Today's Robotics Pulse
Chinese startup Spirit AI tops global AI robot leaderboard, beating Nvidia
Spirit AI’s embodied intelligence model, Spirit v1.6, achieved a score of 1,924 on the RoboArena benchmark, surpassing Nvidia’s Cosmos3‑Nano‑Policy. The company also disclosed a ¥1.5 billion (≈$222 million) funding round to accelerate its robotics AI platform.
Also developing:
By the numbers: OneRobotics acquires Nanoleaf for $40M
Silex, Edge Impulse Team on Edge AI Development
Silex Technology and Edge Impulse have teamed up to integrate Edge Impulse’s end‑to‑end AI development platform with Silex’s EP‑200Q system‑on‑module, which runs on Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCS6490 processor. The joint solution bundles a Wi‑Fi 7 driver and AI acceleration to simplify the creation of edge AI devices for industrial automation and healthcare applications. Target use cases include vision‑guided robotics, smart manufacturing, virtual nursing and remote patient monitoring. The partnership focuses on the U.S. and Japanese markets, promising faster deployment and long‑term support for manufacturers.
Latvia Confirms Ground Drone Procurement From Three Local Firms
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence announced on April 10, 2026 that it has signed contracts with three domestic firms—Brasa Defence Systems, Natrix and LV‑Teh—to supply unmanned ground systems for the National Armed Forces. The agreements cover delivery, support, repair, modernization and grant the...
Top UK Drone Startup Wins Pentagon Test, Yet Departs Britain
Yesterday a Russian warship escorted sanctioned tankers through the English Channel, unchallenged. Today we're about to lose one of the most exciting defence startups in the country to America. > A small British team just topped the Pentagon's own Drone Dominance...
New Pentagon Memo Complicates DJI Drone Ban Reversal
The Pentagon released a memo reaffirming its opposition to any reconsideration of the FCC’s “Covered List,” which bars foreign‑made drones and critical components from U.S. sale. The memo cites both classified and unclassified intelligence, including a classified annex submitted to...
Ringbot: Star Wars‑inspired Monocycle Balances, Recovers, Hits
This is Ringbot, a Star Wars - inspired monocycle robot developed by Kim Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2024. It uses a circular wheel and two legs with independent modules to move, balance, and control direction. It can avoid...
Students Build AI Robot That Tracks and Shoots Moving Balls
Students Design #AI-Powered #Robot That Picks and Shoots Balls in Motion by @lukas_m_ziegler #Robotics #EmergingTech #TechForGood #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/NVNAG7ZvIA
Attabotics Returns with a Clearer Path Forward
The episode explores the resurgence of Attabotics, a high‑density robotic fulfillment system, after its bankruptcy and its new partnership with Lafayette, a long‑standing automation integrator. Guests Bruce Robbins (founder of Lafayette), Art Eldridge (SVP of Sales & Software at Attabotics),...
Philippine Navy Develops Prototypes of Autonomous Logistics Drones
The Philippine Navy has signed an agreement with Cebu Technological University to build two autonomous logistics platforms – a Hybrid Marine‑Air Vehicle (HMAV) and a Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS). Both prototypes aim to improve inter‑island transport, disaster response and...
ClearSpace Launches Robot to Clean Space Debris
ClearSpace Unveils #Robotic Spacecraft to Capture and Remove Dead Satellites by @spaceandtech_ #SpaceTech #AI #Robots #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/cmG85VPICD
Ukraine in Talks with Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain on Security Cooperation, Zelenskiy Says
Ukraine is negotiating security cooperation with Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, aiming to share its drone‑defence expertise. President Zelenskiy highlighted recent 10‑year agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar and a deal with the UAE, after deploying over 200 experts who have...
Royal Navy Expands Autonomous Underwater Fleet via New Teledyne Marine Contract
Teledyne Marine has secured a UK Ministry of Defence contract to supply autonomous ocean‑observing systems for the Royal Navy’s Future Maritime Data Gathering program. The deal provides Sentinel and Slocum gliders along with APEX profiling floats and full support services,...
