New Soft Sensors Give Humanoid Robots Finger Finesse
Researchers from Zhejiang, Hangzhou Dianzi and Lishui Universities unveiled a hybrid rigid‑soft robotic hand equipped with omnidirectional optical bending sensors. The hand offers 18 active degrees of freedom and can independently measure finger pitch and yaw with an error of ±2.13°. Demonstrations include playing piano keys, clicking a computer mouse, and cutting with scissors, proving closed‑loop control in delicate tasks. The work, published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering, marks a step toward human‑like proprioception in humanoid manipulators.
Xiaomi’s New Robot Hand Can Feel Pressure, Heat, and Even Sweat
Xiaomi unveiled an upgraded CyberOne robotic hand that features full‑palm tactile sensing, artificial sweat‑gland cooling, and a 60 % smaller form factor matching human proportions. The hand can detect pressure, temperature, and slip across an 8200 mm² surface, enabling delicate manipulation such...
Amazon Acquires Swiss Robotics Company RIVR
Amazon has completed the acquisition of Zurich‑based RIVR Technologies, a spin‑out from ETH Zurich that builds four‑legged delivery robots. The robots can navigate complex environments, climb stairs and transport payloads up to 60 kilograms, extending Amazon’s physical AI and last‑mile...
Drone Piloted in Spain Monitors a Hochtief Bridge Project in Germany
Skyports Drone Services is remotely piloting a "drone‑in‑a‑box" system from its Madrid centre to conduct weekly BVLOS inspections of Hochtief’s Rheinbrücke Leverkusen bridge project north of Cologne. The flights generate 2D and 3D survey outputs via DroneDeploy, replacing infrequent, manually‑operated...
FCC Eyes Sweeping Reforms to Boost US Drone Power
The FCC has issued a public notice calling for sweeping reforms to accelerate the U.S. drone ecosystem, tying the effort to the Trump administration’s “American drone dominance” strategy. Chairman Brendan Carr highlighted drone production, deployment, and export as national‑security priorities...
Researchers Say Robotic Exoskeletons Using Haptic Feedback Help in Violin Duo Coordination
A European Union‑funded study shows that haptic feedback delivered through wearable robotic exoskeletons significantly improves coordination between violin duos. Researchers tested 20 pairs of musicians and found the highest performance when touch, sight, and hearing were combined. The CONBOTS project...
Researchers Build a Robotic Swarm with No Electronics, No Batteries and No Brains
Georgia Tech researchers have created an electronic‑free robotic swarm whose behavior emerges solely from its mechanical design. Tiny particle robots latch, release and reconfigure when exposed to external vibrations, eliminating the need for sensors, processors or batteries. The system scales...
Agile Robots Closes Acquisition of Thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering
Agile Robots completed the acquisition of thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering’s assets, rebranding the unit as Krause Automation. The deal gives the Munich‑based AI‑robotics firm a strong presence in Europe and North America and adds over 75 years of engineering heritage. By...
Ryder, International Launch Autonomous LT Near Laredo
Ryder System and International Motors have launched a joint autonomous trucking pilot on a 600‑mile daily route between Laredo and Temple, Texas. The pilot uses a factory‑integrated International LT equipped with PlusAI’s SuperDrive Level 4 software, with a safety driver on...
Commercial UAV Expo Announces 280+ Supporting Partners for 2026
Commercial UAV Expo announced more than 280 supporting partners for its 2026 show in Las Vegas. The event, scheduled for September 1‑3 at Caesars Forum, will feature extensive public‑safety programming, FAA certification resources, and the largest commercial drone exhibit floor...
Combining the Robot Operating System with LLMs for Natural-Language Control
Researchers from Huawei Noah's Ark Lab, TU Darmstadt and ETH Zurich unveiled an open‑source framework that fuses large language models with the Robot Operating System (ROS). The system interprets natural‑language commands and translates them into robot actions via inline code...
The Download: Gig Workers Training Humanoids, and Better AI Benchmarks
Micro1 is building a global gig workforce that records everyday tasks to train humanoid robots, now operating in over 50 countries and sparking privacy and consent debates. AI researchers argue that traditional benchmarks miss real‑world performance, proposing human‑AI, context‑specific evaluations...
The Strategic Advantage of Automation in Medical Device Manufacturing
Medical device makers face rising production demands, labor shortages, and tighter regulatory scrutiny, turning automation from a tactical upgrade into a strategic imperative. Integrion Automation argues that automation must be embedded in an integrated operational strategy that delivers repeatable precision,...
Irish Drone Delivery Firm Manna Confirms $50m Raise, Plans 400 New Jobs
Irish drone logistics firm Manna announced a $50 million Series B round, lifting total capital raised to $110 million. The financing, led by ARK Invest, Schooner Capital and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, will fund the creation of 400 high‑skill jobs—300 in Ireland...
The Gig Workers Who Are Training Humanoid Robots at Home
Micro1, a Palo Alto‑based data firm, is hiring thousands of gig workers in over 50 countries to record themselves performing everyday chores on iPhone headsets. The footage, paid at roughly $15 an hour, is sold to robotics companies developing humanoid...
Finland – Authorities’ Instructions for when You See a Drone
Finland’s interior ministry issued detailed guidance on how citizens should respond to unusual drone sightings, emphasizing that every report is investigated. The authorities use a multi‑channel emergency warning system—including sirens, radio, television and the 112 Suomi app—to alert the public of...
Enabot Introduces EBO Max, an AI-Powered Family Robot Designed to Think, Learn, and Care
Enabot unveiled EBO Max, its most advanced AI‑powered family robot. Priced at £499.99 (about $635 after a £50 discount), the device combines a new AI brain with multimodal perception, long‑term memory and 4K imaging. The mobile robot can navigate homes,...
New AV and Drone Safety and Traffic-Management Research in Kentucky
University of Kentucky computer scientist Yang Xiao has secured a $534,264 NSF CAREER grant to develop RESONET, a framework that enables real‑time, fault‑tolerant coordination between autonomous vehicles and drones. The five‑year project focuses on preventing cascading failures caused by sensor...
Relocalize to Build Fully Autonomous “Dark” Microfactory in Montréal
Montréal‑based Relocalize is set to launch its second autonomous microfactory, a fully “dark” facility that will operate without lighting or human shifts. The plant, slated for Q4 2024 near the Lachine Canal, will manufacture 100% water‑based cold packs for meal‑kit deliveries,...
How AI-Powered Echolocation Is Giving Small Drones Night Vision
Researchers have created an ultrasound‑based perception system for tiny aerial robots, mimicking bat echolocation to see in darkness. The design combines a physical acoustic shield that mutes propeller noise with a neural network named Saranga that extracts faint echo signals....
Hover UAV – Operations Manager
Hover UAV announced a newly created Operations Manager position on the Gold Coast, aimed at steering its expanding RPAS and Advanced Air Mobility services. The role will manage the Remote Operations Centre, coordinate client and internal programs, and act as...
Iranian Arash 2
Iran unveiled the Arash 2, a long‑range, one‑way attack drone operated by its army ground forces. The delta‑wing UAV can travel up to 2,000 km, stay aloft for 30 hours, and deliver a 150‑kg (potentially 260‑kg) warhead. Its rear‑mounted piston engine, solid‑fuel booster...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...