Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

automation news

What Makes Fulfillment Solutions Work for Fast-Growing Businesses

by

The following stat shows how fast-growing companies struggle to deliver products efficiently. Of course, reliable shipping alone isn’t sufficient to meet customer expectations.

Fulfillment solutions facilitate business growth and the management of high-volume orders, maintaining operational efficiency and service quality over time. Understanding why these services work can help companies make the right decisions as they grow. [Read more…] about What Makes Fulfillment Solutions Work for Fast-Growing Businesses

How Procurement Automation Creates Audit-Ready Supply Chains in Manufacturing

by

A tier-two automotive parts supplier processing 3,000 purchase orders per month discovered during a customer audit that it could not trace the approval history for 40% of its procurement transactions from the previous quarter.

The orders had been placed, the parts had been received, and the invoices had been paid. But the trail of who approved what, when, and against which budget was scattered across email threads, spreadsheets, and verbal confirmations that nobody had documented.

The audit finding did not result in a financial loss. It resulted in something worse: a conditional rating that put the supplier’s preferred status at risk. [Read more…] about How Procurement Automation Creates Audit-Ready Supply Chains in Manufacturing

Japan trials humanoid robots for airport operations as labor shortages intensify

by

Japan Airlines is set to trial humanoid robots for ground handling operations at Haneda Airport, as the aviation industry looks for ways to address mounting labor shortages.

The initiative, developed in partnership with GMO Internet Group, will begin in May and marks one of the first real-world deployments of human-shaped robots in airport ramp operations.

According to reporting by Gulf News and The Guardian, the trial will run through 2028, with robots initially operating in controlled environments before being gradually introduced into live airport workflows. [Read more…] about Japan trials humanoid robots for airport operations as labor shortages intensify

Eternal.ag launches omni-directional trolley as ‘stepping stone to fully-automated greenhouses’

by

The German agritech startup, eternal.ag, is introducing what it describes as “a de-risked and accelerated pathway for greenhouse growers to adopt harvesting robots”.

As structural labor shortages demand a faster transition to automated horticulture, growers will for the first time be able to replace their trolleys with a “robot-ready” model which acts as a modular building block for a fully-autonomous robot.

Eternal.ag’s Trolley is a high-performance crop work tool built for any greenhouse. Engineered with the same advanced mobility as eternal.ag’s Harvester robot, it moves omni-directionally and navigates greenhouse rows effortlessly, without operators needing to dismount the trolley to perform complex maneuvers.

This design means that the Trolley can be later upgraded into a full Harvester robot by retrofitting the harvesting module and intelligence layer, turning it into a fully-autonomous system. [Read more…] about Eternal.ag launches omni-directional trolley as ‘stepping stone to fully-automated greenhouses’

Schaeffler partners with Vietnamese humanoid robot manufacturer VinDynamics

by

Schaeffler and VinDynamics, part of Vietnam’s Vingroup conglomerate, have agreed on a strategic partnership for humanoid robotics. The partnership centers on the development and supply of planetary gearboxes. These are central components of actuators that function as muscles and joints and enable humanoid robots to move.

Under the partnership, the two companies will also jointly collect robot- and application-related data. They will use this data to help improve actuator design and performance and pave the way for future services, such as predictive maintenance.

For Schaeffler, the partnership is the first arrangement of its kind with a humanoid robot manufacturer in the Asia/Pacific region. It complements the company’s existing network of partnerships with leading manufacturers in Europe, China and the US and strengthens its global position in the human robotics ecosystem. [Read more…] about Schaeffler partners with Vietnamese humanoid robot manufacturer VinDynamics

Interview with the CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories: ‘Uncertainty in the real world’

by

As robotics continues to move from controlled environments into more complex, real-world settings, the role of research institutions in shaping the next generation of systems is becoming increasingly significant.

One of the organizations operating at this intersection is Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL), the North America-based R&D arm of Mitsubishi Electric.

Led by president and CEO Anthony Vetro, MERL focuses on advancing core technologies that underpin robotics, including perception, control systems, and machine learning. Its work spans multiple domains, from industrial automation to energy systems, with an emphasis on bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical deployment. [Read more…] about Interview with the CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories: ‘Uncertainty in the real world’

Starship passes 10 million deliveries as autonomous delivery moves toward mainstream adoption

by

Autonomous delivery is moving from pilot programs to large-scale commercial deployment, according to Starship Technologies, which says it has now completed more than 10 million deliveries using its fleet of sidewalk robots.

The company describes the milestone as a turning point for so-called “physical AI” systems operating in real-world environments, with its robots now deployed across multiple countries and use cases. [Read more…] about Starship passes 10 million deliveries as autonomous delivery moves toward mainstream adoption

ABB Robotics’ autonomous mobile robot wins prestigious design award

by

ABB Robotics’ Flexley Mover P603 autonomous mobile robot (AMR) has won the iF Design Award 2026 in the Industry, Tools and Machinery Product Design category, based on its compact design, intelligent navigation and potential to transform performance in intralogistics applications.

Alfonso González, global AMR product line manager of ABB Robotics, says: “The Flexley Mover P603 is the latest step in ABB Robotics’ approach to autonomous, software-driven intralogistics automation, where machines can operate independently while working seamlessly alongside people and other systems.

“This award recognizes not only the strength of the design, but also how we’re lowering the barriers to automation through more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVRTM) that can do more things, in more places, and do it faster, safer and smarter.” [Read more…] about ABB Robotics’ autonomous mobile robot wins prestigious design award

The Hidden Ingredient Layer Behind Automated Food Processing

by

Food factories love visible progress. A new robot arm. A cleaner packaging cell. A faster conveyor. A vision system that spots defects before a human operator would even notice them.

But a surprising amount of automation performance is decided before any of that equipment touches the product.

It starts in the mix tank, the formulation room, the chilling step, the coating drum, the dough sheet, the marinade, the binder, the stabilizer, and the moisture level. The boring stuff, basically. The stuff that doesn’t photograph well at trade shows. [Read more…] about The Hidden Ingredient Layer Behind Automated Food Processing

Why Delivery Robots Are Becoming Essential in Modern Automation

by

Modern automation is shifting from a traditional factory-centric model toward an intelligent network driven by artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital systems. In this process, delivery robots are becoming increasingly important.

Their core value lies in extending automation from “handling digital tasks” to “performing real-world delivery operations,” enabling industries such as logistics, healthcare, and retail to achieve true end-to-end automation.

Unlike traditional equipment, delivery robots can move and operate autonomously in complex real-world environments, making them a key technology for connecting AI systems with real-world operations. [Read more…] about Why Delivery Robots Are Becoming Essential in Modern Automation