Cleveland Police Put More Drones on the Beat
Cleveland Police has rolled out a Drone as First Responder (DFR) system, enabling drones to be launched from weather‑proof boxes in as little as 90 seconds. Operators control the aircraft from the control room, providing live aerial footage to guide...
Portugal Jumps on the Drone Train
Portugal’s army announced the creation of dedicated drone units for offensive strike missions and anti‑drone defence, following its first combat‑drone exercises during the Strong Impact 2026 multinational maneuvers. The exercises, held with French, Romanian and Spanish forces, demonstrated strike‑drone capabilities and...
Meet the Swiss Founder Building Robots that Make Crêpes
Swiss startup Maus Robotics, founded by 28‑year‑old Robert Hennig, has built an automated crêpe‑making robot that can serve a fresh crepe every 90 seconds. The prototype, developed during Hennig’s EPFL PhD, costs roughly $5,400–$6,500 in hardware and uses a patented...
What Is Cognitive Automation? 5 Examples to Transform Your Business
Cognitive automation augments traditional workflow tools with AI capabilities such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, allowing systems to interpret unstructured data and make decisions. Unlike rule‑based robotic process automation (RPA), it learns patterns and adapts over...
Robot Masters Mobility, Balance, and Self‑recovery
Multi-Modal #Robot Shows Off Incredible Mobility, Balance and Fall Recovery by @IntEngineering #Robotics #AI #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/4VjYvCcDvN
3D‑Printed Robot Arm Demonstrates Precise Pick‑and‑Place
3D Printed Robot Arm Pick and Place Testing #3dPrinted #Robot #STEM #Robotics #Arduino #engineering #BlackWomenInSTEM #NoireSTEMinist #NationalRoboticsWeek #BlackSky #STEMSky #BlackSTEMSky #BlackWomenInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #AcademicSky #AcademicChatter #WomenInSTEM https://t.co/TrXj9dXq5V
Tag Values Updating Late Even Though Communication Is Healthy
Operators sometimes see SCADA tag values lag a few seconds even though PLC‑SCADA communication shows no errors. The delay typically stems from configuration choices such as overly long scan rates, PLC programs that update variables on slow cycles, or network...
Ukrainian Drone Unit Strikes Russian Gas Tanker From Libyan Base, Expanding War’s Reach
Ukrainian drone operators, deployed under a secret agreement with Libya’s Tripoli government, damaged the Russian‑flagged Arctic Metagaz LNG carrier on March 3. The strike, launched from a military facility in Tripoli, underscores a widening maritime dimension of the Ukraine‑Russia war and raises...
NATO Pushes for Cold‑Weather Drone Tech to Guard Arctic Frontiers
NATO officials announced a renewed drive to acquire inexpensive drones that can operate in extreme Arctic cold, citing gaps in situational awareness and rising Russian and Chinese activity. Experts warned that battery performance, sensor icing and lack of spare parts...
Syncere’s $1,500 ‘Laundry‑Folding Lamp’ Faces Skepticism as a Doomed Robotics Venture
Startup Syncere announced Lume, a lamp‑shaped robot priced at $1,500 that can fold shirts and make beds, promising shipments within eight weeks. Industry observers question whether consumers will pay for such niche home‑automation, citing past failures and the high expense...
Study Shows Public Assigns Racial Biases to Humanoid Robots by Job Role
Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 Americans and discovered that participants consistently chose robot colors that mirrored human racial stereotypes for different occupations. The bias intensified when a human worker of a matching race was shown alongside the robot, highlighting a...
Commission Okays Drone Regulation Reforms
Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) approved four draft notifications on April 7 to broaden drone spectrum use, raise technical standards, and tighten operational oversight. The new rules replace visual‑line‑of‑sight limits with provisions for beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) missions, logistics, surveillance and...
Robotics Is Key to Lower Costs, Faster Deliveries, Says Amazon CEO
In his 2025 shareholder letter, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy highlighted robotics as a core lever to cut costs and speed deliveries. The company now runs more than 1 million robots in fulfillment centers and has acquired RIVR and Fauna Robotics to...
