Robotics & Automation News

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human-robot interaction

What makes robots feel alive? Human-robot interaction expert Sarah Sebo explains

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As robots become more expressive and socially capable, the line between machines and living characters is starting to blur. From Disney’s lifelike Olaf robot (main image) to interactive droids inspired by Star Wars, recent developments highlight how far robotics has come in replicating human-like behavior and emotion.

But what actually makes a robot feel “alive” – and why do some machines feel natural while others fall into the so-called “uncanny valley”?

To explore these questions, Robotics & Automation News spoke with Sarah Sebo, assistant professor of computer science at the University of Chicago, whose research focuses on human-robot interaction and the social, cultural and technological impact of robots in everyday environments. [Read more…] about What makes robots feel alive? Human-robot interaction expert Sarah Sebo explains

Sonair to debut ultrasonic 3D sensor at Modex event

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Sonair, a pioneer in ultrasonic 3D sensing, is introducing its award-winning ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging) sensor to the North American market with its official debut at Modex 2026, Booth #B15851, April 13-16.

The technology arrives in Atlanta following its first commercial deployment in serial production on Cleanfix’s new autonomous cleaning robots. [Read more…] about Sonair to debut ultrasonic 3D sensor at Modex event

The uncanny valley and how humans relate to humanoids

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Exploring the psychological aspects of designing and interacting with human-like robots

Humanoid robots are moving steadily from laboratories and research demos toward commercial deployment. Machines built by companies such as Tesla, Figure AI, Agility Robotics, and Boston Dynamics are increasingly designed to operate in environments originally built for humans – factories, warehouses, hospitals, and homes.

But as robots begin to resemble people more closely, another question re-emerges – one that engineers, psychologists, and filmmakers have been grappling with for decades. [Read more…] about The uncanny valley and how humans relate to humanoids

Richtech Robotics partners with Microsoft to advance agentic AI in real-world robotics applications

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Richtech Robotics, a US-based provider of AI-driven robots operating in commercial and industrial environments, has announced a hands-on collaboration with Microsoft through the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Labs to jointly develop and deploy agentic artificial intelligence capabilities in real-world robotic systems.

Through close collaboration between Richtech Robotics’ engineering team and Microsoft’s AI Co-Innovation Labs, the companies worked together to enhance Richtech Robotics’ Adam robot with adaptive intelligence powered by Azure AI.

The collaboration focused on applying vision, voice, and autonomous reasoning to physical environments, enabling robots to move beyond task execution and support more contextual, conversational, and operationally aware interactions. [Read more…] about Richtech Robotics partners with Microsoft to advance agentic AI in real-world robotics applications

CES 2026 highlights shift from humanoid hardware to real-world behavior, says IntBot

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According to Intbot, CES 2026 made one thing clear: “Robots have mastered movement”. On the show floor, they danced, backflipped, played ping pong, and posed for selfies, solid proof that hardware capability is no longer limiting their development.

What’s still missing? How robots behave autonomously in the real world, outside scripted demos and controlled settings.

IntBot, a humanoid robotics company focused on social intelligence, says the industry is entering a new phase where differentiation will be defined less by mechanics and more by judgment, context, and presence. [Read more…] about CES 2026 highlights shift from humanoid hardware to real-world behavior, says IntBot

Interview with Kardome CEO: Teaching robots to hear like humans

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For much of the past decade, progress in robotics and autonomous systems has been framed largely through vision. Cameras, LiDAR, and computer vision algorithms have dominated discussions around perception, mapping, and situational awareness.

Sound, by contrast, has often been treated as a secondary input – useful for wake words and basic commands, but rarely central to machine intelligence.

Yet hearing is arguably one of the most fundamental senses for understanding the world, particularly when it comes to language and interaction. Humans begin responding to sound before birth, learning rhythm, tone, and voice long before their eyes ever open. [Read more…] about Interview with Kardome CEO: Teaching robots to hear like humans

Social and companion robots: More than just machines?

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For decades, robots were built to weld, lift, inspect, and assemble. Their world was the industrial floor – structured tasks, predictable environments, and a focus on efficiency.

That paradigm is shifting. A new category of machines is emerging, designed not to move pallets or operate tools but to interact, comfort, teach, and keep people company.

Social and companion robots occupy a different space in the automation landscape. Instead of replacing physical labour, they augment human relationships, taking on roles traditionally associated with caregivers, teachers, receptionists, and even friends. [Read more…] about Social and companion robots: More than just machines?

When customers see robots being mistreated, their reactions reveal something deeper about society

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A new study from Hanyang University ERICA, in South Korea, has found that when people witness someone abusing a service robot, their response follows one of two psychological paths: some copy the aggressor’s behavior, while others feel empathy for the robot and act more kindly.

The research, led by Professor Taeshik Gong, offers one of the first empirical looks at a phenomenon that many people have noticed but few have studied – the discomfort that arises when robots are kicked, shoved, or insulted in public or online videos.

Such scenes, once intended to showcase a robot’s balance or durability, increasingly strike observers as needlessly cruel. [Read more…] about When customers see robots being mistreated, their reactions reveal something deeper about society

Last-mile delivery robots: Navigating sidewalks and urban landscapes

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An update on the progress and challenges of autonomous ground-based delivery robots

Estimates of the size of the global market for robotic and autonomous delivery vary widely, but most analysts agree that the category is growing fast from a relatively small base.

MarketsandMarkets projects the global delivery robots market at about $796 million in 2025, reaching $3.24 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 32 percent.

Some analysts peg the segment more conservatively – $400 million in 2025 growing to $770 million by 2029 at a CAGR of around 18 percent – illustrating the uncertainty around scale, scope (food v parcel), and definitions (sidewalk v road-going pods). [Read more…] about Last-mile delivery robots: Navigating sidewalks and urban landscapes

Georgia Tech team designs robot guide dog to assist the visually impaired

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People who are visually impaired and cannot afford or care for service animals might have a practical alternative in a robotic guide dog being developed at Georgia Tech.

Before launching its prototype, a research team within Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing, led by Professor Bruce Walker and Assistant Professor Sehoon Ha, is working to improve its methods and designs based on research within blind and visually impaired (BVI) communities.

“There’s been research on the technical aspects and functionality of robotic guide dogs, but not a lot of emphasis on the aesthetics or form factors,” says Avery Gong, a recent master’s graduate who worked in Walker’s lab. “We wanted to fill this gap.” [Read more…] about Georgia Tech team designs robot guide dog to assist the visually impaired

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