Softbank Robotics America Introduces New AI-Enabled Commercial Cleaning Robots
SoftBank Robotics America unveiled three AI‑enabled commercial cleaning robots—Omnie, V40 2.0, and Phantas 1.3—developed with Gausium. The machines combine computer vision, vision‑language models, and 3D LiDAR to navigate complex indoor environments with minimal human input. Targeted at airports, retail hubs, senior living facilities, and other large venues, they aim to sustain cleaning operations amid growing labor shortages. The launch expands SoftBank’s service‑robot portfolio beyond its flagship Pepper humanoid.
Cyngn Deploys DriveMod Tugger at WEG Electric Motor Facility
Cyngn announced a commercial contract to install its DriveMod Tugger at WEG’s electric‑motor plant in Bluffton, Indiana. The autonomous tugger will move up to 60 pallets of components daily, replacing single‑pallet forklift runs. By handling predictable transport, the system frees forklift...
Inside CMR Surgical’s Big Pivot Before US Robot Launch
CMR Surgical’s new CEO, Massimiliano Colella, halted the planned U.S. debut of the first‑generation Versius robot, opting to wait for the upgraded Versius Plus platform. The second‑generation system secured FDA clearance for gallbladder‑removal surgery and is slated for a soft launch later...
Sunseeker Launches New Self-Driving-Level Robot Mower
Sunseeker Robotics is set to launch the S4 robotic mower on March 3, 2026, a wire‑free system that uses LiDAR and AI‑vision to autonomously tend residential lawns up to 1,000 square meters. The mower maps terrain in real time, avoids...
Torc Robotics Takes Autonomous Trucks Into Michigan’s Snow and Ice
Torc Robotics is extending its autonomous‑truck program to Michigan, testing the latest Freightliner Cascadia‑based chassis on snow, ice and rain‑slicked roads. The initiative marks a strategic shift from the Sun Belt corridors that dominate the industry, allowing Torc to validate...
IAI and TKMS Deliver BlueWhale AUV to the German Navy
Israel Aerospace Industries and Germany’s TKMS handed over the BlueWhale autonomous underwater vehicle to the German Navy, marking a milestone in the Marine 2035+ modernization. The 11‑12 meter AUV can operate for weeks without crew, carrying a telescoping mast with radar and...
Xiaomi Trials Humanoid Robots in Its EV Factory — Says They're Like 'Interns'
Xiaomi has begun testing its self‑developed CyberOne humanoid robots on the production line of its electric‑vehicle factory. In a trial reported at Mobile World Congress, two robots completed roughly 90% of assigned tasks within three hours, keeping pace with a...
Schaeffler Partners with China’s Leju Robotics for Humanoid Robotics
Schaeffler announced a strategic partnership with China’s Leju Robotics Technology to accelerate the development and industrial deployment of humanoid robots. The collaboration focuses on factory inspection, equipment support, logistics and human‑robot collaboration, with Schaeffler contributing actuators, sensors, motion‑control and energy‑management...
U.S. Marine Corps Buys More Titan Counter-Drone Systems
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded BlueHalo Labs a $22.8 million contract modification to purchase additional Titan SV MPv3 counter‑drone systems and spare‑parts kits under its Organic‑Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems program. Delivery is slated for on or before July 1 2026, addressing an...
Four More UK-Made ROVs to Join DOF’s Fleet
DOF Group has placed an order for four XLX EVO III work‑class remotely operated vehicles from the UK‑based Forum Energy Technologies. Deliveries are slated for April, June, July and August 2026, with the first two units mobilised in Singapore. The ROVs...
Hardware for Humanoid Robots: New Perspectives for Industrial Value Creation in Europe
Humanoid robots are emerging as a high‑growth market that could outpace the automotive sector, especially in Europe where manufacturers are seeking new value streams. A Fraunhofer‑IPA and P3 white paper reveals a fragmented hardware landscape lacking standardized architectures, with key...
Bioinspired Robot Eye Adjusts Its Pupil to Handle Harsh Lighting
Researchers have built a bioinspired robot eye that uses a liquid‑metal actuator to mimic the pupillary light reflex. The hemispherical sensor array provides an ultra‑wide field of view, while electrical spikes from light‑sensitive material expand or contract the artificial pupil....
Mouser's Autonomous Vehicle Online Resource Center Addresses Real-World Deployment Challenges
Mouser Electronics has expanded its Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Online Resource Center to help engineers tackle real‑world deployment hurdles. The hub consolidates technical articles, eBooks and product data covering perception, deterministic networking, functional safety, cybersecurity and ethical decision‑making. It emphasizes software‑defined,...
