Robotics & Automation News

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humanoid robots

Inovance Technology targets humanoid robot components and bolsters core PLC business

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Chinese automation specialist Inovance Technology is “actively developing key components for humanoid robots”, with plans to launch some products within the year, according to German investment advice website Gronewy. 

This strategic move by Inovance into the advanced robotics field signals the company’s ambition to be a supplier for the next generation of automation.

While humanoids represent a future frontier, Inovance’s immediate foundation is its growing strength in industrial control systems. [Read more…] about Inovance Technology targets humanoid robot components and bolsters core PLC business

1X unveils humanoid robot for the home as it seeks to raise $1 billion in new funding

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1X, a pioneer in humanoid robotics, has unveiled its NEO Beta, a prototype of its bipedal humanoid designed for home use. The release came just before news emerged that the company is looking to raise $1 billion in new funding, according to The Information.

NEO Beta represents a significant advancement in robotics, moving beyond traditional, stiff robots to humanoids with bio-inspired designs that can safely work among people.

The NEO Beta launch marks a major milestone for 1X as the company transitions from conceptual development to bringing humanoid robots into consumer households. [Read more…] about 1X unveils humanoid robot for the home as it seeks to raise $1 billion in new funding

Bain report: Humanoid robots still in pilot stage as industry prepares for waves of adoption

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Humanoid robots may be generating headlines and billions in investment, but most deployments remain in the pilot phase, according to Bain & Company’s newly released Global Technology Report 2025.

The consulting firm said humanoids attracted about $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024, driven in part by demographic pressures in advanced economies. Yet despite growing expectations, the reality is that today’s humanoids are “heavily dependent on human input for navigation, dexterity, or task switching”.

Bain’s report, in a chapter titled Humanoid Robots: From Demos to Deployment, highlights both rapid progress and persistent obstacles. Intelligence and perception are nearing human parity, thanks to advances in generative AI and vision systems, but battery performance and fine motor handling remain far behind. [Read more…] about Bain report: Humanoid robots still in pilot stage as industry prepares for waves of adoption

Figure raises over $1 billion in Series C funding at $39 billion valuation

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Humanoid robotics company Figure has secured more than $1 billion in committed capital through its latest Series C financing round, reaching a post-money valuation of $39 billion.

The company said the funding will accelerate its efforts “to bring general-purpose humanoid robots into real-world environments at scale.”

The round was led by Parkway Venture Capital and included significant participation from Brookfield Asset Management, Nvidia, Macquarie Capital, Intel Capital, Align Ventures, Tamarack Global, LG Technology Ventures, Salesforce, T-Mobile Ventures, and Qualcomm Ventures. [Read more…] about Figure raises over $1 billion in Series C funding at $39 billion valuation

OpenMind launches first open-source operating system for intelligent robots

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OpenMind has released the beta version of what it says is “the world’s first open-source operating system for intelligent robots”, adding that it’s “a universal platform that allows any robot to perceive, reason, and act in the real world”.

Robotics has long been fragmented, with developers forced to choose between closed ecosystems, hardware-specific software, or steep learning curves.

This allows any developer to install fully autonomous software on their robots. [Read more…] about OpenMind launches first open-source operating system for intelligent robots

Niryo launches robotic platform to make industrial automation ‘more accessible’

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French industrial company Niryo has launched Nate, its new robotic platform designed to accelerate automation in industry.

With 3,500 robots deployed in over 70 countries, Niryo has established itself as a key player in the field of robotics.

Building on this experience, the company is now accelerating the development of accessible, high-performance solutions for industry, with a clear ambition: to make cutting-edge robotics accessible to companies of all sizes. [Read more…] about Niryo launches robotic platform to make industrial automation ‘more accessible’

Robotics survey highlights autonomy, digital twins, humanoids and ethics as key 2025 trends

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A new survey of more than 200 robotics product developers and industrial designers suggests the industry is at a turning point, with advances in autonomy, digital twins and humanoid robots balanced against persistent challenges around cost, safety and ethics.

