Robotics & Automation News

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humanoid robots

FieldAI raises more than $400 million to advance embodied AI at scale

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FieldAI, a specialist developer of physical AI and robotic autonomy, has raised $405 million in two consecutive funding rounds.

Investors include Bezos Expeditions, BHP Ventures, Canaan Partners, Emerson Collective, Intel Capital, Khosla Ventures, NVentures (Nvidia’s venture capital arm), Prysm, Temasek, and others. Previous investors include Gates Frontier and Samsung.

The latest round was oversubscribed, following rapid customer adoption and multiple expansion contracts for FieldAI’s general-purpose robotics intelligence, with successful testing and deployments across hundreds of complex real-world industrial environments. [Read more…] about FieldAI raises more than $400 million to advance embodied AI at scale

Historic debut of the World Humanoid Robot Games kicks off in Beijing

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The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games (WHRG) roared into life yesterday evening at the iconic National Speed Skating Oval – the “Ice Ribbon” from the 2022 Winter Olympics. (See video below.)

A dazzling opening ceremony saw humanoid robots break into hip-hop dance routines, martial arts displays, and live musical performances on keyboards, guitars, and drums.

One robot even scored a soccer goal; another fell but got back up unaided, while a model bot tumbled off the stage and had to be carried by staff – underscoring both the spectacle and the still-evolving nature of the technology. [Read more…] about Historic debut of the World Humanoid Robot Games kicks off in Beijing

OpenMind raises $20 million to ‘connect all thinking machines’ through its robot operating system

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OpenMind, a company that describes itself as “unlocking machine agency at scale”, has closed a $20 million funding round led by Pantera Capital.

By building open systems, shared intelligence, and decentralized coordination, their goal is to “connect all thinking machines”. In other words, the company wants to provide an operating system for robots, particularly humanoid robots.

The company also received strong backing from industry leaders Ribbit, Coinbase Ventures, HSG, DCG, Pebblebed, Topology, Primitive Ventures, Lightspeed Faction, Anagram and notable angels. [Read more…] about OpenMind raises $20 million to ‘connect all thinking machines’ through its robot operating system

Agibot secures strategic investment from LG Electronics and Mirae Asset

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Chinese humanoid robot developer Agibot has completed a new round of strategic financing, drawing investment from South Korea’s LG Electronics and Mirae Asset, according to reports by Reuters and Yicai Global.

The investment marks LG’s first move into the “embodied intelligence” sector – an area encompassing humanoid robots and AI systems that interact physically with the real world.

It also represents the first global investment from the Mirae Asset-LG Electronics New Growth Fund, which focuses on emerging technologies. Agibot did not disclose the amount raised or the valuation implied by the funding round. [Read more…] about Agibot secures strategic investment from LG Electronics and Mirae Asset

Realbotix adds multilingual functionality to its Aria humanoid robot

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Realbotix has introduced multilingual functionality to its flagship humanoid robot, Aria, enabling it to communicate in 15 core languages and more than 147 dialects in real time.

The US-based robotics company, known for its work in “emotional AI”, says the feature is aimed at expanding Aria’s use across global industries such as hospitality, healthcare, education, and entertainment.

Andrew Kiguel, Realbotix’s chief executive and a former investment banker, says the upgrade allows Aria to “build emotional rapport across cultures”, a key differentiator from many robotics companies focused on manufacturing or logistics. [Read more…] about Realbotix adds multilingual functionality to its Aria humanoid robot

JPMorgan report: Robotics and automation surge as investors back ‘science made real’

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The robotics and automation sector is experiencing a dramatic rise in investor interest, as the industry matures from theoretical science to real-world application, according to JPMorgan’s newly released Applied Tech report.

JPMorgan, the world’s largest bank, defines “Applied Technology” as the sector that bridges scientific discovery and engineering innovation – essentially translating lab-born concepts into real-world tools.

Robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation form a core part of this applied frontier, where the theoretical is rapidly becoming practical. [Read more…] about JPMorgan report: Robotics and automation surge as investors back ‘science made real’

Opinion: Edge AI is driving the next wave of robotic innovation

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By Paul Williamson, SVP and GM IoT line of business at Arm

The robotics revolution is accelerating. What began as rigid, programmed machines confined to factory floors, is evolving into more adaptive, intelligent systems now being piloted across a growing range of sectors.

The catalyst for this transformation isn’t just better hardware or more sophisticated software alone, but the convergence of multiple breakthrough technologies, with edge AI leading the charge. [Read more…] about Opinion: Edge AI is driving the next wave of robotic innovation

Unitree Robots Break into Entertainment, Sports and Industry: Company Enters New Phase of Robotics Integration

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Unitree Robotics has always been dedicated to creating fun, friendly, and engaging robots for the public, aiming to bring joy and companionship through robotics technology.

From a cowboy walking the streets of Austin, Texas, to viral livestreamed boxing tournaments online, Unitree Robotics is pushing the boundaries of robotics in modern life.

As a pioneer in civilian robotics, the company is capturing global attention by combining technological precision with cultural relevance – and deploying its creations across entertainment, industry and everyday life. [Read more…] about Unitree Robots Break into Entertainment, Sports and Industry: Company Enters New Phase of Robotics Integration

Neura Robotics and HD Hyundai partner to bring humanoid robots to shipbuilding

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Neura Robotics has signed a strategic agreement with HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Robotics to develop and test humanoid and quadruped robots for use in the shipbuilding industry.

The partnership, announced during the Automatica trade show in Munich at the end of June, brings together German cognitive robotics expertise and Korean shipbuilding and automation capabilities.

The companies say the goal is to deploy intelligent robotic systems to boost safety, productivity, and operational efficiency in one of the world’s most demanding industrial environments. [Read more…] about Neura Robotics and HD Hyundai partner to bring humanoid robots to shipbuilding

Diligent Robotics appoints former Cruise executives as CTO and COO

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Diligent Robotics, developers of AI-native humanoid robots, have appointed two former Cruise executives to its leadership team: Rashed Haq as chief technology officer (CTO) and Todd Brugger as chief operating officer (COO).

With deep technical and commercial go-to-market expertise in autonomous vehicles and AI, the pair will help fuel the company’s next phase of growth as it gears up for expansion beyond its initial application of US hospital logistics.

Haq most recently served as Cruise’s VP, head of AI and Robotics, where he built the foundation of end-to-end autonomy for self-driving vehicles and helped scale Cruise to 5+ million miles of fully driverless vehicles in 5+ cities. [Read more…] about Diligent Robotics appoints former Cruise executives as CTO and COO