50 articles found
GAM Enterprises acquired intellectual property and manufacturing assets for Schaeffler's PSC precision gear reducer product, forming a new subsidiary GAM-Melior GmbH in Germany to produce the technology. The acquisition enables GAM to vertically integrate its supply chain and expand its precision motion control capabilities for automation and robotics customers.
Reimagine Robotics, founded by former Google DeepMind leaders, emerged from stealth with technology enabling robots to learn on-the-job through human instruction rather than requiring specialist programmers. The startup has already deployed robots in advanced manufacturing and electronics disassembly facilities, reducing prototype testing time from one day to 10 minutes, and is now seeking Series A funding to scale operations.
KUKA has deployed its Automation Management Platform (AMP) at its Toledo Production Operations facility in Ohio, combining industrial automation with AI-driven decision-making to enhance manufacturer productivity and operational flexibility. The platform enables integration of AI models with existing automation infrastructure across the facility's 285 robots and 60,000+ connected devices, creating a scalable foundation for what KUKA calls 'physical AI' in manufacturing.
The article examines five foundational physical AI infrastructure platforms shaping robotics development in 2026, including NVIDIA's accelerated computing and simulation ecosystem (Isaac, Newton), and Applied Intuition's validation engineering for autonomous systems. These platforms represent critical layers in the emerging physical AI stack, addressing bottlenecks in robot perception, reasoning, action, and real-world deployment across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and autonomous vehicles.
Teradyne Robotics reported $100 million in Q2 2026 revenue, a 33% year-over-year increase driven primarily by AI-related demand in semiconductor and data center sectors. The company, which owns Universal Robots (collaborative robot manufacturer) and MiR (mobile robot provider), plans to open a new manufacturing center in Michigan to meet growing U.S. demand.
Holiday Robotics, a Seoul-based startup, raised $105 million in Series A funding to develop FRIDAY, a wheeled humanoid robot designed for industrial manufacturing tasks. FRIDAY features 64 degrees of freedom with 40 dedicated to dexterous hands, safety-focused hardware design, and a vision-language-skill (VLS) approach to AI that combines perception, learning, and real-world deployment for reliable operation alongside human workers.
Kraken Technology Group raised $175 million in Series B funding, reaching a $1 billion valuation, to accelerate production and deployment of autonomous maritime vessels for defense applications. The UK-based company develops uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and subsurface vessels (USSVs) for NATO and allied forces, with backing from DTCP, NATO Innovation Fund, and strategic manufacturing partnerships with Rheinmetall, Anduril, and others.
MISUMI Americas has examined reshoring of U.S. manufacturing and supported legislation to send workers overseas for training. The post MISUMI Americas releases reshoring report, supports manufacturing...
Halliday, a smart glasses startup, is preparing to launch its second-generation glasses after its 2025 debut was universally panned by critics. The new Halliday G2 addresses key failures of the original model by switching from a microLED display to waveguides for better readability, improving build quality and manufacturing processes, and focusing on reliability over feature bloat. The company has rebuilt its engineering team and invested in better quality assurance testing to regain consumer trust.
Samsung has established a new robotics division called RX (Robotics eXperience) headed by Dongkun Lee, formerly of Hyundai, with oversight from CEO TM Roh. The company plans to build robotics research hubs globally and aims to begin manufacturing humanoid robots this year, backed by a $13 billion investment in manufacturing facilities in South Korea.
AGIBOT unveiled four embodied AI products at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026, including the A3 Ultra humanoid robot, G2 Max heavy-payload industrial task robot, OmniHand 3 Ultra-M dexterous hand, and X2 Edu educational platform. The Shanghai-based company, founded in 2023, emphasized moving beyond impressive demonstrations to focus on manufacturing, deployment, and reliable integration of robots into real operating environments, having produced 15,000 robots to date.
Carnegie Mellon University showcased a number of exciting new partnerships, technologies and research during the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit. The event, hosted by U.S. Sen. David M...
Researchers at Kanazawa University developed a novel robotic hand capable of switching between multiple grippers using a single motor, introducing a "MaGDri mechanism" that leverages gravity to switch torque paths instead of requiring complex control systems or additional actuators. The innovation reduces weight, cost, and complexity while enabling robots to handle diverse objects of varying shapes and sizes, with potential applications in manufacturing, logistics, and service industries.
