Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Humanoids

Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid passes 100,000-tote milestone in live GXO implementation

by

Agility Robotics says its humanoid robot, Digit, has moved more than 100,000 totes in commercial operation at GXO Logistics’ facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia – a milestone the company describes as evidence of real industrial throughput rather than laboratory testing.

The company says the achievement reflects the growing need for scalable automation in logistics as operators face rising volumes and persistent labour shortages.

Agility has long argued that humanoids must prove reliability across thousands of cycles before they can be considered viable tools rather than novelty machines. [Read more…] about Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid passes 100,000-tote milestone in live GXO implementation

Sunday unveils new humanoid robot for the home

by

Sunday, an AI startup founded by Stanford PhD roboticists Tony Zhao (CEO) and Cheng Chi (CTO), has emerged from stealth to introduce Memo.

Memo is a personal robot engineered to help families gain back time spent on chores like dishes, laundry, and tidying up. Its development centers on learning from authentic daily routines collected in more than 500 real homes using Sunday’s patented Skill Capture Glove, a wearable that records how people move, clean, and organize.

Memo puts household data at the heart of personal robotics. Unlike most in-home robots, Memo’s training comes from approximately 10 million episodes of genuine household routines, representing an unmatched level of data diversity, quality, and in-the-wild volume. [Read more…] about Sunday unveils new humanoid robot for the home

Agile Robots launches its first humanoid robot for industry

by

Agile Robots, a developer of intelligent robotic solutions, is launching its first humanoid robot. Agile ONE is designed for use in industrial settings, where it will work “safely and efficiently alongside humans and other robotic solutions”, says the company.

The humanoid combines intuitive human-robot interaction, the world’s most dexterous robotic hand, and an innovative AI model trained on real-world industrial data. It will be manufactured in-house in Germany.

CEO and founder Dr Zhaopeng Chen said: “At Agile Robots we believe the next industrial revolution is Physical AI: intelligent, autonomous and flexible robots that can perceive, understand and act in the physical world. Agile ONE embodies this revolution.” [Read more…] about Agile Robots launches its first humanoid robot for industry

Neura Robotics expands presence in China with new site and collaboration hub in Hangzhou

by

Neura Robotics has expanded its presence in China with the opening of a new site and collaboration hub in Hangzhou, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to build global partnerships in humanoid and cognitive robotics.

The Hangzhou facility – called the Neura Hub – will focus on developing data-driven robotics training and strengthening cooperation with major Chinese industry players.

The opening positions the German company within one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing robotics ecosystems while maintaining what it describes as its identity as a European innovator. [Read more…] about Neura Robotics expands presence in China with new site and collaboration hub in Hangzhou

Russian startup showcases humanoid robot that falls over on stage

by

Russia’s ambitions in the global humanoid robot race suffered a very public stumble last week when its newly-unveiled robot fell flat on its face during its debut appearance in Moscow. (See video below.)

At a technology event, the Russian startup Artificial Intelligence Dynamic Organism Lab led out its eponymous humanoid robot, dubbed “AIDOL”, to the soundtrack of the Rocky theme, but the machine lost its balance after only a few steps and collapsed front-first on stage.

The incident speaks to how far Russia may still have to go to match other leaders in the industrial humanoid sector. While the USA and China (and to a lesser extent Europe) are advancing prototypes and preparing for commercial scale, this fall suggests that Russia’s earliest mass-market humanoid efforts remain at a nascent stage. [Read more…] about Russian startup showcases humanoid robot that falls over on stage

UBTECH starts mass production of humanoid robots after receiving orders of $112 million and a data center contract worth $22 million

by

UBTECH has begun mass production and delivery of the first batch of several hundred full-size industrial humanoid robots, Walker S2, which will be deployed in phases across frontline industrial applications. (See video below.) 

This milestone moves the company toward its target of delivering 500 units within the year and marks the beginning of large-scale, real-world implementation of humanoid robotics.

By establishing a closed-loop commercial cycle – from technology and real-world application to delivery and iterative improvement – UBTECH has developed core capabilities to rapidly address market demands and efficiently secure and fulfill orders, setting a replicable benchmark for the deployment of humanoid robots. [Read more…] about UBTECH starts mass production of humanoid robots after receiving orders of $112 million and a data center contract worth $22 million

Xsens launches next-generation humanoid robotics motion capture system

by

Xsens, a Movella brand and specialist in inertial motion capture technology, has announced the release of its next-generation Xsens Link system alongside Xsens Humanoid, a purpose-built software suite to support the hyper-scaling of humanoid robot training and control.

Together, the new hardware and software turn high-fidelity human motion into clean, robot-ready kinematics for dataset creation, live teleoperation, and simulation workflows. [Read more…] about Xsens launches next-generation humanoid robotics motion capture system

Xpeng presents ‘Iron’ humanoid robot at automaker’s AI Day

by

XPeng has showcased the latest version of its humanoid robot, known as “Iron”, during its 2025 AI Day event in China, signalling the company’s growing ambition beyond electric vehicles and into advanced robotics.

CnEVPost, a China-based website covering the country’s electric vehicle and technology industries, first reported XPeng’s live demonstration and claims made during the presentation.

XPeng describes Iron as a key part of its long-term “AI mobility” strategy, which spans vehicles, flying cars, and humanoid robots.

According to the company’s own press materials, Iron has been under development for more than five years, progressing through multiple generations and real-world training cycles. [Read more…] about Xpeng presents ‘Iron’ humanoid robot at automaker’s AI Day

Construction sector looks to humanoid robots as labour shortages intensify, says McKinsey

by

The global construction industry is accelerating efforts to adopt humanoid robots as it grapples with a persistent productivity slump and ongoing labour shortages, according to a new report from McKinsey & Company.

In a note emailed to Robotics & Automation News, a spokesperson for McKinsey highlighted the pressure facing the sector.

“Stuck in a cycle of meager productivity growth rates – which stood at only 0.4 percent from 2000-2022 – and with talent pools continuing to thin, it isn’t surprising to see that the construction industry is struggling to keep up with demand and is leaving no stone unturned in hopes of innovation – including humanoid robots.” [Read more…] about Construction sector looks to humanoid robots as labour shortages intensify, says McKinsey

Schaeffler and Neura Robotics agree ‘future-oriented technology partnership’

by

Schaeffler and Neura Robotics, a high-tech company in the field of cognitive robotics, say they have agreed a “trailblazing technology partnership”.

The collaboration covers the development and supply of key components – such as innovative actuators – for humanoid robots. Moreover, Schaeffler will deploy humanoids from Neura in its global production network and integrate a mid-four-digit number of humanoids into its production by 2035.

In doing so, Schaeffler is also collaborating with other renowned manufacturers. Through the partnership, Neura Robotics is securing a significant portion of its requirement for compact, lightweight actuators for continuous duty operation. [Read more…] about Schaeffler and Neura Robotics agree ‘future-oriented technology partnership’