Robotics and Automation

Humanoid and industrial robots, autonomous systems, automation, and physical artificial intelligence.

65 Articles

Robotics and Automation

Feather Develops a Modular Robotic Platform for Developers Priced at $30,000

The American startup Feather Robotics is betting on a customizable humanoid robotic platform that allows developers to modify the hardware and run models from different artificial intelligence providers. The company has begun selling limited quantities of its robots and generated more than $1 million in revenue, as it prepares to launch a broader product.

2026-09-24

Robotics and Automation

AI-Powered Vision Solutions Expand the Use of Robots in Flexible Manufacturing

Industrial companies at Factory Innovation Week 2026 showcased solutions combining 3D vision and artificial intelligence to enable robots to pick up a variety of parts, including irregularly shaped and shape-changing objects. The demonstrations included machine vision systems, smart sensors, and solutions that can be integrated with robots and industrial controllers.

2026-09-16

Robotics and Automation

More Capable Robots Need Systems Science, Not Just Smarter Models

An Arm white paper presents the challenges of building robotic systems capable of turning AI models into effective, safe, and scalable behavior. The paper focuses on coordinating capabilities over time, distributing them across heterogeneous hardware, and subjecting them to clearly defined constraints.

2026-09-16

Robotics and Automation

FANUC Develops an AI Agent That Reads Drawings and Programs Welding Robots

FANUC announced the development of an artificial intelligence agent based on Google Cloud that reads product drawings and automatically generates welding settings and robot movements. The company plans to showcase the technology at the 2026 International Welding Show and begin rolling it out in December 2026.

2026-09-15

Robotics and Automation

Zurich Airport Operates Two Level 4 Autonomous Buses Without a Human Supervisor

Zurich Airport has begun operating two Level 4 autonomous electric buses without a driver or safety supervisor inside the vehicles, relying on remote monitoring and intervention when necessary. The vehicles will initially operate without passengers before being made available to employees of partner companies on a designated route within the airport.

2026-09-13

Robotics and Automation

Inside a Japanese Data Factory Training Humanoid Robots for Real-World Tasks

A facility in Narashino, Japan, has begun collecting training data for physical AI using 35 humanoid robots as part of a consortium comprising five companies. The facility relies on remote control, motion recording, and labeling successful and failed states, with the goal of building models that can be used in factories and various industries.

2026-09-11

Robotics and Automation

Maven Robotics Emerges from Stealth Mode with $100 Million in Funding and Live Deployment of Warehouse Robots

Maven Robotics has revealed itself after raising $100 million in a Series A round, confirming that it operates up to eight robots at customer facilities for 16 hours a day with an uptime rate of 99% or higher. The company is currently focused on rebuilding mixed pallets in distribution centers, with a plan to produce 250 third-generation robots.

2026-09-10

Robotics and Automation

Japan’s GENIAC Program Expands Funding for Robotics AI Models

Japan’s GENIAC program, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and NEDO, announced results and funding for projects to develop foundation models for robots and build a data ecosystem for embodied AI. The initiatives include 13 organizations in the robotics-model field and nine organizations in the data-ecosystem project.

2026-09-10

Robotics and Automation

Cerence Emergency Vehicle Detection Technology Enters Autonomous Bus Trial in Japan

Cerence AI announced the use of Cerence Emergency Vehicle Detection technology in an autonomous bus platform during an on-road public-road trial in Japan. The technology is intended to detect the sirens of ambulances, fire engines, and police vehicles, supporting autonomous-driving system decisions in situations where visual detection may be difficult.

2026-09-09

Robotics and Automation

Panasonic Launches an AI-Powered Visual Inspection System Based on a Hyperspectral Camera

Panasonic has announced the AG-HSV10M hyperspectral camera and the AG-HSS10 AI image inspection software, which enables the creation of an inspection model from a single image and distinguishes between defect-free and defective products. The system is scheduled to launch in Japan on October 10, 2026.

2026-09-08

Robotics and Automation

Uber and Wayve Launch the UK’s First Announced Autonomous Ride Service in London

Uber and Wayve have begun offering rides in London using Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with the Wayve AI Driver system, with a licensed driver able to intervene when necessary. The service remains limited and does not represent fully autonomous taxi operations, and the companies have not disclosed the size of the initial fleet.

2026-09-04

Robotics and Automation

Ricoh Develops Physical AI Technology to Teach Robots from Images of Human Actions

Ricoh announced the development of technology based on a Latent Action Model to teach robots actions such as grasping and moving objects from image and video data, without relying entirely on a specific robot architecture. The company tested the technology in a simulation environment built on physical conditions, using AWS services to reduce the cost of data collection and model training.

2026-09-04

Robotics and Automation

Tesla Announces One Million Miles Driven by Robotaxi Service Without Human Supervision

Tesla said Robotaxi vehicles have driven one million miles in unsupervised autonomous-driving mode, an increase of 620,000 miles over six weeks. However, the figure remains well below Waymo’s mileage, and the service still operates within limited geographic areas and has not yet become an experience available to Tesla vehicle owners.

2026-09-04

Robotics and Automation

Tesla Seeks Cybercab Fleet Operators While FSD Owners Remain Outside the Equation

Tesla has begun collecting interest from potential buyers of Cybercab fleets and infrastructure projects associated with the Robotaxi network, but it has not yet opened the way for individual vehicle owners to earn the income the company previously linked to the FSD feature. The article suggests that the move may reflect a shift toward a model based on fleets and external partners, although fully autonomous driving has not yet been solved.

2026-09-03

Robotics and Automation

Humanoid Robot Computing and Security: Why Do the Complexities Go Beyond What We Know from Self-Driving Cars?

Humanoid robots need a combination of centralized and distributed computing to process sensor data and control movement, but their direct proximity to people increases the risks of hacking, from disrupting systems to causing physical harm. An analysis by Semiconductor Engineering examines the challenges of designing the computing architecture, protecting artificial intelligence models, and securing communications as well as voice and visual interaction.

2026-09-03

Robotics and Automation

Waymo Autonomous Vehicles Record More Than 8,300 Parking Violations in San Francisco

Waymo autonomous vehicles accumulated 8,309 parking violations in San Francisco between January 2025 and mid-July 2026, totaling $957,008 in fines. The figures reveal an operational challenge related to scaling and the efficiency of handling curbs and passenger loading zones, rather than a direct indicator of safety incidents.

2026-09-02

Robotics and Automation

Aster Collaborates to Develop Aluminum Motor Production and Unveils the Concept of an “AI-Native Factory”

Japanese company Aster, which specializes in artificial intelligence technologies for manufacturing, announced a collaboration focused on producing motors that use aluminum, alongside a vision for a factory in which physical AI technologies and operational data are integrated across production stages.

2026-09-02

Robotics and Automation

Japan Launches Facility to Train Humanoid Robots for “Physical AI” Tasks

INSOL-HIGH has begun operating the J-HRTI facility to collect training data for humanoid robots, with capacity for up to 40 robots and the recording of operator interactions with a range of industrial tasks. The initiative aims to provide data that will help physical AI models learn to perform work in real-world environments.

2026-09-02