How Eyes Affect Our Perception of a Humanoid Robot's Mind
Researchers at Tampere University and the University of Bremen used AI‑generated images to compare humanoid robots with and without eyes. Participants consistently rated the eye‑equipped robots as possessing higher agency and experience, regardless of age‑like appearance or eye placement. The effect was observed even in non‑conscious assessments, indicating a pre‑cognitive bias toward eye cues. Findings were published in Consciousness and Cognition, highlighting eyes as more than aesthetic features.
Myanmar Passenger Plane Struck in Alleged FPV Drone Attack at Myitkyina Airport
On 20 February 2026 an ATR‑72‑600 operated by Myanmar National Airlines was struck by an alleged first‑person‑view (FPV) drone while preparing for take‑off at Myitkyina Airport. The impact caused minor damage to the nose, mid‑body and tail, but no passengers or crew...
Visual Drone Detection Moves Into Critical Infrastructure Playbooks
Unauthorized drone activity around critical infrastructure is surging, prompting agencies like CISA to issue updated guidance for operators. Incidents have risen dramatically—over 217% across facilities and up to 300% at European airports—driving demand for specialized visual detection systems. The global...
Video: Drone Aids N.J. PD in Locating Missing Teenager Evading Officers
Ocean Township police in New Jersey deployed an all‑weather DJI M30T drone equipped with a thermal camera to locate a 13‑year‑old runaway. Using Life360 data from the teen’s mother, officers narrowed the search and found the boy in a dense...
U.S. Marine Corps Awards New ROGUE-Fires Missile Carrier Deal
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded Oshkosh Defense a $16.8 million contract modification to procure ROGUE‑Fires autonomous missile carriers. The JLTV‑based, crew‑less launchers can fire Naval Strike Missiles or Tomahawk cruise missiles, supporting the Navy and Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. Fielding...
Tekniker Unveils Robotic Metrology System Combining Collaborative Robots and Digital Measurement at BIEMH 2026
Tekniker showcased a new robotic metrology system at BIEMH 2026, merging a Kuka 7‑axis collaborative arm with Zeiss’s DuraMax measuring head and Schunk handling tools. The integrated solution automatically identifies, picks, positions, measures and classifies parts of identical geometry, delivering in‑process...
National Guard Team Clinches Award for Clawed Drone at Army Competition
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division won the Best Innovation award at the Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition for Project RED, a system that locates, identifies, and retrieves downed drones using AI and a robotic claw. The solution employs...
National Guard Team Clinches Award for Clawed Drone at Army Competition
Soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division won the Best Innovation award at the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Huntsville, Alabama. Their Project RED system employs AI and a 3D‑printed carbon‑fiber claw to locate, retrieve,...
Humanoid Home Robots Are on the Market—But Do We Really Want Them?
Norwegian‑US startup 1X launched Neo, a $20,000 consumer‑ready humanoid robot that can fold laundry and load dishwashers, but it relies on remote operators wearing VR headsets to handle complex tasks. The robot records video of its actions for future AI...
AI Impact Summit: Meet ‘LuSI’, the ‘Made in India’ AI-Integrated Robotic Baby Revolutionising Medical Training
At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Maverick Simulation Solutions unveiled LuSI, a 2.5 kg AI‑integrated robotic newborn that replicates real‑time respiratory conditions for high‑fidelity medical training, already adopted by AIIMS, AFMC and PGI. The same event highlighted PhonePe's launch of...
CharterUP Partners with Holon to Deliver Scalable Autonomous Mobility Solutions
CharterUP has teamed up with Holon to fuse Holon’s autonomous vehicle ecosystem with CharterUP’s AI‑first mobility platform and nationwide network. The deal enables CharterUP to roll out Holon’s self‑driving shuttles across campuses, airports, transit agencies and community settings. By offering...
When It Comes to Drones, the Pentagon Should Mind the Experience Gap
The article argues that the Pentagon’s biggest hurdle with drones is technology adoption, not a lack of options, and stresses the need for experienced defense partners to field reliable unmanned systems. It highlights that trust, scalability, and maintainability hinge on...
How Commercial Drones Make the Pentagon’s ‘Blue UAS Select’ List
The Department of Defense has launched the first phase of its Drone Dominance Program, dubbed “the Gauntlet,” to evaluate commercial uncrewed aerial systems from 25 vendors at Fort Benning. Ahead of testing, the Pentagon’s Blue UAS List, maintained by the...
