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
RobCo Unveils Alfie Modular Robot, Backed by $100M Funding, to Tackle Variable Factory Work
RobCo introduced Alfie, a modular two‑arm robot that uses AI to adapt to changing factory conditions, and announced a $100 million funding round to scale the platform. The launch targets a large segment of manufacturing still reliant on human labor due to variability.
A Humanoid Robot Set a Half-Marathon Record in China
Honor, the Chinese smartphone maker, unveiled a humanoid robot that completed a 13.1‑mile half‑marathon in 50:26, shattering the human record by seven minutes. The event in Beijing featured more than 100 robots from 76 institutions racing alongside 12,000 human participants...
Iran War Highlights the Value of Unmanned Aircraft
The U.S. Air Force deployed MQ‑9 Reaper drones early in Operation Epic Fury over Iran, using their 24‑hour endurance to locate and strike mobile missile and drone launchers. Despite being vulnerable to sophisticated air defenses, several Reapers were lost, yet...
Tesla Autopilot Turns Lunch Run Into Seamless Experience
It hit me yesterday when I was going to pick up lunch. I pre-cooled the Tesla Model 3 from my phone, and set the destination to the restaurant. Then I hit start self-driving. Mad Max mode, park in the parking lot....
Anduril, HD Hyundai Expand Partnership with First Autonomous Surface Vessel in Production
Anduril and HD Hyundai have deepened their collaboration to build autonomous surface vessels, with the first ship in a new class now in production after a successful critical design review. Construction is underway at U.S. shipyards operated by Edison Chouest...
AI Capabilities Are Needed to Counter Drone Threats, Senator Says
Senator Deb Fischer warned that the United States must swiftly adopt artificial‑intelligence‑driven capabilities to counter the surge of autonomous drone threats from rivals such as Russia, China and Iran. She highlighted how drone swarms have reshaped warfare, citing the Russia‑Ukraine...
AgiBot Hits 1.05 Bn Yuan Revenue as UBTECH Scales Humanoid Sales in Europe
AgiBot announced 2025 revenue of 1.05 bn yuan, a jump from 60 m yuan in 2024, while UBTECH posted a 22‑fold rise in humanoid robot sales and partnered with European integrator Terra Robotics. The moves underscore accelerating demand for embodied‑intelligence robots and...
Wi‑Fi Chip Survives 500 kGy Inside Nuclear Reactor
This chip is a Wi-Fi receiver that still works inside a nuclear reactor. It can endure 500 kilograys of radiation. https://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics-in-nuclear-industry
HII Launches HYPR Program with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics to Accelerate Production at Scale
HII announced the High‑Yield Production Robotics (HYPR) program at the Navy League Sea‑Air‑Space Expo, partnering with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics to embed physical AI across shipbuilding lines. The initiative will combine robotic welding, material handling, surface treatment and autonomous...
Shield in the Sky Transforming Defense with AiON
Northrop Grumman accelerated its AiON counter‑UAS platform from concept to live‑fire testing in just four months, showcasing flawless drone interception at Yuma Proving Ground. The system links over 40 sensors and 45 effectors, allowing a single operator to manage multiple...
Two Weeks to Two Days: Surveying 3,800 Hectares of Queensland Sugarcane with the DJI Matrice 400
A Queensland sugarcane estate adopted a LiDAR workflow using DJI’s Matrice 400 drone equipped with a Zenmuse L3 sensor. The system captured sub‑canopy terrain data across 3,800 ha in two 40‑minute flight sessions, slashing full‑property survey time from roughly two weeks to two...
Creator Is Making a Comeback, Only This Time as a Platform Player and Not ‘Robot Theater’
Creator, the San Francisco‑based robotic burger startup that raised about $60 million and shuttered its flagship store during the pandemic, is re‑emerging as a technology platform rather than a consumer‑facing restaurant. The company now offers its redesigned robot to existing restaurant brands,...
