Today's Robotics Pulse
Spirit AI tops global robot AI leaderboard, secures $222M funding
Chinese robotics startup Spirit AI’s embodied intelligence model, Spirit v1.6, achieved the highest score of 1,924 on the RoboArena benchmark, overtaking Nvidia’s Cosmos3‑Nano‑Policy. The company also announced ¥1.5 billion (≈$222 million) of funding to accelerate its technology.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Shifters raises $10.2M seed round
Royal Navy Squadron Deploys New Gibraltar Drones
Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron has introduced ANAFI Parrot quadcopter drones for maritime surveillance, supporting patrols and high‑profile ship visits. A streamlined approval process now reduces drone clearance from weeks to days, enabling launches from HMS Cutlass and HMS Dagger. The system provides high‑resolution imagery that improves situational awareness and tactical decision‑making. The Navy plans to extend the simplified route to other vessels, including experimental ships and commando craft.
Kistler and ATS Develop High-Speed Medical Device Assembly Line with Real-Time Quality Monitoring
Kistler Group and ATS Life Sciences Systems have launched the Symphoni platform, a high‑speed medical device assembly line capable of processing up to 320 parts per minute while cutting tooling requirements by 90 percent. The system combines Kistler’s force and displacement...
Drone Boat Targets Used in Major Indo-Pacific Drill
QinetiQ Target Systems Canada deployed its Hammerhead uncrewed surface vehicle (USV‑T) targets during the Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand, simulating fast‑in‑shore attack craft and explosive drone boats. Ten Hammerhead units were used across three scenarios, including beach‑assault and coordinated swarm...
DoCoMo and Keio University Demonstrate ‘World’s First Stable, High-Fidelity Robot Teleoperation via Commercial 5G Using Low-Latency Slicing
NTT DoCoMo and Keio University demonstrated the world’s first stable, high‑fidelity robot teleoperation using commercial 5G with low‑latency slicing (Configured Grant). The system combined Configured Grant slicing and Keio’s Real Haptics to transmit force feedback with minimal latency and jitter....
Ant Group’s Robbyant Teams Up with Leju to Bridge Embodied Intelligence and Real-World Applications
Ant Group’s embodied AI unit Robbyant announced a strategic partnership with Leju Robot, a leading Chinese robotics firm. The collaboration will combine Robbyant’s AI algorithms with Leju’s hardware expertise to develop data‑rich, embodied intelligence platforms. Both companies aim to move...
Anduril’s Lattice Platform Integrates K1000ULE for Autonomous Operations Within Army NGC2
Anduril’s Lattice platform has integrated the K1000ULE unmanned aircraft into the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) ecosystem, following demonstrations at Ivy Sting 4 and Ivy Sting 5. The integration makes the K1000ULE a fully networked airborne node that can be maneuvered...
QuikBot Technologies, the Singapore Startup Teaching Robots to Navigate a World Built for Humans
QuikBot Technologies, a Singapore robotics and AI startup, has built QuikSync – an "Ambient Permission Plane" that lets autonomous machines communicate with elevators, access‑control and building‑management systems. The platform, marketed as an Autonomous Final‑Mile Delivery PaaS, enables robots to perform...
Royal Navy Warship ‘Fights Off’ Drone Swarms
The Royal Navy’s Type‑45 destroyer HMS Duncan completed Exercise Sharpshooter, a four‑day live‑firing drill off Wales that simulated coordinated drone and missile attacks. The scenario, delivered by QinetiQ, blended real Banshee aerial drones and Hammerhead surface vessels with synthetic cruise‑missile and...
Dental Robots Face Trust Hurdle, Acceptance Possible
It seems inevitable that medical robots will be used across the healthcare spectrum: from taking blood samples and moving medications around in a hospital to surgeries and pharmacy automations. But can dentistry be the next? A medical specialty in which...
Warehouse Automation Success Depends on Operational Alignment
In this episode, Kevin Lawton interviews Adrian Stuck, CEO of High Robotics, and later Colin McAleenan, VP of Business Development, about the company’s mobile ASRS solutions, especially the HyperClimb robot that combines horizontal and vertical movement. They stress that successful...
