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robotics and automation

QCraft unveils 500+ TOPS autonomous driving platform and expands its autopilot system beyond one million vehicles

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Autonomous driving company QCraft has launched a next-generation intelligent driving platform delivering more than 500 tera operations per second (TOPS) and announced that its Urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) system has now been deployed in more than one million vehicles.

The announcements were made at QCraft Day 2026, held in Beijing on January 23, where the company presented updates on its technology roadmap, mass production progress and global expansion strategy to more than 200 industry guests.

In a keynote address titled “Bringing Autonomous Driving into Real Life”, QCraft co-founder, chairman and CEO Dr James Yu said 2026 would mark the beginning of what he described as a “Golden Decade” for autonomous driving, alongside the arrival of “Superhuman Intelligence”. [Read more…] about QCraft unveils 500+ TOPS autonomous driving platform and expands its autopilot system beyond one million vehicles

Libiao Robotics installs 240 robots at parcel hub in Argentina

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Libiao Robotics has further strengthened its international footprint with the successful inauguration of a state-of-the-art robotic parcel sorting centre for Correo Argentino at its Monte Grande facility, near Buenos Aires.

The installation is the first of its kind in Latin America and marks a major step forward in the modernisation of Argentina’s national postal infrastructure.

The new facility is powered by 240 autonomous Libiao robots operating across 1,180 square metres, and is capable of sorting up to 9,000 parcels per hour, increasing the site’s previous capacity three-fold. [Read more…] about Libiao Robotics installs 240 robots at parcel hub in Argentina

State of Louisiana partners with Persona AI on humanoid robotics pilot at steel fabrication plant

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The State of Louisiana has signed a memorandum of understanding with Persona AI to launch a humanoid robotics pilot program inside an active heavy-industry facility, marking what officials describe as a rare instance of a US state formally supporting humanoid robot development in a live industrial setting.

The pilot will be conducted at SSE Steel Fabrication’s large-scale steel fabrication facility in St Bernard Parish and will focus on collecting real-world data on human movement and task execution in a working manufacturing environment.

According to the announcement, the initiative is intended to support the development of humanoid robots capable of operating in environments “originally built for humans rather than redesigned for traditional automation”, including the use of existing tools, navigation across uneven terrain, and adaptation to changing shop-floor conditions. [Read more…] about State of Louisiana partners with Persona AI on humanoid robotics pilot at steel fabrication plant

GlobalLogic and Elektrobit partner to accelerate software-defined vehicle development

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GlobalLogic, a Hitachi Group company and a specialist in digital engineering, has announced a major strategic expansion of its long-standing partnership with Elektrobit, a developer of automotive software.

The alliance will accelerate the development and market adoption of next-generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms.

GlobalLogic and Elektrobit have collaborated for the past 15 years, supporting Elektrobit’s industry-leading products in areas such as adaptive and classic Autosar middleware, in-vehicle infotainment systems, and connectivity. [Read more…] about GlobalLogic and Elektrobit partner to accelerate software-defined vehicle development

Microsoft Research unveils Rho-alpha robotics model combining vision, language, and touch

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Microsoft Research has announced Rho-alpha, a new robotics model designed to help robots understand natural language instructions and carry out complex physical tasks in less structured environments.

The model, derived from Microsoft’s Phi series of vision-language models, is being made available through the company’s Research Early Access Program. According to Microsoft, Rho-alpha is intended to advance a new generation of robotics systems capable of perceiving, reasoning, and acting in dynamic real-world settings.

For decades, robots have performed best in tightly controlled environments such as factories and warehouses, where tasks are predictable and carefully scripted. Recent advances in agentic AI, however, are enabling new “vision-language-action” models that allow physical systems to operate with greater autonomy. [Read more…] about Microsoft Research unveils Rho-alpha robotics model combining vision, language, and touch

MassRobotics reveals 11 startups to take part in 5th Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program

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MassRobotics, in collaboration with Festo, Novanta and Mitsubishi Electric Automation, announces the selection of 11 startups for the 2026 Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst.

Now in its fifth cohort, the program empowers global startups to accelerate the development and commercialization of robotic technologies that improve clinical care, hospital operations, and laboratory automation. [Read more…] about MassRobotics reveals 11 startups to take part in 5th Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program

Technology Innovation Institute and World Economic Forum launch Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies at Davos

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The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have launched the Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies, a new Centre within WEF’s prestigious Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Global Network.

The collaboration was formalized during a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, marking a significant step in deepening international cooperation to shape the future of frontier technologies.

Established with a clear mandate to lead breakthroughs in frontier research and development, advance global policy on emerging technologies, and foster international collaboration that moves innovation from the lab into real-world deployment, the Centre builds on the UAE’s position as a real-world testbed for innovation. [Read more…] about Technology Innovation Institute and World Economic Forum launch Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies at Davos

Unbox Robotics secures $28 million in Series B fundraise led by ICICI venture

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Unbox Robotics, a supply chain robotics technology company, has secured $28 million (INR 243 crore) in Series B funding, led by ICICI Venture and Redstart Labs (Infoedge), with co-investment from F-Prime, 3one4 Capital, Navam Capital, Force Ventures, and other existing investors.

This funding round, comprising a mix of primary and secondary capital, will be utilized towards strengthening the leadership and engineering teams, accelerating new product development, and expanding market presence across India and select international markets.

This fundraise marks a key step for Unbox Robotics as the company scales its mission of transforming warehouse and logistics operations through intelligent robotics and automation. The company also created meaningful liquidity for employees through its ESOP program as part of the transaction. [Read more…] about Unbox Robotics secures $28 million in Series B fundraise led by ICICI venture

Serve Robotics to acquire Diligent Robotics, expanding autonomy platform into hospitals

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Serve Robotics has agreed to acquire healthcare robotics company Diligent Robotics, marking its first move beyond outdoor, sidewalk-based delivery and into indoor environments such as hospitals.

The deal brings Diligent’s autonomous hospital robot, Moxi, into Serve’s portfolio and expands the company’s autonomy platform into healthcare settings that require high reliability, safety, and close interaction with people.

Diligent Robotics was founded in 2017 by Andrea Thomaz and Vivian Chu and has raised more than $100 million from investors including Tiger Global, Canaan, and True Ventures.

The company develops AI-powered robot assistants designed to support clinical staff by handling routine logistics tasks inside hospitals. [Read more…] about Serve Robotics to acquire Diligent Robotics, expanding autonomy platform into hospitals

Sharpa showcases autonomous fine-manipulation robot and new AI model at CES 2026

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Robotics startup Sharpa used live demonstrations at CES 2026 to showcase advances in autonomous fine manipulation, unveiling a new full-body robot and an AI model designed to improve how robots interact with objects.

At the event in Las Vegas, Sharpa’s newly introduced robot, North, played fully autonomous games of ping-pong against human opponents throughout the show.

Rather than relying on pre-scripted demonstrations, the company ran live sessions for eight hours a day over four consecutive days, drawing large crowds as the rallies continued. [Read more…] about Sharpa showcases autonomous fine-manipulation robot and new AI model at CES 2026