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
California Startup Tests Caravel Unmanned Landing Craft
Bulwark Dynamics, a California startup, completed the maiden unmanned resupply demonstration of its 15‑foot Caravel autonomous landing craft, moving from concept to open‑water operation in just 43 days. The vessel is engineered to deliver payloads from sea to austere coastlines without ports, handling equipment, or on‑site personnel, thereby reducing operator exposure in high‑threat littoral environments. Caravel’s design reflects feedback from Indo‑Pacific operators and supports dispersed‑force logistics. The company also opened a prototype facility and signed an MoU with a Japanese shipbuilder after a pre‑seed funding round.
Precise Prompts Unlock LLMs, but Engineers Remain Essential
Which LLM writes the best automation code? 🤖⚙️ I tested different large language models side by side with one clear goal: generate code for industrial automation 🧪 Setup: Same task Same conditions Different models 🔍 Tested models included: 👉 ChatGPT...
Distalmotion Targets ASC Robotic Gynecology Programs with FDA Filing
Distalmotion has filed a 510(k) request to add sacrocolpopexy, sacrocervicopexy and endometriosis resection to the FDA‑cleared indications for its Dexter robotic system. The move targets ambulatory surgical centers, where the robot’s small footprint could out‑compete larger platforms. The company recently...
BLOG | ‘Do You Choose 1 Giga-Tractor or 3 Smaller Autonomous Tractors?’
John Deere unveiled the 8R 540, a 634‑hp tractor weighing 17 tonnes and priced around $674,000, signaling a push toward larger, premium equipment. In contrast, Sabanto’s retrofit system lets existing tractors run autonomously, allowing a grower to replace a 750‑hp machine with...
Robotic Hand Gets Skin‑Like Cover, Warmcore Tech
wrapping a robotic hand in skin, where have I seen this before Co: Warmcore Tech
Real Weather, Real Ops: AIRmarket Logs 178km BVLOS Flight in -12°C
AIRmarket successfully flew a 178‑km beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) mission between Andrew and St. Paul, Canada, in –12 °C weather, lasting three hours. The operation used truck‑based support, live airspace awareness via remote‑traffic‑monitoring (RTM), and showcased a long‑range aircraft built for cargo delivery. Partner...
DroneDeploy Partners with Cairn Homes
Irish homebuilder Cairn Homes has entered a multi‑year enterprise agreement with DroneDeploy, deploying the firm’s aerial and ground reality‑capture platform across more than 25 residential projects. The partnership standardises the use of drones, 360‑degree cameras and handheld 3D scanners, delivering...
Chinese Robotaxis Stall in Apparent ‘Malfunction,’ Police Say
Chinese internet giant Baidu’s driverless taxi service Apollo Go experienced a system malfunction that left multiple vehicles stalled on Wuhan streets. Passengers were stranded for more than half an hour while calls to customer service went unanswered. Police investigations confirmed...
AI Picks Cautionary Robot Book for Engineers
I think I need to have my AI look for great book and movie reviews. I have a stack waiting for me to read including "Decoding Robots: How to Build and Launch Robots in the Real World" by Prathamesh Khedekar. Founder...
Prioritizing Safety in Mobile Robot Crowd Navigation
Safety First: Tackling Crowd Navigation in Mobile #Robotics by @lukas_m_ziegler #AI #Robot #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence https://t.co/EGG6U14m8p
Embention Presents Veronte Autopilot Ecosystem at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026
Embention displayed its Veronte Autopilot Ecosystem at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 in Düsseldorf, targeting next‑generation UAV and eVTOL platforms. The showcase featured an operational Iron Bird system that delivered live flight simulations using Veronte autopilots, demonstrating performance and reliability. The company...
Shenzhen's Street‑Cleaning Robots Show Future Arrived
The Future Is Already Here: Street Cleaning #Robots in Shenzhen by @Robo_Tuo #Robotics #Technology #RPA #Innovation https://t.co/y2TSQxBl73
Best Practices: Depalletizing Moves Into the Automation Era
Lakeside Book Company partnered with FANUC, APT Manufacturing and FlexPAC to replace manual depalletizing with an AI‑driven robotic system. The solution eliminates the handling of more than 45 million pounds of product each year—about $58 million in lifted weight—and now processes over...