PickNik Releases MoveIt Pro 9 to Improve AI-Driven Robotics in Variable Environments
PickNik launched MoveIt Pro 9, adding AI‑driven scan‑and‑plan capabilities that let industrial robots perceive and adapt to variable environments in real time. The update introduces AI perception filtering, point‑cloud alignment, automated contour extraction, and collision‑aware motion planning. Early adopters such as Autowash,...
GIC to Show Tech to Boost Efficiency, Ergonomics at MODEX 2026
Global Industrial Co. (GIC) will showcase roughly 50 new material‑handling products at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, emphasizing efficiency, ergonomics and safety. The lineup includes a mobile robot stretch‑wrap machine, an electric pallet jack, a hydraulic self‑dumping hopper, Cat lift tables,...
Ukraine Is Winning the Drone War with Strike Campaign Behind Russian Lines
Ukraine has pivoted to a mid‑range drone strike campaign, targeting assets 20‑300 km behind Russian lines and conducting roughly 365 strikes over the past year. Under the leadership of Robert “Magyar” Brovdy, the Unmanned Systems Forces were unified and equipped...
Meet Abi, the AI-Powered Robot Companion for Senior Care
Andromeda Robotics unveiled Abi, a 4‑foot, brightly colored AI companion robot designed for senior living facilities. Abi leads group activities such as dance, tai chi, and music quizzes, while also offering one‑on‑one interactions in up to 90 languages and remembering...
Leveling up Industry 4.0
The March/April 2026 EDN issue spotlights the next wave of Industry 4.0, highlighting event‑based vision, wide‑bandgap power electronics, smart motor‑control ICs, edge AI, and new cybersecurity mandates. Event‑based sensors reduce latency and data load, while SiC and GaN devices boost efficiency...
MODEX 2026: Peak Technologies Introduces Peak Automation Intelligence
Peak Technologies launched Peak Automation Intelligence at MODEX 2026, an AI‑powered platform that delivers real‑time visibility and automated data capture across warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing operations. Built on machine‑vision, smart optics and mobile computing, the solution tracks every pallet,...
Mariana Minerals and Pronto Announce Partnership to Automate Mining Truck Ops at Copper One
Mariana Minerals is integrating Pronto's autonomous haulage system into its MineOS platform at Copper One, the company’s Utah copper mine and refinery. The partnership follows Pronto’s recent acquisition by Atoms, a physical‑AI firm founded by Travis Kalanick. By feeding real‑time...
MODEX 2026: Yale Lift Truck Technologies to Showcase Offerings that Address Warehouse Challenges
Yale Lift Truck Technologies is showcasing its latest lift‑truck portfolio, operator‑assist systems, and automation portal at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta. The exhibit features ergonomic three‑wheel stand‑up trucks, a new lithium‑ion‑powered counterbalanced model, and the Route Runner direct‑store delivery solution. Interactive...
Skyrover Wants to Be Your Next DJI Drone
Skyrover is entering the U.S. drone market with FCC‑compliant, competitively priced models, aiming to offer DJI‑style features without the premium. The entry‑level S1 sells for $289 with a 48‑MP Sony sensor and forward obstacle avoidance, while the X1 retails at...
No Backspace in the Physical World – Building AI for 5,000-Lb Machines
FieldAI, led by former NASA and DARPA engineer Dr. Ali Agha, is developing a universal AI brain that can control a spectrum of heavy‑duty robots, from modern robot dogs to retrofitted excavators. The system emphasizes a 99.999% safety reliability target,...
Labor Constraints Are Accelerating Adoption of Dock Automation and Robotic Picking
Labor shortages and high injury risk in manual trailer and container unloading are prompting warehouses to adopt dock automation and robotic picking. Contoro Robotics showcases a semi‑autonomous solution that removes the most strenuous tasks while keeping workers in supervisory roles....
MODEX 2026: Stoecklin Logistics to Showcase Intelligent Automation, ASRS Technologies
Stoecklin Logistics will unveil its latest intelligent automation solutions at MODEX 2026, highlighting the FSP Shuttle System and the CasePicker platform. Both technologies are engineered to boost efficiency, accuracy and adaptability in modern distribution centers. The offerings are supported by...
