Robotics & Automation News

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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

Decart’s Oasis 3 world model streams realism into robotic training environments

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Frontier AI research lab Decart is aiming to bridge the gap between synthetic simulation and physical AI with the launch of its latest world model, Oasis 3.

Announced recently, the new video output model was designed to accelerate the training of operating system models for robots and autonomous vehicles. The goal is to create intelligent hardware that won’t be fazed by the unpredictable nature of the world it operates in.

Makers of robotics face significant challenges due to the dearth of useful data that can be harnessed to train their machines to operate in complex physical environments. [Read more…] about Decart’s Oasis 3 world model streams realism into robotic training environments

Genesis AI launches simulation platform to accelerate robotics development

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Genesis AI has launched Genesis World 1.0, a new robotics simulation platform designed to dramatically reduce the time required to develop, test, and evaluate robotic AI systems.

The company says the platform can compress robotics evaluation cycles from days to minutes by enabling large-scale testing in photorealistic virtual environments rather than relying solely on physical robots.

According to Genesis AI, a robotics foundation model evaluation that would typically require nearly a week of continuous testing on real hardware can be completed in approximately 30 minutes using Genesis World 1.0 running on GPU infrastructure. [Read more…] about Genesis AI launches simulation platform to accelerate robotics development

ABB and Salzburg researchers patent AI system to cut energy use in industrial robots

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Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and ABB’s Machine Automation Division – B&R –  are working together to apply artificial intelligence to improve energy efficiency in industrial automation.

The collaboration, anchored in the Josef Ressel Center for Intelligent and Secure Industrial Automation (JRZ ISIA), focuses on translating advanced research into practical solutions for industrial drive systems.

A recent milestone of this collaboration is the filing of a joint patent application in the field of energy-optimized motion control for drive systems used in industrial automation – such as robots, machine tools and automated production lines – where highly dynamic motion sequences including positioning, acceleration, deceleration and cyclic movement must be controlled with high precision. [Read more…] about ABB and Salzburg researchers patent AI system to cut energy use in industrial robots

Figure ramps up humanoid robot manufacturing at unprecedented speed

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Humanoid robotics companies have spent years producing carefully choreographed demonstrations and highly controlled prototypes. The real challenge, however, has always been manufacturing scale.

Building one impressive humanoid robot is difficult. Building hundreds reliably, repeatedly, and economically is something else entirely.

Figure AI now claims to be crossing that threshold. [Read more…] about Figure ramps up humanoid robot manufacturing at unprecedented speed

Boston Dynamics trains Atlas humanoid robot to pick up and place washing machine

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Boston Dynamics has released new behind-the-scenes footage showing its latest electric humanoid robot, Atlas, performing heavy lifting and manipulation tasks that the company says are designed to prepare the system for real industrial work. (See video below.)

The demonstration centers on Atlas lifting and carrying a mini-fridge weighing roughly 50 pounds, although Boston Dynamics says the robot successfully handled a loaded fridge weighing more than 100 pounds during testing.

The company says the breakthrough is not simply the robot’s physical strength, but the development of AI-driven control systems capable of adapting to “real world adaptability: handling heavy objects by bracing and accounting for the mass and inertia; using whole-body control, not just hands to maneuver”. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics trains Atlas humanoid robot to pick up and place washing machine

Fanuc strengthens Nvidia partnership for AI robot simulation and digital twins

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Fanuc has further strengthened the integration between Nvidia’s open robot simulation reference framework Nvidia Isaac Sim and Fanuc’s robot simulation software RoboGuide, enabling intuitive operation within a virtual factory and realizing highly accurate, seamlessly integrated digital twins.

At the International Robot Exhibition held last December in Tokyo, Fanuc demonstrated the technology that imports robot motion simulations created in RoboGuide into Nvidia Isaac Sim, reproducing precise trajectories and cycle times in a virtual environment using the same control algorithms as the actual robot.

Today Fanuc announces, with the enhanced integration, the two systems are now more tightly integrated, delivering an even more practical and efficient simulation environment for robot testing and virtual commissioning. [Read more…] about Fanuc strengthens Nvidia partnership for AI robot simulation and digital twins

Sony achieves ‘major breakthrough’ with tennis-playing robot

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Sony AI has announced a “major breakthrough” in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) with the publication of its project Ace, the first known real-world autonomous system competitive with elite and professional-level human table tennis players.

The research outlining the achievement, “Outplaying Elite Table Tennis Players with an Autonomous Robot” was published on the cover of Nature.

This marks the first time a robot has achieved human, expert-level play in a commonly played competitive sport in the physical world – a longstanding milestone for AI and robotics research. [Read more…] about Sony achieves ‘major breakthrough’ with tennis-playing robot

QCraft Expands its Autonomous Driving Stack into the Physical AI Frontier

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The autonomous driving company is moving beyond self-driving cars and into the broader world of Physical AI

QCraft, one of the major providers of autonomous driving technology to OEMs, used this year’s Beijing Auto Show to unveil what it calls the QCraft Physical AI Model. This was a signal that the company sees its future not just in autonomous vehicles, but in a wider category of AI systems that interact with the physical world.

CEO Dr. James Yu framed the pivot in sweeping terms, arguing that the industry is entering a new phase. Where the last decade focused on teaching AI to drive, the next will be defined by Physical AI: systems that can perceive, reason about, and act in real-world environments.

It’s a thesis shared by a growing number of companies in robotics and autonomy, but QCraft is betting that its technical foundation gives it a head start. [Read more…] about QCraft Expands its Autonomous Driving Stack into the Physical AI Frontier

QCraft raises $100 million to push toward Level 4 autonomy and physical AI at scale

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QCraft, a developer of autonomous driving AI, has announced the completion of a $100 million new Series D funding round.

The round was completed by a consortium of investors including Ningbo Ninghai Xingtaihe Fund, Wonderland Capital, Liangxi Science and Innovation Industry Investment Fund Partnership (managed by Broad Vision Funds), as well as strategic investors from a leading OEM and automotive electronics components supplier. [Read more…] about QCraft raises $100 million to push toward Level 4 autonomy and physical AI at scale