Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Interview: Parallel Systems CEO Matt Soule on building ‘the world’s first autonomous freight rail system’

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Autonomous trucks have dominated discussion around the future of freight transportation for much of the past decade, attracting billions of dollars in investment and extensive media attention. Yet another mode of transport – freight rail – is quietly undergoing its own transformation.

Matt Soule, founder and CEO of Parallel Systems, believes autonomous rail could become one of the most significant developments in logistics.

A former SpaceX engineer who spent 13 years helping develop advanced aerospace systems, Soule founded the Los Angeles-based company with the goal of reimagining rail freight using autonomous, battery-electric technology. [Read more…] about Interview: Parallel Systems CEO Matt Soule on building ‘the world’s first autonomous freight rail system’

How Sony AI’s table tennis robot is advancing physical AI

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Although Omron and Kuka have demonstrated similar systems before, a table tennis-playing robot may still sound like a novelty to some. After all, industrial robots already assemble cars, sort parcels and weld metal with remarkable precision.

But for researchers working at the intersection of robotics and artificial intelligence, table tennis represents one of the most demanding real-world tests imaginable.

A successful table tennis player must perceive a fast-moving object, predict its trajectory, decide on a response, position themselves correctly and execute a precise movement – all within fractions of a second. The challenge combines vision, motion planning, control, prediction and decision-making in a constantly changing environment. [Read more…] about How Sony AI’s table tennis robot is advancing physical AI

From oil platforms to power plants: Dietsmann showcases robotics-driven maintenance in Africa

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Dietsmann, the independent specialist in operation and maintenance (O&M) services for energy production facilities, will participate as a Bronze Sponsor at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 – taking place from October 12-16 in Cape Town.

The sponsorship deepens a presence in African energy that stretches back decades and reflects the company’s growing role in the policy conversation after it joined the African Energy Chamber earlier this year.

Dietsmann’s participation at AEW 2026 reflects the growing role of specialist maintenance contractors in Africa’s energy industry. With much of the continent’s production now coming from mature fields, the contractors that keep those facilities running reliably and at lower cost have become more important than ever. [Read more…] about From oil platforms to power plants: Dietsmann showcases robotics-driven maintenance in Africa

Teradyne Robotics unveils production-ready physical AI applications at Automate 2026

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Teradyne Robotics, the company that owns Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots, will demonstrate how physical AI is transforming industrial automation at Automate 2026 in Chicago, June 22-25 at booth #1250.

“Physical AI is on full display across our robotic solutions at Automate,” said Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group.

“The demos we are presenting are real and deployable. Manufacturers can purchase the physical AI‑enabled applications we have on display, including our first physical AI-product the MiR1200 Pallet Jack, today – delivered through our global ecosystem of system integrators and partners – to automate tasks that have traditionally been difficult or impractical for robots, including those in dynamic and unstructured environments.” [Read more…] about Teradyne Robotics unveils production-ready physical AI applications at Automate 2026

MassRobotics honors Stanford’s Allison Okamura and Seoul National University’s Ayoung Kim with 2026 robotics medals

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MassRobotics, a robotics innovation organization, announced its 2026 Robotics Medal and Rising Star recipients at the recent IEEE ICRA conference in Vienna.

The Robotics Medal is the world’s first major award to recognize the wide-ranging impact of female researchers focusing on the development of robotics around the globe.

The Robotics Medal is awarded to a nominated woman researcher in robotics to recognize her impactful contributions to the field and includes a $50,000 prize awarded to the individual. [Read more…] about MassRobotics honors Stanford’s Allison Okamura and Seoul National University’s Ayoung Kim with 2026 robotics medals

What is a US Residential Proxy and Why Businesses Need One in 2026

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The internet in 2026 is not a level playing field. Depending on where your IP address is located, you might see an entirely different version of a website than someone sitting in New York or Chicago.

Prices change. Search results shift. Certain content doesn’t load at all. And if you’re running automated research or data collection, there’s a good chance you’ve already run into CAPTCHAs, rate limits, or outright IP bans.

For businesses trying to operate in or research the US market from abroad, or even domestically at scale, this creates a real problem. The solution that more and more companies are turning to is residential proxies. But before diving into the why, it’s worth answering the obvious question: what is a residential proxy, exactly? [Read more…] about What is a US Residential Proxy and Why Businesses Need One in 2026

QCraft demonstrates urban NOA on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon Ride chip, targets 2026 global mass production

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QCraft has demonstrated its urban Navigate-on-Autopilot (NOA) system running on Qualcomm’s SA8650P Snapdragon Ride platform in production vehicles, putting the autonomous driving company on track for global mass production this year.

The demonstration took place on June 5 at Qualcomm’s Automotive Technology and Cooperation Summit in Wuxi, China, where attendees took live test rides in SA8650P-equipped production cars navigating real urban traffic.

According to QCraft, the vehicles handled unprotected left turns, mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic, tunnels, transitions between main roads and side streets, and congested maneuvering with smooth, human-like control. [Read more…] about QCraft demonstrates urban NOA on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon Ride chip, targets 2026 global mass production

The Role of RF Connectors in Robotic Vision, Sensor Communication, and Automated Inspection Systems

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Robotic vision and automated inspection love to dress up as software victories. Fast GPUs. Smart models. Slick dashboards. None of that survives a dirty physical signal path. A camera can’t “compute” its way past a noisy clock.

A sensor can’t “average” its way out of an interface that loosens after ten thousand tiny vibrations. This is where RF connectors stop being accessories and start being governing parts. They decide what reaches the processor, when it arrives, and how cleanly it arrives.

In factories that run through the night, connectors don’t just connect. They decide whether the inspection tells the truth or sells a comforting lie. [Read more…] about The Role of RF Connectors in Robotic Vision, Sensor Communication, and Automated Inspection Systems

Why Choose Solana for Blockchain App Development?

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The reasons behind choosing Solana for Blockchain App Development.

The next-generation decentralized blockchain, Solana, is going down the path of popularity. It’s a project which can be scaled and has multiple modern technologies.

Solana was launched in 2017, it’s a secure and decentralized infrastructure that support numerous nodes without compromising performance. Furthermore, it is among the fastest-growing worldwide blockchains, and is similar to its competitor, Ethereum. [Read more…] about Why Choose Solana for Blockchain App Development?

10 Best Traffic Management and Queueing Solutions for High-Traffic Websites in 2026

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Watching a server collapse under the weight of an unexpected traffic spike is a highly specific kind of agony. You watch the analytics dashboard turn bright red, panic sets in, Slack messages pile up, and somewhere on Twitter (AKA, X) an angry mob starts forming.

Traffic management beforehand is the only thing standing between a good product launch and a PR disaster. Let’s look at the options out there right now in 2026 instead of trying to duct-tape a solution together. [Read more…] about 10 Best Traffic Management and Queueing Solutions for High-Traffic Websites in 2026