Archives - 2026 - Page 17

OpenAI will discontinue its standalone Sora video app months after launch, redirecting resources toward world simulation research aimed at advancing robotics and physical AI.

A new profession is emerging in China as human trainers teach humanoid robots real-world tasks, helping bridge the gap between laboratory demonstrations and practical deployment.

Oxford spinout Stateful Robotics has raised $4.8 million to develop an AI platform designed to give robots memory and long-horizon planning capabilities for real-world industrial deployments.

Researchers in Japan have developed a radiation-tolerant Wi-Fi receiver capable of operating in extreme nuclear environments, potentially enabling wireless robots for decommissioning tasks.

Draganfly and Palladyne AI have completed a key integration milestone combining SwarmOS autonomy software with mission-ready drone hardware, advancing distributed drone swarm capabilities for defense applications.

Unitree Robotics’ planned IPO highlights growing investor confidence in humanoid robots as analysts forecast a multi-trillion-dollar market for physical AI by mid-century.

A strawberry-harvesting robot developed by researchers at the University of Essex has won a national AI and robotics award, highlighting growing momentum for agricultural automation amid global farm labour shortages.

LG Electronics is expanding its robotics ambitions by developing and manufacturing robot actuators in-house, positioning itself as a key supplier in the global robotics ecosystem.

Renault has begun deploying Calvin-40 robots in its Douai electric vehicle plant, using AI-trained machines to handle repetitive assembly tasks and accelerate EV production.

Elon Musk has unveiled Terafab, a massive semiconductor facility planned near Austin, Texas, designed to produce custom AI chips for Tesla vehicles, Optimus robots, SpaceX satellites, and xAI models.

HD Hyundai has launched trials of humanoid robots designed for welding in shipyards, aiming to improve safety and efficiency by applying AI trained on the techniques of skilled welders.

More than 300 humanoid robots from universities and companies across China will compete in Beijing’s upcoming android half marathon, highlighting rapid advances in robot locomotion and autonomy.

Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics has filed for a Shanghai IPO seeking more than $600 million, as investors increasingly focus on the emerging humanoid robotics industry.

NVIDIA is expanding its Isaac robotics platform with new AI models, simulation tools, and data pipelines designed to help developers build general-purpose robots and deploy them at scale.

Humanoid robots will compete in the world’s second half marathon for androids in Beijing, with teams aiming to dramatically improve performance and potentially challenge human running records.