News/Robotics
This ain’t Pelé: China tests humanoid robots on soccer fields in rare tech reveal
CNN Business reporter Marc Stewart gained exclusive access to China's AI-powered robotics industry, including a company testing humanoid robots on soccer fields. The rare behind-the-scenes look highlights China's strategic push to dominate advanced technologies, with applications spanning from commercial delivery services to potential military uses. What you should know: China is aggressively developing AI-powered robotics as part of its broader technological leadership strategy.• Companies are using soccer as a testing ground for humanoid robot development, providing a complex environment to refine AI capabilities and physical coordination.• The robotics applications extend far beyond sports, with potential uses in food delivery, manufacturing,...
read Jul 9, 2025Hugging Face launches $299 desktop robot to democratize AI development
Hugging Face has launched Reachy Mini, a $299 desktop robot designed to democratize AI-powered robotics development for its 10 million platform users. The 11-inch humanoid companion represents the company's boldest hardware expansion since acquiring French robotics startup Pollen Robotics in April, directly challenging the industry's traditional high-cost, closed-source model with radical transparency and affordability. What you should know: Reachy Mini packs sophisticated AI capabilities into an affordable desktop form factor that integrates natively with Hugging Face's development ecosystem. The robot features six degrees of freedom in its moving head, full body rotation, animated antennas, wide-angle camera, multiple microphones, and a...
read Jul 7, 2025Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum drops to $298 in Amazon sale
Amazon is offering the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum with a 60-day capacity bagless station for $298, down from its regular $599 price tag. This deal represents a 50% discount on a premium robot vacuum that combines advanced mapping technology with extended autonomous operation, making high-end home cleaning automation more accessible to consumers. What you should know: The Shark AI Ultra features sophisticated navigation and cleaning systems designed for comprehensive home coverage. The robot uses 360-degree LiDAR vision (laser-based mapping technology) to map homes and clean in a precision matrix grid pattern, taking multiple passes over dirt and...
read Jul 7, 2025The artificial think in getting inked: AI-powered tattoo robots debut in New York, Austin
Body art shops in New York and Austin have begun offering tattoos created by an AI-powered robot developed by startup Blackdot. The robotic system uses a needle attached to a robot arm and computer vision to measure the recipient's skin, reportedly causing less pain than traditional tattooing because the needle doesn't pierce as deeply. How it works: The AI-powered robot combines mechanical precision with computer vision technology to create tattoos on human skin. The device features a needle attached to a robotic arm that uses computer vision to measure and analyze the recipient's skin before tattooing. The system causes less...
read Jul 7, 2025Amazon deploys 1M warehouse robots with new AI traffic controller
Amazon has reached a major milestone with over one million warehouse robots deployed across more than 300 fulfillment centers, while unveiling DeepFleet, a new AI foundation model that acts as a traffic controller for its robotic fleet. The achievement marks Amazon's evolution from testing a handful of shelf-moving robots in 2012 to operating a massive automated workforce that the company says creates more jobs rather than eliminating them. The big picture: Amazon's robotics strategy centers on helping human workers access inventory more efficiently rather than replacing them entirely. CEO Andy Jassy recently tweeted the company's north star question: "How can...
read Jun 26, 2025Dog Day of Summer: AI-powered, emotionally deft robotic canine “Sirius” available for pre-order
Hengbot has launched Sirius, an AI-powered robotic dog companion designed to serve as a customizable digital pet for households. The chihuahua-sized robot features emotional intelligence, voice recognition, and programmable behaviors, marking a significant advancement in consumer robotics as AI technology makes sophisticated robotic pets more accessible to mainstream audiences. What you should know: Sirius represents a new generation of AI-enhanced robotic pets that can learn, interact, and develop personality traits through advanced machine learning capabilities. The robot stands roughly 10 inches tall, weighs 2.2 pounds, and is constructed from aerospace-grade alloy for responsive movement. It features up to 5 TOPS...
read Jun 24, 2025Online training wheels come off as Google DeepMind launches cloudless robot AI
Google DeepMind has released Gemini Robotics On-Device, a new AI model that enables robots to operate completely offline without requiring cloud connectivity. This standalone vision-language-action (VLA) model represents a significant step toward truly autonomous robots that can perform complex tasks like tying shoes or folding shirts while maintaining privacy and reliability in environments with poor internet connectivity. What you should know: The new on-device model eliminates the cloud dependency that limited previous versions of Google's robotics AI. Unlike the hybrid system that required both local and cloud-based processing, this standalone model runs entirely on the robot itself. The model maintains...
read Jun 24, 2025Why AI robots struggle with basic tasks that toddlers master easily
The tech industry stands at a potential inflection point where AI-powered robotics could finally deliver on decades-old promises of household automation and physical assistance. While consumer robotics remained largely unfulfilled during previous computing revolutions, experts now believe AI capabilities may bridge the gap between digital intelligence and physical world applications, potentially addressing labor shortages in caregiving and domestic work. The big picture: Industry leaders frame this moment as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where AI-enabled robots could perform complex physical tasks like household chores and elderly care. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, describes this transformation as...
