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ITT expands engineering and manufacturing site in Saudi Arabia with $25 million investment

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Engineering company ITT has announced the completion of the second phase of a planned $25 million expansion of its Industrial Process (IP) manufacturing facility in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

This expansion doubles ITT’s capacity and strengthens its position as a preferred supplier to Middle East customers. ITT is a provider of highly engineered critical components for various industries.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represents one of the fastest-growing markets for ITT’s flow business driven by market demand and the site’s excellent track record of performance in large-scale projects, including an average of 96 percent on-time delivery since 2019. [Read more…] about ITT expands engineering and manufacturing site in Saudi Arabia with $25 million investment

Russian startup showcases humanoid robot that falls over on stage

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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

ETH researchers develop magnet-controlled microrobot that swims through blood vessels to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots

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ETH Zurich researchers have developed a magnet-controlled microrobot capable of navigating the human vascular system to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots, marking a significant step toward targeted, minimally invasive therapies. (Full story here.)

The technology, published in Science, represents one of the most advanced demonstrations to date of controlled microrobot navigation inside complex anatomical environments.

The experimental microrobot consists of a tiny spherical capsule made of a soluble gel loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic control and tantalum nanoparticles for X-ray visibility. [Read more…] about ETH researchers develop magnet-controlled microrobot that swims through blood vessels to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots

IFS and Boston Dynamics combine Spot robots with agentic AI for autonomous field operations

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IFS, a provider of industrial AI software, and Boston Dynamics, famous for its humanoid and mobile robots, have agreed a “ground-breaking collaboration to revolutionize how asset-intensive organizations manage and optimize their field operations”.

Uniting Boston Dynamics’ autonomous inspection robots with the power of IFS.ai creates a fully agentic AI system that seamlessly connects sensing, predictive decision-making and action in the field.

With labor and skills shortages impacting industrial customers, leading to service gaps and prolonged outages, there exists an urgent need for technology that can supplement field workers. [Read more…] about IFS and Boston Dynamics combine Spot robots with agentic AI for autonomous field operations

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

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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

PAL Robotics to showcase StockBot inventory robot at NRF 2026 as retail automation demand rises

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PAL Robotics will showcase its StockBot autonomous inventory robot at NRF 2026 in New York, positioning the system as a solution for retailers seeking better accuracy, visibility, and operational control across stores and distribution centres.

StockBot is not a new product – PAL Robotics has developed and deployed the robot for several years – but the company is using Retail’s Big Show to highlight its expanding use cases and the growing demand for automated inventory management.

The system sits in the same category as Simbe Robotics’ Tally and a small number of other inventory-scanning robots designed for retail environments. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics to showcase StockBot inventory robot at NRF 2026 as retail automation demand rises

Hummink raises $20 million to bring ‘micronic precision printing’ to advanced manufacturing

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As microelectronics underpin the rise of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, the smallest manufacturing imperfections have become billion-euro problems.

Each defect at the sub-micron scale can derail an entire batch of chips or displays. Paris-based deep-tech company Hummink is tackling that challenge head-on.

The company has raised €15 million in a funding round co-led by KBC Focus Fund, Cap Horn and Bpifrance to expand deployment of its patented High-Precision Capillary Printing (HPCaP) technology, which enables manufacturers to print metals and functional materials with record-level accuracy and repair microscopic defects in real time. [Read more…] about Hummink raises $20 million to bring ‘micronic precision printing’ to advanced manufacturing

Saddle Creek brings in Robust.AI’s Carter robots to automate tote delivery and speed up warehouse operations

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Robust.AI, a provider of AI-driven warehouse automation, has announced a partnership with Saddle Creek Logistics Services, an omnichannel supply chain solutions company, to deploy Robust.AI’s flagship collaborative robotics platform, Carter, in Saddle Creek’s Charlotte, North Carolina warehouse.

Saddle Creek deployed Carter in its order fulfillment operation for a beauty client. It helps to automate and optimize tote delivery operations between multiple processing and labeling lines and more than 20 designated drop-off points.

In this capacity, Carter functions as a flexible, non-integrated “virtual conveyor” that streamlines material flow without requiring fixed infrastructure. In addition, Robust.AI customized Carter for Saddle Creek, increasing payload capacity to allow for more items to be picked, put, and moved. [Read more…] about Saddle Creek brings in Robust.AI’s Carter robots to automate tote delivery and speed up warehouse operations

Abu Dhabi partners with Glydways to develop ‘transformative autonomous transit technology’

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Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has signed a strategic partnership with Glydways, a provider of automated shuttles and transit networks, to explore the deployment of its innovative transit systems across Abu Dhabi.

The collaboration, which builds on momentum from the recent Abu Dhabi Investment Forum in New York, marks a milestone for the emirate’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster and Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision to become a world-leading ecosystem for smart and sustainable mobility.

Announced during DRIFTx, Abu Dhabi’s flagship exhibition for smart and autonomous mobility held as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (ADAW), the collaboration will see ADIO and Glydways jointly develop an initial project featuring Glydways’ innovative high-capacity system, a revolutionary approach to mass-transit that uses autonomous electric vehicles operating on dedicated guideways to deliver on-demand, zero-emissions urban mobility powered by Glydways’ own AI platform: Glydways OS. [Read more…] about Abu Dhabi partners with Glydways to develop ‘transformative autonomous transit technology’

Micropolis partners with Nvidia to strengthen robotics platform and support global expansion

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Micropolis Holding, owner of Micropolis Robotics, has joined Nvidia’s Inception Program in a move the company says will accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of its autonomous ground robots as it expands across the Middle East and North Africa.

The partnership brings Nvidia’s GPUs and Orin edge computing modules into the core of Micropolis’ unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), enabling key onboard functions such as perception, navigation, and decision-making to run locally rather than through cloud systems.

According to Micropolis, real-time processing on the Orin platform provides faster responses and improved reliability in challenging settings including industrial sites, border regions, and dense urban areas. [Read more…] about Micropolis partners with Nvidia to strengthen robotics platform and support global expansion