Robotics
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Experts look ahead at the next 20 years of robotics at RoboBusiness
From left to right: Rodney Brooks, Jonathan Hurst, and Ken Goldberg. Robotics has evolved from a promising technology into a critical business tool across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, defense, and beyond. At RoboBusiness 2026, which takes place Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif., industry leaders will reflect on the breakthroughs that defined the past two decades. In the show’s opening keynote session, as RoboBusiness marks its 20th anniversary, leaders in robotics
Tacta Systems takes aim at high-skilled manufacturing work with TactaBot
Tacta’s robotic hand comes in three- and five-finger configurations. | Source: Tacta Systems Tacta Systems last week launched the TactaBot, which includes the company’s Tacta Hand, Skill Capture system, and a Dexterous Intelligence AI model. These three components work together to create capable, scalable, and adaptable robotic hands for high-value work. “We have vison-only robots and a variety of different robots that do really good work today, which is moving objects and so on, but
Building robots that survive the warehouse
The Robot Report Podcast · Building robots that survive the warehouse In Episode 256 of The Robot Report Podcast, we talk with Josh Cloer, general manager for North America at Nomagic. Josh Cloer, general manager at Nomagic. Cloer is a commercial leader who has consistently turned breakthrough robotics technology into tangible business results. As general manager at Nomagic, he is expanding the company’s footprint into North America, deploying physical AI systems that bring a new l
How Robin, the robotic companion, keeps patients calm during hospital visits
Robin is designed to support healthcare teams and patients. | Source: Expper Technologies Every day, staffers in pediatrics hospitals and nursing home are doing everything they can to keep their patients calm and cooperative. In around 30 hospitals, dental clinics, and adult care facilities, this work is aided by Robin, a mobile robot from Expper Technologies. Robin is a socially assistive robot that aims to enhance the emotional well-being of the people it interacts with. The robot is kid-sized
Report looks at advances in autonomous mobile robots
Global demand for autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, is again on the rise, propelled by labor costs and shortages, as well as the need for greater operational flexibility and speed. At the same time, the technology continues to evolve, as AMRs become smarter and more nimble. The global market for autonomous mobile robots will grow from nearly $5 billion in 2024 to $14 billion in 2030, predicted Interact Analysis. While the market slowed immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, it shows s
HII signs up to $900M agreement with Path Robotics, GrayMatter Robotics
Rove pairs Path Robotics’ Obsidian physical AI model with legged robot for autonomous welding beyond fixed cells. | Source: Path Robotics Huntington Ingalls Industries, or HII, today announced long-term performance-based production agreements with GrayMatter Robotics and Path Robotics. Under the agreements, HII intends to award up to $900 million in total shipbuilding work to Path Robotics and GrayMatter across seven years. Path Robotics provides robotic welding technology, while GrayMatte
University of Florida opens new robotics lab dedicated to industrialized construction
The Autodesk Design and Make Laboratory will be housed within the University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning’s Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory. | Credit: Autodesk The University of Florida (UF) has opened a robotics lab dedicated to industrialized construction, funded by a $1 million donation from Autodesk. The lab will aim to address Florida’s housing shortage and an impending surge in retirements among the construction workforce. The donation follows Autodes
Avnet and Weston Robot partner to launch edge AI inspection platform
Developed by Avnet and Weston Robot, the AI-powered autonomous inspection robot performs inspections across complex industrial environments. | Credit: Avnet Tech distributor Avnet and robotics integrator Weston Robot are bringing edge-based artificial intelligence to the factory floor. The companies are creating a new real-time autonomous inspection platform powered by quadruped robots. Weston Robot integrates quadruped, humanoid, and mobile robot-based applications for its customers. Applicatio
Why perception is the key to scaling industrial autonomy
Editor’s Note: Mel Torrie, co-founder and CEO of Autonomous Solutions Inc., will be speaking at RoboBusiness. Learn more about the ideas shaping the future of robotics and hear directly from industry leaders at RoboBusiness, October 20–21 in Santa Clara, Calif. The era of simple automation is over. For decades, the promise of autonomy was judged by one question: Can a machine operate safely without continuous human input? Today, that question has been answered. The defining question for
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Real World AI Stage features robots, automated factories, and extinct animals
On our new Real World AI stage, we’ll be focusing on the intersection between the digital and physical, and all the ways we’ll continue to see a blending of the two.
