Hai Robotics Files for Hong Kong IPO as Revenue Hits $189 Million
Hai Robotics, the Shenzhen‑based developer of automated case‑handling robots, announced its filing for a primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company posted 1.36 billion yuan (approximately $188.9 million) in revenue for 2024, underscoring rapid growth. It now commands more than 30% of the global market for warehouse case‑handling robots. Backed by Sequoia China, Hai Robotics is leveraging improved gross margins to fund an aggressive international expansion plan.
Mapping Weaponized Drone Attacks Attributed to Mexican Drug Cartels
The NCITE research center documented 221 weaponized drone incidents in Mexico between 2021 and 2025, with 27 attacks killing 77 people. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) accounted for the largest share, linked to 42 attacks, while La Nueva Familia...
Article Intro - Console-Free Control for the Da Vinci
Researchers at Politecnico di Milano have demonstrated a console‑free mixed‑reality teleoperation system for the da Vinci Research Kit, leveraging Microsoft HoloLens 2 to control the robot via hand gestures, head tracking, and speech. The prototype was tested on camera navigation and...
Flickstop
On February 15, 2026, a blog post announced the first deployment of the Toumai robotic surgery system at Orsi Academy. The post features an image of a surgeon in blue scrubs operating the robot from a console, underscoring the hands‑on...
Has Waymo Finally Solved Robotaxi Supply?
Waymo has reportedly struck a $2.5 billion agreement with Hyundai to purchase 50,000 vehicles by 2028, pricing the cars at roughly $50,000 each including sensor packages. The deal promises to slash autonomous‑vehicle costs and address the chronic supply bottleneck that has...
A Suddenly Unavoidable Podcast
The episode examines recent Waymo incidents, including a school‑child collision and repeated passes of stopped school buses, to illustrate how “unavoidable” crashes are often a product of flawed risk models rather than true inevitability. It reviews The Autonomous’s safety‑architecture report...
World’s Largest Drone Fleet Deployed to Deter Russia
NATO has moved to operationalize its Task Force X Baltic, signing a letter of intent with eight member states to launch the second phase of the programme. The initiative demonstrated the rapid fielding of a fleet of over 50 commercially‑available...
SlipLift Automates Trailer Unloading for More Sites, Says Slip Robotics
Slip Robotics unveiled SlipLift, a new autonomous platform that separates the mobile robot from its payload, allowing it to load or unload any trailer in roughly five minutes. The system supports freight up to 20,000 lb and requires no Wi‑Fi or...
Next Tech Bubble? China Warns of Robot Overcapacity
The episode examines China's rapid expansion of the humanoid robotics industry, driven by government subsidies and venture capital, and the resulting overcapacity warning from the National Development and Reform Commission. It highlights the high costs, limited real-world demand, and technical...
Cangaroo Open-Source CAN Bus Analyzer Supports SocketCAN and CAN-FD on Linux
Cangaroo is an open‑source CAN bus analyzer built for Linux, offering native integration with the SocketCAN stack and support for CAN‑FD. The desktop application captures, decodes, and visualizes traffic in real time, leveraging DBC databases and providing trace, graph, and...
Scaling Robotaxis, Hybrid Networks and Fleet Management Globally with Lyft
Lyft’s Executive Vice President Jeremy Bird outlined the company’s strategic partnership with Waymo to launch robotaxis in Nashville, anchored by the FlexDrive platform that handles depot operations, charging, and maintenance. FlexDrive also underpins Lyft’s European expansion, where a partnership with...
Scaling Intelligence: How New Dexory Tools Drive Data Visibility
Dexory unveiled a next‑generation autonomous robot and a new Storage Health software feature, both aimed at boosting real‑time warehouse visibility. The robot’s scanning range expands to 60 feet, delivering richer data across complex rack configurations, while Storage Health uses AI‑driven computer...
CIS News
The CIS region’s medical robotics landscape is heating up, highlighted by Kazakhstan’s launch of the MISSO robot for orthopedic care and Intuitive Surgical’s Da Vinci 5 receiving FDA clearance for cardiac procedures. Robocath announced its first‑in‑human study of a next‑generation coronary robot,...
Flipping the Script: How AutoPallet Robot Palletizing ‘Upside Down’
AutoPallet Robotics unveiled its upside‑down, ceiling‑mounted palletizing system at Manifest 2026, showcasing small autonomous mobile robots that magnetically cling to overhead steel panels and lower vacuum grippers to pick and place cases. The self‑contained units are battery‑powered, communicate via a...
Flickstop
A recent BMJ article outlines a comprehensive telesurgery architecture comprising robot, telecommunication, and teleconference subsystems. The design employs a dedicated line with a backup path to link the surgeon console and patient cart, while a secondary console resides in the...