Productivity Solution: Moen Boosts Throughput with Automated Storage
Moen, a leading North American faucet brand, overhauled its West Coast distribution by consolidating operations into a new Las Vegas hub built with FORTNA. The facility employs an AutoStore high‑density robotic storage system and integrated warehouse execution software to streamline receiving,...
How The U.S. Army Is Training Snipers To Evade Drones
The U.S. Army has added drone‑evasion training to its Sniper Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Soldiers now practice concealment against thermal‑imaging and other sensors used by modern unmanned aircraft systems. The program partners with commercial drone makers to test detection...
Sea‑Inspired Robots Redefine the Future of Robotics
#Robots Inspired by Sea Creatures: Biomimetic Machines Shaping the Future of #Robotics via @ZappyZappy7 #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology #ML https://t.co/eXBgxL8cTX
Robotic Plastering Machine Automates Construction Wall Finishes
#Robotic Wall Plastering Machine Brings Automation to Construction by @gigadgets_ #EmergingTech #Innovation #TechForGood #Technology https://t.co/EFTR19x6GH
Waymo Co-CEO Says Robotaxi Tech Will Move Into Personal Cars
Waymo co‑CEO Dmitri Dolgov announced that the company’s autonomous driving system, currently used in its robotaxi fleet, will eventually be installed in privately owned cars. The comment follows a 2025 partnership with Toyota and a recent milestone of 500,000 paid...
Uber and Rivian Commit $1.25 B to Launch Autonomous Rides in Miami by 2028
Uber announced a $1.25 billion investment in Rivian to field 10,000 autonomous R2 SUVs in Miami starting in 2028, with a roadmap to 25 U.S. cities by 2031. The partnership marks the first major driverless‑taxi rollout in South Florida, directly challenging...
MegazoneCloud Teams with AVITA to Deploy Physical AI Avatars and Autonomous Robots for Enterprises
MegazoneCloud and AVITA signed a strategic partnership in Seoul to co‑develop physical AI services that blend autonomous robots with AI avatars. The deal aims to roll out solutions such as AVACOM and AvaTraining across retail, finance and public‑sector environments, marking...
China's Bizarre Shape-Shifting Robot Grows And Changes Like A Human
Researchers at Southern University of Science and Technology unveiled GrowHR, a 10‑pound humanoid robot that can physically expand and contract like a human limb. Its legs use inflatable chambers wrapped in fabric, allowing them to stretch up to three times...
China Deploys Smart‑Agriculture Tech on Millions of Hectares in Spring Ploughing Drive
China has integrated satellite‑guided tractors, autonomous seedling transporters and drone‑based spraying across more than 246,000 hectares during this year’s spring ploughing season. The rollout, backed by the 15th Five‑Year Plan, promises a 15% productivity lift while cutting water and fertilizer...
Tesla Admits Remote Operators Still Steer Robotaxis in Rare Cases
Tesla disclosed that its Austin‑based robotaxi service still depends on remote human operators who can take direct control in low‑speed situations. The revelation, made in a response to a U.S. Senate inquiry, intensifies scrutiny over the company’s claims of full...
Hawkesbury Conducts Surgery with J&J Robot
Hawkesbury and District General Hospital performed its first surgery using Johnson & Johnson’s VELYS Robotic‑Assisted Solution, led by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Simon Garceau. The system delivers millimetre‑level precision, which can lessen tissue trauma, postoperative pain and inflammation. Hospital executives highlighted...
Saronic Raises $1.75B at $9.25B Valuation to Gear up Autonomous Ship Production
Saronic Technologies announced a $1.75 billion Series D round, valuing the autonomous shipbuilder at $9.25 billion. The funding will accelerate production of unmanned vessels for defense and commercial markets, including the newly unveiled 180‑foot Marauder built in under six months. Saronic also secured...