Lockheed Martin's decision to qualify Machina Labs' robotic metal-forming system for missile production marks a pivotal moment in defense manufacturing. As military contractors embrace automation for mission-critical components, the implications extend far beyond faster production lines—they signal a fundamental shift in how America thinks about manufacturing capacity, supply chain resilience, and national security.
Machina Labs has secured a qualification contract from Lockheed Martin to produce components for the JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) program using its RoboForming technology, marking the first time the company's robotic metal-forming system has qualified for a U.S. defense missile system. The company is opening Factory 3, a 200,000-sq.-ft. facility dedicated to defense manufacturing, equipped with up to 50 RoboCraftsman robotic cells designed to compress production timelines from months to days.
Hyundai is reportedly acquiring SoftBank's remaining 20% stake in Boston Dynamics for approximately $325 million, which would give the Korean automaker full ownership of the robotics company. Hyundai plans to accelerate commercialization of Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot, with production beginning in Georgia in 2028 and targeting 30,000 units annually, starting with logistics and welding tasks before moving to complex manufacturing by 2030.
Fujitsu, Nvidia, and Japan's leading robotics manufacturers (Fanuc, Yaskawa, Kawasaki Heavy Industries) announced a major collaboration to develop "physical AI" — autonomous robots that can think independently and work alongside humans in factories, homes, and hospitals. The initiative aims to address Japan's labor shortage by combining Nvidia's AI technology with Japanese manufacturing excellence, with the first phase of collaboration expected later in 2026.
Walden Robotics emerged from stealth with $300 million in funding at a $1.1 billion valuation, launching general-purpose robots designed to continuously learn while performing real work in manufacturing. Led by MIT professor Russ Tedrake (former Toyota Research Institute executive), the company is deploying semi-humanoid robots with two arms and a wheeled base at Toyota plants for tasks like machine tending and assembly, combining large behavior models with real-world operations.
Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson outlined six policy recommendations for the U.S. government to strengthen the humanoid robotics industry, including building domestic component manufacturing capacity, developing a coordinated national strategy, establishing industry-led safety standards, supporting workforce development, and lowering adoption barriers for small manufacturers. Johnson emphasized the need for deliberate action to maintain technological leadership against international competition, particularly from China.
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Foundry, and leading U.S. drone manufacturers have launched the Autonomous Systems Manufacturing Platform (ASMP), leveraging over $50 million in CMU investments to strengthen America's drone manufacturing base. The initiative brings together CMU's National Robotics Engineering Center with industry partners to advance autonomous systems manufacturing capabilities.
NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang visited Japan to showcase the company's AI and robotics ecosystem, highlighting how Japan's manufacturing expertise combined with AI can drive innovation in robotics and intelligent manufacturing. The visit included a Build-a-Claw event where developers used NVIDIA's platform to build robotic systems, and meetings with Japan's supply chain and technology leaders to discuss AI's potential to address labor shortages and create new economic opportunities.
Path Robotics uses AI-driven vision guidance and torch path identification to optimize robotic welding operations in manufacturing environments, with the company also deploying Boston Dynamics Spot robots for mobile welding applications in shipbuilding. The article features an interview with Path Robotics CEO Andy Lonsberry discussing how physical AI addresses setup and operational challenges in robotic welding, alongside research perspectives from UC San Diego's Michael Yip on data-efficient robot control and reinforcement learning applications.
AI² Robotics raised $735 million at a $2.8 billion valuation to develop wheeled humanoid robots with five-fingered manipulators and a proprietary Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model called Alpha Brain. The Shenzhen-based company is targeting industrial applications in logistics, manufacturing, and biotech, positioning wheeled bases as more practical and cost-effective than bipedal locomotion for near-term deployment.
Harvard researchers have developed a silicon chip that can synthesize 64 different DNA sequences simultaneously using electrical currents and water-based enzymes, marking a significant advancement in enzymatic DNA manufacturing. This breakthrough offers a cleaner, safer alternative to conventional chemical DNA synthesis methods and could enable portable DNA-writing devices and DNA-based data storage systems in the future.
ENCY Software announced a partnership with Stäubli Robotics to integrate ENCY Robot offline programming and simulation software with Stäubli's industrial robots for manufacturing tasks like milling, grinding, and deburring. The collaboration aims to simplify robot programming by unifying CAD/CAM design with AI-driven offline and real-time robot control, enabling manufacturers to reduce downtime and move more confidently from digital preparation to production.
