News/Robotics
Serve Robotics stock surges on DoorDash partnership for last-mile meal delivery
Serve Robotics stock surged in early trading after the sidewalk delivery robot company announced a multi-year strategic partnership with DoorDash to deploy autonomous delivery vehicles across the United States, beginning with Los Angeles. This expansion marks a significant step in the growing competition among food delivery platforms to integrate robotics technology for last-mile delivery automation. What you should know: The partnership will leverage Serve Robotics' existing autonomous delivery infrastructure to expand DoorDash's robotic delivery capabilities nationwide. Serve Robotics already operates restaurant delivery services in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta through its partnership with Uber Eats. DoorDash currently uses...
read Oct 9, 2025SoftBank acquires ABB robotics for $5.38B to accelerate physical AI ambitions
SoftBank has agreed to acquire ABB's robotics business for $5.38 billion, marking the Japanese conglomerate's largest strategic move into the AI robotics sector. The deal positions SoftBank to accelerate its "Physical AI" ambitions by combining ABB's established robotics platform with its existing portfolio of AI and automation companies, targeting what CEO Masayoshi Son calls the next frontier toward artificial super intelligence. What you should know: This acquisition represents SoftBank's most significant investment in its AI robotics strategy, building on its mission to realize artificial super intelligence (ASI). SoftBank will acquire all shares of a newly carved-out ABB robotics holding company...
read Oct 7, 2025A3 hosts robot safety conference in Houston with focus on R15.06 2025 standard
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) will host the International Robot Safety Conference (IRSC) from November 3-5, 2025, in Houston, Texas, featuring a special focus on the new R15.06 2025 standard. The annual event comes at a time when robotics demand has reached unprecedented levels, making safety standards and risk assessment more critical than ever for manufacturers, integrators, and end users worldwide. What you should know: The conference will spotlight the R15.06 2025 standard, which represents the U.S. national adoption of ISO 10218 for industrial robot safety requirements.• Over 40 safety professionals and regulatory officials from leading organizations will lead...
read Oct 6, 2025Netherlands delivers 150+ THeMIS combat robots to Ukraine
Milrem Robotics will deliver over 150 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine as part of a Dutch-funded defense initiative, with assembly operations being established at VDL Defentec's facility in the Netherlands. This marks one of the largest deployments of unmanned ground vehicles to support Ukraine's defense capabilities, building on the proven battlefield effectiveness of 15 THeMIS units already operating in the country since 2022. Key details: The donation was formally announced on October 6, with Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans joining Milrem Robotics and VDL for a signing ceremony at VDL's Born facility. VDL Defentec, a Dutch defense contractor, is...
read Oct 6, 2025China deploys 300K robots to compensate for manufacturing workforce shrinkage
China installed nearly 300,000 new industrial robots last year—accounting for over half of all global robot installations—as the nation deploys automation to counter a shrinking population that has declined for three consecutive years. This robotic surge is sustaining China's manufacturing dominance despite losing about 2 million people in the latest count, fundamentally reshaping global supply chains and industrial competition. The big picture: China's demographic crisis is driving an unprecedented automation revolution that's keeping factories operational while the working-age population shrinks by tens of millions over the next decade. The country's operational robot stock has surpassed 1 million units, far outpacing...
read Oct 6, 2025Maine launches first robotics symposium to prepare students for automated future
The Maine School of Science and Mathematics hosted its first robotics symposium in Waterville, bringing together families, students, and STEM organizations to introduce Maine's youth to robotics opportunities. The event underscores Maine's growing focus on preparing students for the state's evolving industrial landscape, where automation and robotics play increasingly important roles beyond the traditional agriculture and tourism sectors. What you should know: The symposium aimed to demonstrate that STEM education and careers can thrive in Maine, not just promote the specialized school itself. Robert Constantine, executive director of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, emphasized that "you can do...
