Results for "Manufacturing"

50 articles found

Defense manufacturing readiness hinges on autonomous finishing, says GrayMatter Robotics

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.

Robotics Business Review1d ago

U.S. robotics industry saw double-digit growth in 2025, says IFR

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.

The Robot Report2d ago

Building And Testing A DIY Robot Actuator

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.

Hackaday Robotics4d ago

Physical AI Is Having Its Awkward Teenage Phase

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.

Creative Robotics4d agoOriginal

Evaluating humanoids for surface finishing applications

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.

Robotics Business Review4d ago

Autonomique deploys semi-humanoid robots and AI at Canadian Tier 1

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.

Robotics Business Review4d ago

Genesis AI launches Eno general-purpose robot

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.

The Robot Report5d ago

Sanctuary AI validates physical AI performance at Tier 1 automotive supplier

Sanctuary AI has achieved a 99.5%+ success rate on a complex wire-plugging task at a Tier 1 automotive supplier, demonstrating its physical AI technology can meet production-line performance and cycle-time requirements. Rather than waiting for humanoid robots to reach commercialization, the Vancouver-based company is deploying its AI and proprietary hydraulic hands on existing industrial robot platforms to address manufacturing labor challenges.

Robotics Business Review4d ago

Why do South Koreans love AI so much?

This article explores South Korea's strong cultural and governmental embrace of AI technology, citing the country's optimism about AI adoption compared to Western skepticism, government-led initiatives to position AI as an economic growth engine, and widespread deployment of AI systems in public services and daily life. The piece traces how South Korea's historical success with technology manufacturing has shaped its current strategy to become a top-three AI power globally.

MIT Technology Review AI6d ago

Robotics Summit panel explores the state of humanoid robot design

Industry experts at the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo discussed the current state of humanoid robot development, with Boston Dynamics' Alberto Rodriguez highlighting the company's strategy to build general-purpose Atlas robots for logistics and manufacturing applications, including plans to deploy 25,000 humanoids and reach 30,000 units per year by 2028. Panelists from Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, and other companies emphasized the challenges of designing bipedal robots that can work safely alongside human workers and adapt to diverse, one-of-a-kind jobs rather than single applications.

The Robot Report6/12/2026

Robot Talk Episode 160 - Robotic blacksmiths, with Edward Mehr

Robot Talk Episode 160 features Edward Mehr, Co-Founder and CEO of Machina Labs, discussing their RoboCraftsman—an AI-driven robotic system that uses advanced manufacturing techniques to shape complex metal parts for aerospace, defense, and automotive industries. The episode explores how Machina Labs is integrating artificial intelligence and robotics into flexible, on-demand production systems to modernize metal forming manufacturing.

Robohub6/12/2026

Robots are closing in on human-like judgments, addressing a key challenge in physical AI

KAIST researchers developed VOTP (Video-based Optimal TransPort Preference), an AI technology that learns human judgment criteria from just a few preference videos rather than thousands of data points, addressing a key challenge in physical AI commercialization. The breakthrough enables robots, autonomous vehicles, surgical systems, and other physical AI applications to understand human intentions more efficiently, significantly reducing development time and costs for applications across manufacturing, healthcare, and autonomous systems.

Phys.org Robotics6/10/2026

NEURA Robotics to raise up to $1.4B in Series C funding for physical AI

NEURA Robotics announced a Series C funding round of up to $1.4 billion to accelerate development of physical AI and cognitive robots. The company is building an ecosystem called the Neuraverse that combines robotics, AI, sensors, and edge computing for manufacturing, logistics, and service applications, with strategic partnerships including Qualcomm, Amazon, NVIDIA, and Bosch.

The Robot Report6/10/2026

Effort to establish a National Commission on Robotics advances in Congress

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives introduced legislation to establish a National Commission on Robotics to assess American competitiveness and recommend policies strengthening U.S. leadership in robotics technology. The commission would evaluate priorities including domestic manufacturing capabilities, workforce development, supply chain risks, and competition from China, with support from robotics industry groups viewing it as a critical step toward a comprehensive national robotics strategy.

