Robotics
100 reportsRobot safety and actuators supply complementary evidence rather than a single decisive result. Together they clarify how motion is controlled and what failure modes occur, distinguishing a laboratory demonstration from a dependable operational system.
Robotic Hands Struggle With Real Objects Despite Athletic Feats
Humanoid robots can now perform acrobatics and dance routines but still fail at reliably folding laundry or handling fragile objects. New research highlights why tactile sensing and unpredictable environments remain unsolved barriers.
Figure and Nscale plan massive GPU buildout for robot AI training
Figure and Nscale have announced a multi-billion dollar partnership to deploy up to 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs for training general-purpose humanoid robot AI models, aiming to overcome the data and compute bottlenecks in physical intelligence research
XPeng begins mass production of IRON humanoid robot in Guangzhou
XPeng has started manufacturing its IRON humanoid robot at a dedicated facility in Guangzhou, aiming to scale up production with automated lines as rivals like Tesla face delays in bringing similar robots to market.
Humanoid Robot GEAIR 2.0 Automates Tomato Flower Pollination in Beijing
A humanoid robot called GEAIR 2.0 has been demonstrated in Beijing performing autonomous hybrid pollination of tomato flowers. The system aims to reduce manual labor in crop breeding by combining robotics, AI, and gene editing in real greenhouse conditions.
Zeroth releases Bridge robot and open-source platform for embodied AI
Zeroth has launched Bridge, a desktop-sized humanoid robot built for AI research, along with OpenBridge, an open-source platform for sharing robot skills and development tools. The system is aimed at researchers and hardware builders interested in real-world embodied AI.
Fluffy Robot MOFU Tested for Lifelike Movement in Animacy Study
A Japanese team built MOFU, a spherical robot that expands and contracts its body to test whether volumetric movement makes machines seem more alive. Nearly 500 participants rated its lifelikeness in controlled video experiments
AEON Humanoid Robot Begins Industrial Training at Schaeffler Facility
Hexagon Robotics and Schaeffler have started training the AEON humanoid robot in a dedicated industrial environment in Germany, aiming to equip the system for manufacturing tasks and prepare for a planned rollout of at least 1,000 units
Unitree G1 Robot Demonstrates Autonomous Sparring Using UnifoLM-X2-1.0
Unitree Robotics has released footage of its G1 humanoid robot sparring with a human using the UnifoLM-X2-1.0 AI model, highlighting advances in predictive perception and autonomous motion planning for dynamic physical tasks
Lynx Wheel Legged Robot Tackles Desert Terrain in Field Test
DEEP Robotics has released new footage of its Lynx wheel legged robot navigating loose sand and steep slopes in a desert environment, demonstrating the platform's hybrid mobility and environmental resilience for hazardous industrial tasks
AGIBOT releases real-world robot failure data for embodied AI research
AGIBOT has published the WORLD 2026 dataset, offering over 11000 real-world robot task trajectories-including failures and human interventions-to support reinforcement learning and embodied AI beyond curated demonstrations
Autonomous Bricklaying Robots Face Real Construction Site Obstacles
Monumental has begun deploying autonomous robots to build brick walls on commercial construction sites, aiming to address labor shortages and rising costs. The company's approach highlights the technical and operational hurdles of moving robotics from controlled labs to unpredictable real-world environments
ROBOTIS Open Humanoid GYM Lets Students Train Robots With Real Hardware
ROBOTIS has launched the Open Humanoid GYM Project, giving university teams direct access to humanoid robots and simulation tools for hands-on AI behavior development, bridging the gap between virtual training and physical deployment
Galileo X Robot Platform Unifies Wheels, Legs, and Off-Road Mobility
Galileo Robotics has introduced Galileo X, a modular ground robot platform that merges wheeled, legged, and off-road mobility in a single system, aiming to simplify deployment across warehouses, rough terrain, and complex environments
3D-Printed Soft Robotic Hand Shows Delicate Grip and Strength in Lab Tests
A research team at KAIST has built a 3D-printed soft robotic hand that can cradle fragile objects and lift heavy ones, using AI to optimize the material's stretchability and durability for advanced manipulation tasks
NVIDIA's COMPASS Framework Targets Faster Robot Navigation Training
NVIDIA's COMPASS system combines pretrained navigation models, reinforcement learning, and AI agents to adapt robot movement across machines and environments, aiming to reduce retraining time while keeping human oversight in the loop
Berkeley Humanoid Lite Uses 3D-Printed Actuators to Slash Robot Costs
A research team at UC Berkeley has released the open-source Berkeley Humanoid Lite, a customizable robot platform built with 3D-printed actuators and off-the-shelf parts, aiming to lower the barrier to humanoid robotics research and experimentation
Machine Vision System Guides Surgeons in Live Brain Tumor Removal
A machine-learning system processed live endoscopic video to help surgeons identify critical anatomy during a pituitary tumor operation, aiming to reduce the risk of vision loss in a high-stakes clinical trial in London
