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Software is ‘the biggest bottleneck to robotics innovation’, says BlackBerry QNX report

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QNX, a division of BlackBerry, has released a new research study, the Inside the Robot: Architecture Benchmark Report, examining how robotics development is changing as systems become more software‑driven, AI‑enabled, and increasingly deployed alongside humans at work and in daily life.

Based on a survey of 1,000 developers from around the world, the research reveals the most significant inhibitors to progress, the gap between system ambitions and current capabilities, and developers’ views on the industry’s future.

A new episode of QNX’s Code the Future podcast featuring Omdia chief analyst Lian Jye Su explores the themes and results in more detail. [Read more…] about Software is ‘the biggest bottleneck to robotics innovation’, says BlackBerry QNX report

Fort Robotics acquires Mapless AI to expand supervised autonomy and physical AI safety platform

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Fort Robotics, the trust layer for physical AI, has announced the acquisition of Mapless AI, a Boston- and Pittsburgh-based leader in vehicle teleoperation and autonomy supervision.

The acquisition represents a significant commercial expansion of Fort’s Trust Platform, adding two critical new capabilities: remote human-in-the-loop teleoperation and onboard active safety.

By integrating these technologies, Fort expands its market offering from safety-certified machine control to a comprehensive architecture for supervised autonomy. [Read more…] about Fort Robotics acquires Mapless AI to expand supervised autonomy and physical AI safety platform

Robot dogs help police catch car break-in suspects at Atlanta apartment complex

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Robot dogs are increasingly being deployed in industrial and commercial security applications, but a recent incident in Atlanta showed how quickly the technology is moving into real-world law enforcement support roles.

According to a report by Atlanta News First, robotic security dogs helped track and corner two suspects accused of breaking into vehicles at the Columbia Crest Apartments in the city’s West Midtown district.

Security cameras reportedly captured the suspects entering the apartment complex parking garage on May 21 before the robotic patrol systems responded automatically. [Read more…] about Robot dogs help police catch car break-in suspects at Atlanta apartment complex

Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

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Flexiv, a provider of general-purpose robotics, has announced it will host an exclusive preview of its next-generation robotics portfolio at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), taking place June 1-5 in Vienna, Austria.

At Hall B, Booth 130, visitors will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of two groundbreaking robotic platforms ahead of their international launch later this year.

Flexiv is using the event to demonstrate the core architecture and technical capabilities of its new lineup, showcasing new benchmarks in tactile intelligence and modular adaptability. [Read more…] about Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

Figure ramps up humanoid robot manufacturing at unprecedented speed

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Humanoid robotics companies have spent years producing carefully choreographed demonstrations and highly controlled prototypes. The real challenge, however, has always been manufacturing scale.

Building one impressive humanoid robot is difficult. Building hundreds reliably, repeatedly, and economically is something else entirely.

Figure AI now claims to be crossing that threshold. [Read more…] about Figure ramps up humanoid robot manufacturing at unprecedented speed

Figure partners with Catalyst Brands to deploy humanoid robots in logistics operations

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Figure AI has signed a commercial agreement with Catalyst Brands to deploy humanoid robots across the retailer’s distribution and logistics network.

The partnership will begin at Catalyst Brands’ distribution center in Reno, Nevada, where Figure’s humanoid robots will be used to automate physically demanding supply chain tasks.

Catalyst Brands operates several well-known retail chains, including JCPenney, Aéropostale, and Brooks Brothers. [Read more…] about Figure partners with Catalyst Brands to deploy humanoid robots in logistics operations

Virginia Tech researchers control soft robotics with ‘AI’s cousin’: ‘Reservoir computing’

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Soft robotics – machines made of flexible, muscle-like materials – can bend and stretch in fluid ways that put the rigid robots of old sci-fi movies to shame. 

But the flexibility that lets them pick ripe tomatoes or navigate a search-and-rescue site comes at a cost: soft robotics are notoriously difficult to control.

Virginia Tech researchers are working to solve that problem using a new computing approach inspired by the complex architecture of neurons in the brain. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech researchers control soft robotics with ‘AI’s cousin’: ‘Reservoir computing’

The power of the open-source community in robotics: Collaboration and shared innovation

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For decades, robotics was viewed as a niche engineering discipline inhabited largely by researchers, academics, and highly specialized industrial automation companies.

Development was expensive, fragmented, and slow. Even simple mobile robots often required years of work and highly customized software stacks.

Today, robotics sits at the center of one of the largest technology investment waves in modern industrial history. [Read more…] about The power of the open-source community in robotics: Collaboration and shared innovation

Rotaku launches Domo humanoid robot platform starting at $2,999 for developers

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Rotaku has opened reservations for Domo, a compact humanoid robot platform designed for developers, makers, educators and robotics teams working with real humanoid hardware.

The Domo lineup starts at $2,999 and is intended to make humanoid robot development more accessible to users working on motion control, teleoperation, manipulation, robot interaction and embodied AI. [Read more…] about Rotaku launches Domo humanoid robot platform starting at $2,999 for developers

Kawasaki launches Silicon Valley hub to accelerate deployment of physical AI

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Kawasaki Heavy Industries has launched a new physical AI development center in Silicon Valley as part of a broader push to accelerate collaboration between Japanese and American companies in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and robotics.

Called the Kawasaki Physical AI Center San Jose, the facility will focus on developing real-world applications for physical AI systems through partnerships with major technology companies including Nvidia, Analog Devices, Microsoft, and Fujitsu.

The company says the center will initially prioritize healthcare and elder care applications, areas increasingly affected by labor shortages and aging populations in many countries. [Read more…] about Kawasaki launches Silicon Valley hub to accelerate deployment of physical AI