Humanoid Robots that 'Catch Themselves' Instead of Falling: What a New Walking Algorithm Changes
Georgia Tech researchers unveiled a real‑time planning and control framework that lets bipedal robots recover from instability without human input. Implemented on the Cassie robot, the algorithm uses signal‑temporal‑logic‑guided model predictive control to adjust upcoming steps when perturbations are detected....
A3 Presents ‘Age of Automation,’ Global Film Series Produced by BBC StoryWorks
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) launched “Age of Automation,” a global film series produced by BBC StoryWorks that showcases how automation is reshaping industries and daily life. The series combines short films and articles that highlight real‑world applications in...
Around the Commercial Drone Industry: Training Schools, New NPRM Comments, El Paso Airport Closure
A new UAS training centre at West Wales Airport aims to certify over 120 drone operators in 2026, offering hands‑on and simulator instruction for both line‑of‑sight and BVLOS flights. The FAA briefly reopened comments on its Part 108 BVLOS NPRM, drawing...
Norway’s Trener Robotics Closes $32 Million Series A to Turn Industrial Robots Into Adaptive Teammates
Trener Robotics announced a $32 million Series A round, bringing its total funding to over $38 million. The capital, co‑led by Engine Ventures and IAG Capital Partners with strategic investors Cadence and Nikon, will accelerate development of Acteris, a robot‑agnostic AI skills platform...
Robot Talk Episode 145 – Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing, with Agata Suwala
Technology manager Agata Suwala at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is steering advanced robotics projects that modernise aerospace production lines. Her team integrates automation to replace labour‑intensive steps, cutting cycle times and error rates. The latest initiative targets a circular‑economy...
U.S. Air Force Deploys Skiron X Drone in Counter-UAS Training
The U.S. Air Force employed Aurora Flight Sciences’ Skiron X hybrid drone as a simulated adversary during counter‑UAS training at Germany’s Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 19, 2026. The exercise evaluated expanding the Joint Multi‑Domain Counter‑UAS Operator Course into a joint, multi‑service program...
Environment Agency Plans Drone-Fleet Upgrade to Combat Waste Crime
The Environment Agency (EA) is boosting its waste‑crime enforcement with a £5 million budget increase, expanding its fleet of 33 drones and fitting several with lidar laser‑mapping technology. Since July last year the agency logged 272 drone flight hours, using the...
Nauticus Robotics, Inc. Announces Major Leadership Enhancements, Aquanaut Manufacturing Expansion, and Accelerated Growth Strategy
Nauticus Robotics announced a suite of senior appointments, including Dr. Kjerstin Easton as Vice President of Software, Chuck Claunch as Chief Software Architect, and Jason Close as Vice President of Growth & Go‑to‑Market. The leadership overhaul coincides with Master Investment...
PTZOptics Aims to Make Video More ‘Actionable’ with Visual Reasoning Initiative
PTZOptics announced a Visual Reasoning initiative that fuses its robotic PTZ camera systems with Moondream’s open‑source vision‑language models. The partnership enables real‑time video interpretation, powering features such as auto‑tracking, smarter search, automated indexing, and event‑driven triggers. By offering an open...
Altomaxx RPAS Specialist – UAS/RPAS Pilot (Calgary AB)
Altomaxx Technologies, a Canadian drone‑service leader, is hiring experienced UAS/RPAS pilots for its Calgary field‑operations team. The role supports oil‑and‑gas inspections, ground‑penetrating radar, bathymetry, and confined‑space surveys across domestic and international projects. Candidates must hold a Transport Canada RPAS Pilot...
Dosenbach-Ochsner Installs More than 100 Exotec Skypod Robots to Modernize Swiss Warehouse
Dosenbach‑Ochsner, part of the Deichmann Group, has gone live with Exotec’s Skypod robotic system at its Luterbach warehouse, deploying over 100 autonomous picking robots. The robots now service roughly 174,000 storage locations, handling both picking and packing operations. Flexibility and...