AWG to Deploy Symbotic Automation in Louisiana Support Center
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has signed a strategic partnership with robotics firm Symbotic to install an AI‑enabled, high‑density automation system at its Gulf Coast Division Support Center in Pearl River, Louisiana. The 114,000‑square‑foot facility, which currently processes over 22 million dry‑grocery...
You’ve Got the PLC Sorted. But What About the Power Feeding It?
North American industrial automation projects must consider not only PLC programming but also the power distribution panel certified to UL 891. An uncertified distribution panel can stall inspections, cause power‑quality issues, and jeopardize PLC reliability. Obtaining both UL 891 (distribution) and UL 508A...
Spider‑Inspired Robot 3D‑Prints Buildings From Local Materials
Spider-Inspired #Robot #3D Prints Buildings Using On-Site Materials via @ZappyZappy7 #3Dprinted #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/6F1NxzmQpx
Modular Robot Snails Combine to Form Arms and Scale Obstacles
#Robot Snails That Team Up: Bio-Inspired Modular Bots Form Arms, Climb Obstacles, and Tackle Big Tasks by @lukas_m_ziegler #Innovation #EmergingTech #Technology #Tech https://t.co/dupybZWGpd
Control Framework Lets Flexible Robots Move in Tight Spaces with Less Math
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar unveiled a virtual actuation space (VAS) framework that simplifies control of tendon‑driven continuum robots (TDCR). By representing each robot section with just direction and magnitude, VAS eliminates the need for complex infinite‑degree‑of‑freedom...
Voltair Deploys Global Drone Network for Earth Monitoring
Voltair Launches a Global #Drone Network for Infrastructure and Earth Monitoring by @ycombinator #Innovation #TechForGood #EmergingTech #Technology #Tech https://t.co/ueS5Ot5HSW
All‑Terrain Wheeled Quadruped Revolutionizes Smart Mobility
Agile All-Terrain Wheeled Quadruped Redefines Smart #Robotic Mobility by @PuduRobotics #Robot #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/CDP5hK4weB
Insitu Awarded $8.6 Million Services Contract by Canada Armed Forces to Support Long-Endurance CU-172 (Integrator) UAS Fleet
Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary, secured an $8.6 million CAD (≈$6.4 million USD) firm‑fixed‑price services contract from Canada’s Department of National Defence. The award funds program management, airworthiness support, spares, repairs and future upgrades for the Canadian Armed Forces’ CU‑172 (Integrator) long‑endurance UAV fleet. The...
‘Dumb’ Robot Swarm Works with No Electronics at All
Georgia Tech researchers have demonstrated a robotic swarm that functions without any electronics, relying solely on mechanical design and vibration to coordinate movement. Each particle’s geometry dictates how it latches, stores tension, and releases, creating emergent collective behavior. The team...
Meteomatics – Field Technician for Drone Operations | Full Time | Oslo, Norway
Meteomatics is hiring a Drone Flight Operations Technician in Oslo to maintain and deploy its Meteodrone and Meteobase systems across Norway. The role involves field maintenance, installation, and occasional piloting, with frequent travel to remote sites and a 1‑3‑month training...
MODEX 2026: Ocado Intelligent Automation Debuts AI-Powered Software Suite
Ocado Intelligent Automation will unveil Ocado IQ at MODEX 2026, a cloud‑based AI platform that directs every pick, path and priority from inbound to outbound. The software powers the Chuck autonomous mobile robot and the newly‑designed Porter pallet‑moving AMR, both...
AirKamuy
AirKamuy, a Tokyo‑based startup founded in August 2022, designs and manufactures fixed‑wing VTOL aircraft and unmanned solutions. The company handles design and assembly in‑house, aiming to become the world’s leading fixed‑wing VTOL manufacturer. Its leadership combines telecom infrastructure, finance, and...
Brain Corp Updates Floor-Cleaning Robots with Adaptive AI that Removes Route Training
Brain Corp unveiled BrainOS Clean 2.0, integrating SelfPath AI into Tennant’s X‑series floor‑cleaning robots. The update lets machines autonomously generate and adjust routes, removing the need for manual training. Early deployments show 22% higher coverage, 55% greater autonomy, and deployment speeds more than...