Apple's program to invest in US manufacturing sees it spend $30 billion on Broadcom chips.
ABB Robotics launched the Flexley Stack F712, an autonomous forklift equipped with vSLAM (visual simultaneous localization and mapping) navigation technology for warehouse and manufacturing operations. The F712 can handle loads up to 2,000 kg and uses AI-enabled 3D vision for navigation without requiring pre-installed infrastructure, integrating with ABB's growing fleet of collaborative autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, is reportedly developing its own inference chips to reduce reliance on third-party providers like NVIDIA and Huawei. The company is hiring engineers and engaging with manufacturing partners as part of its expansion strategy in the competitive Chinese AI market.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed a novel color-changing tactile sensor that enables robots to 'see' and sense touch in real-time by transforming pressure into dynamic color patterns readable by a standard camera. The technology, published in Science Advances, eliminates the need for complex reconstruction algorithms and enables high-resolution contact and pressure mapping with applications in precision manufacturing, prosthetics, and surgical systems.
This podcast recap covers Automate 2026, highlighting the robotics industry's shift from humanoid hype toward practical physical AI deployment in manufacturing. Key topics include software orchestration, digital twins, edge computing, and advancements from major players like Boston Dynamics, FANUC, ABB, and Rockwell Automation in solving labor shortages and automating complex tasks like picking, palletizing, and assembly.
The article discusses how ruggedized design is becoming essential for autonomous mobile robots as they move beyond controlled warehouse environments into challenging outdoor, manufacturing, and logistics settings with dust, moisture, temperature swings, and uneven terrain. It argues that power infrastructure and charging systems are critical but often-overlooked components that must also be ruggedized to maintain robot uptime and reliability in real-world operating conditions.
NVIDIA announced advances in graphics, simulation, and agentic AI at SIGGRAPH, highlighting developments in real-time simulation and AI for robotics applications. The company introduced the Vera Rubin model for cost-efficient post-training workloads and emphasized the role of open models in enterprise AI development and research.
BMW Group is expanding its deployment of humanoid robots, moving from Figure 02 to Figure 03 at its Spartanburg plant after successfully using Figure 02 to support production of over 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles. Figure 03 introduces new capabilities including tactile-sensor hands, palm cameras, wireless charging, and speech-to-speech communication for logistics sequencing tasks. BMW is also testing Hexagon's wheeled humanoid robot AEON at its Leipzig plant as part of a broader strategy to integrate physical AI into manufacturing operations.
Hirebotics launched the Cobot Painter, an explosion-proof collaborative robot system built on FANUC hardware and the company's no-code Beacon platform for metal fabrication and manufacturing. The system enables shops to automate painting and coating operations without requiring robotics expertise, dedicated paint cells, or complex programming, with deployment possible in days rather than months.
Amazon's Zoox has unveiled an updated version of its autonomous robotaxi designed for large-scale production, featuring improved comfort, better visibility through rotating color-changing reflectors, and enhanced interior ergonomics. The company plans to begin manufacturing the new model at its Hayward, California facility and can scale production to 100 vehicles per week to support expansion in 2026.
Robust.AI has selected Aptiv's PULSE intelligent perception system for its Gen 3 Carter collaborative mobile robot, combining radar and vision with machine learning for reliable autonomous operation in dynamic warehouse and manufacturing environments. The sensor fusion approach enables 360-degree sensing and supports functional safety requirements, with both companies planning to pursue Performance Level d (PL(d)) certification for industrial safety applications.
The ARM Institute has expanded RoboticsCareer.org to emphasize physical AI, creating a resource that connects job seekers, employers, and training providers in manufacturing robotics and AI roles. The platform now features an AI competency framework and career pathways to help workers develop skills for emerging physical AI technologies, addressing workforce gaps as manufacturers increasingly adopt AI-enabled automation.
Agility Robotics, maker of the Digit humanoid robot, announced a SPAC merger with Churchill Capital Corp. that values the company at $2.5 billion and will provide over $620 million in gross proceeds. The company, which already has commercial deployments of its humanoid robots in customer environments, positions itself as the only U.S. publicly listed pure-play humanoid company and plans to scale production across manufacturing, distribution, and logistics sectors.