Introducing Conveyor Connect: How Chef Robots Communicate With Different Conveyors
Chef Robotics unveiled Conveyor Connect, a capability that lets its AI‑driven Chef robots communicate directly with any type of conveyor, from continuous belts to indexing lines. The system uses a wireless Conveyor Companion Box attached to the conveyor’s VFD, providing...
NAPA Expands Use of Warehouse Robots
NAPA Auto Parts is expanding its warehouse automation by deploying over 100 AI‑powered mobile robots from Brightpick at a new distribution center. The rollout follows a 2025 pilot that demonstrated reduced picker travel time and improved order accuracy. Brightpick will...
Simulated Cats and Elephants with Touch-Based Memory Help Usher in New Age of Robotics
King’s College London researchers unveiled SimTac, a physics‑based simulator that models biomorphic tactile sensors such as cat paws and elephant trunks. By generating virtual training data, SimTac slashes the prototype development cycle from roughly eighteen months to a few weeks....
Formal Complaint – Late Publication/Notification of UAS-Only RA(T), Brecon, Powys (04 March 2026) – SkyWise SW2026/057 / BFS 011/2026
On 3 March 2026 the CAA published SkyWise notice SW2026/057 and Briefing Sheet BFS 011/2026 announcing a UAS‑only Temporary Restricted Area over Brecon, Powys for a Royal visit on 4 March. The restriction—1 NM radius, 2000 ft ceiling, 0800‑1800 UTC—was communicated less than 24 hours before it took...
Kaizen Aerospace and Uzbekistan Ministry of Agriculture Sign Memorandum to Advance Agricultural Drone Collaboration
Kaizen Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and the State Scientific‑Design Institute “Oʻzdavyerloyiha” to explore UAV technologies for the country’s agricultural sector. The framework targets professional training, joint research, methodology development, and infrastructure for...
Galaxy 1 Partners with Viasat to Deliver Rapid, Scalable and Securecommunications for Uncrewed Aircraft
Galaxy 1 Communications has teamed with Viasat to extend the Velaris satellite service for uncrewed aerial vehicles and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) platforms. The partnership leverages Galaxy 1’s Distribution Partner‑as‑a‑Service (DPaaS) model, providing a managed layer that simplifies provisioning, billing,...
Noble Machines Emerges From Stealth, Ships and Deploys Industrial General-Purpose Robots
Noble Machines Inc., founded by engineers from Apple, SpaceX, NASA and Caltech, has emerged from stealth and shipped its first industrial general‑purpose robots to a Fortune Global 500 customer within 18 months of launch. The company’s integrated AI‑hardware stack lets...
Can Robots Help Pizza Franchises Stay Competitive?
Pizza franchises are accelerating automation across ordering, kitchen, and delivery, with brands like Little Caesars deploying sidewalk delivery robots in Los Angeles and Donatos rolling out a fully automated airport store. AI-driven platforms from Google Cloud and Domino’s partnership with...
Primoco UAV to Deliver Unmanned Aircraft to the Spanish Civil Guard Guardia Civil
Primoco UAV SE secured a €4 million contract with Spain's Guardia Civil to supply its One 150 medium‑weight UAV, marking the company's first major 2026 deal. The order follows a record 2025 where Primoco delivered 42 aircraft worth CZK 1.06 billion. To meet growing...
Corvus Robotics Deploys Autonomous Inventory System at Dermalogica Global Headquarters
Corvus Robotics has rolled out its Corvus One autonomous inventory system at Dermalogica’s global headquarters and distribution hub in Carson, California. The drone fleet conducts 52 aerial scans per year, boosting inventory imaging frequency by 600 percent while freeing roughly...
Hirebotics Promotes Co-Founder Matthew Bush to CEO
Hirebotics announced that co‑founder and COO Matthew Bush will assume the chief executive officer role, effective February 20, 2026, succeeding co‑founder Rob Goldiez who is retiring after more than a decade at the helm. Bush has overseen the company's electro‑mechanical...
MVTec Presents New MERLIC Version: New Features for Easier Integration and Use of Machine Vision
MVTec Software released MERLIC 26.03 on March 26 2026, adding unlimited camera connectivity, a Frontend Observability feature, and a new Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS plug‑in. The version adopts a YY.MM naming scheme and offers two licensing packages—MERLIC and MERLIC Professional—with optional deep‑learning and custom‑tool...