Amazon Plans $200B Capex for 2026, up From $131.8B in 2025
Amazon disclosed a $200 billion capital‑expenditure plan for 2026, up sharply from $131.8 billion in 2025. The budget targets AI compute, custom chips, advanced robotics and its Project Kuiper satellite internet service. While the announcement nudged the stock lower, Amazon’s cloud arm,...
Waymo Builds Fancy AI-Based Simulator Tool To Improve Robotaxi Tests
Waymo announced an AI‑driven simulation platform built on Google Gemini that automatically generates diverse driving scenarios for its robotaxi fleet. The tool accelerates testing cycles by creating thousands of edge‑case situations without manual scripting, feeding directly into Waymo’s existing simulation...
Friday Fun
Researchers at Samsung Medical Center, led by Namkee Oh, announced a breakthrough in surgical robotics by integrating a bimanual mobile robot into minimally invasive procedures. In partnership with Minho Hwang and Rainbow Robotics, the team successfully implemented a virtual remote...
Stacked Carbon Nanotube Films Turn a Touch Sensor Into a Self-Computing Skin
Researchers at Xiamen University have created a flexible electronic skin that uses vertically stacked carbon‑nanotube films to sense both touch location and pressure simultaneously. The multilayer design produces a single analog signal for position and uses the number of activated...
Intelcom to Open Automated Sorting Center in Québec
Intelcom Courrier Canada announced a 190,000‑sq‑ft automated sorting center in Candiac, Quebec, slated to open after construction begins in May 2026. The $45 million Rosefellow‑built facility will employ over 170 staff and uses Bastian Solutions’ conveyor and sortation technology. It consolidates...
Video Wednesday
Johnson & Johnson’s Verb Surgical unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive procedures. The system integrates advanced imaging, AI‑driven guidance, and modular instrument arms to enhance surgeon precision. OTTAVA targets complex abdominal and thoracic surgeries, promising reduced...
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems Evolve
Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) are shifting toward modular, AI‑driven designs to meet rising demands for throughput, flexibility, and smaller footprints. New cube‑based galleries and scalable tote/pallet solutions replace static racks, while cloud‑native controls and digital twins enable real‑time...
Article Intro - JHU Eye Robot
A team from Johns Hopkins has demonstrated an autonomous retinal vein cannulation (RVC) system that combines two Steady‑Hand Eye Robots with deep‑learning vision models. The workflow uses three convolutional neural networks to guide a 100‑µm needle and a medical spatula...
Number of the Day - 13-15% Growth
Intuitive Surgical projects worldwide da Vinci surgical system procedures to grow 13‑15% in 2026, a slowdown from the 18% growth recorded in 2025. The forecast was disclosed in the company’s fourth‑quarter earnings release and outlines the full‑year outlook. Despite the...
FlexLink Launches Online Store to Simplify Conveyor Purchases
FlexLink unveiled an Online Store that lets customers select, configure, and purchase conveyor systems in a few clicks. The platform guides users through industry‑specific criteria, material characteristics, and environmental factors before presenting a tailored solution. Integrated with a real‑time 3‑D...
P8S Introduces X380 Mobile Robot for In-Aisle Picking
Pick8ship Technology AG unveiled the X380, a container‑based mobile robot that performs in‑aisle order picking. The robot can handle 350‑600 picks per hour and process up to 20 orders in a single run, reducing the need for traditional bin shuttling....
Unbox Robotics Raises $28M to Scale Modular Warehouse Robots
Unbox Robotics announced a $28 million Series B round led by ICICI Venture, with participation from F‑Prime and other investors. The funding will fuel expansion of its engineering and leadership teams, accelerate development of its modular, swarm‑intelligence warehouse robots, and...
Beyond Polymers: New State-of-the-Art 3D Micro and Nanofabrication Technique Overcomes Material Limitations
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute and NUS have unveiled an optofluidic laser technique that assembles micro‑ and nanoparticles in liquid to create 3D structures without relying on polymers. By focusing a femtosecond laser inside a particle suspension, a localized thermal...
XYZ Robotics Automates Inbound Receiving From Loose Loads to Organized Pallets
XYZ Robotics introduced an end‑to‑end automation system that unloads, sorts, and palletizes loose cartons using two Rocky mobile manipulation robots, a five‑sided barcode scanner, and a conveyor line. The robots handle payloads up to 66 lb, generate optimized pallet patterns, and...
Article Intro - AI in Surgery
A systematic review of 188 studies examined artificial intelligence for surgical scene understanding (SSU) in minimally invasive abdominal procedures. The analysis found that most research relies on small, single‑center datasets, with 59% concentrating on laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Validation practices are weak—only...
A Spinning 3D Printer Creates Air-Powered Soft Robots that Curl, Twist, and Grip
Harvard and Stanford researchers unveiled a rotational multimaterial 3D‑printing process that embeds asymmetrical pneumatic channels inside elastomeric filaments in a single continuous operation. By co‑extruding a photocurable urethane acrylate and a fugitive Pluronic ink through a rotating nozzle, they can...
