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Opinion: Why industrial AI must be trained on physics, not prompts

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By Massimiliano Moruzzi, founder and CEO of Xaba.ai

Walk into any modern manufacturing facility and you’ll see the same tension playing out on the floor: incredibly capable machines, hemmed in by the assumption that everything will go exactly as planned. For decades, that assumption held well enough, but today it’s becoming a liability.

Manufacturers are under mounting pressure to produce faster, absorb more variability, and cut downtime, all while a new wave of AI promises to deliver “intelligence” without the complexity of traditional programming.

The pitch sounds compelling, but most of this AI is built on the same foundation as your company’s chatbot, and you cannot run a factory on prompts. [Read more…] about Opinion: Why industrial AI must be trained on physics, not prompts

PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation

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PAL Robotics has announced a new robotic arm platform aimed at researchers, developers, and robotics engineers working on advanced manipulation applications.

The Barcelona-based robotics company, known for platforms including TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo, said the new system has been designed to make robotic manipulation more accessible, flexible, and easier to deploy across both research and real-world operational environments.

The company plans to officially unveil the platform at ICRA 2026 in Vienna, where it will reveal the robot’s name, full specifications, and live demonstrations. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation

Piaggio Fast Forward launches Grogu-inspired cargo robot with autonomous following technology

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Piaggio Fast Forward has launched a new Star Wars-inspired version of its cargo-carrying robot, combining autonomous following technology with the distinctive design of Grogu’s floating pram from the Star Wars universe.

The new Grogu gitamini robot, developed in collaboration with Disney and Disney Consumer Products, is based on the company’s existing gitamini personal cargo robot platform but redesigned to resemble the transport pod used by the popular Star Wars character.

The launch comes as interest builds around the upcoming film Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu, with the robot forming part of Disney’s broader “Star Wars Most Wanted” merchandise campaign for 2026. [Read more…] about Piaggio Fast Forward launches Grogu-inspired cargo robot with autonomous following technology

igus showcases humanoid robots and AGVs through RBTX marketplace

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RBTX, the robotics marketplace operated by igus, used this year’s Hannover Messe 2026 to highlight what it described as the world’s widest range of humanoid robots available through a single robotics platform, alongside a growing portfolio of autonomous mobile robots and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

Presented during igus’ annual corporate press conference at the event, the company positioned RBTX as a platform designed to simplify access to industrial automation by allowing manufacturers to explore, compare, test, and deploy robotics systems tailored to their operational requirements.

The marketplace combines humanoid robots, collaborative systems, and mobile automation technologies within a unified platform aimed at reducing the complexity traditionally associated with robotics integration. [Read more…] about igus showcases humanoid robots and AGVs through RBTX marketplace

Sony achieves ‘major breakthrough’ with tennis-playing robot

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Sony AI has announced a “major breakthrough” in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) with the publication of its project Ace, the first known real-world autonomous system competitive with elite and professional-level human table tennis players.

The research outlining the achievement, “Outplaying Elite Table Tennis Players with an Autonomous Robot” was published on the cover of Nature.

This marks the first time a robot has achieved human, expert-level play in a commonly played competitive sport in the physical world – a longstanding milestone for AI and robotics research. [Read more…] about Sony achieves ‘major breakthrough’ with tennis-playing robot

Smart Robotics raises €10 million to expand AI-driven warehouse robotics across Europe

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Dutch warehouse robotics company Smart Robotics has raised €10 million in Series A funding as it looks to expand its AI-driven robotic picking technology across Europe and strengthen its position in the fast-growing warehouse automation market.

The funding round was led by Rotterdamse Havendraken, with participation from Innovation Industries and Dutch family office Ernij Next.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Best, the Netherlands, Smart Robotics develops AI-based robotic pick-and-place systems for intralogistics operations. The company says it has deployed more than 120 systems across 15 countries and five industries, executing more than one billion successful robotic picks in live warehouse environments. [Read more…] about Smart Robotics raises €10 million to expand AI-driven warehouse robotics across Europe

Interview with Intrinsic’s Stefan Nusser: Traditional automation is ‘too expensive and too inflexible’

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For years, industrial automation followed a relatively stable formula: high-volume production, long product lifecycles, and robotic systems designed to repeat the same process millions of times with minimal variation.

That model helped transform industries such as automotive manufacturing, where fixed production lines and highly specialized robots delivered extraordinary efficiency at scale.

But manufacturing is changing. Product cycles are shorter, customization is increasing, and factories are under pressure to adapt more quickly to shifting demand and supply chain volatility. In many facilities, the traditional economics of automation no longer work as neatly as they once did. [Read more…] about Interview with Intrinsic’s Stefan Nusser: Traditional automation is ‘too expensive and too inflexible’

Humanoid and Schaeffler strike deal to deploy thousands of humanoid robots in factories

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Humanoid, a UK-based AI and robotics company, has signed a binding, phased deployment and supply agreement with Schaeffler, a leading motion technology company, to integrate humanoid robots directly into live manufacturing operations.

The first systems go live in Germany before the end of 2026. Humanoid will also purchase actuators from Schaeffler as a preferred supplier.

The agreement is one of the largest disclosed humanoid robot rollouts ever announced and positions Humanoid, founded by Artem Sokolov in 2024, among the youngest companies to secure a large-scale contract at this level. It targets deployment of a four-digit number of wheeled units across Schaeffler’s global facilities by 2032. [Read more…] about Humanoid and Schaeffler strike deal to deploy thousands of humanoid robots in factories

Symbotic surpasses 2 billion cases processed as demand for physical AI accelerates

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Symbotic, a provider of AI-enabled robotics technology for the supply chain, has announced a number of key 2025 operating milestones that reflect accelerating adoption and strong customer outcomes as the company continues to scale its physical AI platform across production environments.

In 2025, Symbotic’s autonomous mobile robots collectively traveled more than 200 million miles – activity that ranks the bots among the most traveled autonomous vehicle fleets in the world.

Symbotic’s operational systems processed 2.23 billion cases for its customers, inbound and outbound. [Read more…] about Symbotic surpasses 2 billion cases processed as demand for physical AI accelerates