read Jun 11, 2025ETH Zurich’s badminton-playing robot suggests ESPN for physical AI isn’t coming soon
Scientists at ETH Zurich have developed ANYmal, a quadruped robot that can play badminton using AI-powered perception and movement skills. The robot represents a breakthrough in combining real-time visual processing with physical agility, though its performance against human players reveals significant limitations that highlight ongoing challenges in robotics. How it works: ANYmal resembles a miniature giraffe holding a badminton racket in its teeth, built on a 50-kilogram industrial platform originally designed for oil and gas applications by ANYbotics, an ETH Zurich spinoff company. The robot uses a stereoscopic camera (which creates depth perception like human eyes) for shuttlecock tracking and...
read Jun 6, 2025Blue, white and chrome all over: Smart humanoid robots threaten both blue and white-collar jobs
AI expert Lance Eliot warns that the combination of artificial general intelligence (AGI) with humanoid robots will create a "double-whammy" effect, eliminating both white-collar and blue-collar jobs simultaneously. While current discussions focus primarily on AGI threatening intellectual work, Eliot argues this perspective misses the broader threat when AGI-powered humanoid robots can perform physical tasks traditionally considered safe from automation. The big picture: Current job displacement fears center on AGI replacing white-collar workers due to its intellectual capabilities, leading many to recommend blue-collar work as a safe alternative. AGI is defined as AI that matches human intellect, while artificial superintelligence (ASI)...
read Jun 6, 2025Meta’s Aria Gen 2 smart glasses track biometrics to train AI robots
Meta has unveiled its experimental Aria Gen 2 smart glasses, research-grade wearables packed with advanced sensors that can track users' gaze, movement, and heart rate to understand both their environment and emotional responses. The glasses are currently being used to train robots and develop AI systems that could eventually power consumer smart glasses, representing a significant step toward machines that can interpret the world like humans do. What you should know: The Aria Gen 2 glasses are a major upgrade from Meta's 2020 research glasses, featuring lighter weight, higher accuracy, and more natural appearance while packing sophisticated sensory equipment. Four...
read Jun 4, 2025Asimov’s 1940 insights shape our approach to AI coexistence in 2025
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, introduced in his 1940 short story "Strange Playfellow," offer a foundational framework for ethical AI that remains relevant amid today's accelerating artificial intelligence development. Unlike his sci-fi contemporaries who portrayed robots as existential threats, Asimov pioneered a more nuanced approach by imagining machines designed with inherent safety constraints. His vision of AI governed by simple, hierarchical rules continues to influence both technical AI alignment research and broader conversations about responsible AI development in an era where machines increasingly make consequential decisions. The original vision: Asimov's approach to robots marked a significant departure from the...
read Jun 3, 2025Turkish students develop AI, robotics for disaster preparedness in earthquake-prone nation
NVIDIA is enabling AI-driven disaster response innovation in Türkiye and Syria through strategic grants following the devastating 2020 earthquake. The company's collaboration with Bridge to Türkiye Fund has provided 100 Jetson Nano Developer Kits and $50,000 in funding to eight awardees, powering projects ranging from search-and-rescue robotics to pathogen detection systems. These initiatives demonstrate how emerging AI technologies can enhance preparedness for future disasters while supporting regional education in robotics and embedded systems. The big picture: NVIDIA's Disaster Response Innovation and Education Grant is yielding tangible results in areas hit by a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that claimed 55,000 lives and...
read Jun 2, 2025AI tools exploited by hackers to spread malware
Google DeepMind has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of computer vision with its development of SIMA (Scalable, Interactive, Multimodal Agent), an AI system that can perceive and interact with 3D environments similarly to how humans do. This innovation marks a crucial step toward creating AI agents that can understand and operate within complex visual spaces, potentially transforming how machines assist humans across various applications from healthcare to robotics. The big picture: SIMA represents the first visual foundation model designed specifically to understand and interact with 3D environments as a human would, establishing a new benchmark for embodied AI...
read Jun 2, 2025AI startup gives robots physical responses to emulate human emotions
A 19-year-old entrepreneur is developing technology to give robots simulated bodily functions—including virtual heart rates, body temperature, and sweat responses—to help them better emulate human emotional states. This unconventional approach aims to bridge a fundamental gap in how AI systems interact with humans by introducing physiological feedback mechanisms that could make robots seem more relatable and less uncanny in their interactions with people. The big picture: Teddy Warner, founder of emotional intelligence robotics company Intempus, believes robots need physiological feedback mechanisms to truly understand and interact with humans effectively. Warner argues that current robots follow a simplistic "observation-to-action" model while...
read May 23, 2025European defense tech fund receives €40m boost from EIF
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is strengthening Europe's defense technology sector with a significant €40 million commitment to Keen Venture Partners' defense tech fund. This investment underscores growing recognition of the strategic importance of homegrown defense capabilities across Europe, particularly as geopolitical tensions rise and technological sovereignty becomes increasingly vital to national security interests. The big picture: The European Investment Fund has committed €40 million to Keen Venture Partners' defense technology fund, which aims to raise a total of €125 million. The fund will focus on early-stage startups operating across Europe in critical defense and dual-use technology sectors. Target investment...