The Robot Report6/9/2026

Powering the future of robotics in Europe

Google DeepMind has launched a three-month accelerator program supporting 15 early-stage robotics startups across Europe, providing technical mentorship, access to AI models, and guidance to help integrate AI into their products. The cohort includes companies working on applications ranging from industrial automation and manufacturing to healthcare and climate solutions, with a focus on embodied AI and physical world applications.

DeepMind Blog6/9/2026

Standard Bots raises $200M to expand U.S. manufacturing footprint

Standard Bots announced a $200 million Series C funding round at a $1 billion valuation, planning to expand its New York manufacturing facility to scale production of AI-native robot arms and industrial humanoids. The company focuses on robots that learn through demonstration without requiring code programming, targeting applications across machining, welding, palletizing, and assembly, and aims to deliver 10% of new U.S. industrial robot deployments by next year.

The Robot Report6/9/2026

ACS raises $200M to scale autonomous counter-drone system

Allen Control Systems (ACS) raised $200 million in Series B funding to scale production of Bullfrog, an autonomous counter-drone weapon station that uses AI, computer vision, and robotics to detect and neutralize unmanned aerial systems. The system is already deployed with the U.S. Army and Navy, and achieved a 100% success rate in recent military testing, with the funding supporting expanded manufacturing and new product development.

The Robot Report6/8/2026

NVIDIA and LG Group Build an AI Factory to Advance Physical AI, Mobility and AI Infrastructure

NVIDIA and LG Group are partnering to build an AI factory that combines NVIDIA's AI infrastructure with LG's manufacturing expertise to accelerate physical AI, robotics, and autonomous systems development. The collaboration includes integrating NVIDIA's Isaac simulation frameworks and GR00T foundation models into LG's home robot development (like CLoiD), creating a physical AI data factory for synthetic training data, and establishing an autonomous manufacturing ecosystem with real-time data connectivity. Additionally, LG will expand AI factory infrastructure capabilities aligned with NVIDIA's DSX platform, including thermal management and modular deployment technologies.

NVIDIA Blog AI6/8/2026

Robots can enhance manufacturing workers rather than replace them

An article examining how robots in manufacturing can enhance rather than replace workers, using examples like Japan's remote-operated robot cafes staffed by people with disabilities. The piece discusses the practical challenges manufacturers face in implementing AI and automation, including significant data gaps (70% manual data capture), the difficulty of capturing worker expertise and intuition, and argues that human-robot collaboration requires redesigning workflows and developing new workforce skills around strategy, problem-solving, and AI architecture rather than pursuing full automation.

The Robot Report6/6/2026

China can build humanoids at scale. The hard part is finding enough buyers

Chinese companies like Matrix Robotics and EngineAI are manufacturing humanoid robots at scale with capabilities ranging from coffee-making to security work, but experts warn that actual market demand lags production capacity. While China leads in manufacturing and hardware production for a projected $5 trillion global humanoid market, most robots remain limited to performative tasks rather than functional work in unpredictable real-world environments, raising concerns about an industry bubble.

Phys.org Robotics6/6/2026

Mitsubishi Electric opens Serendie Street Boston digital transformation hub

Mitsubishi Electric opened Serendie Street Boston, its first Western digital transformation hub designed for co-creation and real-world testing of AI-integrated solutions across industries. The facility showcases research including autonomous robot mapping using Unitree quadrupeds, wireless charging for robotic end effectors, and collaborative AI infrastructure optimization for manufacturing and facility management.

The Robot Report6/5/2026

Global robotics technology roadmap

Professor Henrik Christensen of UC San Diego has released a comprehensive global robotics technology roadmap covering 2025–2035, synthesizing research from leading conferences, machine learning venues, and industry data across Asia, Europe, and North America. Key findings include the global robotics market projected to reach $178.7B by 2033, Vision-Language-Action models as the most significant algorithmic development, humanoid robots growing from $370M to $6.5B by 2030, and regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act reshaping global robotics design. The roadmap provides strategic guidance for policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders on embodied AI, soft robotics, regional technology strategies, and sector-specific applications across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and other domains.

