Robotics and Automation

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

65 Articles

ARUM Begins Developing a Manufacturing Platform Based on “Physical AI” for Cutting Machines

ARUM has announced the joint development of cutting machines equipped with “physical AI” capabilities through the TTMC Type-M and TTMC Type-L platforms and the TTMC Brain system. The project aims to automate the recognition of manufacturing data, process design, NC programming, and robot movement from October 2026 to September 2030.

2026-09-01

Robotics and Automation

Meta Tests Robots to Perform Maintenance Tasks Inside Data Centers

Meta is testing robots capable of restarting servers, switching network cables, and performing other maintenance tasks at its U.S. data centers. This automation could reduce reliance on labor for some tasks, but the tests still face practical limitations and have not yet demonstrated the ability to operate reliably at scale.

2026-08-30

Robotics and Automation

Why Are Chinese Automakers Betting on Humanoid Robots as a New Source of Profit?

Several Chinese automakers are moving into humanoid robotics, driven by improving robotic mobility and the potential of artificial intelligence technologies. Xpeng is leading this trend with a funding round exceeding $900 million, but turning manufacturing superiority into an artificial-intelligence advantage remains the biggest challenge.

2026-08-28

Robotics and Automation

Waymo criticizes Tesla’s path toward self-driving: “A false summit”

Waymo believes that upgrading a Level 2 driver-assistance system to fully autonomous driving could lead to a “false summit,” based on its experience operating more than 200 million miles without a driver. The company contrasts this position with Tesla’s camera-only approach and gradual development of its FSD system.

2026-08-27

Robotics and Automation

Hugging Face Launches Microduck: An Open-Source Robot for Reinforcement Learning Training Priced at $399

Hugging Face has unveiled Microduck, a small 25-centimeter-tall duck-shaped robot whose behaviors can be trained through reinforcement learning and redeployed directly on the device. It costs $399 and is scheduled to ship before Christmas.

2026-08-27

Robotics and Automation

Robots Are Approaching the Pre-ChatGPT Stage… But the Data Gap Still Hinders Them

Physical robotics capabilities are advancing rapidly, but the lack of reliable training data and the difficulty of achieving consistent commercial performance are delaying the transition from demonstrations to practical use. Developers of embodied AI believe the path may run through specialized applications and better simulation environments before reaching a general-purpose robot capable of reliably performing tasks outside laboratories.

2026-08-26

Robotics and Automation

AIRoA Expands AI-Driven Robotics Development Through a Database and Foundation Models for Physical AI

Japanese robotics company AIRoA announced the development of a research infrastructure focused on collecting robotics data and training the foundation models needed for physical AI. This is part of a broader Japanese ecosystem comprising research projects and industrial partnerships aimed at accelerating the transition of robots from digital environments to the real world.

2026-08-26

Robotics and Automation

Generalist Raises Its Valuation to $3 Billion with Nearly $200 Million in Additional Funding

Robotics startup Generalist has secured nearly $200 million in additional funding, raising the company’s valuation to $3 billion just months after it was valued at $2 billion. The company is developing an artificial intelligence foundation model that can be used with multiple types of robots, but it faces a market still searching for a practical way to build general-purpose robotics models.

2026-08-25

Robotics and Automation

Complaints of Tesla Robotaxi Trips Going Awry in Texas and Leaving Passengers Far from Their Destinations

Users, including a declared Tesla Ambassador and owner of four vehicles from the company, reported errors in estimating trip times, pickups, and drop-offs within Tesla’s limited service area in Texas. The article says some trips ended with passengers calling Uber or receiving intervention from rider support, while Tesla issued a financial response in one case after it spread online.

2026-08-24

Robotics and Automation

XPeng’s Robotics Unit Raises More Than $900 Million to Accelerate IRON Humanoid Production

XPeng’s robotics unit has raised more than $900 million at a valuation exceeding $6.3 billion, alongside plans to spin it off as an independent subsidiary and prepare for large-scale production of the IRON robot by the end of 2026.

2026-08-24

Robotics and Automation

FNSS Unveils the İ-ZAHA Multirole Unmanned Amphibious Vehicle

FNSS unveiled the İ-ZAHA unmanned amphibious vehicle in Turkey during the TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan event. Designed to operate autonomously or by remote control, it can perform 10 missions using interchangeable payload modules. It weighs 8 tons and reaches speeds of 7 knots in water and 70 kilometers per hour on land.

2026-08-20

Robotics and Automation

Generalist AI unveils GEN-1.5 to teach robots new tasks in seconds

Generalist AI introduced the GEN-1.5 model, capable of learning new physical tasks from a single demonstration lasting between 3 and 12 seconds, without additional training or fine-tuning. The model achieved an average success rate of 59% on a set of short manipulation tasks, rising to 83% after adaptation with additional data.

2026-08-20

Robotics and Automation

Waymo Opens Zeekr Ojai Robotaxi to Everyone in Three U.S. Cities

Waymo has opened the Ojai autonomous vehicle, built on a Chinese Zeekr car, to all riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix after a free early-access period. The company uses vehicles imported from China, but replaces the Chinese connectivity and sensing systems with components and software of its own design before operating them in the United States.

2026-08-20

Robotics and Automation

Amazon to Expand Prime Air to Reach Approximately 500 U.S. Cities and Towns by the End of 2026

Amazon plans to expand its Prime Air drone delivery service from its current footprint to approximately 500 cities and towns in the United States by the end of 2026, an increase of nearly sixfold. The service offers millions of products, with some orders arriving within 30 minutes, in designated locations and subject to eligibility requirements and fees that vary according to Prime membership and order value.

2026-08-19

Robotics and Automation

Tesla Robotaxi Crashes into Barriers in Austin Weeks After Its Safety Record Was Described as “Excellent”

A video showed a Tesla Model Y operating without a safety monitor pushing through plastic barriers at a closed road section in Austin before continuing on its way. The incident occurred less than a month after Ashok Elluswamy announced that the Robotaxi program had driven more than 380,000 miles without notable crashes.

2026-08-18

Robotics and Automation

Why Is Persona AI Choosing Ship Welding as the Starting Point for Humanoid Robots?

Instead of competing with other companies in warehouses and homes, Persona AI is betting on a humanoid-like robot to perform long linear welds in shipyards. The choice is based on a shortage of skilled labor, the task’s suitability for robots, and the possibility of increasing ship production rather than merely reducing labor costs.

2026-08-17

Robotics and Automation

Nevada Allows Tesla to Operate 10 Robotaxis in Las Vegas Instead of 5,000

The Nevada Transportation Authority granted Tesla a permit to operate autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas, but limited the initial fleet to just 10 cars within an approved geographic area and prohibited service at Harry Reid Airport. Tesla had requested permission to operate up to 5,000 vehicles in Clark County during its first year.

2026-08-17

Robotics and Automation

Accelerating Missile Production Drives Startups to Redesign Defense Factories

The Pentagon’s push to replenish missile inventories is opening opportunities for startups using software, robotics and automated manufacturing methods to reduce reliance on dedicated equipment. Machina is betting on a reprogrammable factory that can switch between different products and geometries through software changes to a greater extent.

2026-08-12