Don’t Count Launches: Misreading Iran’s Drone Capacity
Recent Pentagon briefing reported an 83% drop in Iran’s one‑way attack drone launches during the first ten days of the air campaign. Analysts contend that this figure reflects launch tempo, not a confirmed reduction in Iran’s drone stockpiles or functional...
Finding Real Value: Humanoid Robots' First Industry Targets
Humanoid robots are moving from sci-fi to real-world deployment. Developers are now building machines designed to adapt to human environments, from factories to homes, opening entirely new use cases. But as Robonomics architect Sergey Lonshakov points out, the real challenge isn’t building...
Why Not an Android as a Tractor Driver?
The agricultural sector is nearing functional autonomous tractors, yet real‑world deployment stalls on error handling, supervision and regulatory issues. UK startup Osmosis AI proposes a humanoid “DriverAgent” that sits in the cab, physically steering, operating pedals and performing on‑site interventions....
Greensea IQ Releases Virtual Training Simulator for Bayonet AUGVs
Greensea IQ has launched a virtual training simulator for its Bayonet Autonomous Underwater Ground Vehicles (AUGVs). The game‑based platform uses a high‑fidelity physics engine and integrates with Greensea’s Workspace software, allowing operators to practice missions, respond to environmental events, and...
Tier IV Starts Level 4 Autonomy Tests Across Three Continents
Tier IV has released hardware‑agnostic Level 4 autonomous‑driving software stacks through the open‑source Autoware platform, offering both hybrid perception‑planning and fully end‑to‑end configurations. The company began real‑world validation tests across three continents, deploying a Toyota JPN Taxi in Tokyo, a Hyundai Ioniq 5...
The Giant Vending Machine Company Compounding at 15% With Zero Debt
A European maker of vertical storage units—often called giant vending machines—has been compounding earnings at roughly 15 % while carrying zero interest‑bearing debt. The firm boasts a sustained 35 %+ ROIC over three years, over 140 000 machines installed worldwide, and a near‑€1 billion...
Nature‑Inspired Robot Walks, Jumps, Flies Where Drones Can't
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵. It can 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸, 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝘆. Researchers at EPFL’s Laboratory of Intelligent Systems built 𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗡, a robot inspired by how birds move between land and air. Most drones need open space and stable launch...
Cobots Enable Seamless Human‑Robot Collaboration on Factory Floors
A collaborative robot or cobot makes it easier for man and robot to work easily together on the factory floor. (Interesting Engineering) #Robotics https://t.co/vGVqxmgiYv
Tackling Complexity with Smart Automation
Swiss 3PL Alloga modernized its Bern distribution center by integrating Interroll’s Modular Conveyor Platform with Flück Fördertechnik. The modular, zero‑pressure accumulation system increased transport capacity, boosted throughput by 45% and expanded storage within the existing footprint without interrupting operations. Custom...
Robotic Porters Deliver Luggage Directly to Aircraft
#WhosNext? Airport porters? These vehicles could carry your luggage from a check-in-counter right to the airplace. (GiGadgets) #Robotics https://t.co/Viw14CSgkp
Market Retrospective: The Pakistan Air Force’s Drone Program Circa 2007 to 2026
From 2007 to 2026 the Pakistan Air Force assembled a uniquely diversified unmanned‑aircraft fleet, pulling platforms from Europe, China and Turkey. The acquisitions were opportunistic rather than centrally planned, with Chinese OEMs opening the armed‑drone market after European restrictions and...
Shotoku To Unveil Aura Robotic Control System For PTZ Cameras At 2026 NAB Show
Shotoku announced the Aura TR‑XPTZ control system, extending its high‑end robotic camera expertise to PTZ productions, at the 2026 NAB Show. The suite also includes the Swoop robotic crane family—available in 140 cm and 220 cm versions with SmartPed or manual bases—and...