Mantis Robotics unveiled the MR-X, a dual-arm fenceless robot featuring embedded physical AI that enables safe operation alongside human workers without safety cages. The robot can lift 70 lbs and reach speeds up to 10.6 m/s, utilizing the company's patented SafetyCore platform for real-time environmental awareness and autonomous collision avoidance, suitable for manufacturing, logistics, and assembly tasks.
A wave of new platforms is eliminating the coding barrier that has kept industrial robots out of reach for most manufacturers. As deployment becomes as simple as drag-and-drop, the question shifts from 'can we afford robots?' to 'can we afford not to?'
CreateMe Technologies announced a partnership with Avalo and Laguna Fabrics to launch 'Seed to System,' an integrated apparel manufacturing ecosystem combining climate-smart cotton farming, domestic textile production, and AI-assisted robotic garment assembly. The initiative aims to demonstrate faster, more resilient, and locally-based apparel production through CreateMe's MeRA robotic assembly system and proprietary adhesive bonding technology alongside AI-driven innovations from supply chain partners.
FORT Robotics and NVIDIA launched an AI-driven Outside-In Safety blueprint that uses external infrastructure sensors and visual AI agents to enhance autonomous robot productivity and worker safety in industrial environments. The system, demonstrated at Automate 2024, extends robot perception beyond onboard sensors using NVIDIA IGX Thor and Holoscan Sensor Bridge, allowing robots to operate safely alongside workers at higher efficiency levels while dynamically adapting to complex warehouse and manufacturing settings.
GrayMatter Robotics highlights how its autonomous surface-finishing systems using edge-deployed physical AI can address critical workforce shortages in defense manufacturing and depot maintenance. The U.S. military faces significant readiness challenges due to a 174,000-worker shortfall in the industrial base, with surface preparation and finishing work being a critical bottleneck that traditional automation cannot handle due to the geometric variation in each job.
Alphabet's Intrinsic Intelligence unveiled a modular, AI-powered industrial robotic workcell called IntrinsicOS that replaces traditional robot coding with drag-and-drop automation, aiming to democratize industrial AI for manufacturing applications. The company announced a global AI for Industry Challenge with an $180,000 prize pool focused on solving cable and connector manipulation in electronics assembly, attracting over 5,000 registrations from 1,600 teams across 115 countries.
The U.S. industrial robotics market grew 11% in 2025 with 38,000 unit installations, driven by 30% surge in food industry adoption, while China maintains dominant global market share with 295,000 annual installations. The IFR reports the U.S. now ranks eighth globally in robot density, and industry advocates are pushing for a national robotics strategy including a Federal Robotics Office and domestic technology procurement mandates.
A maker is developing a custom motor actuator designed for humanoid robotics applications, inspired by MIT research but incorporating a cycloidal gearbox instead of a planetary design to reduce backlash. Initial testing revealed the prototype achieved 7 Nm of torque (below the 20 Nm target) and exposed manufacturing tolerances issues, though CAD files are being shared publicly for refinement and iteration.
From automotive suppliers to construction sites, physical AI platforms are finally leaving research labs and entering real factories. But the gap between impressive success rates and actual production deployment reveals an industry struggling with the messy reality of manufacturing.
This article evaluates the suitability of humanoid robots for surface finishing manufacturing applications like sanding, polishing, and grinding. The analysis concludes that humanoids are not well-suited for factory floor operations because their legs, multi-fingered hands, and heads add unnecessary complexity and cost without providing manufacturing advantages—instead, traditional dual-arm industrial robot configurations mounted on fixed rails are more efficient for speed, precision, and economics of scale.
Autonomique, an AI startup spun out of SRI International, is deploying its physical AI platform and mobile manipulator at Canadian automotive supplier F&P Manufacturing to address labor shortages and production complexity. The company's hardware-agnostic software combines teleoperation systems, generalist-specialist AI architecture, and reinforcement learning to enable industrial robots to adapt to multi-step workflows with human-like dexterity while maintaining manufacturing precision and reliability.
Genesis AI unveiled Eno, a general-purpose mobile manipulator robot powered by GENE, its robotics-native foundation model, designed with prioritized mobility and dexterity over human appearance. The company plans to begin production and targeted deployments by end of 2026, starting with industrial customers in manufacturing, logistics, and labs before expanding to service industries and consumer applications.