Secures FCC Conditional Approval to Deploy Autonomous Drones for U.S. Electricity Grids
sees.ai has secured conditional approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to operate its centrally controlled autonomous drones for close‑quarter inspection of high‑voltage electricity infrastructure. The approval, granted under the FCC’s new Conditional Approval pathway, validates the company’s security and...
The USC Professor Who Pioneered Socially Assistive Robotics
Maja Matarić, a USC professor of computer science, neuroscience and pediatrics, helped define socially assistive robotics in 2005 and has since built robots that provide therapeutic social interaction. Her work includes the Bandit, Kiwi and Blossom platforms, which support children...
U.S. Army Buys VAPOR CLE Drones Under $14.6M Contract
AeroVironment secured a $14.6 million contract from the U.S. Army to deliver its VAPOR CLE (Compact Long Endurance) unmanned aircraft system under the Company‑Level Directed Requirement (CoLvl DR) Small Uncrewed Aircraft System Tranche 2 program. The award supports the Army’s Medium Range Reconnaissance initiative,...
Industry Floods Into Autonomous Vessel Race as U.S. Navy Opens MUSV Marketplace
The U.S. Navy has opened its Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) program to an open marketplace, inviting multiple commercial and defense firms to submit prototype designs. Anduril Industries is teaming with HD Hyundai and Edison Chouest Offshore to combine autonomy software...
Handle with Care: Soft Robot Gripper Picks Ripe Fruit without Bruising
Cornell researchers led by Rob Shepherd have built a soft‑robot gripper that uses stretchable fiber‑optic strain gauges to gauge fruit stiffness and determine ripeness. The device gently twists strawberries off the plant with a planetary‑gear wrist, avoiding the bruising that...
Honeywell Introduces New Warehouse Software Platform and Innovative Sortation Solution
Honeywell announced two new logistics solutions: the Momentum Core software platform and the IntelliSort Irregulars Sorter. Momentum Core consolidates warehouse execution, control and reporting into a single, modular system built on Ignition SCADA, allowing rapid reconfiguration without costly re‑platforming. The IntelliSort...
Filmmaker’s Five‑Second Drone Clip Unveils Iceland’s Hidden Canyon
A veteran adventure filmmaker released a five‑second drone clip that captures a little‑known canyon deep in Iceland’s Highlands. The brief reveal shows basalt cliffs, a turquoise river and dozens of waterfalls, underscoring the technical skill required to film in such...
AIR Lifts Off With First Flight of Heavy-Lift Cargo Drone
Air has completed the maiden flight of its Production AIR Cargo-Heavy Lift UAS, a vertical‑take‑off and landing (VTOL) drone capable of carrying roughly 550 pounds in a 70‑cubic‑foot cargo bay. The aircraft demonstrated stable hover, transition, and forward flight, confirming...
Everrati Brings Its EV Propulsion Expertise to Next-Gen Unmanned Vehicles
Everrati Automotive, a UK firm known for converting classic cars to electric, is extending its propulsion expertise to unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The company will focus on supplying advanced electric motors, battery packs and software...
US Navy Conducts Autonomous Minehunting Operations in the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. Navy has begun autonomous mine‑hunting operations in the Strait of Hormuz after intelligence indicated Iranian mines. The effort employs Textron’s Common Uncrewed Surface Vessel with AQS‑20 sonar and General Dynamics’ Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish UUVs, supplementing a limited return...
Ag Aircraft Drone Encounters Increased In 2025 Season
Unsafe interactions between drones and manned agricultural aircraft surged during the 2025 growing season, with 20% of aerial applicators reporting at least one incident—up from 16% in 2024 and 11% in 2023. The low‑altitude nature of crop‑dusting puts pilots within...
Human Half-Marathon World Record Zapped by Humanoid Robot at the 2026 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon
At the 2026 Beijing E‑Town Half Marathon, Honor’s humanoid robot Lightning finished the 13.1‑mile race in 50:26, beating the human world record of 57:20. The event featured over 12,000 runners and about 300 robots on parallel courses, highlighting a dramatic...
