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
Soft-Robotic Glove Uses 37 Actuators to Cut Hand Swelling by up to 25%
Cornell researchers unveiled EdemaFlex, a soft‑robotic glove equipped with 37 shape‑memory‑alloy actuators that apply sequential pressure across all five fingers and the palm. In a small home‑use study of seven edema patients, a single 30‑minute session reduced hand volume by up to 25%, with most participants seeing 3‑5% reductions. The device leverages a software‑driven knitting workflow that custom‑fits each glove based on a bitmap of the patient’s hand. EdemaFlex builds on earlier KnitDema and MediKnit platforms, extending soft‑robotic therapy from single‑finger to full‑hand treatment.
Codelco Using Kinamics Robot to Survey New Mining Fronts at El Teniente
Codelco has launched the Kinamics Arkytas MU-2.1 robot at its El Teniente mine to map newly blasted tunnel fronts. The remote‑controlled unit creates 3‑D photogrammetric models from 22 photos, allowing engineers to assess terrain without entering hazardous zones. Beyond imaging,...
Alphabet-Owned Robotics Software Company Intrinsic Joins Google
Alphabet-owned Intrinsic, a robotics‑software specialist, is joining Google while remaining a distinct entity. The integration will link Intrinsic’s Flowstate platform and Vision AI model with Google DeepMind, Gemini AI models, and Google Cloud services. Earlier, Intrinsic expanded through acquisitions of...
Researchers Expose Critical Security Vulnerability in Autonomous Drones
UC Irvine computer scientists have uncovered a critical flaw in camera‑based autonomous target‑tracking drones, dubbed the FlyTrap attack. By attaching a specially designed visual pattern to an ordinary umbrella, attackers can trick drones into believing the target is receding, causing...
Australian Defence, DroneShield Agree to Advance Counter-Drone Research
The Australian Department of Defence has signed a three‑year agreement with DroneShield to enhance counter‑drone capabilities through joint research and technology sharing. The partnership will involve data exchange on emerging drone technologies via the Defence Science and Technology Group, and...
Mantis Robotics Achieves Safety Certification for Fenceless, High-Speed Industrial Robot
Mantis Robotics announced that its MR-1 robot arm is the first high‑speed, fenceless industrial robot to earn ISO 10218‑1 and ISO 13849‑1 safety certification. The MR‑1 combines proprietary physical AI with 47 embedded safety functions, all rated PL‑d, allowing it...
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: “Unexpected Application”
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter dramatically outperformed its original proof‑of‑concept flight test, proving autonomous aerial flight on Mars. Beyond its record‑setting flights, engineers have repurposed one of Ingenuity’s navigation processors to feed real‑time location data to the Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater....
Why 2026 Must Be Agriculture’s Physical AI Tipping Point
Physical AI proved its viability on farms in 2025, prompting industry leaders to view autonomous tractors as the next consumer‑electronics breakthrough. The article argues that 2026 is the decisive year to move from prototypes to large‑scale deployment, driven by rising...
Translating Music Into Light and Motion with Robots
University of Waterloo researchers unveiled a swarm of soccer‑ball‑sized robots that paint with coloured light trails in response to musical cues such as tempo and chord progressions. The system captures the robots' movements on a floor‑mounted camera, creating a visual...
Numina Group Launches Batchbot 2.0 with Upgraded Software
Numina Group unveiled Batchbot 2.0, a modular warehouse automation platform that fuses its Real‑time Distribution Software (RDS‑WES) with KUKA’s fifth‑generation AI‑infused autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and a voice‑guided picking suite. The system claims to eliminate more than 20 minutes of...
Walmart: Supply Chain Spending Set to ‘Peak’ Next 2 Years, CEO Says
Walmart’s CEO John Furner said the retailer’s supply‑chain capital spending will likely peak this year and next, as automation projects accelerate. Twenty‑three of its 42 U.S. distribution centers are being retrofitted with robotics, and similar initiatives are beginning abroad. About...
Flexxbotics Updates Beckhoff ADS TwinCAT Connector Driver in Open-Source GitHub Project
Flexxbotics has released an updated Beckhoff ADS TwinCAT connector driver in its open‑source GitHub repository, expanding compatibility to both TwinCAT 2 and TwinCAT 3 environments. The driver introduces multi‑threaded data pipelines, secure bi‑directional read/write, and a many‑to‑many interoperability model that eliminates point‑to‑point...
