Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Humanoids

Can humanoid robots solve problems in warehousing?

by

By Heico Sandee, founder and CEO of Smart Robotics

In the past, automation was perceived primarily as a remedy for labor shortages; today, that’s no longer the case.

Warehouse automation has undergone bouts of evolution, each time becoming more advanced, sophisticated, and integrated into a broader ecosystem of human and machine collaboration.

The humanoid robot market is projected to grow from $2.03 billion in 2024 to $13.25 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate of 45.5 percent, reflecting the increasing demand for intelligent systems capable of transforming industries. [Read more…] about Can humanoid robots solve problems in warehousing?

Engineered Arts raises $10 million to scale humanoid robotics ‘for everyday life’

by

Engineered Arts, a global leader in the design and manufacture of humanoid robotics founded in the UK, has restructured as a US entity to expand its footprint and meet US growing demand.

Alongside this move, the company successfully closed its Series A funding round, raising $10 million to accelerate product refinement, manufacturing readiness, scale production, and investment in advanced business systems. [Read more…] about Engineered Arts raises $10 million to scale humanoid robotics ‘for everyday life’

Humanoid robotics set to ‘transform industries with human-like dexterity and intelligence’, says GlobalData

by

Humanoid robotics technologies are set to transform industries by offering “advanced dexterity, precision, and human-like capabilities”, according to a new study by GlobalData.

These developments promise to automate complex tasks, address labor shortages, and enhance operational efficiency across industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and service industries, says the data and analytics research company.

Saurabh Daga, project manager of disruptive tech at GlobalData, says: “The rapid progress in humanoid robotics signals a turning point in robotics innovation. [Read more…] about Humanoid robotics set to ‘transform industries with human-like dexterity and intelligence’, says GlobalData

Apptronik partners with Google DeepMind to accelerate advancement of humanoid robots

by

Apptronik, the AI-powered humanoid robotics company, has entered a strategic partnership agreement with the Google DeepMind robotics team.

The partnership will bring together “best-in-class artificial intelligence with cutting-edge hardware and embodied intelligence, advancing humanoid robots that can be more helpful to people in dynamic environments”, according to the companies.

Jeff Cardenas, CEO and co-founder of Apptronik, says: “We’re building a future where humanoid robots address urgent global challenges. [Read more…] about Apptronik partners with Google DeepMind to accelerate advancement of humanoid robots

Humanoid robots: Stepping out of science fiction, into the real world

by

For many decades, science fiction films and books have described and shown us a variety of humanoid robots that range from ones that look clearly mechanical and follow simple orders and have limited functionality to ones that are indistinguishable from human beings in appearance but are far stronger, faster and more capable in many ways.

And over those decades, audiences have been encouraged to imagine such robots as figments of the imagination, something for the future – a future after our own lifetimes.

Now, however, instead of waiting there for us to die and spare us from having to deal with it, that future is hurtling towards us with unsettling speed.

[Read more…] about Humanoid robots: Stepping out of science fiction, into the real world

Robot Era raises $42 million and unleashes humanoids to traverse Gobi Desert in China

by

Robot Era, a Chinese developer of humanoid robots, has tested its next-generation humanoid robot, the Star 1, in the challenging terrain of northwestern China’s Gobi Desert.

This exercise aimed to highlight the robot’s adaptability to real-world natural environments.

Two units of the flagship Star 1 were put through their paces during a running test in Yumen, a prefecture-level city in Gansu, renowned for its stunning red-sandstone Danxia landforms. [Read more…] about Robot Era raises $42 million and unleashes humanoids to traverse Gobi Desert in China

Humanoid robots are a ‘publicity stunt and serve no purpose in automated warehouses’, says Exotec

by

In a blistering critique, established warehouse automation company Exotec says “useless” humanoid robot prototypes are a “publicity stunt and serve no purpose in automated warehouses”, adding that they “discredit the warehouse industry”.

Robotics systems have evolved significantly in the past decade, evolving from prototypes to fully established technologies across a range of industries.

Warehouses are a major area where robots have made a significant impact. While automated robotics systems can now fulfil increasingly complex tasks, humanoid robots are being touted as the next big thing in some quarters. [Read more…] about Humanoid robots are a ‘publicity stunt and serve no purpose in automated warehouses’, says Exotec

Inaugural humanoid robot industry event reflects ‘tremendous amount of interest’

by

The Humanoid Robot Forum, the first event focused exclusively on this growing robotics category, has released its agenda with experts poised to outline the latest advancements, strategies and applications in manufacturing, logistics and daily life.

The forum is being organised by the Association for Advancing Automation, or A3, one of the world’s leading robotics and automation industries associations.

Speakers at this inaugural event, held October 7 in Memphis, Tennessee, will include Melonee Wise of Agility, Jeff Cardenas of Apptronik, Adrian Stoch of GXO, Huan Tan of UBTECH, Brendan Schulman of Boston Dynamics and Aaron Prather of ASTM International along with other visionaries from Collaborative Robotics, HaptX, NEURA Robotics, Persona AI, Reflex Robotics, Stokes Educational Services, Synapticon and WiBotics. [Read more…] about Inaugural humanoid robot industry event reflects ‘tremendous amount of interest’

GXO partners with Reflex Robotics to install humanoid robots in warehouse

by

GXO Logistics, a pure-play contract logistics provider, has reached a new agreement with Reflex Robotics, a startup company producing humanoid robots, to pilot Reflex’s robotics solution for deployment into live operations. This is GXO’s second Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) agreement.

The Reflex Robot is an out-of-the-box solution that reaches operational capability within 60 minutes of deployment and ramps to become fully autonomous by learning from human demonstrations over time.

The multi-purpose humanoid from Reflex can transition seamlessly between repetitive tasks, from tote transfers between other kinds of automation to product picking.

[Read more…] about GXO partners with Reflex Robotics to install humanoid robots in warehouse

New study finds exosuits ‘reduce back injuries’ in warehousing

by

HeroWear, an occupational exosuit company, has revealed new, long-term injury data collected across multiple companies that show the “significant impact” of exosuits on worker back injury incidence.

After deploying HeroWear Apex 2 exosuits at multiple distribution centers in the United States, worker injury data from over 280,000 hours of work were collected and analyzed.

This dataset is equivalent to 140 full-time employees working for one year while regularly wearing exosuits, encompassing an estimated 50-60 million lifts by workers. [Read more…] about New study finds exosuits ‘reduce back injuries’ in warehousing