Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

WSU researchers design robot that can pick ‘hidden strawberries’

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By Shawn Vestal, WSU News

Strawberries are delicate and hard to harvest – easily bruised and often hidden under a canopy of leaves.

This creates headaches for scientists trying to design robotic harvesters. Now a Washington State University-led team has designed one that combines an artificial-intelligence vision system, soft silicone “fingers”, and a fan that gently move leaves out of the way to get at hidden fruit.

Experiments in the lab and in outdoor fields showed that the harvester correctly detected strawberries 80 percent of the time, on average, and could classify whether the berries were hidden 93 percent of the time. [Read more…] about WSU researchers design robot that can pick ‘hidden strawberries’

Agricultural robots: Precision farming and autonomous harvesting

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The latest in robotic solutions for planting, monitoring, spraying, and harvesting crops to improve yields and sustainability

Amid rising labor shortages, mounting input costs, and pressure to boost sustainable yields, agriculture is increasingly turning to robotics.

Operating in unstructured, outdoor conditions – from muddy fields to rugged orchard rows – robots are offering tangible operational and environmental benefits.

This article explores how robots are reshaping farming, delivering results that matter to both engineers and investors. [Read more…] about Agricultural robots: Precision farming and autonomous harvesting

Honeywell raises $600 million for ‘developer of the world’s highest-performing quantum computer’

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Honeywell has announced an approximately $600 million equity capital raise for Quantinuum, developer of what the companies say is “the world’s highest-performing quantum computer”, at a pre-money equity valuation of $10 billion.

Quanta Computer, NVentures (Nvidia’s venture capital arm) and QED Investors have joined existing shareholders JPMorganChase, Mitsui, Amgen, Cambridge Quantum Holdings, Serendipity Capital and Honeywell – all of whom have reinvested in this round. The round also includes participation from new investors MESH and Korea Investment Partners.

This capital raise will support Quantinuum’s advancement of quantum computing at scale, which includes continued progress toward the upcoming launch of Helios, the company’s next generation quantum computing system that is expected to launch this year. [Read more…] about Honeywell raises $600 million for ‘developer of the world’s highest-performing quantum computer’

Why Legal Representation is Essential for Truck Drivers

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Truck drivers face unique legal challenges that can jeopardize their careers, finances, and freedom. From navigating complex federal regulations to defending against accident claims, professional drivers operate in a legal landscape far more intricate than regular motorists encounter.

Having qualified legal representation isn’t just beneficial for truck drivers – it’s essential for protecting their livelihoods and rights.

The trucking industry operates under stringent federal oversight, creating numerous opportunities for legal complications that can devastate unprepared drivers. Understanding when and why to seek legal counsel can mean the difference between career preservation and professional ruin. [Read more…] about Why Legal Representation is Essential for Truck Drivers

ABB and B&R bring joint automation technologies for brewery and beverage to drinktec 2025

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ABB and its machine and factory automation business, B&R Industrial Automation, will exhibit brewery and beverage technologies together at drinktec 2025, the world economic summit for the beverage and liquid food industry.

The event, running between September 15 and 19 at the Trade Fair Center Messe in Munich, Germany, will give visitors a chance to see how ABB technologies combine to optimize operations across the full production cycle.

Spanning process control, adaptive manufacturing and digital optimization, ABB and B&R solutions can be combined into a single, interoperable platform to support safer operations, improve quality control and reduce resource utilization. [Read more…] about ABB and B&R bring joint automation technologies for brewery and beverage to drinktec 2025

Tesollo showcases new hand technology at APEC ministerial meeting

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Tesollo, a leading robot manufacturing company in Korea, will unveil its cutting-edge robotic hand technology at K-Innoshow 2025, held in conjunction with the 2025 APEC SME Ministerial Meeting at the Jeju International Convention Center (ICC Jeju).

K-Innoshow, hosted by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups, is the country’s largest technology innovation exhibition, where innovative SMEs present their R&D achievements and breakthrough technologies each year.

This year’s event, aligned with the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting, is expected to serve as a key gateway for global market entry and international cooperation. [Read more…] about Tesollo showcases new hand technology at APEC ministerial meeting

Kuka launches new autonomous mobile robot platform

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Kuka has expanded its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) lineup with the launch of the KMP 250P, a mobile platform designed to carry goods and components weighing up to 250 kilograms.

The system, which can also be fitted with a lifting unit, will be available for order in December 2025.

The German automation specialist said the new model adds to its existing AMR portfolio, which already includes platforms with payloads of up to 3,000 kilograms. [Read more…] about Kuka launches new autonomous mobile robot platform

Hanwha to invest $5 billion into shipbuilding in Philadelphia

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Hanwha Group has announced a $5 billion infrastructure plan for Hanwha Philly Shipyard as part of South Korea’s commitment to supporting growth of the US shipbuilding industry through a $150 billion investment fund.

The announcement was made in time for the christening of a new training vessel, the US Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) third National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV).

The naming ceremony, which took place at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, was attended by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the First Lady, and other senior officials. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Todd Young also joined the event. [Read more…] about Hanwha to invest $5 billion into shipbuilding in Philadelphia

After doing the laundry, Figure AI humanoid robot loads the dishwasher

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Helix, humanoid robotics specialist Figure AI’s Vision Language Action (VLA) model, has shown it can “adapt to dramatically different real-world challenges with nothing more than new data”.

After folding laundry and rearranging packages, Helix is now taking on another everyday task: loading a dishwasher.

At first glance, loading a dishwasher sounds like a simple task – just pick up each object and place it in the dishwasher. [Read more…] about After doing the laundry, Figure AI humanoid robot loads the dishwasher

Intrinsic and Google DeepMind unveil AI breakthrough for multi-robot orchestration

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Intrinsic, a robotics software company owned by Alphabet, parent company of Google, has announced a major advance in artificial intelligence that enables multiple industrial robots to work together in shared environments without colliding.

The development stems from long-term research led by Google DeepMind Robotics – now apparently rebranded as Gemini Robotics – in collaboration with Intrinsic and University College London.

Details of the project were published in Science Robotics under the title “RoboBallet: Planning for Multi-Robot Reaching with Graph Neural Networks and Reinforcement Learning”. [Read more…] about Intrinsic and Google DeepMind unveil AI breakthrough for multi-robot orchestration