AI Poised to Power Next‑gen Humanoid Robot Brains
Gill Pratt designed the DARPA robotics challenge. Now he thinks advances in AI can help power the brains of humanoid robotics in the near future. https://spectrum.ieee.org/humanoid-robots-gill-pratt-darpa
RS and Festo Make Smart Electric Motion Accessible
RS, a global industrial‑service provider, is now offering Festo’s Simplified Motion Series electromechanical actuators to small and mid‑sized manufacturers. The series bundles motor, drive and servo functions into a plug‑and‑work unit that can replace traditional pneumatic cylinders. While upfront costs...
Leonardo DRS Integrates Counter-Drone M-MEP Kit on Naval Drone
Leonardo DRS has fitted its Maritime Mission Equipment Package (M‑MEP) onto Sea Machines’ STORMRUNNER autonomous unmanned surface vessel, delivering a ready‑to‑use counter‑drone system for naval fleets. The kit bundles maritime radar, electro‑optical/infrared sensors and AI‑driven SAGEcore software to detect, track...
Physical AI Edges Closer to Real-World Deployments
Capgemini’s new report shows physical AI is moving from hype to practical deployment, with 80% of 1,678 executives across 16 countries already experimenting and only 4% operating at full scale. The gap reflects historic integration challenges, but falling hardware costs,...
Dronamics Enters Japan and Welcomes Asia Air Survey as Strategic Investor
Dronamics announced a strategic partnership with Japan’s Asia Air Survey, which is investing through its corporate venture arm and becoming the first Japanese shareholder. The deal includes the creation of Dronamics Japan Holdings to commercialize the Black Swan drone in Japan and...
DoorDash Pays Gig Workers to Train Their Replacement Robots
doordash is paying 8 million gig workers to train the robots that replace them it's pretty insane once you look at the details on march 19, they launched an app called "tasks" it's basically a menu of filming jobs the menu: wash some dishes,...
Real‑world AI Copilot Will Define the Future
The most important AI copilot is not the one writing emails or code, it is the one operating in real-world environments where mistakes have real consequences. In fields like surgery and manufacturing, AI must see, understand, and act correctly in...
GA-ASI Completes MQ-9B ‘Flight Into Known Icing’ Flight Tests
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) finished a series of flight tests in early April to certify its MQ‑9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI). The tests, conducted at the company’s Flight Test & Training Center in North...
Factory AI Needs Consistency, Not Chatbot Creativity
You need factory-first AI to build an AI-first factory. And you won’t get it from OpenAI. Factories don’t need creativity. They need consistency. That’s why AI agents—not chatbots—are taking over the floor. https://t.co/TgOX9rhsnh https://t.co/aC8rsPysoL
China Debuts Pharmacy Robot Processing 370 Orders Daily
China Launches First Pharmacy #Robot Handling 370 Orders a Day by @CGTNOfficial #MedTech #HealthTech #Tech #Healthcare https://t.co/DjZ0teE6fF
Tesla Robotaxi Misses Exit on Dallas Highway, Raising Safety Concerns
Tesla’s driverless robotaxi service stumbled in Dallas when a Model Y missed a highway exit, slowed, and pulled over at 80‑90 mph, prompting passenger Chris Ramos to flag navigation flaws. The incident arrives as Tesla rolls the service out to Dallas and...
China Deploys Autonomous Robots for Rice Planting
#Autonomous Rice-Planting #Robots at Work in China by @ShangguanJiewen #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/E09YTAlk7a
AI and Robots Poised to Replace Warehouse Workers
A case for the displacement of human labor in warehouses and distribution centers with AI and robotics. https://t.co/5EJcBi3giT #robotics #warehouse #distributioncenter #robotsreplacinghumans #AI #AIrobots https://t.co/luuMseZ330
NGen Announces $62.7M in Funding for Canadian AI, Robotics & Tech Manufacturing Projects
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) announced nearly C$25 million in new federal funding, matched by C$38 million from industry, to launch 14 advanced manufacturing projects centered on AI, robotics, digital twins and related technologies. The total C$62.7 million (~US$45.8 million) program was unveiled at...
