Robotics Division to Accelerate IRON Humanoid Production
XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng is assuming direct oversight of the company's robotics division. The shift coincides with plans to mass‑produce the IRON humanoid robot, with production slated for this year and commercial sales targeted for China and overseas next year. In Q1, XPeng's vehicle deliveries dropped 33% to 62,682 units, pulling revenue down 17.6% YoY to $1.92B.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Waymo acquires Apple’s Arizona Proving Ground for $220M
LS Electric Launches Beyond X Safety Offering with XSC Safety PLC, XSR Safety Relays
LS Electric introduced the Beyond X Safety lineup, featuring the XSC Safety PLC and XSR Safety Relays. The compact XSC controller delivers 16 safety inputs, four OSSD outputs and high‑density I/O, while the modular XSR relays offer customizable hardwired safety functions. Both products meet IEC 61508 SIL 3 and ISO 13849‑1 Category 4 standards, enabling OEMs and panel builders to implement unified safety architectures for new builds and retrofits. The accompanying XSC Safety Designer software provides drag‑and‑drop programming and simulation to speed commissioning.
Kodiak and Roehl Transport Begin Autonomous Freight Operations Between Dallas and Houston
Kodiak AI has begun autonomous freight operations with Roehl Transport, hauling trucks between Dallas and Houston four times per week. The Kodiak Driver, the company’s AI‑powered autonomous system, earned a 98‑out of‑100 VERA safety score, the highest in an independent...
Opinion: Autonomy Is Reshaping Logistics, but Its Real Value Lies in Better Decision-Making
The piece argues that autonomy—not just automation—is reshaping logistics by turning real‑time data into actionable decisions. Labor shortages, rising costs and supply‑chain volatility are pushing warehouses toward faster adoption, with automation growth exceeding 10% annually. Digital twins and AI‑driven mobile...
Drone Start-Up Helsing Set for $18bn Valuation as Investors Pile Into Defence
Helsing, a Swedish drone start‑up specializing in autonomous, AI‑driven UAVs, has closed a financing round that lifts its valuation to about $18 billion as defence investors rush in. The funding, led by BAE Systems, SoftBank Vision Fund and Swedish sovereign investors,...
Samsung Electronics Launches Future Robotics Task Force to Speed Humanoid Production
Samsung Electronics has opened an internal recruitment drive for its new Future Robotics Task Force, aiming to fast‑track the development of manufacturing‑site humanoids and bring more robot components in‑house. The move follows Samsung’s 2025 acquisition of a controlling stake in...
What DJI Actually Changed in the New Neo 2 Drone
DJI has launched the Neo 2, a pocket‑sized drone that emphasizes instant deployment and intuitive control. The device eliminates traditional controllers, offering gesture‑based, hands‑free operation and a front‑screen for real‑time flight data. Performance upgrades include a dual‑axis gimbal, refined subject tracking,...
U.S. Firm Supplied 200-Plus Penguin Drones to Ukraine
Redwire has supplied more than 200 Penguin uncrewed aerial systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2022, marking one of the few public tallies of a Western drone platform in the conflict. The Penguin C was explicitly listed in U.S. security‑assistance...
Prevent Double‑Bag Picks Caused by Static Electricity
🔷 In most plastic bag picking and placing mechanisms, due to their light weight and the presence of static electricity, it is possible for two bags to be removed at the same time. What is your solution to prevent this...
China Unveils Modular Humanoid Robot with Interchangeable Heads
Meet Xiaoling: China’s Modular Humanoid #Robot with Swappable Heads and Multi-Role Capabilities by @StarSnap_1 #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology https://t.co/5QjCGGIbuI
Kraken Robotics Signs MOU with Turkish Drone Firm
Kraken Robotics announced a memorandum of understanding with Turkish unmanned‑systems researcher SEFINE SISAM to embed its KATFISH towed synthetic‑aperture sonar into the firm’s mission‑planning software and add automatic target‑recognition capabilities. The agreement builds on a sea trial earlier this year...
