Robotics & Automation News

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artificial intelligence

Graitec outlines AI roadmap focused on accountability in engineering and construction

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Software provider Graitec has unveiled a three-stage artificial intelligence strategy aimed at the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) sector, arguing that the industry’s biggest challenge is not generating content with AI but ensuring the results can be trusted in real-world projects.

The company says it is embedding AI directly into engineering, fabrication and construction workflows rather than treating it as a standalone assistant layered on top of existing design software.

The announcement comes as AI adoption accelerates across the built environment sector, where engineers and contractors face growing pressure to improve productivity while maintaining compliance with design standards, safety regulations and project requirements. [Read more…] about Graitec outlines AI roadmap focused on accountability in engineering and construction

RLWRLD named World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer for advancing physical AI infrastructure

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RLWRLD, a physical AI company developing the proprietary Robotics Foundation Model RLDX-1, has been named a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer 2026.

The WEF Technology Pioneers program selects 100 innovative technology companies each year that are positioned to drive long-term, paradigm-shifting impact on global industries and society.

According to the WEF’s official analysis report, Meet the Technology Pioneers, this year’s selection centered on companies providing the foundational software and core infrastructure to support large-scale deployment of autonomous AI systems, ones that perceive, reason, and act directly in the physical world, going beyond conversational chatbots and application-layer software. [Read more…] about RLWRLD named World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer for advancing physical AI infrastructure

From backflips to folding laundry: How X Square Robot is building the missing ‘brain’ for embodied AI

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While robotics companies around the world continue to showcase humanoids performing backflips, running obstacle courses, and dancing on stage, one Chinese firm is pursuing a more difficult – and arguably more consequential – goal: teaching robots to operate in the messy, unpredictable environments where people actually live and work.

According to X Square Robot founder and CEO Wang Qian, the industry’s hardware foundations are largely in place. Humanoid locomotion, dexterous hands, and force-control systems have all advanced rapidly. The remaining challenge is intelligence.

“The hardware is largely there,” Wang said. “The real bottleneck is the brain.” [Read more…] about From backflips to folding laundry: How X Square Robot is building the missing ‘brain’ for embodied AI

Top Computer Vision Development Company Options for 2026

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The right computer vision development company is the one that fits the environment where your model will run. These could be a camera SoC, a cloud SaaS product, a medical device, or a live video system.

SQUAD is a strong choice for edge hardware and smart camera products. Intellias and Softeq are good options for embedded AI in automotive and IoT. N-iX and DataArt fit enterprise SaaS and data-heavy systems.

InData Labs is a good match for healthcare, retail, and research-heavy work. Andersen Inc. and Sigma Software are solid choices for enterprise delivery and automotive-focused projects. [Read more…] about Top Computer Vision Development Company Options for 2026

How Sony AI’s table tennis robot is advancing physical AI

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Although Omron and Kuka have demonstrated similar systems before, a table tennis-playing robot may still sound like a novelty to some. After all, industrial robots already assemble cars, sort parcels and weld metal with remarkable precision.

But for researchers working at the intersection of robotics and artificial intelligence, table tennis represents one of the most demanding real-world tests imaginable.

A successful table tennis player must perceive a fast-moving object, predict its trajectory, decide on a response, position themselves correctly and execute a precise movement – all within fractions of a second. The challenge combines vision, motion planning, control, prediction and decision-making in a constantly changing environment. [Read more…] about How Sony AI’s table tennis robot is advancing physical AI

Interview with Columbia professor and co-founder of SceniX Yunzhu Li: ‘Simulation is central’

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The robotics industry is enjoying a surge of investment, media attention, and ambitious promises about the future of humanoid machines.

Companies are announcing plans to manufacture thousands of robots, while advances in artificial intelligence have fueled expectations that general-purpose robots may soon become commonplace in factories, warehouses, workplaces, and even homes.

Yet beneath the excitement lies a fundamental technical challenge that many researchers believe remains far from solved. [Read more…] about Interview with Columbia professor and co-founder of SceniX Yunzhu Li: ‘Simulation is central’

Interview with Jun Wu of GMEX Robotics: ‘We provide an integrated terminal + brain closed-loop system’

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Artificial intelligence may dominate the headlines, but the future of robotics will depend on much more than software alone.

While many companies are racing to develop foundation models and increasingly capable AI systems, others argue that the real challenge lies in combining intelligence with hardware that can operate reliably in the physical world.

One company taking that approach is GMEX Robotics, a Nasdaq-listed developer of AI-enabled robotic systems for industrial, commercial, and consumer applications. [Read more…] about Interview with Jun Wu of GMEX Robotics: ‘We provide an integrated terminal + brain closed-loop system’

Generalist AI raises $400 million to scale robot intelligence platform

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Generalist AI, a startup developing foundation models for robotics, has raised $400 million in new funding as it seeks to accelerate the development of what it calls “physical AGI” – artificial general intelligence capable of operating in the physical world through robots.

The funding round values the company at approximately $2 billion and brings its total capital raised to more than $500 million.

The round was led by Radical Ventures, with participation from 8VC, Union Square Ventures, Hanabi Capital and Norwest. Existing investors including Nvidia’s NVentures, Boldstart Ventures, Spark Capital, Bezos Expeditions and NFDG also participated. [Read more…] about Generalist AI raises $400 million to scale robot intelligence platform

Kirisense wins funding to develop robotic fingertips that can sense touch and slip

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UK robotics startup Kirisense has secured funding from the Henry Royce Institute to develop advanced tactile sensing technology designed to give robots a more human-like sense of touch.

The project, supported through the Henry Royce Institute’s Industrial Collaboration Programme and delivered in partnership with the University of Sheffield, will focus on creating robotic fingertips capable of detecting shear forces and slip in real time.

The funding comes as the robotics industry increasingly turns its attention from perception to manipulation. While advances in artificial intelligence and machine vision have significantly improved what robots can see and understand, handling objects reliably remains one of the sector’s biggest challenges. [Read more…] about Kirisense wins funding to develop robotic fingertips that can sense touch and slip

Interview with GFT Technologies’ Brandon Speweik: Moving AI from detection to action on the factory floor

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Artificial intelligence has become one of the most widely discussed technologies in manufacturing, but much of the conversation remains focused on software – dashboards, analytics, predictive models, and digital decision-making tools.

Increasingly, however, manufacturers are asking a more practical question: how can AI move beyond identifying problems and begin helping to solve them on the factory floor?

That challenge is particularly relevant in the automotive industry, where production lines operate at high speed and even small quality issues can have significant downstream consequences. [Read more…] about Interview with GFT Technologies’ Brandon Speweik: Moving AI from detection to action on the factory floor