Robohub6/3/2026

ANSCER Robotics closes Series A round for industrial material handling

ANSCER Robotics, an India-based startup, has closed a $5.4 million Series A funding round led by IAN Group to scale its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and fleet management software for industrial material handling. The company focuses on hybrid robots designed for complex manufacturing and warehouse environments, with deployments across Asia and expanding operations in North America including major parcel-delivery clients.

The Robot Report6/1/2026

Factories Are Learning to Run Themselves While We're Not Looking

Three separate announcements this week signal a fundamental shift in manufacturing: the era of human-supervised automation is ending, replaced by systems that coordinate themselves. From robotic CNC integration to billion-dollar AI manufacturing platforms, the industrial floor is becoming autonomous faster than most realize.

Creative Robotics5/31/2026Original

Why robotic arms are now being integrated with CNC machines

Robotic arms are increasingly being integrated with CNC machines to enable full production automation, eliminating manual machine tending and enabling lights-out manufacturing. Major manufacturers like FANUC, Universal Robots, and KUKA are deploying these integrated systems to achieve significant productivity gains, reduce labor dependency, and improve consistency—with case studies showing efficiency improvements of 23-43% and ROI within months.

The Robot Report5/31/2026

MISUMI Group invests $1B in Americas, global AI and digital manufacturing

MISUMI Group launched MISUMI Americas, integrating its $350M acquisition of Fictiv to combine AI-powered digital manufacturing with traditional industrial component supply. The expansion is part of MISUMI's $1 billion global investment vision and positions the company as a digital manufacturing and supply chain partner for robotics, factory automation, aerospace, and other industries.

The Robot Report5/30/2026

New 3D silicon chip breakthrough could extend Moore's Law for years

Researchers at University of Illinois have demonstrated a breakthrough method for stacking multiple layers of silicon electronics directly on top of one another, potentially extending Moore's Law as traditional transistor miniaturization reaches physical limits. The technique uses ultra-thin silicon membranes and low-temperature manufacturing to achieve 98-100% device yields with standard single-crystalline silicon, and the findings were published in Nature. The vertical integration approach could significantly increase computing density and improve performance in AI hardware and other applications.

Science Daily Robotics5/30/2026

How Long Until We Stop Pretending Simulations and Twins Are the Same Thing?

The manufacturing industry is finally waking up to a critical distinction that's been hiding in plain sight: simulation and digital twins aren't interchangeable technologies—they're fundamentally different tools for different jobs. And the confusion is costing companies millions.

Creative Robotics5/25/2026Original

Simulation vs. digital twin: A strategic lens on virtual manufacturing

This article explains the strategic differences between discrete event simulation and digital twin technology in manufacturing, clarifying how simulation serves planning and design phases while digital twins enable real-time monitoring and optimization through bidirectional data exchange with physical systems. The piece helps manufacturers understand when to apply each approach within their digital transformation strategies and factory automation lifecycles.

The Robot Report5/25/2026

When Your Factory Floor Starts Speaking Google

FANUC's partnership with Google marks a watershed moment in industrial automation. The world's largest industrial robot manufacturer is handing the keys to its factory floors to a tech giant — and what happens next will reshape manufacturing as we know it.

Creative Robotics5/23/2026Original

Exploring PLC and robot integration with YRG Robotics Chris Elston

The Robot Report Podcast episode features Chris Elston, Chief Robotics Manager for Yamaha Robotics Group North America, discussing PLC and robot integration for manufacturing automation. The episode covers industrial robotics system integration, controls, and automation topics relevant to machine builders and end users deploying advanced manufacturing solutions.

The Robot Report5/23/2026

Manufacturing Giants Are Betting Big on Robot Intelligence

GE Vernova, FANUC, and Bosch are making strategic moves that signal a major shift in industrial robotics. The new battleground isn't hardware—it's who can make robots smart enough to handle the messy reality of real-world manufacturing.