Russia Poised to Arm Iran with Cheap, Jam‑proof Drones
Russia reportedly wants to give Iran thousands of FIBER OPTIC drones Cheap, precise, hard-to-jam THE REAL PHASE OF THE CONFLICT IS STILL AHEAD #Drones #Iran #Russia #Geopolitics #Warfare
Greece Probes Ukrainian Naval Drone Discovered in Lefkada Cave
JUST IN: Greece is investigating a Ukrainian-made naval drone found in a cave on the island of Lefkada.
BMW Opens $2.2 B AI‑Driven Car Plant in Hungary, Powered by 5G
BMW announced the launch of a €2 billion ($2.2 bn) AI‑driven automotive factory in Debrecen, Hungary. The plant, billed as the world’s first AI‑run car factory, relies on a hybrid public‑private 5G network to connect more than 1,000 robots and deliver next‑generation...
Backpack‑Sized Bipedal Robot Makes Portable Robotics Reality
Backpack-Sized Bipedal Humanoid #Robot Redefines Portable Robotics via @ZappyZappy7 #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/PXNYVFVxbC
Tutor Intelligence Opens U.S.’s Largest Robot Data Factory in Massachusetts
Boston‑based Tutor Intelligence has inaugurated Data Factory 1, a 100‑robot fleet in Watertown, Massachusetts, billed as the United States’ largest robot data factory. The robots, named Sonny, are autonomously gathering manipulation data to accelerate the rollout of autonomous manufacturing solutions...
Agility Unveils Safety‑Certified Digit Humanoid for Uncaged Factory Use by End‑2026
Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson announced that a new safety‑certified version of the Digit humanoid will be able to operate without protective cages by the end of 2026. The move follows recent OSHA approval, a $100,000‑tote production record and a...
Ukraine Ramps up Ground Robot Production to Spare Soldiers, Haul Ammo — and Rescue Grandma
Ukraine is rapidly expanding its unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) force, contracting 25,000 units for the first half of 2026 and announcing a goal of 50,000 robots for the year. The SBS doctrine treats UGVs as dual‑use platforms that handle logistics,...
Why Traditional Robotics Data Collection Is Obsolete and What Replaces It
In this episode, Steve Crow and Mike Oitzman discuss how traditional robotics data collection methods are becoming outdated, highlighting the rise of AI-driven approaches like direct video action models that predict robot motions from internet video data. They preview upcoming...
Tesla Scales Unsupervised Robotaxis, Wisk Doubles Fleet, Meta Aspires to Build the Android of Humanoids
Tesla has expanded its unsupervised robotaxi program to Dallas and Houston, bringing the fleet to over 36 vehicles across Austin, Dallas and Houston and eliminating chase cars. Wisk Aero doubled its Gen 6 eVTOL test fleet and completed the first uncrewed...
Zagreb Launches Europe’s First Commercial Robotaxi Service with Uber and Pony.ai
Zagreb has become the first European city to operate a commercial robotaxi service, deploying a fleet of 10 autonomous vehicles in partnership with Uber and Chinese driverless firm Pony.ai. The service, priced at €1.99 per ride, began on April 8...
Unitree Unveils UniStore, the First App Store for G1 Humanoid Robots
Chinese robotics firm Unitree has opened UniStore, a dedicated app store for its G1 humanoid robot, offering ready‑to‑run actions such as dancing, boxing and striding. The launch follows a 335% revenue surge and precedes a planned $618 million IPO, signaling a...
Manna – Embedded Engineer- Aircraft
Manna is developing aviation‑grade drones to provide high‑speed, affordable, and green suburban deliveries of food, coffee, groceries and more. The company designs both the hardware and the embedded software that powers its fleet, targeting delivery within minutes from local stores....
The Top 10 Humanoid Robots, Ranked: Tesla, Unitree, and More
Industry analysts have released a power‑ranking of the ten most promising humanoid robots, evaluating real‑world deployments, technical capability, commercial traction, price and visibility. Tesla’s Optimus tops the list thanks to its massive funding, AI ambition and potential integration into Tesla’s...