Robotic Mower Could Beat $50‑per‑acre Weekly Cost
If you have 2 acres or more and use one of the automated robotic mowers, let me know your story. I am paying someone $50 an acre to mow my lawn every week and I feel like I can have a...
Ex‑Pentagon Official Explains LUCAS Drones' Rise to Indispensability
Former Pentagon official Michael C. Horowitz, who pushed for the creation of LUCAS drones, provides unique insights into how they became what CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper told me are an "indispensable" weapon of war. https://t.co/d8E8tnI1tv
Avride Robotaxi Kills Mother Duck in Texas, Sparking Neighborhood Outcry
An Avride autonomous vehicle struck and killed a mother duck nesting near Mueller Lake in Austin, Texas, igniting anger among local residents. The company confirmed the car was in autonomous mode, halted testing on the affected streets, and said it...
America's Shahed-136 Clone Emerges as Indispensable War Weapon
How America’s Shahed-136 Clone Became An “Indispensable” Weapon Of War Michael Horowitz, who pushed for the LUCAS drone program while at the Pentagon, offers unique insights into its genesis and future. https://t.co/DC5BtHgsGK
Low‑Voltage Artificial Muscles Power Untethered Soft Robotic Fish
Scientists have developed #dielectric elastomer actuators, or artificial “muscles,” that can operate at low voltages while still producing high output to drive #untethered, soft robotic fish movements. Learn more in Science #Robotics: https://t.co/zAb0uHec2c https://t.co/d7qaKanQr1
Origami-Inspired Robot Built From Printable Polymers Uses Electric Current to Move
Engineers at Princeton have built a soft‑rigid hybrid robot using 3D‑printed liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) hinges and embedded flexible printed circuit boards. The robot moves by localized heating of the polymer, eliminating the need for motors or external pneumatic systems....
Consumers Crave Humanoids Even if Engineers Resist
What I usually tell people about humanoids is: The heart wants what the heart wants. People want humanoids. Roboticists want to change form factor because humanoids are hard. But consumers want humanoids.
China Secures Germany’s Premier Robotics Asset
How China Acquired Germany’s #Robotics Crown Jewel by @JacklouisP #AI #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML #Innovation https://t.co/DuFtEGfyDb
ZenaTech Announces Its 21st Acquisition, Expanding National Drone as a Service Network and Pacific Northwest Footprint to Serve Business and...
ZenaTech announced the completion of its 21st acquisition, purchasing Andy Paris & Associates, a long‑standing land surveying firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The deal expands ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) network into the Pacific Northwest, enhancing its ability to...
From Ford’s Assembly Line to Fully Autonomous Dark Factories
More than a century ago, Henry Ford began to automated production of his vehicles. But today, dark factories operate without humans entirely. My latest for @IMechE's Professional Engineering https://t.co/fxnq0uvAnu
NEXFORM Unveils Hybrid Humanoid Robot for Lifting
Meet NEXFORM’s Hybrid Humanoid Built to Move and Lift by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #AI #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/YObNluLVuv
Wristband Enables Wearers to Control a Robotic Hand With Their Own Movements
MIT engineers have created a wrist‑worn ultrasound band that captures real‑time images of wrist muscles, tendons, and ligaments and converts them into precise hand‑gesture data. An AI model trained on these images maps 22 degrees of freedom to finger and...
Cross Wrap Solution Supports Restart of Circulose Recycling Plant
Cross Wrap, a Finnish developer of automated bale handling equipment, has delivered a dewiring and in‑feeding system to enable the restart of Circulose’s Ortviken textile‑recycling plant in Sweden. The plant, the world’s first commercial‑scale chemical textile recycler, will resume production...
ResilienX Receives FAA BVLOS Waiver, Clearing the Way for Expanded ORION-X Operations
ResilienX secured an FAA Certificate of Waiver allowing its ORION‑X drone‑as‑a‑service platform to conduct beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) flights without on‑site visual observers. The approval, enabled by a partnership with NUAIR’s FAA‑accepted surveillance network, was granted in January and integrated after roughly...