Creative Robotics5/22/2026Original

GE Vernova to acquire Robotech Automation to expand robotics integration

GE Vernova has agreed to acquire Robotech Automation, a 35-person systems integrator based in Quebec, to expand its robotics and automation capabilities for energy asset operations and manufacturing. The acquisition will integrate Robotech's design, engineering, and systems integration expertise into GE Vernova's Advanced Research Center to improve safety, quality, and efficiency across the company's supply chain, with the transaction expected to close in Q3 2026.

The Robot Report5/22/2026

FANUC partners with Google to advance physical AI in its robots

FANUC has announced a strategic partnership with Google to advance physical AI capabilities in its industrial robots, integrating Google's AI technologies with FANUC's manufacturing-grade robotics to enable more adaptive and autonomous production. The collaboration leverages FANUC's support for the Robot Operating System (ROS) and Google's contributions through its Intrinsic robotics AI unit, with the company reporting strong customer demand—having shipped over 1,000 physical AI-equipped robots since launching the system in December.

The Robot Report5/21/2026

Manufacturing Just Became the Most Interesting Robotics Story of 2025

While humanoids grab headlines and coding agents dominate the AI conversation, a quiet revolution is unfolding on factory floors. Mind Robotics' $400 million raise signals that the real money — and real innovation — is flowing toward general-purpose manufacturing automation.

Creative Robotics5/16/2026Original

Humanoid partners with Bosch, Schaeffler to scale robot production

Humanoid, a London-based robotics startup founded in 2024, has partnered with Bosch for manufacturing and distribution of its HMND humanoid robot platform in Europe following a successful proof of concept in March 2026. The company is also rolling out thousands of robots through a binding agreement with Schaeffler Technologies, with initial deployments in German manufacturing facilities by end of 2026, representing one of the largest humanoid robot deployments announced to date.

The Robot Report5/21/2026

North American robot orders remain flat at the start of 2026

North American robot orders remained essentially flat in Q1 2026 with 9,055 units ordered valued at $543 million, down 0.1% in units and 6.4% in revenue year-over-year, driven by a 35% decline in automotive OEM orders. However, non-automotive sectors showed strong growth, with collaborative robots (cobots) surging 55.6% in units and life sciences, semiconductors, and food/consumer goods all posting significant gains, indicating expanding automation adoption beyond traditional manufacturing.

The Robot Report5/15/2026

Industrial Partnerships Are Quietly Reshaping Who Builds Robots

A wave of recent announcements reveals a fundamental shift in robotics development: companies aren't competing anymore—they're collaborating. From Comau-OMRON to Config's manufacturing backers, the industry is consolidating around shared infrastructure and expertise.

Creative Robotics5/12/2026Original

Cirtronics to discuss manufacturing robotics at scale at the Robotics Summit

Cirtronics, an electronics contract manufacturer specializing in robotics systems, will sponsor a panel discussion at the 2026 Robotics Summit in Boston focused on scaling robotics from prototype to production. The panel will address commercialization challenges including supply chain readiness, manufacturing scale, regulatory compliance, and operational execution, featuring leaders from RedZone Robotics, Titan Robotics, and other industry experts.

The Robot Report5/15/2026

Mind Robotics raises $400M to scale AI-powered robots in manufacturing

Mind Robotics, spun out from Rivian by founder RJ Scaringe, raised $400 million to scale AI-powered general-purpose robots for manufacturing automation, bringing total funding to over $1 billion. The company is developing a full-stack platform combining foundation models, purpose-built robotics, and deployment infrastructure, with Rivian serving as its first customer and providing manufacturing environments for model training and data collection.

The Robot Report5/14/2026

How to teach the same skill to different robots

Researchers at EPFL have developed Kinematic Intelligence, a novel framework that enables robots with different mechanical structures to learn and execute the same tasks from human demonstrations. The method converts human-demonstrated skills into general movement strategies and automatically adapts them to different robot designs while ensuring safe operation, demonstrated successfully with three different commercial robots performing an assembly line task.