AI Robotic Dogs Accelerate Disaster Response and Safety
#AI #Robotic Dogs Lead the Way in Fire and Disaster Response, Enhancing Safety and Speed by @IntEngineering #Robotics #Engineering #Innovation #Technology #TechForGood https://t.co/ZFuzKA31af
Humanoid Robots Gaining Emotions Redefine Future Tech
Humanoid #Robots Are Learning to Feel—And It Changes Everything by @XRoboHub #Robotics #Sensors #Innovation #EmergingTech #Tech #Technology https://t.co/JMVvQM7gIb
Honor’s Lightning Crushes Human Record at Beijing Half-Marathon, Finishing in 50:26
Chinese smartphone maker Honor’s humanoid robot Lightning won the Beijing half‑marathon in 50 minutes 26 seconds, eclipsing the human world record of 57:20. More than 100 robots raced alongside 12,000 human runners, with nearly half operating autonomously, highlighting a leap...
Estonia Launches First Stable Autonomous Monowheel Security Robot
Estonia’s Rollo #Robotics Unveils the World’s First Stable Autonomous Monowheel Security #Robot by @lukas_m_ziegler #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/DlS5EtrgNK
Humanoid Robot Beats Human Marathon Record
Nothing to worry about, folks. -The Future A year ago in Beijing’s humanoid-robot half-marathon race, the first runner to cross the finish line took more than 2½ hours. In this year’s event, the champion beat the fastest human ever. https://t.co/1Sel66fSCa via...
X-Humanoid's Embodied Tien Kung 3.0 Wins Beijing Robot Warrior Challenge with Fully Autonomous Run
The Beijing Yizhuang Robot Warrior Challenge on April 18 served as a proving ground for next‑generation disaster‑response robotics, where X‑Humanoid’s full‑size humanoid Embodied Tien Kung 3.0 completed every obstacle—pendulum traversal, barrier breaching, and obstacle clearance—without remote assistance. By securing the highest overall...
Self‑aware Robots Share Skills Across Joint Constraints
A new Science #Robotics study classifies robots according to their joint constraints and endows them with this self-awareness, enabling diverse robots to learn the same skill safely and without retraining. https://t.co/fAPjb5AcEl https://t.co/vCFYxKyVLM
Robot Dog Uses Google AI to Read Gauges and Thermometers
Boston Dynamics’ robot dog now reads gauges and thermometers with Google’s AI 🤖 https://t.co/Z9OxCoqZbt https://t.co/VEz7BUBfYb
Accelerating Industrial Robotics with NVIDIA Jetson, EverFocus, and EyePick
Industrial robotics face a deployment gap, not an AI shortage, as most pilot projects stall before production. NVIDIA’s Jetson hardware, combined with EverFocus’s rugged EAC‑30N edge computer and EyePick’s Maestro OS, delivers a low‑latency, plug‑and‑play architecture that bridges vision models...
Raj Reddy Outlines AI's Future at Robotics Week
Hear from Raj Reddy, Moza Bint Nasser University Professor, who recently gave a keynote lecture for National Robotics Week. 🤖 👀 You can find his talk, "The Future of AI", on the RI YouTube channel: https://t.co/xFMTitbBuk
Milvus Robotics Introduces the SEIT F1500S Forklift-Type Autonomous Mobile Robot for Advanced Material Handling
Milvus Robotics unveiled the SEIT F1500S, a forklift‑type autonomous mobile robot designed for fast deployment in high‑mix manufacturing and warehousing. The AMR can lift up to 3,500 lb (1,500 kg) to a height of 8.86 ft (2.70 m) and claims to be the fastest...
Neptune Robotics Invests $12M USD in New Singapore Factory to Expand Robotic Hull Cleaning Capabilities
Neptune Robotics is allocating $12 million to a new manufacturing and R&D facility in Singapore, aimed at scaling its AI‑powered robotic hull‑cleaning systems. The expansion is projected to boost cleaning capacity by 400% by the end of 2026 and support up...