Kroger Taps Inventory Drones for Cold Chain Distribution Operations
Kroger has begun using Corvus Robotics’ Corvus One drones to automate inventory scanning in its ambient and sub‑freezing distribution centers. The drones autonomously locate and scan pallets, delivering weekly, facility‑wide visibility without requiring Wi‑Fi, markers, or warehouse modifications. Capable of...
Aurrigo to Provide Ground Handling at EMA
Aurrigo International, a Coventry‑based developer of autonomy software and autonomous vehicles, has been granted a ground handling licence at East Midlands Airport (EMA). The licence, issued under the Airports (Ground Handling) Regulations 1997 and CAA compliance frameworks, allows Aurrigo to provide...
Skyeton Integrates Radiation Surveillance Sensors Into Raybird UAS & Expands Mission Capabilities
Skyeton has equipped its Raybird long‑endurance UAV with an internal gamma‑radiation sensor, completing rigorous trials in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The payload integration preserves aerodynamic balance and enables real‑time radiation data transmission over distances up to 2,500 km. In 2025 the...
Leonardo Awaits Next Steps for Proteus Demonstrator
Leonardo Helicopters UK has completed two short test flights of its Proteus autonomous rotary‑wing demonstrator, the final milestone of a £60 million Phase 3a RWUAS contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. The 3‑tonne, modular‑payload aircraft leveraged off‑the‑shelf components and a digital‑twin...
Blue UAS List Evolves and NW Blue Is Positioned for American Drone Dominance
The Department of Defense transferred stewardship of the Blue UAS Cleared List from the Defense Innovation Unit to the Defense Contract Management Agency in 2026, turning the list into a scalable procurement marketplace. DCMA’s Special Programs Unmanned Systems‑Experimental Command now...
Tampa General Hospital Adopts LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System
Tampa General Hospital has become the first health system in Florida to adopt Microbot Medical’s LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System, following the device’s FDA 510(k) clearance. LIBERTY is a single‑use, remotely operated robot designed for peripheral endovascular procedures, promising greater precision...
Purdue Polytechnic Selected for FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative
Purdue Polytechnic’s Unmanned Aerial Systems program has been chosen for the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems‑Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS‑CTI). The selection validates the school’s safety‑focused curriculum and aligns its coursework with upcoming federal regulations. Students will receive hands‑on flight, maintenance, and...
U.S., Czech Firms Team up on TALOS Interceptor Drones
AdlerAerospace and Czech partner TRL Drones have unveiled the TALOS‑J and TALOS‑E fixed‑wing interceptor drones, built from Ukraine battlefield lessons. The drones deliver missile‑class performance at drone‑class cost, using human‑supervised autonomy to engage fast, low‑cost UAV threats. Interception probability is...
Witron Breaks Company Order Intake Record
WITRON announced a record-breaking order intake, fueled by new contracts with major food retailers such as REWE, Tesco, Walmart and Ahold Delhaize. The company also completed a transition to a dual‑foundation governance model, reinforcing its independence and long‑term stability. Parallel to...
Brain-Like Chips and LIDAR Sensors May Enable Safer Human-Robot Teamwork
Fraunhofer researchers unveiled NeurOSmart, a system that fuses high‑resolution LIDAR sensing with neuromorphic AI chips to enable safe human‑robot collaboration. The LIDAR sensor uses MEMS mirrors with AlScN material to create a 3‑D view, while AI algorithms pre‑process data directly...
‘It’s Not Just All the Big Companies’: Warehouse Robotics Use Expands
Warehouse robotics are moving beyond Amazon and Walmart as subscription‑based models lower entry barriers. A 2025 MHI study shows robot usage in warehouses jumped to 48%, with 64% of respondents adopting robotics‑as‑a‑service (RaaS) or SaaS solutions. Mid‑size firms like Superior...
KNAPP Redefines the Competitive Edge at MODEX 2026
KNAPP North America will showcase its latest warehouse‑automation portfolio at MODEX 2026, including the award‑winning AeroBot three‑dimensional robot and the high‑throughput Evo Shuttle 2D/1D systems. The company will also unveil KNAPP Brain, the industry’s first AI layer built specifically for digital...
