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
UK Throwing Good Money After Bad in Watchkeeper Drone Retention
The UK has extended the service of its Watchkeeper Mk 1 UAV fleet by two years, costing roughly £95.7 million. The eight‑aircraft loss rate and a £1.35 billion run‑up have left the programme plagued by reliability concerns. Maintaining the drones will consume about 73 % of the £156 million budget earmarked for their replacement under Project Corvus. The extension pushes the retirement date to March 2027 while a new system is slated for delivery by 2030.
Abu Dhabi Launches First Autonomous Truck Pilot in MENA Logistics Sector
Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre has launched the Middle East and North Africa’s first autonomous‑truck pilot, partnering with Autotech and AD Ports Group within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD). The AI‑driven trucks are being tested on dedicated routes...
Aviation Training and Operations Readiness Lead
Wing, Alphabet’s drone‑delivery arm, is hiring a remote Aviation Training & Operations Readiness Lead to steer its rapidly expanding flight‑operations program. The role will oversee training, operational evaluations, and the transition to Part 108‑compliant, highly automated deliveries across two continents. Reporting...
Arduino, Qualcomm Bring On-Device AI and Robotics Learning to Indian School Systems
Arduino and Qualcomm, through Get Set Learn, are launching a K‑12 program that brings on‑device AI, robotics, and physical computing to Indian classrooms. The initiative replaces cloud‑centric tools with edge‑enabled hardware, allowing students to build and test intelligent systems locally....
Malaysia’s TTVision Enters India’s Solar Manufacturing Market
Malaysia’s TTVision Holdings Berhad will launch a joint‑venture manufacturing plant in India in the second half of 2026 to produce automated optical inspection and high‑speed processing systems for photovoltaic production lines. The facility will act as a localized integrator linking...
CHC Navigation & MOVA Unveil Satellite-Based Positioning for Robotic Mowers
CHC Navigation and MOVA unveiled the NAVAX 5000 AWD robotic mower at CES 2026, featuring CHCNAV’s satellite‑ground RTK service and an integrated high‑precision positioning chip that delivers centimeter‑level accuracy without a local base station or cellular data. The mower combines...
ISS Aerospace & Anduril UK Partner to Integrate WASP Launched Effect Into Lattice Platform
ISS Aerospace and Anduril UK announced a partnership to embed the ISSOS WASP launched effect into Anduril’s sovereign Lattice command‑and‑control platform. The integration, completed in a single day, was validated with a flight test at ISS Aerospace’s Oxford facility. WASP...
ISAC Innovation | Ericsson Demos Drone Detection PoC at Texas
Ericsson successfully demonstrated a live proof‑of‑concept for its Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology at its Plano, Texas headquarters, using massive‑MIMO radios to detect and track drones in real time. The trial showed that existing 5G infrastructure can be repurposed...
Chinese Humanoid Robot Walks 130k Steps in Extreme Cold
A Chinese humanoid robot has just made history at -47.4 °C, taking more than 130,000 steps on the ice in Xinjiang and even “drawing” an Olympic emblem https://t.co/f6FNFCuFqS #humanoidtech #humanoid #robot #Robotics #AI #TechRevolution #TechInnovation #ArtificialInteligence
Infios Integrates Robots, Software to Help Dental City Triple Pickup Rates
Dental City, a 30‑year dental supply distributor, partnered with Infios to embed Locus Robotics autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) into its warehouse management system. Within three months the 40,000‑sq‑ft facility saw pick rates triple, enabling same‑day fulfillment and a two‑day nationwide...
Snake-Like Robot Unveiled for Fukushima Debris Removal
TEPCO unveiled a 22‑metre, 4.6‑tonne snake‑like robot arm designed to retrieve radioactive debris from Fukushima Daiichi. The device can crawl through narrow tunnels, capture visual data, and is slated for a third trial removal later this year. Fukushima still houses...
SOCOM on the Hunt for ‘Acoustic Rainbow’ Tech for Silencing Drones
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has launched an SBIR solicitation for acoustic rainbow emitters (ARE) to silence tactical drones, aiming to cut acoustic signatures by at least 50%. The devices must weigh no more than 1 kg for Group 1 UAVs and...