read May 21, 2025Baidu reports Q1 2025 earnings amid AI growth
Baidu's recent financial report reveals robust growth across its core businesses, particularly in the AI space. The Chinese tech giant has achieved significant expansion in its AI Cloud offerings while making strategic moves in autonomous transportation. These developments highlight Baidu's continued evolution from a search engine company to a comprehensive AI and technology leader with growing international ambitions. The big picture: Baidu reported solid financial growth in Q1 2025, with total revenues increasing 3% year over year to RMB 32.5 billion ($4.47 billion), driven primarily by its AI-focused businesses. Baidu Core revenue, which encompasses the company's AI initiatives, grew 7%...
read May 20, 2025How Cosmos Reason helps AI understand and act in the real world
Cosmos Reason represents a significant advancement in physical AI, offering multimodal reasoning capabilities that bridge the gap between perception and decision-making in real-world contexts. This new world foundation model (WFM) combines video understanding with chain-of-thought reasoning, enabling it to understand physical common sense and make embodied decisions—capabilities that could transform how robots and autonomous vehicles learn to navigate and interact with their environments. The big picture: Cosmos Reason is designed not just to see but to reason about physical reality, processing both video and text inputs to generate thoughtful responses about real-world situations. The model demonstrates strong physical common-sense reasoning,...
read May 19, 2025AI agents could reshape business but raise urgent governance concerns
As AI agents gain momentum in Forrester's 2025 technology forecast, companies face a complex balance between capturing competitive advantage and managing unpredictable autonomous systems. The emergence of these self-operating AI tools represents both a significant business opportunity and a substantial governance challenge, with mainstream adoption likely requiring several more years of development to ensure safety and reliability. The big picture: Forrester's newly released Top 10 Technologies for 2025 report positions AI agents as a transformative technology trend poised to reshape business operations, while simultaneously flagging significant risks associated with their autonomous capabilities. Clear governance frameworks must evolve alongside the technology,...
read May 19, 2025Chinese humanoid robots fold clothes, make sandwiches…and wholly reshape manufacturing
China is rapidly accelerating its humanoid robot development with unprecedented government support and ambitious goals to address pressing economic challenges. President Xi Jinping's recent inspection of AgiBot's robot facility in Shanghai highlights Beijing's strategic prioritization of this technology as a solution to issues including trade tensions with the U.S., population decline, and economic slowdown. This push represents China's bid to lead a new industrial revolution where humanoid robots could transform manufacturing and other sectors while potentially raising significant implications for global labor markets. The big picture: China is allocating massive resources to position itself as a leader in humanoid robotics...
read May 13, 2025Helsing’s AI-powered underwater surveillance system enhances maritime security
Helsing's new AI-powered underwater surveillance system introduces a significant advancement in maritime security technology. Developed for detecting enemy submarines and ships, the system combines the company's Lura artificial intelligence with SG-1 Fathom drones to create an autonomous network capable of continuous monitoring for months. This innovation emerges as NATO continues to strengthen maritime security in European waters, particularly in the North and Baltic Seas, where detecting underwater threats has become increasingly critical for protecting critical infrastructure. The big picture: Germany-based defense technology company Helsing has unveiled an AI-powered underwater drone surveillance network designed to detect submarines and vessels at sea...
read May 12, 2025LeRobot aims to solve robotics data crisis with public help
The robotics field is racing to solve its "ImageNet moment" – the need for diverse, high-quality datasets that can train robots to generalize across environments and tasks. Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models have shown impressive capabilities, from basic object manipulation to complex household tasks, but their effectiveness is limited by available training data. LeRobot is tackling this challenge by democratizing data collection, making it accessible to ordinary people while establishing standards for consistent, high-quality contributions that could collectively transform robotic learning. The big picture: Generalization in robotics isn't just about advanced models but requires diverse training data that teaches robots to adapt...
read May 9, 2025AI’s mine craft transforms industry with groundbreaking innovations
Mining has long been essential to modern society, providing the raw materials for everything from smartphones to skyscrapers, yet it remains one of the most challenging and hazardous industries. Artificial intelligence is now transforming these operations by enhancing safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. This technological revolution is helping mining companies extract crucial resources while minimizing human risk and environmental impact—potentially reshaping an industry that underpins global manufacturing and infrastructure development. AI augments mining equipment: Autonomous vehicles and machinery are revolutionizing operations in hazardous mining environments. AI-powered autonomous trucks, drills, and loaders now operate with precision in dangerous conditions, simultaneously improving...
read May 9, 2025AI pushes construction towards zero-incident workplaces
Construction's embrace of AI technologies is driving a transformative approach to workplace safety, building on a century of progress that has already reduced occupational fatalities by 90%. Today's innovations combine advanced wearables, autonomous monitoring systems, and AI-powered analytics to create proactive safety ecosystems that protect workers while maintaining productivity. This technological evolution represents the industry's commitment to reaching zero workplace incidents and ensuring every construction worker returns home safely. The big picture: Construction companies are leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to revolutionize workplace safety, moving beyond traditional approaches to create comprehensive safety ecosystems. The industry has already made remarkable...
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