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The quiet race to build America’s first fully automated factory

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In anonymous industrial parks across the United States, a new kind of race is quietly under way – one that could redefine the future of American manufacturing.

Major companies and ambitious startups are investing billions in a dream once thought decades away: the fully automated, human-free factory.

Driven by rising labor costs, supply chain nationalism, and the accelerating power of AI and robotics, organizations like Tesla, Foxconn, and a growing list of automation startups are pushing toward a once-unimaginable goal – factories that run 24/7 with little or no human presence. [Read more…] about The quiet race to build America’s first fully automated factory

RIC Robotics to launch ‘world’s first AI-powered giant construction robot’

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RIC Robotics, a specialist developer of mobile 3D construction robotics, says it plans to launch Zyrex, the world’s first “Giantroid” – its own word for a 20-foot-tall, AI-powered, general-purpose construction robot.

RIC says the robot is designed to be cognitive and ultimately fully autonomous, capable of executing complex and delicate tasks across commercial and industrial job sites.

A working prototype is expected in early 2026, marking a significant leap forward in the evolution of robotic construction. [Read more…] about RIC Robotics to launch ‘world’s first AI-powered giant construction robot’

The ultimate investing machine: Interview with BMW i Ventures’ Sage who backed Kodiak

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Kasper Sage, managing partner at BMW i Ventures, gives us some insight into the investment strategy of the venture capital arm of the German automotive giant. By Abdul Montaqim

One of the things we have found most surprising in the past six or seven years since we started publishing RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com is the amount of investment that has gone into the robotics and automation sector – not just from the pockets of people who start their own companies, but also from what could be regarded as outside sectors, specifically pure investment vehicles.

And that investment keeps growing, with 2024 shaping up to be another blockbuster year. According to Crunchbase, the total amount of investment into robotics, automation, and computer vision startups has exceeded $4.2 billion – in seed funding and growth-stage financing – so far this year. [Read more…] about The ultimate investing machine: Interview with BMW i Ventures’ Sage who backed Kodiak

Aigen launches new robots for clearing weeds from farm fields

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Aigen, the agricultural technology company aiming to help reduce chemical usage through smarter farming, has unveiled its Element gen2 robot for daily weed control. (See video below.)

The company also announced a strategic partnership with Bowles Farming Company, a sixth-generation family farm in California’s Central Valley, that will see robotic crews weeding Bowles Cotton fields for the 2025 growing season, marking a significant expansion for Aigen into new crop types.

Updated based on 10,000+ hours of real-world farm experience, Element gen2 features a wider, taller design enabling operation in cotton, soy, and sugar beet fields – expanding Aigen’s addressable fields by millions of acres worldwide while helping American farmers increase yields and grow more attractive crops for export. [Read more…] about Aigen launches new robots for clearing weeds from farm fields

5 Best Stereo Vision Cameras for Robotics

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Stereo vision cameras have become the top solution for giving machines the depth perception to move around and recognize objects.

However, these cameras have various qualities that can meet different project needs.

If you’re wondering which stereo vision camera is best for robotics, the following offer standout features that power a wide range of systems. [Read more…] about 5 Best Stereo Vision Cameras for Robotics

ADAS: Top 25 advanced driver assistance systems companies in 2025

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Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are increasingly central to automotive innovation, offering features that make driving safer, more comfortable, and more intelligent.

While not fully autonomous, ADAS technologies are seen as stepping stones toward higher levels of driving automation. [Read more…] about ADAS: Top 25 advanced driver assistance systems companies in 2025

11 industrial giants that could spin off their robotics divisions

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When it was announced in March that ABB would spin off its robotics and discrete automation business into a separate entity, it marked a significant turning point for the industry.

While pure-play robotics firms have long captured investor enthusiasm – think Fanuc or iRobot – most robotics businesses remain buried inside sprawling conglomerates. But for how much longer?

As capital markets reward clarity and focus, robotics divisions trapped inside multi-industry giants may be next in line for separation. Below are 10 companies that could follow ABB’s lead. [Read more…] about 11 industrial giants that could spin off their robotics divisions

BlueBotics launches ‘comprehensive tracking solution’ for forklifts and robots

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BlueBotics, a provider of autonomous navigation and fleet management, has introduced ANT locator – a versatile tracking solution designed to enhance the management of manual forklifts and their integration with automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

Building upon the company’s established vehicle positioning technology, ANT locator offers precise tracking capabilities for both indoor and outdoor environments, facilitating improved operational efficiency and safety.​

Dr Nicola Tomatis, CEO of BlueBotics, says: “ANT locator enables companies to accurately determine the location of their forklifts and associated payloads, addressing the evolving challenge of coordinating manual and automated vehicles within shared spaces.”

The system supports the implementation of traffic control measures, such as traffic light systems, and allows for smart interactions in predefined zones, ensuring seamless integration between different vehicle types.​

Key features of ANT locator include:​

  • Transport Flow Optimization: By integrating live coordinates of manual trucks into BlueBotics’ ANT server fleet manager, the system can automatically manage interactions among AGVs, manual trucks, and personnel, optimizing space utilization and enhancing safety.​
  • Precise Asset Tracking: ANT locator provides real-time tracking of manually moved goods, ensuring accurate pallet location data and improving inventory management.​
  • Flexible Integration: The solution is compatible with existing warehouse management systems (WMS), manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and other fleet management platforms. Additional modules are available for outdoor tracking and monitoring other mobile assets, such as pallet jacks and staff.​

ANT locator is designed to meet the needs of AGV/AMR and manual forklift manufacturers, third-party software providers, and end-users seeking to enhance their internal logistics operations.

The solution will be commercially available from June 2025.

Nvidia’s $500 billion supercomputing push: Automation, ecosystem, and the AI race

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For the first time since its inception, Nvidia is planning to manufacture AI supercomputers entirely within the United States, marking a significant pivot toward domestic production.

The initiative includes over a million square feet of manufacturing space in Texas, partnering with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas, with mass production expected to ramp up over the next 12 to 15 months.

Nvidia plans to invest $500 billion in building the infrastructure required for this manufacturing and supercomputing initiative. [Read more…] about Nvidia’s $500 billion supercomputing push: Automation, ecosystem, and the AI race

Top 25 AI chip companies in the world

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As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries from automotive to healthcare, the demand for high-performance AI chips has reached unprecedented levels.

These chips power everything from edge devices and data centers to autonomous robots and generative AI models.

With Nvidia recently announcing that it will begin manufacturing some of its AI chips and supercomputers in the United States for the first time, the global AI semiconductor race has taken on new geopolitical and commercial urgency. [Read more…] about Top 25 AI chip companies in the world