read Oct 6, 2025Experts predict Musk’s Mars robots will become “dead husks”
Elon Musk plans to deploy Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots to Mars as early as 2026, positioning them as advance scouts to explore terrain and build infrastructure before human colonization. However, leading robotics experts are raising serious concerns about whether these AI-powered machines can survive Mars' extreme conditions, with some predicting they'll become "dead husks" shortly after arrival due to the planet's harsh environment. The big picture: Musk envisions Optimus robots as the vanguard of his Mars colonization strategy, launching via SpaceX's Starship to scout landing sites and assemble basic habitats before humans arrive. The plan represents a convergence of Musk's...
read Oct 6, 2025Botting the midnight oil: Aramark deploys 24/7 auto-kitchens to feed hospital staff overnight
Aramark has strategically invested in RoboEatz's Autonomous Robotic Kitchen (ARK) technology, partnering with ABB Robotics and WellSpan Health to deploy 24/7 automated meal service in hospitals. This initiative addresses a critical gap in overnight dining options for healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, and hospital visitors who often struggle to find quality food during late-night shifts. What you should know: The ARK system operates within a compact 400-square-foot footprint and can prepare up to four personalized bowl-based meals simultaneously from a selection of up to 80 fresh ingredients.• The robotic kitchen integrates seamlessly with Aramark's existing Point of Sale system, menu management,...
read Oct 6, 2025Serve Robotics deploys 1,000th delivery robot with 2,000 more planned by 2025
Serve Robotics has deployed its 1,000th autonomous delivery robot, marking a major operational milestone for the San Francisco-based company as it scales across the United States. The achievement demonstrates the growing viability of sidewalk delivery robots in last-mile logistics, with Serve maintaining its trajectory toward 2,000 deployed units by the end of 2025. What you should know: Serve deployed more than 380 third-generation robots in September alone, bringing its total fleet to 1,000 active units operating across multiple US markets. The company spun out of Uber in 2021 and has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries for enterprise partners including...
read Oct 3, 2025Primo facie: Chinese robotics startup unveils hyperrealistic robot face with 25 micro motors
AheadForm, a Chinese robotics company founded in 2024, has unveiled the Origin M1, a hyperrealistic robotic face that uses 25 micro motors to create lifelike facial expressions, eye movements, and synchronized speech. The viral demonstration showcases technology designed to make human-robot interactions more natural by interpreting non-verbal cues and conveying emotions, representing a significant step toward mainstream humanoid robotics. The big picture: This development reflects China's aggressive push into humanoid robotics, with AheadForm positioning itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and realistic human simulation technology. How it works: The Origin M1 integrates sophisticated facial actuation systems to achieve remarkably...
read Oct 3, 2025Promise Robotics, Mattamy Homes partner to scale AI-powered homebuilding in Canadian heartland
Promise Robotics, a Canadian AI and robotics technology company, has partnered with Mattamy Homes' Alberta Division in a multi-year agreement to automate homebuilding using AI-powered industrial robots. The collaboration aims to address Canada's housing crisis by scaling construction capacity through Promise's Factory-as-a-Service™ platform, which the company describes as "push-button" home manufacturing. What you should know: Promise Robotics uses off-the-shelf industrial robots to manage the entire production lifecycle for residential construction. The technology will support Mattamy Homes in delivering single-family, semi-detached and multi-family residences across two master-planned communities in Alberta. Promise's Calgary facility is staffed by local workers and supported by...
read Oct 2, 2025NEURA Robotics acquires ek robotics to expand global mobile automation
NEURA Robotics has acquired ek robotics, a German company specializing in autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), adding over 300 employees and six decades of driverless transport expertise to its operations. The acquisition positions NEURA to accelerate growth in mobile robotics while expanding ek robotics' reach from its European stronghold into global markets through NEURA's established presence in China and the United States. What you should know: The deal combines NEURA's cognitive robotics technology with ek robotics' proven intralogistics solutions and customer base. NEURA will integrate its mobile robotics technologies and strong order book into ek robotics'...
