Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

ABB to implement gearless mill drive service program at Codelco copper mines in Chile

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ABB and Codelco are revealing details about their latest collaboration to optimize the Chilean state-owned copper mining company’s maintenance program.

With Chile currently the world’s largest copper producer, this latest long-term service agreement (LTSA) encompasses maintenance, remote diagnostics and skills training to enhance the performance of its gearless mill drive (GMD) systems.

Integrated into ABB’s advanced cloud-based platform, GMD Connect, this will support a combined copper production of around 400,000 metric tons per annum. [Read more…] about ABB to implement gearless mill drive service program at Codelco copper mines in Chile

Systraplan unveils new automatic tread booking systems for tyre manufacturing

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The global tyre industry, constantly striving for higher quality and increased efficiency, has long recognized the critical role of automatic tread booking systems.

Systraplan, a specialist in advanced automation solutions, has taken this a step further with its innovative robotic tread booking systems, delivering significant improvements in product quality, operational output, and cost-effectiveness for tyre manufacturers.

The escalating demands for faster extrusion speeds and accuracy in tyre tread production have rendered traditional manual loading methods increasingly obsolete. [Read more…] about Systraplan unveils new automatic tread booking systems for tyre manufacturing

QCraft sets up European headquarters and partners with Qualcomm

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QCraft has announced plans to establish its European headquarters in Germany and formed a partnership with Qualcomm, marking what the company calls its official entry into the European and global markets.

The Chinese autonomous driving start-up unveiled the strategy at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich.

The new base will oversee research integration, certification processes and business development, with Germany’s automotive ecosystem seen as “fertile ground for QCraft to localize its solutions,” the company said. [Read more…] about QCraft sets up European headquarters and partners with Qualcomm

Alibaba leads $140 million funding round in Chinese humanoid robot start-up X Square Robot

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X Square Robot, a Shenzhen-based humanoid robotics developer, has raised the equivalent of between $100 million and $140 million in its latest financing round, according to multiple reports.

Alibaba Cloud, the artificial intelligence and cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, led the round, which the South China Morning Post reported as a 1 billion yuan (about $140 million) Series A+ investment. CNBC, meanwhile, cited the figure as $100 million.

Other backers include CAS Investment, China Development Bank Capital, HongShan Capital Group, Meituan, and Legend Capital. The deal marks Alibaba Cloud’s first direct investment in the field of embodied intelligence. [Read more…] about Alibaba leads $140 million funding round in Chinese humanoid robot start-up X Square Robot

Güdel showcases new collaborative robot technology at FabTech

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From moving cobots to novel mobile automation solutions, Güdel is highlighting two new technologies at FabTech 2025 Booth #B15015 that demonstrate its unmatched ability to solve automation engineering challenges.

According to market data from A3, The Association for Advancing Automation, the cobot market is approaching 25 percent of the total North American robot market. Güdel will unveil the CoboMover in its FabTech debut, a 7th-axis linear track purpose-built for collaborative and lightweight robots. [Read more…] about Güdel showcases new collaborative robot technology at FabTech

PAL Robotics brings TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo to Asia

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PAL Robotics, a pioneer in humanoid and service robotics, is taking part in two of the most important robotics events in Asia this fall: the 8th Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL 2025) from September 27-30 in Seoul, South Korea, and the 24th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids 2025) from September 30 to October 2, also in Seoul.

These events are an opportunity to showcase TIAGo Pro, PAL Robotics’ versatile mobile manipulator, and Kangaroo, the company’s latest humanoid platform.

Advancing robotics research towards industry

PAL Robotics has spent over 20 years developing humanoid and mobile platforms that support researchers and companies worldwide.

Today, its robots are used to explore fields such as locomotion, grasping, human-robot interaction, and assistive robotics, bridging research and deployment across healthcare, industry, and education.

TIAGo Pro, the user-friendly mobile manipulator, is meant for Human-Robot interaction (HRI). Its advanced navigation and perception makes it an ideal platform for embodied AI and robot learning.

At the same time with Kangaroo, PAL Robotics introduces an agile humanoid robot designed as a legged manipulator for dynamic tasks and advanced locomotion research.

Showcasing innovation in Seoul

PAL Robotics will highlight how both TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo act as platforms for robot learning. Visitors will not only see but also try TIAGo Pro’s teleoperation demo, guiding the robot’s movements in real time.

This hands-on experience demonstrates how teleoperation enables intuitive control, provides valuable data for training robot learning algorithms, and connects AI models with real-world interaction.

At Humanoids 2025, under the global theme “Humanoids Moving Towards Industry”, Kangaroo will appear in live demonstrations, including the first edition of the Robot Fashion Show, walking the runway to showcase its unique design and architecture.

Expanding presence in Asia

By bringing these robots to Asia, PAL Robotics underlines its commitment to strengthening collaborations with researchers, universities, and businesses across the region.

These events are not only an opportunity to demonstrate technological progress, but also to connect with the local community.

Square Robot gains approval for inspection robot

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Square Robot, a specialist in robotic tank inspections, has developed its newest high temperature inspection robot, the SR-3HT, formally receiving the NEC/CEC Class I Division 2 (C1D2) certification.

The SR-3HT is now commercially available and capable of inspecting above-ground storage tanks where the product storage temperatures range from -10℃ to 55℃ (14℉ to 131℉).

The C1D2 certification was issued by FM Approvals, a third-party Nationally Recognized Test Lab, confirming the system safe for use in hazardous locations. [Read more…] about Square Robot gains approval for inspection robot

AI Meets Field Robotics: Why Smart Inspections Go Beyond Automation

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The Hidden Weakness of Automation

At first glance, many workshops give the impression that machines are running the show. A welding arm sends out brief showers of sparks, a drone hovers around a steel beam, and a small transport unit winds its way between stacks of pallets.

From a distance it looks like a closed system without weak points. A closer look tells another story.

Motors that run smoothly for most of the shift can hide tiny fractures that end in sudden stoppage. In one automotive plant, a single unnoticed crack in a gearbox housing forced an entire line to shut down for two days. [Read more…] about AI Meets Field Robotics: Why Smart Inspections Go Beyond Automation

Melania Trump warns ‘the robots are here’ in White House speech

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US First Lady Melania Trump has warned that artificial intelligence and robotics are no longer distant technologies but a reality shaping everyday life, urging careful guidance to avoid potentially dangerous consequences.

Speaking at a White House event to launch the Presidential AI Challenge, Trump told an audience of tech executives, educators, and policymakers: “Cars now steer themselves… robots hold steady hands in the operating room… drones are defining the future of war.”

“The robots are here. Our future is no longer science fiction.” [Read more…] about Melania Trump warns ‘the robots are here’ in White House speech

Tennis-playing robot debuts at technology trade show IFA

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Acemate, a sports-tech innovator dedicated to improving sports lives with AI, has unveiled the Acemate Tennis Robot at IFA 2025, the world’s first AI-powered tennis robot capable of true rally play.

Engineered for players of all levels, from beginners to seasoned competitors, Acemate brings an authentic, human-like rally experience to courts worldwide, forever changing the way tennis is practiced.

Visitors to IFA 2025 can find Acemate at booth #H1.2-164, Messe Berlin. [Read more…] about Tennis-playing robot debuts at technology trade show IFA