Fundamentals of Position Feedback
Automation has shifted from simple limit switches to dynamic position‑feedback devices such as encoders and LVDTs, delivering continuous data across varying speeds. Encoders dominate motion‑to‑electrical conversion, with absolute models preserving position after power loss and incremental models tracking relative movement....
Coco Robotics Launches New Autonomous Robots for Urban Deliveries
Coco Robotics unveiled Coco 2, its next‑generation autonomous delivery robot that moves beyond sidewalks into bike lanes and permitted roadways. The new platform halves delivery times and triples uptime, thanks to upgraded edge‑computing hardware and a dataset of millions of...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for two Switchblade loitering‑munition variants: the 600 Block 2 and the 300 Block 2. The 600 Block 2 brings advanced AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea platforms, while the 300 Block 2 is equipped with...
Attabotics Gets a New Life at LaFayette Systems
Attabotics, the Canadian robotics firm behind a patented cubic goods‑to‑person storage system, filed for bankruptcy in 2025 and was acquired by Danville‑based LaFayette Systems in September. The deal keeps Attabotics' engineering, business, and manufacturing operations in Calgary, with key legacy...
World Models Enable AI to Simulate Reality for Safer Autonomy
World Models Explained - The Next Leap In AI Understanding 🧠 Most AI reacts to inputs, like a very talented autocomplete. A world model is different, it builds an internal simulation of reality so it can predict what happens next....
DJI’s Most Capable Drones Are Still Finding Their Way to US Third Party Retailers
DJI’s flagship drones remain unavailable through official U.S. channels after the FCC’s recent ban on new DJI products. Despite the restriction, a handful of third‑party retailers have begun importing these high‑performance models, creating a fragmented supply chain. The gray‑market influx...
E-Con Systems to Showcase Next-Gen Edge AI and Multi-Camera Vision Solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026 and Embedded World 2026
e-con Systems will unveil its next‑generation edge AI and multi‑camera vision solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026 in San Jose and Embedded World 2026 in Nuremberg. The company will demo Darsi Pro, a production‑ready platform built on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX that handles eight HDR GMSL...
I Developed an App that Uses Drone Footage to Track Plastic Litter on Beaches
University of Limerick researchers have created a drone‑based system that uses computer‑vision AI to locate plastic litter on beaches and feeds the data into a free mobile app. The platform can identify objects as small as 1 cm from 30 m altitude...
Boca Bearings Has Expanded Its Automation Bearing Inventory, Adding New Options for Linear Motion, Industrial Automation, and Robotics Applications
Boca Bearings has broadened its automation bearing portfolio, adding linear bearings in chrome, ceramic‑hybrid and full‑ceramic ZrO₂, plus expanded cam yoke, cam follower, 9900, 7500 DLG and 7600 DLG series. The off‑the‑shelf inventory is designed for quick access and same‑day...
Changingtek Robotics Launches the World's First Adaptive "X2" Left-Right Dexterous Hand
Changingtek Robotics unveiled the X2, the world’s first adaptive left‑right dexterous hand, featuring a tendon‑driven system that can reconfigure between left and right orientations autonomously. The hand offers five independently controlled fingers, delivering up to 50 N grip force per hand...
Orbital Data Centers: AI Power Solution or $50B Gamble
Can orbital data centers solve AI’s massive power crisis? Tech titans like Musk, Bezos, and Pichai are betting on $51B satellite networks to move AI processing off-planet. The goal: Unlimited, 24/7 solar power. Is it a brilliant move or a...
Pentagon Readies Kamikaze Drone Unit for Potential Trump‑ordered Iran Strike
Just in: The Pentagon’s first kamikaze drone unit is ready to participate if President Donald Trump decides to launch strikes on Iran, according to US officials and analysts. https://t.co/DOPGwxi339
Why Humanoid Robots May Be the Wrong Bet for Industrial Automation
Humanoid robots captivate investors but inherit the human body’s stability, agility and durability limits. Their ~200 degrees of freedom create mechanical complexity that reduces uptime compared with 6‑DoF industrial arms. Safety assessments under ISO 13849‑1 show that preventing falls requires high...