Reframe Systems Installs Robotic-Built Modular Unit as Sales Hub for Boston Innovation Center
Reframe Systems has installed a 554‑square‑foot robotic‑built modular unit at The Bolt, a 180,000‑sq‑ft innovation campus under construction in Woburn, Massachusetts. The unit serves as a high‑end sales and leasing hub for developer Cabot, Cabot & Forbes during the construction phase,...
Teaching Robots to Harvest Asparagus
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have unveiled a robot prototype that can detect and localize ripe green asparagus while moving at speeds up to 1 m s⁻¹. The system uses RGB‑D cameras and real‑time algorithms, exceeding the 0.33 m s⁻¹ speed considered...
Florida Polytechnic University Partners with Starship Technologies for Nation’s ‘First Point-of-Sale Integration’
Florida Polytechnic University has teamed with Starship Technologies to launch the nation’s first point‑of‑sale integration for autonomous food‑delivery robots. The service, initially covering Einstein Bros. Bagels, Mosaic Café and Fire & Ash, lets students order via a mobile app, customize meals,...
Toyota Launches ‘Swarm’ Automated Transport System for Warehouse Logistics
Toyota Material Handling Europe unveiled Swarm Automation Transport, an automated guided vehicle system that pairs its SAI125CB counter‑balance stacker with the T‑ONE control platform. The solution can move, stack and replenish pallets of various formats, from euro to bottom‑deck, across...
Vention Launches Rapid Operator AI
Vention has commercially launched Rapid Operator AI, a turnkey system that automates deep‑bin picking for mid‑market and enterprise manufacturers. Built on the company’s Generalized Robotic Industrial Intelligence Pipeline (GRIIP) and NVIDIA Isaac models, the solution detects random parts, estimates 6‑DoF poses,...
Mali Rebels Destroy Russian Mercenary Camp in Drone Attack
Azawad rebels announced a coordinated strike on a Malian army and Russia‑linked Africa Corps base in Anéfis, using first‑person‑view (FPV) drones and missiles that ignited secondary explosions at an ammunition depot. The attack underscores the growing reliance on low‑cost FPV...
First Humanoid Robot Gets FDA Clearance for Spine Surgery
World’s First Surgical Humanoid #Robot Achieves FDA-Cleared Precision in Spine Surgery by @StarSnap_1 #MedTech #Healthcare #HealthTech #Tech #TechForGood https://t.co/aks0DC51ns
MLB’s First Manager Ejection Over Robot Umpire Sparks Debate
Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton became the first MLB manager ejected for arguing an Automated Ball‑Strike (ABS) decision, a move that has amplified the controversy surrounding robot umpires. The ejection follows a weekend in which 175 ABS challenges produced 94...
MIT's Contact Trust Region Enables Efficient, Reliable Manipulation
Where can linearized dynamics be trusted w/contact? MIT's "Contact Trust Region" answers this using manipulation theory, differentiable simulation & control. It enables manipulation w/less compute than RL, powering robots to be more energy-efficient: https://t.co/i0Uza8QveU https://t.co/7kaueisigy
The Robotics Surge: Scale, Private Capital, and Competitive Moats
Robotics installations surged to 542,000 units in 2024, a 9% year‑over‑year increase, with Asia accounting for 74% of the volume and China alone delivering 295,000 units. Global deal flow hit a record $107 billion in 2025, driven by a $50 billion US...
AI Trains Humanoid Robots to Play Tennis Using Human Motion
#AI System Teaches Humanoid #Robots to Play Tennis from Human Motion #Data by @TheHumanoidHub #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/y6fB6FaAr4
Northrop Grumman Tests Lumberjack Strike Drone
Northrop Grumman showcased its Lumberjack Group 3 uncrewed aircraft system at the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division’s Operation Lethal Eagle exercise. The drone executed fully autonomous missions through the Army’s Maven Smart System, launched the six‑pound Hatchet precision‑strike munition, and then transitioned to...