Robotics & Automation News

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robot manipulation

Lumos Robotics tops global benchmark test for zero-shot embodied AI

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Lumos Robotics says its Prime R0 industrial embodied AI model has achieved the highest overall score on the latest MolmoSpaces leaderboard, outperforming larger models from competitors including Nvidia and research teams from the United States.

The Chinese robotics company said its 2.8-billion-parameter model ranked first across both single-arm fine manipulation and dual-arm collaboration tasks in the benchmark, which measures zero-shot embodied AI performance in previously unseen environments.

According to Lumos, Prime R0 surpassed models including Nvidia’s 16-billion-parameter Cosmos model as well as entries from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Princeton University, despite using less than one-sixth as many parameters. [Read more…] about Lumos Robotics tops global benchmark test for zero-shot embodied AI

UK startup Humanoid launches reinforcement learning system to improve robot manipulation

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UK-based robotics and AI company Humanoid has introduced KinetIQ Ascend, the company’s reinforcement learning approach designed to reach 99.9 percent manipulation reliability at human speed and beyond.

KinetIQ Ascend builds on the previously announced KinetIQ platform with trial-and-error learning, helping the company’s robots improve directly on industrial tasks.

The new system was tested on several tasks, including picking parts from bins, handing objects to humans, and lifting and moving containers using both arms. It has proven effective across a range of manipulation scenarios. [Read more…] about UK startup Humanoid launches reinforcement learning system to improve robot manipulation

Interview with Sharpa’s Alicia Veneziani: ‘Dexterous manipulation is the key to useful humanoid robots’

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Much of the recent excitement surrounding humanoid robots has focused on increasingly impressive demonstrations of walking, running, jumping, and balancing. Yet many robotics experts argue that locomotion, while important, is only part of the challenge.

The bigger obstacle to creating genuinely useful humanoid robots may be something far more familiar to humans: the ability to use their hands.

Among the companies focused on solving this problem is Sharpa, a Singapore-based robotics startup developing dexterous robotic hands, tactile sensing systems, and embodied AI technologies designed to enable robots to interact more effectively with the physical world. [Read more…] about Interview with Sharpa’s Alicia Veneziani: ‘Dexterous manipulation is the key to useful humanoid robots’

Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

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Flexiv, a provider of general-purpose robotics, has announced it will host an exclusive preview of its next-generation robotics portfolio at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), taking place June 1-5 in Vienna, Austria.

At Hall B, Booth 130, visitors will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of two groundbreaking robotic platforms ahead of their international launch later this year.

Flexiv is using the event to demonstrate the core architecture and technical capabilities of its new lineup, showcasing new benchmarks in tactile intelligence and modular adaptability. [Read more…] about Flexiv to offer exclusive preview of next-generation robots at ICRA

Rotaku launches Domo humanoid robot platform starting at $2,999 for developers

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Rotaku has opened reservations for Domo, a compact humanoid robot platform designed for developers, makers, educators and robotics teams working with real humanoid hardware.

The Domo lineup starts at $2,999 and is intended to make humanoid robot development more accessible to users working on motion control, teleoperation, manipulation, robot interaction and embodied AI. [Read more…] about Rotaku launches Domo humanoid robot platform starting at $2,999 for developers

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

Ai2 releases open robotics model designed for real-world AI automation

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The Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) has released MolmoAct 2, an open-source robotics foundation model designed to improve how robots perform real-world physical tasks, as researchers continue pushing beyond highly controlled laboratory demonstrations toward more adaptable automation systems.

The new model, announced this week by the Seattle-based AI research organization, is positioned as a major upgrade to its earlier MolmoAct system and reflects a broader industry effort to develop more general-purpose robotics AI capable of adapting to changing environments without extensive task-specific programming.

Ai2 describes MolmoAct 2 as an “open foundation for robots that work in the real world”, arguing that many current robotics systems remain too brittle and heavily tuned for narrow applications. [Read more…] about Ai2 releases open robotics model designed for real-world AI automation

PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation

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PAL Robotics has announced a new robotic arm platform aimed at researchers, developers, and robotics engineers working on advanced manipulation applications.

The Barcelona-based robotics company, known for platforms including TIAGo Pro and Kangaroo, said the new system has been designed to make robotic manipulation more accessible, flexible, and easier to deploy across both research and real-world operational environments.

The company plans to officially unveil the platform at ICRA 2026 in Vienna, where it will reveal the robot’s name, full specifications, and live demonstrations. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics unveils new robotic arm platform for advanced AI-driven manipulation

Winners of AgiBot World Challenge at IROS 2025

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The AgiBot World Challenge at IROS 2025 concluded with 431 robotics teams from 23 countries competing across two major categories – the World Model Track and the Manipulation Track – showcasing advances in embodied AI and real-world robotic skills.

In the World Model Track, first place went to VIPL-GENUN from the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. HD-Robo from HiDream.ai Inc. took second place, followed by SHIELD-LMD, a joint team representing Alibaba Cloud, SHIELD, and Shanghai TAM, in third.

In the Manipulation Track, AIR-DREAM, a joint entry by Tsinghua University and Shanghai AI Lab, won first place. Notonlysim from South China University of Technology and Firebot from the University of Hong Kong ranked second and third respectively. [Read more…] about Winners of AgiBot World Challenge at IROS 2025

Tesollo showcases new hand technology at APEC ministerial meeting

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Tesollo, a leading robot manufacturing company in Korea, will unveil its cutting-edge robotic hand technology at K-Innoshow 2025, held in conjunction with the 2025 APEC SME Ministerial Meeting at the Jeju International Convention Center (ICC Jeju).

K-Innoshow, hosted by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups, is the country’s largest technology innovation exhibition, where innovative SMEs present their R&D achievements and breakthrough technologies each year.

This year’s event, aligned with the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting, is expected to serve as a key gateway for global market entry and international cooperation. [Read more…] about Tesollo showcases new hand technology at APEC ministerial meeting