Drones Redefine Modern Warfare: Emerging Tactics Explored
Good discussion on how the war evolved, the role of drones, what is novel or perhaps new. https://t.co/ZKWx3h4J6D
Can Robot Chefs Earn Four‑Star Ratings?
"Would you give four stars to a restaurant entirely staffed by robots?" In a new Science #Robotics Focus article, @robinrmurphy discusses the sci-fi novel Automatic Noodle and ponders over the challenges in robots cooking and perceiving flavors. https://t.co/iPTbwCL6fB
Textron System’ Damocles™ Loitering Munition Selected For U.S. Army Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) Contract
Textron Systems won a U.S. Army prototype contract to field its Damocles™ loitering munition under the Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. The system integrates a vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a GEN2 Explosively Formed...
Encord Secures $60M Series C to Power Physical AI
Congrats to @encord_team on their $60M Series C! Encord is building the AI-native data layer powering physical AI, helping 300+ teams manage and align massive volumes of multimodal data as robots and autonomous systems move into real-world deployment. https://t.co/qfx0F6vHQh
Kinetic Tokens Enable Real‑Time Action for Physical AI
What if data didn’t just inform decisions but triggered action in real time? That’s the idea behind kinetic tokens, and why they matter for Physical AI like robotics. With nationwide 5G SA and 5G Advanced, @TMobile is ready for it. More via...
Irish Startup Manna Becomes the Engine for Uber’s European Aerial Ambitions
Uber Technologies has teamed up with Irish drone startup Manna to launch Europe’s first aerial food‑delivery pilot in Ireland, integrating Manna’s autonomous quadcopter system with the Uber Eats platform. The drones can transport up to 4 kg, travel 50 mph and deliver...
Bringing OpenClaw to Life with Terminator Vibes
I'm giving @openclaw a physical presence (is this how Skynet really begins?) cue terminator music etc... (cc @steipete) https://t.co/IuMaw4HEJ0
Drone‑Powered App Maps Beach Plastic Pollution
I developed an app that uses drone footage to track plastic litter on beaches https://t.co/jkkFWwT3dE
UK Royal Navy Notes Hybrid Air Wing Progress with Eyes on Peregrine Drone Development
The UK Royal Navy’s Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATX) programme is advancing toward a hybrid air wing by 2040, with recent progress highlighted at the Defence IQ International Military Helicopter 2026 conference. Officials confirmed ongoing discussions to expand the deployment of the Peregrine...
HANetf Plans Drones UCITS ETF
HANetf announced plans to launch a UCITS exchange‑traded fund that gives investors exposure to companies developing unmanned aerial systems. The fund targets firms across military, public‑safety and commercial drone applications as the sector expands. Market forecasts show civil UAS revenue...
Global Supply Chain Volatility Pushes Sports Brand On to Open Robot-Centric South Korean Factory
Swiss performance brand On has inaugurated its second automated footwear factory near Busan, South Korea, featuring 32 robots. The new plant, together with the Zurich site, is projected to boost global production capacity by 30 times in 2026, shifting the...
Where to Buy Process Automation Services for Manufacturing
Manufacturers are accelerating digital transformation, but internal expertise often lags, driving demand for third‑party process automation services. The article highlights five leading providers—Malisko, Emerson, ABB Group, ATS Automation, and Yokogawa—each offering distinct strengths from IoT integration to turnkey solutions. These...
U.S. Army Moves Toward Plug-and-Play Drone Munition Architecture
The U.S. Army issued a sources‑sought notice to find industry partners capable of delivering a standardized munition payload interface for uncrewed aerial systems, based on the Picatinny Common Lethality Interface Kit (CLIK) and the smaller Universal Payload Interface (sUPI). The...