read Oct 2, 2025Folding laundry is nice, but is that all? Google’s robots fall short, say experts
Google DeepMind recently showcased its humanoid robot Apollo performing household tasks like folding clothes and sorting items through natural language commands, powered by new AI models Gemini Robotics 1.5 and Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5. While the demonstrations appear impressive, experts caution that we're still far from achieving truly autonomous household robots, as current systems rely on structured scenarios and extensive training data rather than genuine thinking capabilities. What you should know: The demonstration featured Apptronik's Apollo robot completing multi-step tasks using vision-language action models that convert visual information and instructions into motor commands. Gemini Robotics 1.5 works by "turning visual information...
read Oct 2, 2025Linux Foundation launches Newton open-source physics engine for robotics AI
The Linux Foundation has launched Newton, an open-source, GPU-accelerated physics engine co-developed by Disney Research, Google DeepMind, and Nvidia to advance robotics AI development. The platform aims to lower barriers to robotics research by enabling faster, more scalable simulations that help robots learn complex skills and transfer them to real-world applications. What you should know: Newton addresses modern challenges in building generalist robots through advanced simulation capabilities. Built on Nvidia Warp (a programming framework for high-performance computing) and OpenUSD (a universal file format for 3D graphics), the engine delivers GPU-accelerated simulation with a flexible, extensible architecture supporting multiple physics solvers....
read Oct 2, 20258-legged robot “Charlotte” builds 2,000 sq ft homes from dirt and waste in 24 hours
Crest Robotics has unveiled Charlotte, an eight-legged spider-inspired construction robot that builds walls layer by layer using locally sourced dirt, sand, and waste materials. The robot combines autonomous navigation with 3D printing technology to construct flood-resistant, fireproof structures, potentially revolutionizing both earthbound construction and future lunar settlement building. How it works: Charlotte operates as an autonomous construction system that maps building sites and adapts to terrain challenges in real-time. The robot's spider-like legs bend and stretch to navigate obstacles, climb over unfinished flooring, and position precisely where each new layer needs to be deposited. Charlotte maps entire construction sites and...
read Oct 2, 2025Ballerin-AI: Former Macedonian ballet dancer uses tech to transform performance training in Georgia
Former professional ballet dancer Milka Trajkova is now using artificial intelligence to transform dance training and performance analysis at Georgia Tech's Expressive Machinery Lab. Her research bridges the gap between artistic movement and data science, creating AI tools that help dancers perfect their technique while making dance training more accessible and precise. What you should know: Trajkova's journey from ballet dancer to AI researcher began when a toe injury ended her performing career at age 20 with the Macedonian Opera and Ballet. She discovered human-computer interaction (HCI) while studying information systems management, which she describes as "a fusion of design,...
read Sep 30, 2025Bit Gulp: Seven-Eleven Japan to deploy AI humanoid robots in stores by 2029
Seven-Eleven Japan and Telexistence have announced a partnership to develop and deploy humanoid robots powered by generative AI in convenience stores, with commercial rollout planned for 2029. The collaboration aims to address Japan's severe labor shortages while transforming retail operations through "Astra," a humanoid robot equipped with Vision-Language-Action foundation models that can handle routine store tasks. What you should know: The partnership combines Seven-Eleven's massive retail footprint with Telexistence's robotics expertise to create practical AI-powered humanoids for commercial deployment. Astra robots will be designed to handle routine in-store operations, allowing human employees to focus on customer service tasks that require...
read Sep 30, 2025AI in the Chi: Serve Robotics launches autonomous sidewalk delivery in 14 Chicago neighborhoods
Serve Robotics has launched its autonomous sidewalk delivery robots in Chicago through its partnership with Uber Eats, marking the company's first expansion into the Midwest. The rollout spans 14 neighborhoods and brings contact-free delivery from over 100 restaurants to hundreds of thousands of Chicago households, representing a significant milestone in Serve's goal to deploy 2,000 AI-powered delivery robots across the US by the end of 2025. What you should know: Chicago becomes Serve Robotics' fifth major market, following successful deployments in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Atlanta. The service launches across 14 Chicago neighborhoods including Austin, Belmont Cragin, Dunning,...
