Today's Robotics Pulse
Spirit AI tops global robot benchmark and secures $222M funding
Chinese robotics startup Spirit AI's embodied intelligence model, Spirit v1.6, achieved the highest score on the RoboArena leaderboard, beating Nvidia's offering. The company also announced a ¥1.5 billion (≈$222 million) financing round to accelerate its technology.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Shifters raises $10.2M seed round
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 first large‑scale European rollout. UBTECH’s 2025 financials show revenue of roughly $280 million, a 53 % jump, with humanoid robot sales soaring to $115 million—a 22‑fold increase. The company shipped 1,079 Walker units in 2025, a 35,867 % surge year‑over‑year.
California Guard Innovation Center Hosts Drone Training
The California National Guard’s Hap Arnold Innovation Center hosted a DCMA Blue List small‑UAS training on April 14, drawing more than 70 representatives from military, federal and industry agencies. The event highlighted the shift from a two‑vendor procurement model to...
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...
A&K Robotics Closes $8-Million Series A Round to Put Self-Driving Pods in Airports
Vancouver‑based A&K Robotics secured a CAD 8 million (≈US $5.8 million) Series A round to accelerate its Cruz self‑driving mobility pods. The pods, already in service at Vancouver International and Madrid‑Barajas airports, aim to ease passenger movement in crowded terminals. The funding, led by BDC...
Spokane, Wash., Police to Use Drones to Protect World Cup Team
Spokane’s City Council approved a $227,000 purchase of four Skydio surveillance drones and a rapid‑deployment barrier system to protect Egypt’s World Cup team during its training camp. The police department will initially absorb the cost, expecting reimbursement from FIFA‑related grants....
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...
Robotmaster Software Update Speeds Up Programming
Hypertherm Associates released Robotmaster version 11.0, an offline programming suite for robotic plasma cutting, welding and contouring. The update claims up to twice the processing speed, especially on large CAD models and dense toolpaths, and introduces a standardized deployment framework...
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
From WCS to Orchestration: The New Operating System for Warehouses
Traditional Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) were built for predictable, deterministic automation, but today’s facilities blend AMRs, AS/RS, vision systems, and variable labor. The industry is moving toward an orchestration layer that makes real‑time decisions about work prioritization, routing, and recovery...
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...
Siemens and OnLogic Partner to Bring Industrial Edge to the Harshest Environments
Siemens and OnLogic have formed a strategic partnership to extend the Siemens Industrial Edge platform onto OnLogic’s fanless, ruggedized edge computers, enabling deployment in extreme environments such as mines and energy sites. The collaboration combines Siemens’ automation software with OnLogic’s...
SiFly – Senior Flight Controller SW Engineer
SiFly announced a senior Flight Controller Software Engineer opening to advance its long‑endurance UAV platform. The role centers on hands‑on development within the open‑source PX4 stack, MAVLink integration, and full‑cycle validation from simulation to live flight. Candidates must bring at...
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...
NEURA Robotics and Amazon Web Services Enter Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Physical AI at Scale
NEURA Robotics and Amazon Web Services have signed a strategic agreement to accelerate Physical AI at scale, combining NEURA's cognitive robotics platform with AWS's cloud and AI services. The partnership will integrate NEURA Gym training environments with Amazon SageMaker and...
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...
DEEPX and Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB Partner to Develop Next-Generation Physical AI Compute Platform for Robotics
DEEPX and Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics LAB announced a strategic partnership to co‑develop a Physical AI computing platform for next‑generation robots. The effort centers on DEEPX’s DX‑M2 ultra‑low‑power chip, designed to run large generative AI models in real time on...
Mayman Aerospace RAZOR™ VTOL Achieves Historic Milestone with Fully Autonomous Inaugural Flight
Mayman Aerospace announced that its RAZOR P100 VTOL drone completed the first fully autonomous, untethered flight, confirming 18 months of engineering work. The test, held at the US Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, showcased the AI‑driven SKYFIELD flight control system...
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...
10 Automation Trends Shaping Skilled Trades
Automation is reshaping skilled trades rather than replacing them, as robots, sensors, and AI become commonplace on job sites. Robotic welding cells, autonomous mobile robots, and AI‑driven quality systems are shifting workers toward programming, diagnostics, and system oversight. The rise...
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...
NB Corp. Of America Plans Live Demos This Week
NB Corp. of America will showcase live demonstrations of its NV Slide Way configuration and the 3‑axis BG Actuator at the MD&M South trade show, Booth #2311 Automation. The Slide Way delivers precise linear motion without the need for a...
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...
Blue Ops Partners with HADDY to 3D Print Military Unmanned Surface Vessels at Scale
Red Cat Holdings’ maritime unit Blue Ops has teamed with robotic‑fabrication firm HADDY to embed large‑scale 3D printing into its Georgia plant. The partnership will double production of its 5‑meter and 7‑meter unmanned surface vessels (USVs) by using AI‑driven printers...
Tethered Drone Power Stations for Persistent UAV Operations
Rosefinch Technology, now a Platinum supplier for Unmanned Systems Technology, offers tethered drone power stations that deliver up to 24 hours of continuous flight. The portable, lightweight units support UAVs from 5 kg to 120 kg, including DJI models, and feature intelligent winch...
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 TIA Portal Into Colleague
“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...
From Neurons to AlphaGo: Robotics Deep Learning Curriculum
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 →...
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
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...
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
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
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...
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
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
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.
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
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
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...
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
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...
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...