Teledyne FLIR Defense Signs Memorandum of Understanding with STORM Adapt Group at EnforceTac 2026
Teledyne FLIR Defense and Norway’s STORM Adapt Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding at EnforceTac 2026 to integrate FLIR’s SkyCarrier quadcopter and Black Recon micro‑UAS with STORM’s Rapid Adapt and Deploy System (RADS). The MoU creates a vehicle‑mounted, modular platform that...
Deloitte Unveils Physical AI Solutions Built with NVIDIA Omniverse Libraries to Help Accelerate Industrial Transformation
Deloitte announced an expanded partnership with NVIDIA to launch physical AI offerings built on the Omniverse platform. The new services combine high‑fidelity digital twins, advanced computer‑vision models, and secure edge‑robotics tools for industries such as automotive, life‑sciences, and manufacturing. Deloitte’s...
UK Civil Aviation Authority Outlines Electronic Conspicuity Plans for Uncrewed and Crewed Aircraft
The UK Civil Aviation Authority released a Technical Concept of Operations detailing electronic conspicuity (EC) requirements for integrating BVLOS unmanned aircraft into shared airspace. Uncrewed systems must broadcast a 978 MHz ADS‑B signal and carry ADS‑B IN receivers, while crewed aircraft face...
First Confirmed US One‑way Drone Strike on Iran Sharpens Pentagon UAV Expansion
The United States confirmed its first combat use of low‑cost, one‑way attack drones against Iranian targets during Operation Epic Fury. footage released by CENTCOM shows the drones deployed by Task Force Scorpion Strike alongside precision munitions. The Pentagon is accelerating a program...
Russian Forces Report Strikes by German HX-2 Drones
Ukrainian forces have begun fielding German‑made HX‑2 one‑way strike drones across multiple front‑line sectors, targeting Russian rear‑area support units such as repair brigades and road‑network crews. The HX‑2, introduced in late 2024, can travel up to 220 km/h and strike targets...
Medline Expands AI Platform and Warehouse Robotics
Medline Industries is scaling its AI‑driven supply‑chain platform, Mpower, in partnership with Microsoft, to provide a digital control tower that automates forecasting, inventory management and disruption alerts for hospital customers. The company is also expanding warehouse robotics, now operating AutoStore...
Hargrave Technologies Unveils 60 V, 120 A Motor Controller for Medium VTOL Platforms
Hargrave Technologies introduced the microDRIVE MP, a 60 V, 120 A motor controller tailored for medium VTOL and helicopter UAVs. The ESC offers high‑current performance in an IP67‑rated, rugged enclosure, addressing the growing power and durability demands of expanding UAV missions. It...
Next-Generation Medical Drone Launched with Faster Response & Higher Payload Capacity
Swedish firm Everdrone unveiled the E3, a purpose‑built medical transport drone that replaces its earlier E2 platform with fully proprietary hardware. The new model doubles payload capacity to 4.5 kg and cruises above 80 km/h, enabling deliveries in under three minutes—significantly faster...
Humanoid Robotics Complements Existing Automation at BMW
BMW Group launches its first European pilot of humanoid robots at the Leipzig plant, extending its ‘Physical AI’ strategy that blends artificial intelligence with real machines. The project, in partnership with Hexagon Robotics and its AEON robot, will test multifunctional...
AGIBOT Showcases Full Humanoid Robot Portfolio at MWC 2026
AGIBot unveiled its full humanoid robot portfolio at MWC 2026, showcasing A2, X2, G2, D1 and C5 platforms alongside the OmniHand dexterous limb. The company launched a global online store and a Robot‑as‑a‑Service (RaaS) leasing model with prices starting at €899...
Inside DJI’s $3.2 Billion Sky: Frank Wang, Drones and Asia’s New Youngest Tech Billionaire
Frank Wang turned a dorm‑room drone prototype into DJI, the world’s dominant premium consumer‑drone maker, propelling him to a $3.2 billion net worth and making him Asia’s youngest tech billionaire. By concentrating on the $1,000‑plus segment, DJI captured professional creators, enterprises,...
China Releases National Standards for Humanoid Robotics and Embodied AI
China has unveiled its first national standard system for humanoid robots and embodied AI, organized into six components covering everything from basic commonality to safety and ethics. The framework was drafted by more than 120 institutions under the Ministry of...
System Report: VLMs Unlock Efficiencies for All World Machinery
All World Machinery Supply, a Roscoe, Illinois distributor of 15,000 machine‑part SKUs, tackled a storage crunch and labor bottlenecks by installing four Kardex vertical lift modules (VLMs) and an in‑house conveyor system. The VLMs cut the warehouse footprint by 75%...