A Different Kind Of 'Drone Strike': A Passenger Airliner Reported Hitting A Consumer UAV
United Airlines flight 1980 reported a possible collision with a consumer drone at 3,000 feet while approaching San Diego, but post‑flight inspection found no damage and the aircraft landed safely. The incident highlights growing safety concerns as FAA data shows many...
From Motion to Memory: Researchers Create Soft Machines that Amplify Movement and Remember Touch
Researchers at Seoul National University unveiled a soft actuator using elasto‑magnetic instability (C‑EsMV) that can amplify motion by up to 700‑fold and store mechanical memory without electronics. The system balances magnetic attraction and elastic tension to produce stepwise, bistable responses,...
FCC Commissioner Defends Blacklisting Foreign Drones over Security Fears
FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty defended the agency’s decision to add foreign‑made drones and critical components to the Covered List, citing national security and AI‑driven infrastructure risks. The move intensifies scrutiny of Chinese‑origin drones, especially DJI, which has struggled to reach...
Autonomous Freight Startups Kodiak AI Raises $100M, Humble Launches Electric Hauler
Kodiak AI closed a $100 million financing round at a steep discount, while Humble debuted its fully autonomous, cabless electric Class 8 hauler. Both moves intensify the race to modernize long‑haul trucking and reshape supply‑chain logistics.
Marriott Trials Advanced Service Robots in Hotels
Imagine you check into a @Marriott hotel and one of these is walking down the hall. The demos are getting better. Way better. I imagine @adcock_brett is gonna have these in at least one Marriott soon. And if not Marriotts, I know...
China Targets 28,000 Humanoid Robots in 2026 to Lift Export Share to 16.5% by 2030
Morgan Stanley’s latest research projects China will ship roughly 28,000 humanoid robots in 2026, more than double last year’s output, and raise its global manufacturing export share from 15% to 16.5% by 2030. The surge reflects a coordinated state push,...
HII Wins Pentagon Deal for Sub Torpedo Tube UUV System
HII secured a Defense Innovation Unit contract to build a torpedo‑tube launch and recovery system that autonomously deploys and retrieves REMUS unmanned underwater vehicles from U.S. Navy submarines. The solution requires no diver support or modifications to existing submarine interfaces,...
Video: Hitachi Excavator Goes Autonomous with Gravis Copilot
Hitachi unveiled its Gravis Copilot system, equipping excavators with LiDAR, high‑resolution cameras, GPS and a tablet that projects a real‑time digital twin of the job site. The platform lets operators import CAD/CAT files, use the bucket as a surveying tool,...
A Robot You Can Snuggle Debuts at WSJ’s Flagship Event
At the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference, former iRobot founder Colin Angle unveiled Familiar, a soft four‑legged robot designed to form emotional bonds with users. The prototype, presented by startup Familiar Machines & Magic, can interpret tone of...
Kodiak AI, General Dynamics Land Systems Partner for Military Vehicles
Kodiak AI and General Dynamics Land Systems have formed a strategic partnership to build autonomous ground vehicles for defence. Kodiak will supply its Physical AI "Kodiak Driver" software while General Dynamics handles vehicle integration, power and communications. The joint effort...
Future Builders Outpace Outdated Governance Systems
Mars colonies, robot workers, and AGI lawsuits all point to one big truth: the people building the future are moving faster than the systems meant to govern them. Will these systems be relevant or needed at all soon? -- Figure scaling...
Why Building Humanoid Robots Remains Extremely Challenging
Enjoyed discussing why humanoids are hard with Sean @Rameswaram on @Today_Explained (starting around minute 18:30): https://t.co/yJswBUOVsL
AI-Guided Labs Are Approaching Full Autonomy
Ginkgo Bioworks is building fully autonomous biopharma labs that combine 70 robots, 90 lab devices and AI‑driven software in an 18,000‑square‑foot Boston facility. Scientists can submit dozens of unique protocols each day, which the system executes without human intervention. In...
