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Flexiv Robotics completes first foray into Japan at iREX 2025

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Flexiv Robotics marked its inaugural Japanese exhibition with five flagship demos and a commitment to long-term growth in a vital global market 

Flexiv Robotics, a developer of general-purpose robotics, made its first appearance at the International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Tokyo earlier this month, marking a major step in the company’s global expansion.

From December 3 to December 6, 2025, at Tokyo Big Sight, Flexiv’s team occupied booth E5-16, where they demonstrated the adaptive capabilities of the company’s Rizon series robots and highlighted how they can automate tasks that traditional robots struggle with.

Flexiv’s debut at the world’s largest robotics showcase featured five interactive, live demonstrations designed to showcase versatility, sensitivity, and applied intelligence. Visitors were able to see automated car bodywork polishing, precision ball balancing, high-accuracy server component insertion, and an early look at Flexiv’s new Isaac Sim plug-in for accelerated development and virtual testing. [Read more…] about Flexiv Robotics completes first foray into Japan at iREX 2025

Pusan National University researchers use AI to create optimized engine components that ‘outperform human designs’

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In the new breakthrough, the machine learning technology helps create “32 percent more efficient hydraulic pumps”, say the researchers

The gerotor tooth profile is crucial for determining hydraulic system performance in automotive engineering. In a new development, researchers from Pusan National University, South Korea have leveraged conditional generative adversarial networks for machine learning-driven gerotor profile synthesis and optimization.

The novel approach has remarkably produced designs that outperform human efforts and lead to 32 percent more efficient hydraulic pumps, potentially revolutionizing the automotive industry.

Gerotor pumps for oil circulation and lubrication are crucial components in automotive and hydraulic systems. They possess a compact design, excellent flow rate per rotation, and high suction capability. [Read more…] about Pusan National University researchers use AI to create optimized engine components that ‘outperform human designs’

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences introduces new automated liquid handler

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Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a Danaher company and a specialist in laboratory automation and innovation, says it is making liquid handling research “more accessible” with the launch of the Biomek i3 Benchtop Liquid Handler.

Purpose-built for low- to medium-throughput workflows, the Biomek i3 Benchtop Liquid Handler delivers powerful automation in a compact, cost-effective format. Its grid-based deck design includes 15 standard and 5 flex positions, enabling flexible configuration to accommodate a wide range of labware and protocols.

The instrument supports genomic applications such as synthetic biology, sequencing, epigenetics, gene expression, and high-throughput screening, as well as drug discovery workflows including cell-based assays, biochemical assays, ADME-Tox, and combination sequencing. [Read more…] about Beckman Coulter Life Sciences introduces new automated liquid handler

Saildrone completes pioneering mapping mission of Cayman Islands’ EEZ

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Saildrone, a specialist provider of autonomous deep water mapping solutions, has completed its mission to map the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Cayman Islands, approximately 200 miles south-west of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea, using a Saildrone Surveyor uncrewed surface vehicle (USV).

Over the course of approximately 300 mission days, Saildrone surveyed approximately 90,000 square kilometers of seabed, in depths ranging from 20 meters to 7,000 meters, executing over 900 sound-velocity profile casts to ensure accurate bathymetric data.

One of the priorities of the mission was to survey four fishing banks – 60 Mile Bank, Lawfords Bank, Pickle Bank, and 12 Mile Bank – which serve as crucial hotspots of biodiversity supporting fisheries, tourism, and recreation, and are an indicator of the health of the Cayman Islands’ marine ecosystem. [Read more…] about Saildrone completes pioneering mapping mission of Cayman Islands’ EEZ

Automation in Food Processing

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Artificial intelligence has learned to draw, write songs, and generate code – this is no longer surprising. Now, robots have almost mastered cooking. We explain why this is important and what innovations in food processing automation are happening in the industry right now.  [Read more…] about Automation in Food Processing

Robotics funding trends: Ten recent investments shaping the automation market

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Robotics companies continue to draw significant investor attention as automation spreads across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, mobility and infrastructure.

After a period of uncertainty in the wider venture market, capital is returning to sectors where engineering depth, technical defensibility and long-term demand are driving renewed confidence.

In response to increasing engagement from readers with financial and investment backgrounds, Robotics & Automation News is expanding its data-driven coverage of the robotics and automation capital landscape. [Read more…] about Robotics funding trends: Ten recent investments shaping the automation market

Why Factories Trust Robotics and Vision Tools for Better Food Quality Control

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Facilities now use smart tools and software instead of relying only on people to catch mistakes. These systems watch products while they move through factories and look for anything that seems different from the expected condition. They can notice foreign pieces, broken parts, or issues with wrapping before goods leave the building.

Firms also depend on these to avoid problems that could damage their name. When faults are found early, fewer items also need to be pulled back from stores. The information collected further helps teams understand where mistakes happen. Over time, routines become smoother and the quality of goods reaching shelves improves. [Read more…] about Why Factories Trust Robotics and Vision Tools for Better Food Quality Control

Distalmotion raises $150 million to expand Dexter robotic surgery system

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Distalmotion, a medical technology company which provides robotic surgery systems, has announced the successful closing of its Series G financing round. The $150 million financing was led by Revival Healthcare Capital and included inside investor participation.

This new funding will be used primarily to accelerate US commercial adoption of Dexter, its soft tissue robotic surgery system, as well as to support ongoing clinical and product development initiatives.

A major focus of the US expansion continues to be the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) market – one of the fastest-growing segments in surgical care, driven by the ongoing shift toward efficient, outpatient surgery. [Read more…] about Distalmotion raises $150 million to expand Dexter robotic surgery system

MIT alumni build robots that spare warehouse workers the heavy lifting

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By Zach Winn, MIT News

Founded by MIT alumni, the Pickle Robot Company has developed machines that can autonomously load and unload trucks inside warehouses and logistic centers.

There are some jobs human bodies just weren’t meant to do. Unloading trucks and shipping containers is a repetitive, grueling task – and a big reason warehouse injury rates are more than twice the national average.

The Pickle Robot Company wants its machines to do the heavy lifting. The company’s one-armed robots autonomously unload trailers, picking up boxes weighing up to 50 pounds and placing them onto onboard conveyor belts for warehouses of all types.

The company name, an homage to The Apple Computer Company, hints at the ambitions of founders AJ Meyer ’09, Ariana Eisenstein ’15, SM ’16, and Dan Paluska ’97, SM ’00. The founders want to make the company the technology leader for supply chain automation. [Read more…] about MIT alumni build robots that spare warehouse workers the heavy lifting

Taming AI’s hunger for data: German-Taiwanese researchers show how to use ‘the smallest technology nodes for energy-efficient AI’

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Artificial intelligence works fast, but its energy consumption is growing rapidly. A German-Taiwanese research team is now developing a solution: new memory for leading chip technologies smaller than 3 nm.

These innovative nanosheet devices enable computing operations directly in memory, thereby drastically reducing energy consumption. They are based on ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeMFETs) made from hafnium oxide, which are particularly efficient.

With a joint research program, Fraunhofer IPMS, Fraunhofer IMWS, and the Taiwanese research institute TSRI are laying the foundation for the next generation of energy-efficient AI chips – from smartphones and automobiles to medical devices. [Read more…] about Taming AI’s hunger for data: German-Taiwanese researchers show how to use ‘the smallest technology nodes for energy-efficient AI’