Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

MIT research: AI shapes new autonomous underwater ‘gliders’


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By Alex Shipps, digital strategy coordinator, MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

AI pipeline enables unique hydrodynamic designs for vehicles that glide underwater. Roughly the size of a boogie board, these new devices could help scientists gather more data about marine life.

By Alex Shipps

Marine scientists have long marveled at how animals like fish and seals swim so efficiently despite having different shapes.

Their bodies are optimized for efficient aquatic navigation (or hydrodynamic) so they can exert minimal energy when traveling long distances.
Autonomous vehicles can drift through the ocean in a similar way, collecting data about vast underwater environments. [Read more…] about MIT research: AI shapes new autonomous underwater ‘gliders’


Volvo automates handling of vehicle steering if tire blows out

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Volvo has further refined its “dynamic steering system” with a new function that can detect a tire blowout and “immediately take action to keep the truck safely on the road”.

The new generation of Volvo Dynamic Steering is designed to detect a front tire puncture and in a split second automatically mitigate the impact by assisting the driver to keep the truck on a steady course.

The system reduces the side forces that a sudden loss of tire air pressure can create in the case of a flat tire. [Read more…] about Volvo automates handling of vehicle steering if tire blows out

PrismaX raises $11 million as it emerges from development

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PrismaX, a robotics teleops platform startup, has launched with the completion of an $11 million raise led by a16z CSX, with participation from the Stanford Blockchain Builder Fund, Symbolic, Volt Capital, Virtuals Protocol, and other angel investors.

The completion of this funding round coincided with PrismaX’s official launch at a16z’s CSX Demo Day on June 3rd.

PrismaX was founded by Bayley Wang and Chyna Qu, bringing together a depth of experience in both robotics and decentralized technologies. [Read more…] about PrismaX raises $11 million as it emerges from development

Moldova revs up its ‘digital engine’ as IT sector growth accelerates

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The IT sector in Moldova, a small country in eastern Europe, contributes 6 percent to the national GDP – a result that reflects the efficiency and impact of the ecosystem created by the Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP).

The data were presented by Marina Bzovîi, administrator of MITP, at the Moldova Digital Summit 2025, confirming the essential role of the Park in the digital transformation of the Republic of Moldova.

With 2024 marked by record performance, MITP expects a clear upward trajectory for 2025, supported by the accelerated expansion of the resident base and the increase in revenues generated by the IT sector. [Read more…] about Moldova revs up its ‘digital engine’ as IT sector growth accelerates

AI-Driven Tool Wear Detection in Precision Milling

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Tool wear is a predominant aspect in precision milling environments that affects accuracy, surface finish, and cost efficiency.

Tool wear detection systems have previously utilized AI-based approaches, enabling real-time insights into sensor data streams comprising vibration, acoustic emissions, and spindle load variations.

Scrap and rework are also minimized as these systems enable proactive changes of tools before a drop in performance can be noticed. [Read more…] about AI-Driven Tool Wear Detection in Precision Milling

ANYbotics adds gas leak detection capability to its inspection robot

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ANYbotics, a specialist provider of robotic inspection solutions, has launched a new gas leak and presence detection solution for its ANYmal quadruped robot. 

The company says its technology is “set to transform how industrial sites identify and manage costly and hazardous gas leaks”.

ANYmal’s new solution offers a comprehensive approach to industrial gas leak detection.

It integrates advanced, modular gas detectors with a 360° acoustic imaging payload to precisely pinpoint leak sources and simultaneously measure ambient gas concentrations. [Read more…] about ANYbotics adds gas leak detection capability to its inspection robot

Robots are getting smarter and more sophisticated. They also need to get safer

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By Jenny Shern, general manager at NexCOBOT, part of Nexcom

Robot installations worldwide have more than doubled in the past decade – and deployments are no longer contained to the manufacturing line.

A growing wave of players are racing to develop advanced robots and humanoids with sophisticated capabilities in a variety of dynamic environments, from retail stores and hotel lobbies to eldercare facilities and bustling warehouses

For instance, Amazon’s newest collaborative robot, Vulcan, is equipped with tactile sensing that enables it to pick, sort, and stow objects with the finesse of a human hand. [Read more…] about Robots are getting smarter and more sophisticated. They also need to get safer

Extend raises $17 million to build ‘document processing cloud’

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Extend, a document processing platform, has raised $17 million in combined seed and Series A funding.

The round was led by Innovation Endeavors, with participation from Y Combinator, Character VC and prominent angel investors including Scott Belsky (former CSO of Adobe), Guillermo Rauch (CEO of Vercel) and Jeff Weinstein (product lead at Stripe).

Kushal Byatnal, co-founder and CEO of Extend, says: “We’ve seen remarkable momentum over the past year, and this funding allows us to double down on our mission of helping ambitious teams unlock the full potential of their unstructured documents. [Read more…] about Extend raises $17 million to build ‘document processing cloud’

MIT research: Using generative AI to help robots jump higher and land better

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By Alex Shipps, digital strategy coordinator, MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

Diffusion models like OpenAI’s DALL-E are becoming increasingly useful in helping brainstorm new designs.

Humans can prompt these systems to generate an image, create a video, or refine a blueprint, and come back with ideas they hadn’t considered before.

But did you know that generative artificial intelligence (AI) models are also making headway in creating working robots? Recent diffusion-based approaches have generated structures and the systems that control them from scratch. [Read more…] about MIT research: Using generative AI to help robots jump higher and land better

Exclusive interview: LG’s big bet on smart robotics for the household and beyond

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LG Electronics, formerly Lucky-Goldstar, is one of South Korea’s largest and most globally recognised engineering powerhouses.

A household name for decades, LG has built a reputation through its expansive portfolio of consumer appliances – from televisions and refrigerators to washing machines and air conditioners.

But behind the scenes, LG is also rapidly becoming a serious force in industrial and service robotics, with ambitions that stretch well beyond your kitchen or laundry room. [Read more…] about Exclusive interview: LG’s big bet on smart robotics for the household and beyond