Brooklyn Navy Yard Showcases Future Urban Industry Innovations
On May 16, the Brooklyn Navy Yard is hosting Yard Industry Day, an interactive showcase spotlighting the Yard companies that are shaping the future of urban industry across robotics, physical AI, space tech, clean energy and more. RSVP: https://t.co/R6pUGixxEU https://t.co/ZbWErEFC4m
DARPA Seeks Autonomous Swarm Drones Inspired by Ukraine
A new DARPA solicitation appears to take lessons from Ukraine's "Spider Web." The agency wants swarming Group 1-3 drones along with storage units that can autonomously launch/recover in contested areas. https://t.co/bo79rvb4S7
SANY Rolls Out 1,000th Electric Excavator & Launches 5G Remote Control
SANY Group has delivered its 1,000th electric excavator, underscoring a rapid shift toward zero‑emission construction equipment. The company also launched the SY550HD, a 5G‑enabled remote‑controlled excavator that can be operated from up to 8,500 km with latency as low as 120‑140 ms....
Robot Valet Eliminates Parking Stress Completely
No More Parking Stress: This #Robot Valet Handles It All by @IntEngineering #Robotics #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/oexNZCOaOg
High-Speed Automation Delivers Precise Package Sorting
Precision in Motion: High-Speed #Automated Package Sorting in Action by @amazingthings_ #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation #Tech https://t.co/Hjv7ashwQf
Around the Commercial Drone Industry: Program Testing, FIFA World Cup, Amusement Park Restrictions
Leander, Texas, is piloting a two‑week drone‑first‑response program using Skydio X10 units that can launch in 20 seconds and reach incident sites in under 90 seconds, delivering live video and thermal imaging to police and fire crews. The drones can...
Robots Master Bed‑making, Outperforming Human Effort
Figure taught two robots to make a bed together - fully autonomous Honestly, they’re better at it than most humans https://t.co/t0CIlDuy5q
F.03 Robots Clean Room and Make Bed in 2 Minutes
We taught two F.03 robots to clean a room and make a bed in under 2 minutes - fully autonomous. https://t.co/WQKGATD9cG
The US Marine Corps Is Looking for a Few Good Robots to Build Airfields
The U.S. Marine Corps has issued an SBIR solicitation to develop autonomous robots that can assemble Expeditionary Airfield (EAF) matting in austere, amphibious environments. The program, titled “Automated Expeditionary Airfield Assembly,” seeks systems capable of navigating uneven terrain, handling heavy...
New Rules Will Keep Unmanned Aircraft Away From Prisons and Power Plants
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to create Unmanned Aircraft Flight Restrictions (UAFRs) around critical infrastructure, including prisons, power plants, chemical facilities, and dams. Two tiers are proposed—a standard UAFR that caps drone altitude at 400 feet (or higher...
Boeing Debuts First Successful MQ-25A Stingray Flight
Boeing and the U.S. Navy completed the first operational flight of the MQ‑25A Stingray, a two‑hour autonomous test that demonstrated taxi, takeoff, flight, landing and command response via the carrier mission control system. The flight validated the aircraft’s flight controls,...
Automation Needed to Return U.S. to Manufacturing #1
The U.S. is already the world’s #2 manufacturing powerhouse. To become #1 again, we need better automation. Make factories more productive, safer, and easier to work in. @goformic is leading that charge:
South Korea Demo Shows Humanoids, ‘Robot Dogs’ Teaming Up in a Warehouse
LG CNS showcased its PhysicalWorks Baton platform, letting humanoid, quadruped, AMR and AGV robots collaborate autonomously in a Seoul warehouse demo. The system coordinated a Unitree humanoid, Deep Robotics’ M20 quadruped, Dexmate’s wheeled robot and Bear Robotics’ Carti‑100 without human...
Multitask Behavior Models Boost Robot Manipulation Efficiency
Robots can learn complex #manipulation tasks, like assembling a breakfast tray, more efficiently using large behavior models and multitask datasets, when compared with single-task policies. Learn more in Science #Robotics: https://t.co/T6OugH8W0f https://t.co/KCrw3DqLfo