Today's Robotics Pulse
NASA plans spacewalk to repair seized Canadarm2 wrist joint
NASA reported that the ISS’s Canadarm2 robotic arm has seized a wrist joint, stopping its motion after routine work on May 27. A spacewalk on June 30 will replace the faulty joint using a spare stored on the station. The 25‑year‑old arm, operating beyond its design life, remains critical for cargo capture and station maintenance.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Base10 Partners raises $850M for real‑economy automation funds
Flytrex and Little Caesars Partner to Deliver Full Family Meals by Drone
Flytrex has teamed with Little Caesars to launch drone delivery of full family meals using its new Sky2 platform. The octocopter can lift up to 8.8 lb, allowing two large pizzas, sides and drinks to be delivered in an average of 4.5 minutes within a four‑mile radius. The service debuted at a Wylie, Texas location and integrates directly with Little Caesars’ ordering system. Flytrex cites more than 200,000 U.S. deliveries and recent Uber investment, BVLOS FAA clearance, and DoorDash and Wing partnerships as proof points for scaling the model.
Fujitsu and Carnegie Mellon University Launch Joint Center for Physical AI
Fujitsu and Carnegie Mellon University have launched a joint Physical AI Research Center to accelerate AI deployment in real‑world settings such as manufacturing, logistics and healthcare. The center will combine CMU’s Robotics Innovation Center resources with Fujitsu’s engineering teams to...
Pudu Robotics Raises Nearly USD $150M in New Funding, Exceeds $1.5B Valuation
Pudu Robotics announced a fresh financing round that brought in nearly $150 million, pushing its post‑money valuation above $1.5 billion. The injection lifts the company’s cumulative capital to more than $300 million and will fund accelerated embodied‑AI research, product diversification, and scaling of...
Sony AI Builds Table Tennis Robot that Beats Elite Players
Sony AI unveiled Project Ace, an autonomous table‑tennis robot that has defeated elite and professional players in competitive matches, a milestone published in *Nature*. The system leverages nine high‑speed APS cameras, event‑based vision sensors, and a model‑free reinforcement‑learning controller to...
Robots on Demand: Why Robotics-as-a-Service on Its Own Won’t Solve Warehouse Automation
Warehouse operators are turning to robotics‑as‑a‑service (RaaS) and warehousing‑as‑a‑service (WaaS) to gain flexibility and avoid large upfront capital outlays amid volatile order volumes. A recent Dematic study shows that while subscription models can accelerate automation, they often become more expensive...
Tesla to Start Optimus Humanoid Production at Fremont in Late July
Tesla confirmed that its Fremont factory will begin assembling the Optimus humanoid robot in late July or August, just four months after shutting down the Model S/X line. The rollout hinges on a four‑month conversion of an existing assembly line...
X Square Robot Launches Wall‑B AI Model, Targets Home Deployments in 35 Days
X Square Robot introduced Wall‑B, a new embodied AI foundation model for home robots, and announced that the first units will be delivered to consumers within 35 days. Backed by Alibaba, ByteDance, Xiaomi and Meituan, the company says the model...
MAN Teams up with Adastec to Launch Automated Lion’s City E Pilot in Munich
MAN Truck & Bus has equipped a Lion’s City 12 E electric bus with Adastec’s Level 4 automated‑driving system, marking a shift from its earlier Mobileye partnership. The bus features a comprehensive sensor suite—five LiDARs, six radars, eight cameras and GNSS—and is undergoing on‑site...
Hexagon, Schaeffler Expand AEON Robot Partnership
Hexagon Robotics and Schaeffler have expanded their strategic partnership to scale the AEON humanoid robot across global factories. After a successful joint pilot in 2025, Schaeffler plans to deploy at least 1,000 AEON units by 2032, using its high‑precision actuators....
How to Cut Parcel Damage in Automated Fulfillment
Automated fulfillment lines, projected to handle 85% of U.S. warehousing by 2030, are generating significant parcel damage due to high‑velocity vibrations and abrupt robot stops. The article recommends creating soft‑stop zones, calibrating sensor thresholds, and upgrading packaging to ISTA‑approved robotic...
X Square Robot Unveils New Embodied AI Model, Says Robots Will Arrive in Homes in 35 Days
X Square Robot introduced Wall‑B, an embodied AI foundation model built on its World Unified Model (WUM) architecture that jointly trains vision, language, action and physical prediction. The system learns from real‑world household data and physics‑aware simulations to handle unstructured...