Robohub5/11/2026

Anthro Energy partners with EnPower to develop lithium-ion cells in the U.S.

Anthro Energy and EnPower signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and manufacture high-performance lithium-ion battery cells in the U.S. for robotics, autonomous systems, and defense applications. The partnership combines Anthro's advanced polymer electrolyte technology with EnPower's domestic manufacturing capabilities to create a vertically integrated U.S. battery supply chain, with plans to scale production beyond 750 MWh for applications including drones, unmanned vehicles, and embodied AI systems.

The Robot Report5/14/2026

Alva Industries to bring its frameless motor technology to the Robotics Summit

Alva Industries will exhibit at the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, showcasing its SlimTorq frameless motor technology and proprietary FiberPrinting manufacturing process. The company will demonstrate its thin, lightweight frameless motors designed for robotic joints, collaborative arm actuators, exoskeletons, and precision positioning systems, with evaluation units available for engineers to assess.

The Robot Report5/13/2026

Hospitals Are About to Get Smarter Than Your Factory

While manufacturing has spent decades perfecting robotic automation, hospitals are emerging as the next frontier for intelligent logistics systems. A convergence of design expertise, improved navigation AI, and real-world deployment experience suggests healthcare robotics may soon surpass industrial applications in sophistication.

Creative Robotics5/10/2026Original

Comau and OMRON Robotics partner to offer robotics for more industries

Comau and OMRON Robotics announced a strategic partnership to accelerate industrial automation adoption across electronics, semiconductors, medical manufacturing, and light industrial sectors. The collaboration will integrate their complementary robotics hardware, control technologies, and software platforms to deliver more flexible and easily deployable automation solutions for global manufacturers.

The Robot Report5/12/2026

Cognex releases fully integrated AI-powered vision system for robotics

Cognex launched the In-Sight 3900, an AI-powered vision system for factory automation that delivers 4X faster processing and up to 25MP resolution while running deterministic, real-time inspections at full production speed. The system combines edge AI, advanced AI, and rule-based vision tools with Qualcomm Dragonwing processors to eliminate traditional tradeoffs between inspection depth and line speed in manufacturing applications like packaging, automotive, and electronics.

The Robot Report5/9/2026

Voxels, Cobots, and the New Building Blocks of Manufacturing

While headlines chase humanoid robots and AI chatbots, a quieter revolution is happening on factory floors and construction sites. From MIT's carbon-cutting voxel assembly to ABB's turnkey surface finishing cells, the future of making things isn't about replacing humans—it's about redesigning how we build from the ground up.

Creative Robotics5/5/2026Original

1X begins production of NEO humanoids in California facility

1X Technologies has launched full-scale production of its NEO humanoid robot at a new 58,000-sq.-ft. facility in Hayward, California, featuring vertically integrated manufacturing and custom motor production on automated lines. The robots are powered by NVIDIA's Jetson Thor AI platform and undergo over 20 million cycles of stress testing; early units are already assisting with factory logistics while the company plans to begin consumer shipments in 2026.

The Robot Report5/6/2026

Hiroshi Fujiwara and Robert Little selected for 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards

Hiroshi Fujiwara and Robert Little have been named recipients of the 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards for their contributions to robotics leadership and technology. Fujiwara, executive director of the Japan Robot Association, is recognized for strategic policy work and international collaboration, while Little, co-founder of ATI Industrial Automation, is honored for advancing robotic end-effector technology and practical automation adoption in manufacturing.

The Robot Report5/5/2026

Teradyne Robotics revenue rises at the start of 2026

Teradyne Robotics reported $91 million in Q1 2026 revenue, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of growth, with strength in e-commerce, electronics manufacturing, and semiconductor end markets including AI data centers. The company's robotics division, which includes Universal Robots cobots and Mobile Industrial Robots, saw AI revenue reach approximately 15% of quarterly sales, and the company is leveraging robotic-assisted assembly and data center operations as part of its wafer-to-AI strategy.

Robotics Business Review4/30/2026