The study, published by design firm StudioRed, found that robotics development is currently most concentrated in consumer electronics (55.7 percent), manufacturing (52.7 percent) and biotech (51.7 percent).

Respondents said robotics is moving beyond the assembly line, with applications in smart homes, logistics and life sciences. [Read more…] about Robotics survey highlights autonomy, digital twins, humanoids and ethics as key 2025 trends

Alibaba leads $140 million funding round in Chinese humanoid robot start-up X Square Robot

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X Square Robot, a Shenzhen-based humanoid robotics developer, has raised the equivalent of between $100 million and $140 million in its latest financing round, according to multiple reports.

Alibaba Cloud, the artificial intelligence and cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, led the round, which the South China Morning Post reported as a 1 billion yuan (about $140 million) Series A+ investment. CNBC, meanwhile, cited the figure as $100 million.

Other backers include CAS Investment, China Development Bank Capital, HongShan Capital Group, Meituan, and Legend Capital. The deal marks Alibaba Cloud’s first direct investment in the field of embodied intelligence. [Read more…] about Alibaba leads $140 million funding round in Chinese humanoid robot start-up X Square Robot

PAL Robotics brings TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo to Asia

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PAL Robotics, a pioneer in humanoid and service robotics, is taking part in two of the most important robotics events in Asia this fall: the 8th Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL 2025) from September 27-30 in Seoul, South Korea, and the 24th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids 2025) from September 30 to October 2, also in Seoul.

These events are an opportunity to showcase TIAGo Pro, PAL Robotics’ versatile mobile manipulator, and Kangaroo, the company’s latest humanoid platform.

Advancing robotics research towards industry

PAL Robotics has spent over 20 years developing humanoid and mobile platforms that support researchers and companies worldwide.

Today, its robots are used to explore fields such as locomotion, grasping, human-robot interaction, and assistive robotics, bridging research and deployment across healthcare, industry, and education.

TIAGo Pro, the user-friendly mobile manipulator, is meant for Human-Robot interaction (HRI). Its advanced navigation and perception makes it an ideal platform for embodied AI and robot learning.

At the same time with Kangaroo, PAL Robotics introduces an agile humanoid robot designed as a legged manipulator for dynamic tasks and advanced locomotion research.

Showcasing innovation in Seoul

PAL Robotics will highlight how both TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo act as platforms for robot learning. Visitors will not only see but also try TIAGo Pro’s teleoperation demo, guiding the robot’s movements in real time.

This hands-on experience demonstrates how teleoperation enables intuitive control, provides valuable data for training robot learning algorithms, and connects AI models with real-world interaction.

At Humanoids 2025, under the global theme “Humanoids Moving Towards Industry”, Kangaroo will appear in live demonstrations, including the first edition of the Robot Fashion Show, walking the runway to showcase its unique design and architecture.

Expanding presence in Asia

By bringing these robots to Asia, PAL Robotics underlines its commitment to strengthening collaborations with researchers, universities, and businesses across the region.

These events are not only an opportunity to demonstrate technological progress, but also to connect with the local community.

Robot ethics: Bias, accountability, and the impact of robots becoming more intelligent and more involved in human society

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Artificial intelligence is now embedded in robots that are not only assembling cars or moving pallets, but also serving food, delivering parcels, assisting the elderly, and even teaching children.

As these systems grow more autonomous, the ethical stakes become unavoidable: what happens when a robot makes a decision that has moral, social, or legal consequences?

Robots powered by advanced AI are no longer passive tools. They perceive, interpret, and act in ways that increasingly resemble human decision-making. That raises pressing concerns about bias, accountability, and the broader societal impact of machines that operate with growing independence. [Read more…] about Robot ethics: Bias, accountability, and the impact of robots becoming more intelligent and more involved in human society