Kodiak AI Adds Haas Alert’s ‘Safety Cloud’ to Its Autonomous Trucking Solution
Kodiak AI has integrated Haas Alert’s Safety Cloud digital‑alert platform into its autonomous trucking solution, enabling real‑time safety notifications to nearby drivers via cellular networks. The alerts, displayed on infotainment screens, Waze, Apple Maps and OEM‑compatible systems, have been shown...
Texas AG Ken Paxton Sues Anzu Robotics Over Alleged DJI Rebranding Scheme
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Anzu Robotics, alleging the company sells rebranded DJI drones while concealing their Chinese origin and data‑security risks. The complaint claims Anzu acts as a passthrough to bypass federal and state bans...
Should Utilities Invest in Larger Scale, Larger UAS Operations? ….maybe
Utilities are moving beyond pilot‑scale drone programs to enterprise‑level unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that can inspect transmission lines, manage vegetation, and support emergency response. The core question now is whether to invest in larger UAS—platforms over 55 lb that operate outside...
Defence Drone and Robotics Startup Breaker Pilots $9 Million Seed Round
Australian defence tech startup Breaker has secured a $9 million seed round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners with participation from existing backer Main Sequence. The funding will accelerate its AI‑driven voice interface that lets a single operator command up to 100...
Governor Kelly Announces $3M to Develop Unmanned Aerial Systems Technology for Agricultural Research
Governor Laura Kelly announced a $3 million state grant to Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems for developing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) unmanned aerial systems aimed at Kansas agriculture. The funding, approved during the 2025 legislative session, builds on the state’s...
Kollmorgen Introduces AKME Series Servo Motors for Hazardous Locations
Electromate has launched the Kollmorgen AKME Series Servo Motors, specifically engineered for hazardous environments with Zone 2 and Zone 22 certification. The new line spans IEC frame sizes 2 through 7, operates from 48 Vdc to 400 Vac, and reaches speeds up to 5,000 rpm...
GXO Closes Out Record-Setting Revenue Year
GXO Logistics reported record revenue of $13.2 billion for 2025, a 13% increase year‑over‑year, with Q4 sales climbing 7.9% to $3.51 billion. Net income fell to $36 million for the full year, while quarterly profit was $43 million, reflecting higher investment in growth initiatives....
BAE Systems Signs Framework Deal for Logistics Drone Expansion
BAE Systems FalconWorks and SURVICE Engineering have signed a framework agreement to co‑develop uncrewed air system technologies, extending the partnership that began with the T‑150 logistics drone (fielded as the TRV‑150). The deal broadens collaboration into small and tactical UAS...
Yokogawa, ANYbotics Integrate OpreXTM Robot Management Core Software Into ANYmal Inspection Robots
Yokogawa Electric and Swiss robot maker ANYbotics announced that Yokogawa’s OpreX™ Robot Management Core software will be embedded in ANYbotics’ ANYmal inspection robot family, including the upcoming explosion‑proof ANYmal X slated for a 2026 launch. The integration links robot fleets...
Lockheed Martin Rapidly Developed Lamprey Drone, New Variants on the Way
Lockheed Martin unveiled the Lamprey multi‑mission autonomous undersea vehicle, a UUV developed in just 14 months and showcased at WEST 2026. The drone can attach to submarines, ships, or the seabed using suction cups, allowing it to hitch rides and...
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada to Deploy Agility Robotics’ Digit Humanoids
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) has signed an agreement with Agility Robotics to deploy its Digit humanoid robots across its Ontario assembly plants after a successful year‑long pilot. The rollout will add seven additional Digits to load and unload totes...
From Rocks to Row Crops, TerraClear Broadens Its Capabilities with Launch of Fully Autonomous Robot
TerraClear has launched TerraScout, a fully autonomous robot that captures high‑resolution field imagery for rock‑mapping and weed identification across broad‑acre row crops. The machine can map over 1,000 acres per day at speeds up to 15 mph, collecting more than 4 billion...
Epson Robots to Exhibit at DesignCon, APEX and MAX in Early 2026
Epson Robots announced it will exhibit at three major trade shows—DesignCon, APEX Expo, and Manufacturing & Automation eXchange (MAX)—in early 2026. The company will showcase its new T‑Series All‑in‑One SCARA robot, marketed as a cost‑efficient, plug‑and‑play solution, alongside the RC+®...