Tesla's Optimus Robot Shows Off Dancing Moves
Elon Musk and TESLA Optimus Dancing l? https://t.co/Hku90HZNGg #tesla #optimus #humanoidtech #humanoid #robot #Robotics #AI #TechRevolution #TechInnovation #ArtificialInteligence #PhysicalAI @AlbertoEMachado @Eli_Krumova @postoff25 @Khulood_Almani @anand_narang @NutritiousMind @baski_LA @TanyaSinha_ @devaang @AlAmadi1 @jeancayeux @enilev @efipm @mvollmer1 @Nicochan33 @RagusoSergio @FrRonconi @Shi4Tech @sallyeaves @LaurentAlaus @Fabriziobustama @smaksked @MargaretSiegien...
This $155 ESP32-Powered DIY Drone Can Hit 67 Mph
A DIY quadcopter called ESP‑Blast, built around a $155 ESP32 microcontroller, achieved a recorded top speed of about 67 mph. The drone weighs 136 grams, uses a 450 mAh battery for roughly five minutes of flight, and features a fully 3D‑printed PETG frame....
Rivian’s RJ Scaringe Thinks We’re Doing Robots All Wrong
Rivian founder RJ Scaringe has launched Mind Robotics, a new venture focused on industrial robots that prioritize advanced hand dexterity over humanoid complexity. The company raised a $500 million Series A round led by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz, bringing total funding to...
Number of the Day - 1500 Miles
Professor Prokar Dasgupta, a leading robotic urological surgeon, performed the UK’s first long‑distance robotic prostate removal from London on a 62‑year‑old patient in Gibraltar, 1,500 miles away. The operation was conducted via a remote robotic platform that gave the surgeon...
HP Indigo Adds Mobile Robots to Its Portfolio, Developed by MoviĜo Robotics
HP Indigo announced it will sell and support autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) developed by MoviĜo Robotics to its print‑industry customers. The robots handle B‑to‑pallets, postal pallets, carts and racks for both sheet‑fed and web‑press environments. The partnership introduces the Sharko 5 RT,...
Could China Build an ‘Army of Centaurs’ with This Non-Invasive Cyborg Tech?
Chinese researchers have unveiled a non‑invasive wearable human‑robot hybrid that assists soldiers in carrying heavy loads across rugged terrain. The exoskeleton uses lightweight actuators, sensor arrays and AI‑driven control to augment strength without requiring implants. Tests suggest it can increase...
Saab Sets Sights on LUUV Sea Trials in Mid-2026
Saab has secured a SEK 60 million contract from Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration to build a large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV) demonstrator, dubbed the Autonomous Ocean Drone (AOD). The 7‑metre, 6.5‑tonne platform will integrate Saab’s Autonomous Ocean Core autonomy engine and is...
Force Control, Not Just Motion, Limits Humanoid Robots
Over the past decade humanoid robots have improved dramatically. Reinforcement learning, better electric actuators, and vision-language-action models now allow robots like Atlas or Digit to walk, plan tasks, and manipulate objects. Yet surprisingly simple things like stairs, doors, or delicate...
Optimus Poised to Dominate AI Robot Race
This is a World Model breakthrough. Puts even more pressure on @Tesla_Optimus as it will show off a new humanoid in April. Version 3.0. Next week at @nvidia GTC the bar goes even higher, I hear. My money is that Optimus takes all...
![Humanoid Robots Get to Work at German BMW Factory [Video]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/BMW_humanoid.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Humanoid Robots Get to Work at German BMW Factory [Video]
BMW is extending its AI‑powered humanoid robot program from the Spartanburg plant to the Leipzig iFACTORY, deploying Hexagon’s AEON robots to assemble electric vehicles. The earlier Figure 02 robots helped position sheet metal for welding on more than 30,000 X3s, proving...