Number of the Day - 20 Million Patients
Intuitive Surgical announced that more than 20 million patients have undergone procedures using its da Vinci surgical system over the past 25 years. The milestone underscores the platform’s longevity and its penetration across a range of specialties worldwide. Since its 2000 launch, the...
Technology Innovation Institute Launches Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies with WEF
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) announced a partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch the Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies, unveiled at Davos 2026. The Centre will join WEF’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Global...
Jacobi Robotics Automates Mixed Case Palletizing for a Defense Manufacturer
Jacobi Robotics, together with integrator Delta Technology, installed its OmniPalletizer on a FANUC robot to automate mixed‑case palletizing for a defense manufacturer. The system handles completely random case arrivals in real time, eliminating the need for pre‑planned pallet recipes. It...
Yann LeCun Launches AMI Labs to Build ‘World Model’
Yann LeCun, Meta’s former chief AI scientist, has founded AMI Labs, a Paris‑based startup dedicated to building “world models” that understand physical reality. Unlike large language models, these models will be trained on video and sensor streams to embed common‑sense...
Friday Fun
Unitree Robotics announced that its quadruped Unitree G1 is being trained to operate as a console surgeon. The initiative showcases the robot’s ability to perform precise, remote-controlled tasks traditionally reserved for human surgeons. Training involves integrating AI-driven control algorithms with...
OpenAI Builds Secret Robotics Lab to Train Household Agents
OpenAI has quietly opened a secret robotics laboratory in San Francisco, reviving a hardware division it shut down in 2020. The facility employs about 100 contractors who train Franka robotic arms to perform everyday household chores. Data collection runs 24‑hour...
Alphabet’s Wing to Expand Walmart Drone Deliveries to 150 Locations
Alphabet’s drone delivery arm Wing is set to scale its Walmart partnership from 27 to 150 additional stores by the end of 2026, targeting new markets such as Los Angeles, St. Louis, Miami and Cincinnati. The service uses BVLOS‑approved drones...
Festo Offers AX Motion Insights for Fulfillment Automation Uptime
Festo introduced the AX Motion Insights platform, merging AI‑driven predictive analytics with its existing maintenance suite to cut unplanned downtime in fulfillment automation. The solution monitors electric servo drives and pneumatic cylinders, feeding condition data through AX Data Access for...
Charging Robotics to Develop Wireless Charging Systems with Deliverz.ai
Charging Robotics Inc. has signed a non‑binding memorandum of understanding with Deliverz AI Ltd. to co‑develop wireless charging systems for autonomous logistics robots. The collaboration will adapt the company’s EV‑charging robotics platform to indoor AMRs used in hospitals, medical centers,...
Video Wednesday
Johnson & Johnson’s Verb division unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform aimed at expanding minimally invasive surgery capabilities. The system integrates modular hardware with advanced AI control, allowing simultaneous manipulation of multiple instruments. OTTAVA targets high‑complexity procedures in orthopedics, cardiology...
Moffett Automation, SSI Schaefer Partner to Deliver Free-Roaming Pallet Shuttles
SSI Schaefer and Moffett Automation announced a joint offering of free‑roaming pallet shuttles that integrate directly with SSI Schaefer’s WAMAS warehouse management system. The compact, multi‑directional shuttles can navigate low‑ceiling and complex layouts, delivering high throughput even in deep‑freeze environments....
CIS News
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of activity in the surgical robotics sector, highlighted by multiple regulatory clearances, sizable funding rounds, and strategic leadership moves. CMR Surgical secured a CE mark for its Versius platform in pediatric procedures, while Distalmotion...
Humanoid and Siemens Complete Logistics Robot Proof of Concept
Humanoid and Siemens completed a proof of concept using Humanoid’s HMND 01 Alpha mobile manipulator in Siemens’ Erlangen electronics factory. The robot autonomously de‑stacked totes, transporting them to a conveyor at a rate of 60 moves per hour while maintaining...
Number of the Day - 3,153,000
Intuitive Surgical announced that over 3 million da Vinci procedures were performed in 2025, marking a strong continuation of its market leadership. The company posted preliminary full‑year revenue of $10.06 billion, a 21% increase, and Q4 revenue of $2.87 billion, up 19% year‑over‑year....
Pudu Launches T150 Light-Payload Warehouse Delivery Robot
Pudu Robotics unveiled the T150, a 150 kg‑capacity autonomous mobile robot designed for light‑load, high‑frequency material handling in warehouses and factories. The robot ships ready‑to‑run, requiring no site modifications and completing environment mapping in about ten minutes. It offers two configurations—a...
RDML T.J. Zerr on Strengthening Surface Force Lethality
In this interview, RDML T.J. Zerr outlines how the Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) is translating Red Sea combat lessons into faster, data‑driven training and tactics, notably through the Surface Warfare Combat Training Continuum (SWCTC) and increasingly sophisticated...