FCC Trouble Makes These DJI Drone Discounts Harder to Ignore
DJI disclosed that FCC authorization hurdles could keep 25 planned drones out of the U.S. market in 2026, prompting the company to slash prices on its existing, approved inventory. Amazon Prime is now offering models such as the Neo for...
HII Kicks Off Production of Four More ROMULUS USVs
Lockheed Martin’s Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced the start of production for four additional ROMULUS 151 unmanned surface vessels (USVs) at its Breaux Brothers Enterprises shipyard in Louisiana, joining the first hull already under construction. The ROMULUS family is an...
Phase 1 of 139th Canton Fair Introduces New Dedicated Product Zones as Emerging Technologies Take Center Stage
Phase 1 of the 139th Canton Fair added nine dedicated product zones, spotlighting emerging technologies such as consumer and agricultural drones, display tech, smart wearables, and service robots. The new drone zones attracted buyers from over 30 countries, generating more...
25 New DJI Launches Blocked by FCC, $1.5 Billion at Stake
DJI tells a US appeals court that the FCC’s placement of its products on the “Covered List” could cost the company roughly $1.56 billion in 2026 and block up to 25 new drone and camera launches, including the Osmo Pocket 4. The...
Shield AI Joins $800M US Navy ISR Initiative with VTOL Drone Fleet
Shield AI has been chosen by the US Navy to provide contractor‑owned, contractor‑operated (COCO) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services. The company will compete for up to $800 million in task orders, delivering persistent ISR with its V‑BAT vertical take‑off and...
U.S. University Deploys Cyber-Driven Counter-Drone Technology for Campus Security
The University of Alabama has selected D‑Fend Solutions' EnforceAir counter‑drone system to safeguard its 3.5‑square‑mile campus, critical research facilities, and massive public gatherings such as football games. During a season‑long trial the technology identified more than 1,000 unauthorized drones, prompting...
China Tests Directed Energy Beam That Recharges Drones Mid-Flight
Chinese researchers at Xidian University demonstrated a ground‑based microwave emitter that wirelessly powers a fixed‑wing drone in flight. The system kept the drone aloft for 3.1 hours at roughly 15 meters altitude while both the drone and the emitter moved. Precise...
Sony AI’s Robot Ace Beats Elite Humans in Table Tennis, Marking First Real‑World AI Victory
Sony AI announced that its robot Ace defeated elite human opponents in table tennis, winning three of five matches under official ITTF rules. The achievement demonstrates a new level of real‑world AI performance, extending the company’s prior virtual‑domain successes into...
Daegu Launches First Mobile Dual‑Arm Robot on Automotive Parts Plant
Daegu city announced the start of South Korea's first commercial deployment of a mobile dual‑arm robot at SL's automotive parts factory. Jointly built by SL and Neuromeka under the Daegu Mechatronics & Materials Institute, the robot will operate alongside human...
Flex and Teradyne Robotics Expand Partnership to Scale Intelligent Automation Globally
Flex and Teradyne Robotics announced an expanded collaboration that will see Flex produce critical components for Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots while deploying those cobots and autonomous mobile robots in its own factories. The move leverages a 20‑year relationship...
China’s Canton Fair Defies Global Trends as Overseas Customers Flock to Buy Robots, Drones
The Canton Fair’s spring session saw unprecedented crowds in the robotics, drone and new‑energy pavilions, with overseas buyers lingering at booths to livestream, test and even purchase high‑tech samples. China’s push toward higher‑value smart hardware is evident as 23% of...
U.S. Deploys Ukrainian Acoustic Sensors, Interceptor Drones At Prince Sultan Air Base
After an Iranian Shahed drone strike destroyed a U.S. E‑3 Sentry AWACS and damaged KC‑135 tankers at Prince Sultan Air Base, the United States deployed Ukrainian counter‑drone technology to close the air‑defense gap. The Sky Map platform, built by Ukraine’s Sky...
First-in-World Spine Surgery Performed with Medtronic’s AI‑Powered Robot
Dr. Jeffrey L. Gum of Norton Leatherman Spine completed the world’s first spine operation using Medtronic’s Stealth AXiS robotic platform, a system that blends AI‑based alignment tracking with cloud‑enabled planning. The FDA‑cleared robot promises faster procedures, reduced radiation exposure and...