MANUFACTURING & AUTOMATION EXCHANGE (MAX) SET TO DEBUT IN NASHVILLE MARCH 24-26 AT THE MUSIC CITY CENTER
The Manufacturing & Automation eXchange (MAX) will debut March 24‑26, 2026 at Nashville's Music City Center, merging the former Assembly Show South and Quality Show into a single, cross‑functional event. MAX will showcase a broad spectrum of manufacturing technologies, from...
Helm.ai Driver Achieves Vision-Only Urban Autonomy, Unlocking Scalability From Level 2+ Through Level 4
Helm.ai unveiled a production‑ready, vision‑only software stack that can power advanced Level 2+ driver assistance today and scale to Level 3 and Level 4 urban autonomy without HD maps or lidar. The system relies on the company’s Factored Embodied AI architecture, separating perception...
Middle East UAV Market Underscored by $17bn in Unsigned Deals
The Middle East UAV market still has about $17 billion in pending contracts, according to Shephard Defence Insight. Saudi Arabia leads the pipeline, eyeing MQ‑9B and Gambit systems, while other regional programs remain unawarded. Recent trade shows in Dubai, Abu Dhabi...
Progressive Robotics Launches AnyStack: A Turnkey Solution for Mixed Palletizing in Modern Logistics
Progressive Robotics unveiled AnyStack, a turnkey robotic palletizing system that combines an industrial arm, AI‑driven vision, and intelligent stacking software into a single, ready‑to‑deploy cell. The solution dynamically identifies cases, calculates optimal stacking sequences, and builds stable mixed‑SKU pallets even...
SiMa.ai and STIGA S.p.A. Partner for AI-Powered Autonomous Robotic Lawn Mowers
STIGA S.p.A. has partnered with SiMa Technologies to embed SiMa.ai’s low‑power Physical AI ML‑SoC into its next‑generation robotic lawn mowers for both consumer and commercial use. The integration enables ultra‑low‑latency, edge‑based decision‑making while reducing power draw, resulting in lighter, more...
How Algorithms and Drones Are Replacing Ukraine’s Infantry
Four years into the Ukraine‑Russia war, Kyiv’s ground forces have dwindled to as low as 30‑60% of authorized strength, prompting a rapid shift toward a machine‑centric defense. The Ukrainian military now relies on dense networks of drones, ground robots and...
Autonomous Robot Runs Quantum-Inspired Optimization in Real Time
Japanese tech giant Toshiba and MIRISE Technologies have embedded their Simulated Bifurcation Machine, a quantum‑inspired optimization engine, into an autonomous mobile robot. The on‑board FPGA runs a new multi‑object tracking algorithm at 23 frames per second, delivering up to 23%...
Bot Auto, Ryan Transportation Partner on Driverless Freight Between Houston and Dallas
Bot Auto announced a strategic partnership with Ryan Transportation to launch driverless freight operations on a 200‑mile overnight corridor between Houston and Dallas, slated to begin this spring. The route, traditionally hard to service due to tight delivery windows and...
EPC Adds 3-Phase BLDC Motor Drive Inverter Evaluation Board for Humanoid Robot Joint Applications
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) unveiled the EPC91122, a 3‑phase BLDC motor‑drive inverter evaluation board tailored for humanoid robot joint applications. The board incorporates EPC’s EPC33110 GaN ePower Stage, delivering up to 20 A RMS (28 A peak) in a 32 mm‑diameter core while supporting...
10 Years of Autonomous Ups and Downs on a 16,000 Hectares Australian Farm
Beefwood Farms in New South Wales has spent a decade refining autonomous spot‑spraying on its 16,000‑hectare operation. After testing SwarmFarm’s early SwarmBot, the farm settled on an AgXeed 5.115T2 AgBot pulling a 24‑metre boom, while a later SwarmBot‑BOSS combo now...
Warehouse Continuous Improvement at Atomix: Culture and Data
In this episode, VP of Operations Drake Meyer discusses Atomics' rapid growth, its unique high‑touch 3PL model, and the development of its proprietary WMS. He shares how his hands‑on warehouse background informs his leadership style, emphasizing a continuous‑improvement mindset rooted...