How Automation Addresses Industry’s Worker Shortage While Improving Safety and Job Satisfaction
Manufacturers are turning to collaborative robots and machine‑tending automation to combat a persistent labor shortage. By moving workers from repetitive, ergonomically‑dangerous tasks—such as single‑cell welding or CNC loading—to supervisory roles across multiple cells, firms boost productivity and job satisfaction. Safety‑driven...
US Navy to Deploy UAVs with Standard Munitions in Long-Range Strikes
The U.S. Navy’s Runway Independent Maritime & Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program is seeking unmanned aerial vehicles capable of launching standard 1,000‑lb class munitions from ships or austere shore sites. The Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit has issued a solicitation,...
Autotech Ventures Bets Big on Hard-to-Copy Logistics Startups
Autotech Ventures, a $600 million industrial‑focused VC, is targeting logistics startups that are hard to replicate, leveraging its deep network of global manufacturers and carriers. The firm highlighted investments in GenLogs, a data‑rich freight intelligence platform, and Augment, an end‑to‑end AI...
NVIDIA Adds Cosmos Policy to Its World Foundation Models
NVIDIA introduced Cosmos Policy, a post‑trained robot control policy built on its Cosmos Predict‑2 world foundation model. By encoding actions, future states and reward signals as latent video frames, the single diffusion‑based model achieves state‑of‑the‑art results on the LIBERO and...
Turkey Targets Italian Market with Strategic Partnership on USVs and Hybrid Platforms
Turkey’s defence firms Havelsan and VN Maritime have signed a strategic MoU with Italy’s Piloda Defence to develop uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and hybrid naval platforms. The partnership targets a first procurement contract in Italy by the first half of...
Introducing Automation in One of the World's Most Demanding Mining Environments
PAMA has become the first open‑pit coal mine in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region to deploy full‑scale automation, integrating autonomous haul trucks, drill rigs and a remote‑operations centre. The rollout targets the mine’s most challenging terrain, from water‑logged tailings to steep embankments,...
Fly at Your Own Peril: The “Zombie” App Leading UK Pilots Into a National Security Trap
Altitude Angel’s Drone Assist, once the UK’s go‑to flight‑planning app, has become effectively abandoned after the company entered administration in late 2025 and its assets were sold to Spain’s Indra Group. The app’s maps no longer reflect the Ministry of...
Additive Screen Printing: Scalable Production Meets Micro Precision
Additive Screen Printing (ASP) merges industrial screen printing with additive manufacturing to produce metal and ceramic components with micro‑precision at high volume. The process deposits material paste through precision screens layer‑by‑layer, cures each layer, then sinters the green parts to...
Swarm Aero Opens Large Drone Production Hub in Arkansas
Swarm Aero inaugurated an 80,000‑square‑foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, dedicated to large‑UAV production. The facility is designed to mass‑produce the Group 5 swarming UAV, which the company claims will cost less than the MQ‑9 Reaper while delivering comparable capability....
High-Precision Local Positioning System for GPS-Denied Drones & Robotics
Agilica has introduced its Agilica Geolocation (AGL) system, a high‑precision local positioning solution for UAVs that operates without GPS. Leveraging ultra‑wideband radio and a mesh of anchor nodes, the system delivers centimeter‑level accuracy even in RF‑rich, jammed or spoofed environments....
AI Breakthrough Could Replace Rare Earth Magnets in Electric Vehicles
Scientists at the University of New Hampshire used artificial intelligence to compile a searchable database of 67,573 magnetic compounds, uncovering 25 previously unknown high‑temperature magnets. The AI system extracts experimental data from literature, predicts magnetic behavior, and records temperature thresholds....
Cutting-Edge Technologies Are Poised to Transform Orthopedics
Orthopedic surgery is rapidly adopting AI, robotic assistance, VR/AR and wearable digital tools, shifting from experimental concepts to routine practice. AI now supports imaging interpretation, predictive risk modeling, personalized surgical planning, training simulations and remote postoperative monitoring. Robotic platforms improve...
Niqo Robotics Showcases 3-in-1 Precision AI Robot at Southwest Ag Summit 2026
Niqo Robotics unveiled its 3‑in‑1 AI robot at the Southwest Ag Summit, demonstrating a single‑pass solution for precision weeding, crop thinning, and targeted spraying. The showcase followed a successful pilot that generated the company’s first commercial order in the region....