read Sep 30, 2025Samsung goes silver-collar with robots for shipyard welding amid labor shortages
Samsung Heavy Industries has successfully tested Diden Robotics' quadrupedal welding robot at its shipyard, marking a significant milestone in automating South Korea's labor-intensive shipbuilding industry. The trials validate the potential for widespread deployment of walking robots that can navigate complex ship structures using magnetic feet and autonomous systems, with commercial rollouts planned for 2026. What you should know: The Diden 30 robot demonstrated its ability to perform welding tasks on actual ship blocks under construction, proving its readiness for real industrial applications. The quadrupedal robot uses magnetic feet to traverse steel walls and ceilings, successfully crossing shipyard structures like longitudinal...
read Sep 30, 2025Amazon’s $25K donation launches 3 new robotics clubs in South Dakota
Amazon has donated $25,000 to the Black Hills Robotics Foundation to establish three new robotics clubs in South Dakota. The funding will also support existing clubs with equipment and travel expenses, expanding robotics education opportunities for middle school students in the region. What you should know: The donation will directly fund three new robotics clubs while providing additional support for existing programs in the Black Hills area. The Black Hills Robotics Foundation will determine which three proposed clubs receive funding to launch their programs. Additional money will go toward purchasing new equipment and covering travel fees for existing robotics clubs...
read Sep 30, 2025Google DeepMind launches Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5 for smarter robot reasoning
Google DeepMind has released Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5, a new embodied reasoning model designed specifically for robotic applications that can perform spatial reasoning, multi-step planning, and execution in physical environments. The model represents a significant shift toward separating reasoning from execution in robotics AI, potentially making it easier to adapt advanced AI capabilities across different hardware platforms and accelerating the development of general-purpose robots. What you should know: Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5 is now available in preview through Google AI Studio and the Gemini API, offering developers a new approach to robotic intelligence. The model can output precise 2D points grounded in...
read Sep 29, 2025NY’s Alfred State gets $474K NSF grant for robotics technician training
Alfred State has been awarded a $474,019 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop educational pathways for robotics and automation technicians in agricultural and industrial sectors. The funding addresses the growing demand for skilled technicians in automation—a critical need for maintaining food security and supporting manufacturing workforces in rural areas. What you should know: The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant will fund a comprehensive program designed to prepare students for high-paying automation careers through innovative educational strategies. Assistant Professors Jessica Hutchison and Dr. Mohamed Eleshaky are leading the project titled "Developing a Robotics and Automation Technician Pathway for the...
read Sep 29, 2025Globo-Robo advances though Chinese dominance commands 54% market share
Industrial robot installations worldwide doubled over the past decade, reaching 542,000 units in 2024 according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), a global trade association that tracks automation trends. This surge reflects industries' accelerating shift toward digitization and automation, with China leading the charge by capturing 54% of global installations while European markets show concerning declines. The big picture: Asia dominates the global robotics landscape, accounting for 74% of new deployments compared to just 16% in Europe and 9% in the Americas. China's commanding lead: The country installed 295,000 robotic units in 2024, representing more than half of global...
read Sep 29, 2025Apple supplier BOE launches $28M robotics unit amid China’s market dominance
Chinese display manufacturer BOE Technology Group has launched Beijing BOE Robot, a new subsidiary focused on developing industrial robots and AI software, with registered capital of 200 million yuan ($28 million). The move positions the Apple supplier to capitalize on China's dominance in industrial robotics, where the country deployed 295,000 robots in 2024—accounting for 54% of global installations. What you should know: BOE, the world's largest display maker, established the robotics subsidiary on Thursday as part of a broader trend among major manufacturers pursuing automation technologies.• The new company will focus specifically on industrial robots and artificial intelligence software development.•...
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