ALTUS LSA Develops UAV Platforms for Collaborative Disaster Response Projects
ALTUS LSA, a UAV developer, is joining two Horizon Europe initiatives—FORESIGHT and PANTHEON—to create advanced drone platforms for disaster response. FORESIGHT focuses on heavy‑lift multicopter UAVs capable of carrying 40‑100 kg payloads, equipped with LiDAR and laser beacons for navigation in...
What Is Physical AI, and How Can You Invest in It?
Tesla announced it will cease Model S and X production to convert the Fremont space into an Optimus robot factory, signaling a strategic shift toward physical artificial intelligence. Physical AI, defined as intelligence embedded in machines that operate in the...
X-BAT Drone ‘Fighter’ Will Begin VTOL Flight Testing In Kansas This Year
Shield AI announced that its X‑BAT vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing combat drone will begin flight testing near Newton, Kansas, later this year. The company highlighted VTOL capability as the program’s core differentiator during the AFA Warfare Symposium. X‑BAT is designed to combine stealth,...
Wayve Raises $1.5B, Pivots to Universal AI Licensing
Another major milestone in @wayve_ai's history. Proud to say we’ve secured $1.5 billion Series D investment at $8.6 billion valuation. We started a decade ago with a contrarian technical thesis: that self-driving is an AI problem, and Embodied AI will enable...
Modular Reconfigurable Robots Enable Versatile Locomotion, Manipulation, Construction
A new Science #Robotics Review examines the design and potential applications of modular reconfigurable robot systems in locomotion, manipulation, and construction operations. @tinlunlam https://t.co/hbThAkuHZE https://t.co/72lVUrgcYh
Procept Biorobotics Corp (PRCT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Procept Biorobotics reported a 48% year‑over‑year revenue increase to $79.2 million in Q2 2025, driven by strong U.S. growth and a 58% surge in handpiece and consumable sales. Gross margin expanded to 65.4%, up 640 basis points, while adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed...
Robotics Must Prioritize Privacy Over Intrusive Data Capture
How everyone in robotics should approach privacy. Someday a robot will clean your guns and organize your sex toys. Happy owner of a Matic which can catch glimpses of me naked. We don’t want that on the Internet, do we? :-)
Sai Connects ROS Control to MuJoCo Simulator
If you are not following Sai yet you really should be! He's a driving force behind ROS Control. Check out this bridge between ROS Control and the MuJoCo simulator.
Rise of the Rice Robots—Creating Active Smart Materials
Researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered that packed rice grains weaken when compressed rapidly—a phenomenon called rate softening. By combining rice‑based granular units with sand, they engineered a speed‑sensitive metamaterial that stiffens or bends depending on loading speed, all...
Report: Warehouse Automation Order Intake up by 7%
A new Interact Analysis report shows warehouse‑automation order intake rose 7 % in 2025 despite a weak macro environment, driven largely by inflated project values from rising steel and labor costs and large‑scale investments by retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Tesco....
Okibo Announces General Availability of Robotic BLASTER Technology for Construction Industry
Okibo has launched the general availability of its BLASTER gun, a dual‑nozzle airless spray system designed for the EG7 and EG7+ autonomous construction robots. The technology can coat a four‑foot board width and up to 24 feet in height in just...
Unlock the ROI of Mobile Robots: Roboteon Launches New Complimentary Robotics Investment Impact Analysis
Roboteon has introduced a free Robotics Investment Impact Analysis that leverages its vendor‑independent simulation platform to model warehouse automation scenarios. The service promises detailed insights into robot‑human staffing, cost per pick, throughput, and ROI within a 2‑3 week timeframe. It...
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh Corp., led by EVP Jay Iyengar, is championing a "moments of autonomy" strategy that embeds physical AI into high‑value, repetitive or hazardous tasks rather than pursuing full automation. The company is rolling out autonomous jet‑bridge docking systems that align...
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh is championing a hybrid autonomy model that delivers physical AI where it adds the most immediate value, such as automating repetitive, hazardous tasks. The company has deployed AI‑driven solutions ranging from airport jet‑bridge alignment to on‑demand trash‑collection robots and...
Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent proposing a modular motion‑control architecture that separates command streams into priority queues and splits telemetry into real‑time and archival channels. The design adds edge‑processing modules for sensors, stepper and BLDC drives, and even a...
Engineers Demonstrate Lightweight 'Exoskeleton' That Helps Stroke Survivors Walk
Engineers at the University of Utah unveiled a 5.5‑pound portable hip exoskeleton that reduces the metabolic cost of walking for stroke survivors with hemiparesis by roughly 18%. The device delivers side‑specific motor assistance synchronized in real time, allowing users to...
Hidden Labor Inflates AI Hype, Robots Follow Suit
AI’s concealed labor has repeatedly led us to overestimate the technology. Humanoid robots are entering a similar phase.
AI Robots Set to Outnumber Human Workers Within Decades
AI robots could outnumber human workers within a few decades, according to a former Citi executive. Humanoids are already on the market with a payback period of under 10 weeks compared to human labor. McKinsey expects its own workforce to reach parity...
DeltaQuad – Design / Creative Engineer
DeltaQuad, a pioneer in long‑range electric VTOL drones, is hiring a Design / Creative Engineer for its Resilience Department. The role focuses on designing, prototyping, and validating mechanical components that improve UAV reliability and field reparability, using advanced materials and...
Deterministic ROS Executor with Zero‑Copy IPC Released
Looking for a fully deterministic #ROS executor and true zero copy message passing / IPC to boost your system performance? Our colleagues at @AutowareFdn have rolled out Agnocast and Callback Isolated Executor (CIE) as drop-in replacements to RCLCpp / and...
Bionic Eye Mimics Animal Pupils for Sharper Focus
A new Science #Robotics study describes a #bionic eye that can simulate irregular pupils such as a cat’s vertical pupil for precise focus while hunting and a toad's heart-shaped pupil for improved depth perception. https://t.co/p1uZy6rbky https://t.co/uE8l7VpDSq
Teledyne FLIR OEM Launches Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress; A Compact Thermal‑Visible Camera Module Featuring Patented MSX Technology
Teledyne FLIR OEM unveiled the Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress, a compact dual‑thermal‑and‑visible camera module that pairs a 160 × 120 radiometric Lepton 3.5 sensor with a five‑megapixel visible imager. The device embeds FLIR’s patented MSX technology, which overlays visible‑image edges onto thermal...
RoboCup 2026 Calls for Papers, New Open Tools Track
CFP for RoboCup International Symposium 2026! 🆕 This year introduces the Open Platforms & Tools Track, focused on interactive tools, open-source hardware, and software frameworks. 📅 Submission deadline: 8 April 2026 🔗 https://t.co/M728hTtutJ #robocup2026 https://t.co/2UPO8jzMr7
STEAM Empowers Robots: Professor Highlights Black Women Innovators
#Noire #AI #Avatar #Robotics #Engineering #Professor teaches us how #STEAM makes robots amazing. #STEM #NoireSTEMinist #BlackWomenInSTEM #WomeninSTEM #BlackInSTEM https://t.co/LYuLerwMaR https://t.co/bLVZSgO4sH
NASA-Sponsored Working Group to Address Key Barriers to Routine Autonomous Drone Fleets
NASA has convened the Routine Autonomous Multi‑Aircraft Operations (RAM‑AO) Working Group to tackle technical and regulatory obstacles preventing large‑scale autonomous drone fleets from sharing U.S. airspace. Led by Aptima under a NASA contract, the group will meet March 3‑5 at...
Torc Robotics and Daimler Truck Expand Autonomous Truck Testing to Michigan Public Roads
Torc Robotics announced that its autonomous trucks will now be tested on public roads in Michigan, using the latest‑generation Daimler Truck Freightliner Cascadia chassis. The expansion builds on existing test sites in Dallas‑Fort Worth and Blacksburg and moves development from the...
Untitled
Stäubli Robotics unveiled the next‑generation Sterimove at INTERPHEX 2026, positioning it as the world’s first mobile robot certified for Grade A, B, C and D cleanroom environments. The platform combines sealed, cleanroom‑compatible construction with advanced collision‑avoidance sensing, dual emergency stops...