Quadruped Robot Demonstrates Dynamic Leaping Through Tight Spaces
A research team has built a hierarchical reinforcement learning system that enables a four-legged robot to leap through narrow gates at speed, coordinating vision and movement in real-world tests inspired by animal agility
Industrial Robot Arm Repurposed for Automated Badminton Training
A surplus Denso VS-050 industrial robot arm has been adapted into a programmable badminton training machine, delivering repeatable shuttlecock serves for solo practice and testing the limits of industrial robotics in recreational sport settings
Drone Uses Tactile Sensing to Perch on Branches and Save Power
Researchers at TU Delft have built a drone that uses tactile sensors to locate and grip branches, allowing it to perch in cluttered environments and conserve battery by shutting down its motors once attached
Mechanical Oscillator Defies Instability Using Only Precise Timing
Researchers have demonstrated a mechanical oscillator that remains upright by switching between two unstable states without using sensors or feedback, challenging assumptions about how machines maintain balance
Soft Robots Demonstrate Continuous Jumping Using Infrared Light
Engineers at North Carolina State University have built soft robots that can repeatedly jump when illuminated by infrared light, using a self-resetting mechanical design that eliminates the need for motors or external resetting devices
Six-Legged Robot Learns Adaptive Walking From Stick Insect Movements
A research team has developed a six-legged robot that uses AI to learn walking strategies from stick insect movement data, enabling it to adapt to uneven terrain and physical damage in laboratory tests
Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics Launch Open-Source Microduck Robot
Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics have introduced Microduck, a $399 open-source bipedal robot designed for hands-on AI and reinforcement learning research, with pre-orders open and shipments planned before Christmas 2026
Humanoid Robots Complete 100 Rallies in Live Tennis Match in Beijing
Galbot's humanoid robots demonstrated autonomous tennis play against human athletes at the Second World Humanoid Robot Games, completing over 100 consecutive rallies and highlighting advances in real-world robot perception and control
New Algorithm Brings Humanlike Depth Perception to Humanoid Robots
A research team at York University has introduced a convergent binocular stereo algorithm that enables humanoid robots to estimate depth and object orientation more like humans, with tested improvements on a challenging benchmark dataset
Chinese Humanoid Robot Lightning Runs 100m Faster Than Usain Bolt
A Chinese-built humanoid robot named Lightning has reportedly completed a 100-meter sprint in 9.32 seconds during a controlled test in Beijing, surpassing the human world record and raising new questions about the limits and risks of high-speed bipedal robotics
US Labs Test Large-Scale Metal 3D Printing for Nuclear Vessels
Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratories have demonstrated wire arc additive manufacturing to produce steel pressure vessels for nuclear energy, aiming to address US forging capacity limits and accelerate component qualification
Chinese Robotics Firms Demonstrate Humanoids for Aviation and Security Tasks
At the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Chinese companies are presenting humanoid and quadruped robots for aviation, security, and industrial roles, with demonstrations highlighting both technical progress and ongoing challenges in real-world deployment
RealMan Robotics Targets 1,000 RealBOT Deployments With Remote Control
RealMan Robotics plans to deploy nearly 1,000 RealBOT robots in 2026, using remote human control and real-world data to improve performance in unpredictable environments such as pharmacies, factories, and kitchens
GEN-1.5 Robot Model Imitates Physical Tasks After One Short Demo
Generalist AI has introduced GEN-1.5, a foundation model for robots that attempts new physical tasks after observing a single brief demonstration, with no fine-tuning or retraining required
Nori A3 Robot Offers Low-Cost Entry to Home Robotics Experimentation
Nori Robotics has introduced the Nori A3, a $1,688 American-assembled humanoid robot designed for household tasks. The system targets developers and enthusiasts seeking accessible hardware for practical automation and experimentation.
RoboScience Unveils REX G1 Humanoid Robot for Dynamic Workspaces
RoboScience has released the REX G1, a wheeled humanoid robot designed to perform object handling and manipulation in logistics, manufacturing, and retail settings, with a focus on adapting to existing environments and variable tasks
Humanoid Robots Face Real-World Hotel and Library Tasks in Beijing
China's World Humanoid Robot Games evaluated robots on hotel service, household chores, and library shelving, testing their ability to operate autonomously and adapt to unpredictable real-world environments
China Demonstrates Teleoperated Humanoid Robot for Hazardous Missions
China North Industries Group Corporation has presented Fuxi, a full-size humanoid robot designed for remote-controlled reconnaissance and operations in hazardous environments, highlighting the technical and economic challenges of real-world deployment
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