Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

GreyOrange teams up with Google Cloud on ‘breakthrough warehouse AI’

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GreyOrange, a provider of warehouse orchestration software and hardware, has agreed a collaboration with Google Cloud to develop GreyMatter DeepNav, an AI-powered solution for dynamically managing and optimizing autonomous robotic operations at scale.

GreyMatter DeepNav will bring unprecedented levels of automation, efficiency, and accuracy to warehouse management for retail, logistics, and supply chain companies worldwide.

Large warehouses use Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to streamline and accelerate operations across the work floor, from receiving to storage, picking, packing, and shipping. But despite the clear benefits of AMRs, many companies struggle with the lengthy ramp-up time of new deployments. [Read more…] about GreyOrange teams up with Google Cloud on ‘breakthrough warehouse AI’

China opens world’s first humanoid robot store. Will the Western world follow?

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China has opened what is being described as the world’s first dedicated humanoid robot store, called “Robot Mall”, offering customers the chance to browse and buy from more than 40 different brands of androids.

Located in Beijing, the shop is part showroom, part dealership, and part interactive exhibition. Visitors can see robots performing a variety of tasks – from greeting customers and demonstrating language skills, to lifting and carrying objects.

The store’s operators say it marks a milestone in bringing humanoid robotics into everyday life, offering models suited for entertainment, education, customer service, and light industrial work. [Read more…] about China opens world’s first humanoid robot store. Will the Western world follow?

Robot orders in North America up by 4.3 percent compared with last year

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The North American robotics industry continued to build momentum in the first half of 2025.

New data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) shows robot orders increased by 4.3 percent and revenue rose 7.5 percent compared to the first half of 2024, a promising sign for continued automation investment amid a complex economic landscape. [Read more…] about Robot orders in North America up by 4.3 percent compared with last year

Pushing the boundaries of music: A humanoid robot learns to play the drums

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An innovative project is transforming the relationship between AI, robotics, and creativity. At its core is a system that teaches a humanoid robot to play the drums – not through direct programming, but through a simulated learning process inspired by how musicians practice and improve. (Video on LinkedIn.)

Picture a live concert where, alongside human musicians, a humanoid robot takes its place behind the drum kit. Science fiction? Maybe for now — but it could soon become reality.

At the forefront of this breakthrough is Asad Ali Shahid, researcher at SUPSI (IDSIA USI-SUPSI) and lead researcher on the project Robot Drummer: Learning Rhythmic Skills for Humanoid Drumming, developed in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano. [Read more…] about Pushing the boundaries of music: A humanoid robot learns to play the drums

DHL’s 1,000-robot push signals a new phase in warehouse automation

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DHL, the world’s largest logistics company, is making one of its biggest single bets yet on robotics, announcing plans to deploy more than 1,000 additional robots across its UK operations as part of a £550 million (€637 million) investment.

The move underscores a broader shift in global logistics toward flexible, AI-powered automation designed to work alongside people rather than replace them.

In a post on LinkedIn, Tobias Meyer, CEO of DHL Group, framed the initiative as part of a wider transformation in how the company operates. [Read more…] about DHL’s 1,000-robot push signals a new phase in warehouse automation

DHL to invest $744 million and install more than 1,000 extra robots to meet growing demand

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DHL Supply Chain says it plans to invest €637 million ($744 million) to expand its infrastructure and accelerate the rollout of automation across its customer operations in UK and Ireland, to support growing demand in the e-commerce and life sciences health care sectors. 

The new investment builds on the €1 billion already spent on automation by DHL Supply Chain over the last three years, with more than 3,200 digitalisation projects deployed across the UK and Ireland and EMEA.

Until 2030, DHL’s contract logistics business plans to significantly increase its scale in UK&I as well as globally, with automation, robotics and digitalisation being a key enabler of this growth. [Read more…] about DHL to invest $744 million and install more than 1,000 extra robots to meet growing demand

Why Safety Relays Are the Unsung Heroes of Modern Industrial Automation

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In a modern factory, where robots work alongside humans and massive conveyor systems operate at high speeds, safety is paramount.

But have you ever stopped to consider how all these machines know when to stop? More often than not, the unsung hero behind this seamless operation is a humble device known as a safety relay.

Imagine this: a worker inadvertently opens a safety gate while a machine is running. In that split second, a safety relay detects the breach and cuts the power, preventing potential harm. [Read more…] about Why Safety Relays Are the Unsung Heroes of Modern Industrial Automation

As Moravec predicted, AI is taking your office jobs but will let you live if you do the dishes and laundry… for now

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The conversation about AI replacing human jobs is no longer entirely hypothetical. We are well past the era of speculative think pieces about whether machines might someday take over our work.

That future is already here – and it’s showing up in surprising places.

What makes this moment different from past automation waves is that AI is now targeting roles once considered safe: creative, analytical, and highly paid white-collar jobs.

The “robots” in question are not assembly line arms, but digital minds like ChatGPT, Claude, and GitHub Copilot – systems capable of generating text, code, images, and even making strategic decisions. [Read more…] about As Moravec predicted, AI is taking your office jobs but will let you live if you do the dishes and laundry… for now

Nidec opens new facility in Germany

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Nidec SYS GmbH, part of Nidec Press & Automation group, has established new facility in the Reismühle industrial park in Grafenau, Germany. The company describes it as “a major milestone in the company’s development and a clear commitment to its location in the Bavarian Forest”.

With a recent festive ceremony, and a subsequent “Open House”, Nidec SYS GmbH celebrated the opening of its new office and production facilities.

The new building marks the next step in the ambitious expansion of Nidec SYS GmbH. With around 130 employees, the company is one of the leading European players in the field of high-speed stamping and forming technology. [Read more…] about Nidec opens new facility in Germany

Fort Robotics raises $18.9 million in new funding to bring total to $60.5 million

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Fort Robotics, a specialist provider of safety and security solutions for intelligent machines, has raised an additional $18.9 million in its Series B funding round. This capital raises the company’s total funding to $60.5 million to date.

The round was led by Tiger Global, with strong participation from both new and returning investors, underscoring confidence in Fort’s crucial role in the rapidly evolving robotics and physical AI landscape.

Fort’s growth is fueled by the robotics industry hitting a critical inflection point. As autonomous systems see large-scale deployments in sectors like autonomous vehicles, agriculture, construction, defense, factory automation, and humanoid robotics, they are increasingly relying on Fort’s solutions. [Read more…] about Fort Robotics raises $18.9 million in new funding to bring total to $60.5 million