Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

robotics news

Virginia Tech researchers develop AI-powered cobots to support autistic workers in manufacturing

by

Autistic adults face lower employment rates than their equally qualified peers, in part because many workplaces don’t meet their needs. Meanwhile, manufacturers are struggling to hire skilled workers, and they may be overlooking the autistic talent pool.

A team of researchers at Virginia Tech wants to solve both problems: increasing autistic employment rates and bolstering the manufacturing workforce by designing collaborative robots, or “cobots”, that can work alongside neurodivergent workers and provide real-time feedback and personalized support.

Funding the research is a National Science Foundation grant of over $1.5 million to collaborators at Virginia Tech, George Washington University, and the University of Notre Dame. Virginia Tech is leading the project, with its share of the grant totaling $800,000. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech researchers develop AI-powered cobots to support autistic workers in manufacturing

German industrial automation giant Dürr reports ‘significant earnings increase’ in third quarter

by

Industrial automation and robotics specialist Dürr has reported a sharp improvement in profitability for the third quarter of 2025, signalling a potential turnaround after a challenging period marked by weak order intake and restructuring.

The German engineering group said EBIT before extraordinary effects rose 40 percent year-on-year to €69 million, delivering a margin of 6.6 percent for the quarter.

Across the first nine months, the margin increased to 4.9 percent, putting the company “on track to perform better in 2025 than in the previous year”. [Read more…] about German industrial automation giant Dürr reports ‘significant earnings increase’ in third quarter

ITT expands engineering and manufacturing site in Saudi Arabia with $25 million investment

by

Engineering company ITT has announced the completion of the second phase of a planned $25 million expansion of its Industrial Process (IP) manufacturing facility in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

This expansion doubles ITT’s capacity and strengthens its position as a preferred supplier to Middle East customers. ITT is a provider of highly engineered critical components for various industries.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represents one of the fastest-growing markets for ITT’s flow business driven by market demand and the site’s excellent track record of performance in large-scale projects, including an average of 96 percent on-time delivery since 2019. [Read more…] about ITT expands engineering and manufacturing site in Saudi Arabia with $25 million investment

Russian startup showcases humanoid robot that falls over on stage

by

Russia’s ambitions in the global humanoid robot race suffered a very public stumble last week when its newly-unveiled robot fell flat on its face during its debut appearance in Moscow. (See video below.)

At a technology event, the Russian startup Artificial Intelligence Dynamic Organism Lab led out its eponymous humanoid robot, dubbed “AIDOL”, to the soundtrack of the Rocky theme, but the machine lost its balance after only a few steps and collapsed front-first on stage.

The incident speaks to how far Russia may still have to go to match other leaders in the industrial humanoid sector. While the USA and China (and to a lesser extent Europe) are advancing prototypes and preparing for commercial scale, this fall suggests that Russia’s earliest mass-market humanoid efforts remain at a nascent stage. [Read more…] about Russian startup showcases humanoid robot that falls over on stage

Precision medicine: ETH demonstrates magnet-guided, robotic drug delivery

by

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a microrobot capable of transporting drugs to specific locations within the body, with the potential for use in hospitals in the near future. (See video below.)

Every year, 12 million people worldwide suffer a stroke; many die or are permanently impaired. Currently, drugs are administered to dissolve the thrombus that blocks the blood vessel.

These drugs spread throughout the entire body, meaning a high dose must be administered to ensure that the necessary amount reaches the thrombus.

This can cause serious side effects, such as internal bleeding. Since medicines are often only needed in specific areas of the body, medical research has long been searching for a way to use microrobots to deliver pharmaceuticals to where they need to be: in the case of a stroke, directly to the stroke-related thrombus. [Read more…] about Precision medicine: ETH demonstrates magnet-guided, robotic drug delivery

ETH researchers develop magnet-controlled microrobot that swims through blood vessels to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots

by

ETH Zurich researchers have developed a magnet-controlled microrobot capable of navigating the human vascular system to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots, marking a significant step toward targeted, minimally invasive therapies. (Full story here.)

The technology, published in Science, represents one of the most advanced demonstrations to date of controlled microrobot navigation inside complex anatomical environments.

The experimental microrobot consists of a tiny spherical capsule made of a soluble gel loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic control and tantalum nanoparticles for X-ray visibility. [Read more…] about ETH researchers develop magnet-controlled microrobot that swims through blood vessels to deliver drugs directly to stroke-related clots

IFS and Boston Dynamics combine Spot robots with agentic AI for autonomous field operations

by

IFS, a provider of industrial AI software, and Boston Dynamics, famous for its humanoid and mobile robots, have agreed a “ground-breaking collaboration to revolutionize how asset-intensive organizations manage and optimize their field operations”.

Uniting Boston Dynamics’ autonomous inspection robots with the power of IFS.ai creates a fully agentic AI system that seamlessly connects sensing, predictive decision-making and action in the field.

With labor and skills shortages impacting industrial customers, leading to service gaps and prolonged outages, there exists an urgent need for technology that can supplement field workers. [Read more…] about IFS and Boston Dynamics combine Spot robots with agentic AI for autonomous field operations

UBTECH starts mass production of humanoid robots after receiving orders of $112 million and a data center contract worth $22 million

by

UBTECH has begun mass production and delivery of the first batch of several hundred full-size industrial humanoid robots, Walker S2, which will be deployed in phases across frontline industrial applications. (See video below.) 

This milestone moves the company toward its target of delivering 500 units within the year and marks the beginning of large-scale, real-world implementation of humanoid robotics.

By establishing a closed-loop commercial cycle – from technology and real-world application to delivery and iterative improvement – UBTECH has developed core capabilities to rapidly address market demands and efficiently secure and fulfill orders, setting a replicable benchmark for the deployment of humanoid robots. [Read more…] about UBTECH starts mass production of humanoid robots after receiving orders of $112 million and a data center contract worth $22 million

PAL Robotics to showcase StockBot inventory robot at NRF 2026 as retail automation demand rises

by

PAL Robotics will showcase its StockBot autonomous inventory robot at NRF 2026 in New York, positioning the system as a solution for retailers seeking better accuracy, visibility, and operational control across stores and distribution centres.

StockBot is not a new product – PAL Robotics has developed and deployed the robot for several years – but the company is using Retail’s Big Show to highlight its expanding use cases and the growing demand for automated inventory management.

The system sits in the same category as Simbe Robotics’ Tally and a small number of other inventory-scanning robots designed for retail environments. [Read more…] about PAL Robotics to showcase StockBot inventory robot at NRF 2026 as retail automation demand rises

Hummink raises $20 million to bring ‘micronic precision printing’ to advanced manufacturing

by

As microelectronics underpin the rise of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, the smallest manufacturing imperfections have become billion-euro problems.

Each defect at the sub-micron scale can derail an entire batch of chips or displays. Paris-based deep-tech company Hummink is tackling that challenge head-on.

The company has raised €15 million in a funding round co-led by KBC Focus Fund, Cap Horn and Bpifrance to expand deployment of its patented High-Precision Capillary Printing (HPCaP) technology, which enables manufacturers to print metals and functional materials with record-level accuracy and repair microscopic defects in real time. [Read more…] about Hummink raises $20 million to bring ‘micronic precision printing’ to advanced manufacturing