Months of Coding Culminate: Robot Enters the Arena
POV: months of coding… and now your robot is on the arena 🤖 #robocup https://t.co/ozW3mr1dJT
Humanoid Robots Run Modular Coffee & Ice Cream Store
Modular Retail Store Where Humanoid #Robots Serve Coffee, Ice Cream, and Chat with Customers via @ZappyZappy7 #AI #Robotics #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/1UzJXAXfvS
Yes, The Neo Robot Is Real — And Here's How Much It Costs
1X Technologies unveiled Neo, a 5‑foot‑6‑inch humanoid robot priced at $20,000 or $499 per month, promising household assistance such as laundry folding and plant watering. The robot features a built‑in large language model, 0.75 kWh battery, and can lift up to...
Humanoid Robots Falter on Everyday Fine Motor Tasks
Why Do Humanoid Robots Still Struggle With the Small Stuff? | Quanta Magazine https://t.co/tEGo54KmFN https://t.co/ix3L6xq030
Humanoid Robot Takes Over Traffic Policing Duties
Humanoid #Robot Steps In as Traffic Police Officer by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology #Logistics https://t.co/kx1jZePT5T
U.S. Rushes 10,000 Ukraine-Proven Merops AI Drones to Middle East to Counter Iranian Shahed Swarms
The U.S. Army has shipped 10,000 AI‑enabled Merops interceptor drones to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury, aiming to blunt Iranian Shahed‑type drone swarms. Merops, proven in Ukraine, costs roughly $14‑15 k per unit—far cheaper than Patriot missiles and even...
Drones Revolutionize Heavy Lifting in Modern Agriculture
Using #Drones to do the lifting in agriculture by @alvinfoo #AgriTech #TechForGood #Innovation #Tech #Technology https://t.co/FbAsFkaVox
SwitchBot Introduces Friendly Home Humanoid Robot
Onero H1: SwitchBot’s Friendly Home-Use Humanoid #Robot for Smart Living by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/IBRCyxalhE
Army Explores New Vehicle-Mounted Counter-Drone System
The UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support has issued a market engagement notice for a specialist counter‑UAS system mounted on an armoured vehicle under the Land‑GBAD programme. The capability is intended to provide short‑range drone defence for both...
Clone Introduces First Fully Actuated Bimanual Torso
Clone Unveils First Bimanual Torso with Fully Actuated Human-Like Upper Body by @clonerobotics #AI #Robotics #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/nvN8jT7sMo
BMW Deploys Humanoid Robots at German Plant
BMW Brings Humanoid #Robotics to Its German Manufacturing Hub by @CyberRobooo #Robots #Engineering #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/7qpf3gVUK6
How China's AI-Powered Robots Could Reshape the Global Order
China is accelerating a transition from cloud‑based AI to “embodied intelligence,” deploying physical robots that can operate autonomously in real‑world environments. State‑backed programs and private venture capital are funding massive production lines for AI‑driven manufacturing, logistics and defense platforms. The...
GITAI Unveils Centaur Robot for Lunar Terrain
GITAI’s Centaur-Like #Robot Is Built to Work on the Moon’s Harsh Terrain by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML https://t.co/DxdXcnoGMB
GoFormic Makes Automation as Simple as Hiring Workers
The gap between SOTA robots and the many factories and warehouses that don’t use them is being closed by @goformic Making automating as easy as hiring workers: that’s the trillion-dollar opportunity.
Kalanick Argues Wheels Beat Humanoid Legs for Robots
Tech proohet for many, Travis Kalanick, is working on ‘wheels for robots’ vs yet another humanoid with feet. Says something about the practicality and utility/ROI of one over the other.
Drone Proliferation Signals Imminent Autonomous Warfare
People still underestimate how many drones are being built, shipped, used, and getting blown up around the world. Autonomous wars are upon us.
Predict Full‑Scene Physics From One Image Using PointFlows
What if a robot could simulate the physical world from a single image. [📍Bookmark Paper & GitHub for later] PointWorld-1B from Stanford and NVIDIA is a large 3D world model that predicts how an entire scene will move, given RGB-D...
Submit Your IROS2026 Competition Proposal by March 16
🤖 Propose a Competition for #IROS2026! Live robotic demonstrations • Research exposure • Community impact 🗓 Due Mar 16 🔗 https://t.co/fzv7ew8uq1