Zoox unveils production-ready robotaxi for U.S. expansion
Zoox plans for the latest generation its robotaxi to become the production version as the company scales production to 100 vehicles per week and continues to rollout service to new U.S. cities. | Credit: Zoox Armed with feedback from more than half a million riders, autonomous vehicle pioneer Zoox has unveiled the final production design of its purpose-built robotaxi. The company said its latest vehicle will ready its custom, driverless fleet for mass manufacturing and immediate commercial expa
U.S. Navy picks Blue Water Autonomy to use autonomous vessels for deep ocean surveys
Blue Water Autonomy’s Liberty Class is a 190-foot steel autonomous ship. | Source: Blue Water Autonomy Blue Water Autonomy, a Boston-based technology and shipbuilding company, has been selected for a multiple-award contract with the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO). Blue Water Autonomy will provide high-resolution ocean floor mapping using long-endurance uncrewed surface vessels. “Mapping the open ocean is exactly the kind of long, high-endurance work that autonomous vessels ar
Humanoids won’t scale on factory floors until costs drop
Following a successful pilot with Figure 02 at its plant in Spartanburg, S.C., BMW said it will deploy the new Figure 03 humanoid. | Source: BMW Group While the tech industry thinks AI is the main barrier for robots joining the manufacturing workforce, the real issue has less to do with intelligence and more to do with robotic unit economics and financial viability. AI has come a long way, vision systems have matured, foundation models keep getting better and the hardware has significantly impro
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How One Startup Built a (Mostly) China-Free Robot
Ati Robotics assembles its robots in India and uses just a few Chinese parts—a strategy that could pay off as the Trump administration cracks down on Chinese humanoids.
igus launches energy chain with 600-degree rotation for industrial robots
The new power chain is designed for industrial applications such as palletizing. Source: igus Motion plastics leader igus GmbH has announced a new self-supporting twisterchain energy chain that it said delivers reliable cable management through rotation angles of more than 600° on compact industrial robots. This rotary module sits in a sag around the robot base. As the robot rotates, it lifts step by step to a new level, enabling full 360° rotation without colliding with the connector plate, igu
HEBI Robotics earns NASA SBIR grant to fast track miniaturized actuators
Clockwise from top left: HEBI’s T-Series, R-Series, and H-Series actuators. | Source: HEBI Robotics HEBI Robotics today said it has obtained a new NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract. With the contract, HEBI will fast-track its miniaturized high torque density modular actuators for SmallSats and challenging environments. “With space becoming increasingly commercialized, there is real demand for affordable, versatile, and scalable mass-production of robotic systems tha
Reimagine Robotics emerges from stealth with robots that ‘learn on the job’
CEO Jonathan Scholz of Reimagine Robotics with the startup’s system. Source: Reimagine Robotics Artificial intelligence is enabling robots to learn on the job, according to Reimagine Robotics Ltd. The startup, which emerged from stealth today, is developing technology that it claimed anyone can train and use. “A useful robot should be able to learn from the person doing the work,” stated Jonathan Scholz, co-founder and CEO of Reimagine Robotics. “They should be able to show it a task, put
Google DeepMind says Gemini Robotics 2 enables full body control
DeepMind says Gemini Robotics 2 can control the five-fingered, 22 degree-of-freedom SharpaWave hand on Apptronik’s Apollo 2 humanoid. | Source: Google DeepMind Google DeepMind last week unveiled Gemini Robotics 2, the latest version of its vision-language-action, or VLA, model. With the first version, the company showed how Gemini’s multimodal understanding could drive real-world action. The updated version includes intelligent whole-body control, advanced dexterity, and multi-robot
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