You CAN Afford to Wait for AI. But You Can’t Afford to Wait To
Enterprises must first secure master data, integrate applications via open APIs, and modernize processes before chasing generative‑AI projects. Proven technologies such as adaptive robotic process automation, predictive analytics, and point‑based neural networks deliver reliable, low‑risk outcomes. Talent acquisition and continuous...
1,020 Pyro Drones Just Rewrote Daytime Fireworks History
Last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Pyrotecnico deployed 1,020 pyro‑drones to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Daytime Fireworks Display. Each drone carried two smoke canisters, creating 2,024 vibrant plumes visible in broad daylight. The show combined...
Vertiq Expands DroneCAN & IQUART Capabilities in New Servo Firmware Release
Vertiq has launched servo firmware version 0.1.1, extending DroneCAN and IQUART functionality across its G2 and G1 servo modules. The update adds ArrayCommand support, ActuatorStatus telemetry, and dynamic node‑ID features while introducing unitless control types and linear displacement mapping for...
Predictive Maintenance Robotics: How AI and Automation Are Redefining Industrial Asset Reliability
Predictive maintenance robotics leverages AI and machine‑learning to shift industrial upkeep from fixed‑schedule preventive care to condition‑based, data‑driven actions. Continuous sensor streams—vibration, acoustic, thermal, electrical—are analyzed in real time to spot anomalies and forecast component failures. The approach integrates with...
Software Development AI Robotics: Engineering Intelligent Machines for the Real World
Software development is now the backbone of AI robotics, enabling machines to perceive, decide, and act in real‑world environments. Frameworks such as the Robot Operating System (ROS) and edge‑AI hardware like Nvidia Jetson streamline sensor fusion, simulation, and real‑time control....
Aerobits Launches TR-10 Transponder Pre-Sale & Enhances Drone Visibility for Controlled Airspace
Aerobits has opened a pre‑sale for its TR‑10 transponder, a 10‑W low‑power Mode A/C/S unit with optional ADS‑B extended squitter designed for small drones operating in Transponder Mandatory Zones. The 75‑gram, 53.5 × 43.5 × 18 mm device delivers +40 dBm output, a dynamic range of...
Greensea IQ Launches Submerged Command & Control Interface for Marine Robotics
Greensea IQ has released the Bayonet Underwater Controller, a production‑grade, diver‑focused interface for commanding unmanned marine systems. The rugged unit operates to 40 m depth, offers six hours of battery life, and features 30 programmable buttons plus dual joysticks. Built on...
Building One AI Brain for Every Robot
Deepak Pathak, Carnegie Mellon professor turned CEO, founded Skild AI to create a universal AI brain that can control any robot across tasks. The startup recently secured $1.4 billion in funding, valuing it at more than $14 billion, with investors including SoftBank,...
New Drone Factory Opens in Suffolk to Boost Ukraine's Armed Forces Against Russia's War
Ukraine’s leading drone maker Ukrspecsystems opened a £200 million production and testing facility in Suffolk, creating up to 500 British jobs. The plant will manufacture SHARK, Mini‑SHARK and PD‑2 drones that have already inflicted nearly $3 billion of damage on Russian forces....
Arbe Robotics Ltd (ARBE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Arbe Robotics reported Q4 2025 revenue of $300,000, a three‑fold increase year‑over‑year, while narrowing its operating loss to $11.5 million and maintaining a strong cash position of $52.6 million. The company highlighted progress toward four OEM design wins slated for the next...
Rheinmetall Showcases Integrated Attack and Counter-Drone Stack at Enforce Tac 2026
Rheinmetall unveiled an integrated asymmetric‑warfare stack at Enforce Tac 2026, combining the RCWS320C‑UAS counter‑drone weapon station, the 40 mm SSW40 squad support gun, and the portable FV‑014 loitering munition. All systems are tied into a unified command‑and‑control layer that fuses Gladius...
Swisslog to Debut AgileStore Pallet Shuttle Storage System
Swisslog announced AgileStore, a four‑way roaming pallet shuttle, to debut at MODEX 2026. The system moves forward, backward, laterally and vertically, allowing cross‑aisle travel and level changes without extra lifts. AgileStore’s modular design promises higher density storage, dynamic routing and...