GMEX Robotics Unveils Ergonomic Autonomous Hospital Logistics Robot
GMEX Robotics announced an upgraded autonomous hospital logistics robot designed to improve workflow efficiency and reduce staff strain. The battery‑powered system adds higher durability, ergonomic delivery height and multi‑layered security, aiming to streamline material handling in busy clinical settings.
Siemens Launches AI‑Powered Humanoid Robots at Erlangen Electronics Plant
Siemens has installed its first fleet of AI‑powered HMND 01 Alpha humanoid robots at the Erlangen electronics factory, partnering with UK‑based Humanoid and Nvidia. The rollout showcases a move from fixed‑arm automation to flexible, autonomous machines and raises questions about labor,...
Tesla Isn’t Joking About Building Optimus at an Industrial Scale: Here We Go
Tesla’s Q1 2026 update confirms that a first‑generation Optimus production line is now operating at its Fremont factory, with a pilot capacity of one million robots per year. The company also unveiled plans for a massive expansion at its Gigafactory...
Seeds | Juwei Technology Completes Series A Financing Rounds Totaling Hundreds of Millions of Yuan
Juwei Technology closed four back‑to‑back Series A financing rounds, raising roughly 200 million yuan (about $28 million). The capital will fund deep research into its quadruped robots and accelerate large‑scale deployment across China’s toughest industrial sites. Investors include Weiqiao Group, Binzhou Chemical, Binzhou...
Former XPeng VP, Joins ENGINEAI Robotics
Li Liyun, a former vice president at XPeng who led the company’s AI‑driven autonomous‑driving transformation, has been appointed chief technology officer of ENGINEAI Robotics. A multidisciplinary scientist with stints at LinkedIn, Baidu’s Apollo team and JD.com, Li will oversee the...
Drone Data Is Useless If It Stays in a Separate Platform
Construction firms are generating unprecedented volumes of drone‑captured imagery, yet most of that data never informs decision‑making because it remains locked in standalone platforms. A recent FMI and Autodesk survey found that roughly 96% of all engineering and construction data...
Auburn, Ala., Will Buy 4 Drones for First Responder Use
The Auburn City Council approved a six‑year contract with Axon Enterprise to buy four Skydio drones for the police department, costing $992,501 in total. The first‑year payment is $89,782, rising to $180,543 annually thereafter. The semi‑autonomous drones will patrol two...
Chef Robotics Physical AI Models Can Help Automate Produce Packing
Chef Robotics announced that its AI‑driven robots can now automate tray assembly for produce packing, handling both discrete fruits and scoopable vegetables. The system uses computer‑vision‑guided piece‑picking and weight‑based scooping to place items into clamshells, snack boxes, or layered trays...
MODEX 2026: Fives Intralogistics Corp. Reinforces Global Automation Leadership with Caja by Fives GTP Robotic Solution
Fives Intralogistics Corp showcased its new Caja Goods‑To‑Person (GTP) robotic solution at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, marking a strategic push into warehouse and retail distribution automation. The software‑first system pairs an AI‑driven Warehouse Control System with a dual‑robot fleet—ground‑level and...
Diffused Orientation Fields Let Robots Slice Any Fruit
A new approach uses diffused orientation fields to help robots transfer skills across curved objects of diverse shapes and sizes, enabling them to peel and slice varied fruits and vegetables. Learn more in Science #Robotics: https://t.co/RU2Ah0r5gO https://t.co/88BtPQXW8T
Fortem Receives New Lockheed Backing, Reliable Robotics Completes Series B Raise
Fortem Technologies secured a $25 million first‑tranche investment from Lockheed Martin as part of a Series B round, accelerating production of its AI‑driven counter‑UAS sensors and interceptors. The capital will also embed Fortem’s technology into Lockheed’s Sanctum ecosystem, creating a more interoperable defense...
Unitree's Supply‑chain Mastery Teaches US Robotics Competition
Sam is right about the importance of robotics for the US but Unitree offers a real lesson to US companies hoping to compete at the bleeding edge. It has risen thanks to a true mastery of China’s supply chain. https://t.co/JyNQZSycxJ
Ukraine's Long-Range Drones Now Routinely Hit Russian Refineries
Back in September, I wrote about Ukraine's long-range drones. Now that they are regularly and accurately striking Russian refineries and oil infrastructure, I think it's worth reading again, for those who missed it. Gift link: https://t.co/FhWqhDkkBi
ENCY Hyper Gets a Major Update for Hybrid Robot Programming, Mixed-Brand Cells, and 3D Vision
ENCY Software unveiled a major update to its ENCY Hyper hybrid robot programming platform, merging offline design with live robot control. The upgrade adds support for over 30 robot brands, including SCARA models, and integrates RealSense 3D vision for surface...
Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto Teams with UC Berkeley to Accelerate AI‑Defined Vehicles
Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto has expanded its collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, bringing engineers and researchers together to speed up AI‑defined vehicle development. The partnership focuses on safety, control and full‑stack AI integration as the company moves toward...
Cardiologist Makes ‘Magic,’ Performs First Procedure in US with New-Look Ablation Catheter
Stereotaxis' Magic Magnetic Interventional Ablation Catheter received FDA clearance in January 2026 and was used for the first U.S. procedure this month at Oregon Health & Science University. Electrophysiologist Dr. Nathan McConkey employed the robotically navigated, magnet‑guided catheter to treat...
China's 'Flash' Robot Wins Half‑Marathon, Showcasing AI‑Powered Industrial Automation
China’s humanoid robot Flash crossed the finish line of the 2026 Beijing E‑Town half‑marathon in 50 minutes 26 seconds, beating the human world record. The win underscores rapid advances in AI‑driven sensor data, edge computing and analytics that are reshaping...
Home Depot Acquires SIMPL Automation to Speed Up Same‑Day Delivery
Home Depot announced the acquisition of Waltham‑based SIMPL Automation, a warehouse‑automation specialist that uses AI and high‑density storage to speed order fulfillment. The move is designed to tighten the retailer’s same‑day and next‑day delivery promise as rivals like Walmart and...
Advanced EO & IR Imaging Gimbals for UAV ISR & Targeting
Leonardo DRS has been added as a Silver supplier to Unmanned Systems Technology’s global ecosystem, showcasing its advanced electro‑optical and infrared (EO/IR) gimbal portfolio for unmanned aerial vehicles. The company’s STAG‑5, STAG‑8 and STAG‑4 gimbals deliver high‑definition imaging, precision stabilization,...
Accenture, Vodafone and SAP Trial Humanoid Robot
Accenture, Vodafone Procure & Connect, and SAP have completed a pilot that deployed humanoid robots in Vodafone’s Duisburg warehouse. Integrated with SAP’s Extended Warehouse Management, the robots performed visual inspections, flagged safety hazards, and reported optimization insights directly into the...
The Modular Mandate to Future-Proof Packaging Automation
The packaging automation market is projected to reach $140.8 billion by 2033, prompting machine builders to embed modular, flexible designs. Physical modularity paired with intelligent software ensures seamless line reconfiguration and traceability. Industry events like Pack Expo 2026 highlighted AI‑driven flexibility as...
Game, Set, Bot: Sony AI’s ‘Ace’ Serves Up a Defeat to Table Tennis Pros
Sony AI’s autonomous robot “Ace” has demonstrated expert‑level table‑tennis play, beating three of five elite players and achieving a 75% return rate. The system combines nine high‑speed cameras, event‑based vision sensors, and an eight‑degree‑of‑freedom arm, all driven by deep reinforcement‑learning...
ABB Robotics Launches High-Speed PoWa Cobot Family
ABB Robotics unveiled its PoWa cobot family, delivering industrial‑grade performance in a collaborative robot form. The lineup spans six payload options from 7 kg to 30 kg and reaches a top speed of 5.8 m/s, the fastest among cobots. Designed for compact environments,...
US Needs to Flesh Out Strategy to Counter China’s Robotics Advances, Lawmakers Say
Lawmakers warned that while the United States still leads in artificial intelligence research, it is falling behind China in the development and deployment of robotics, the physical embodiment of AI. A House subcommittee hearing highlighted China’s dominance in robot supply...
Singapore Eyes Autonomous Feeders Between Container Terminals
Singapore’s Maritime & Port Authority (MPA) and PSA have issued an Expression of Interest to develop autonomous feeder vessels that will shuttle containers between Pasir Panjang Terminal and the newly built Tuas Port. The proposal calls for a remote operations...
REGENT Seaglider Autonomous Drone, Squire, Completes First Ground-Effect Test Flight
REGENT Defense successfully flew its autonomous Seaglider drone Squire in a ground‑effect test, marking the first U.S. defense‑specific wing‑in‑ground‑effect (WIG) flight. The craft can travel up to 70 knots, cover more than 100 nautical miles and carry a 50‑pound payload for ISR,...