industrial robotics industry

China is advancing rapidly in robotics and automation, while Hong Kong risks falling behind in the race to adopt and develop robot technology. According to DW, Hong Kong is struggling to keep pace with the mainland's push into industrial and service robotics, raising questions about the city's ability to remain competitive as automation reshapes industries across the region.

Attention is turning to the current state of robotics in manufacturing, with coverage examining how widely robots are deployed on factory floors and where adoption is heading. The discussion comes amid ongoing industry interest in automation, labor shortages, and the push to modernize production lines, though specific findings or new developments have not been detailed.

A roboticist at Caltech is arguing that safety should be the top priority in the development and deployment of humanoid robots. As companies race to put human-shaped machines into homes, factories and public spaces, the warning adds a cautionary voice to a fast-moving industry. The call reflects growing debate among researchers about how quickly humanoid robots should be rolled out and what protections are needed.

Robotics startups are stepping up efforts to recruit academic researchers, and Microagi is the latest example, hiring eight university researchers at once. The move reflects intensifying competition for robotics talent as startups race to build advanced systems, increasingly pulling specialists away from university labs and into private industry.

A new humanoid robot called Flourish One has been unveiled, built around Raspberry Pi hardware and marketed towards busy parents. The robot, covered by The Robot Report, is designed to help with household tasks. Details on pricing, availability and the company behind the product have not yet been widely reported, but the focus on family use rather than industry marks it out.

A new essay argues that so-called collaborative robots, or cobots, do not live up to their name, challenging a widely repeated claim in the robotics industry. The piece, shared by a commentator on human-machine interaction, is drawing attention among robotics and human-robot interaction practitioners who question how truly collaborative these industrial robots are in practice.

Figure AI says it has identified a scaling law for robotics, suggesting that increasing data and model size can predictably improve robot performance, as has happened in language models. The reported relationship appears to hold only about 56% of the time, prompting debate about how robust the finding is and whether scaling laws truly apply to embodied AI. Researchers and industry watchers are weighing what this means for the race to build general-purpose humanoid robots.

The UK is emerging as a leading testing ground for autonomous delivery robots, with sidewalk robots operating in towns and cities across the country as companies trial last-mile deliveries of groceries and takeaway food. Industry observers point to supportive regulation and growing public acceptance as reasons robotics firms increasingly choose Britain to pilot their technology.

Sam Esmail, the creator of the acclaimed series 'Mr. Robot', has left the talent agency CAA, The Hollywood Reporter reports. The exclusive did not specify where the writer-director is headed next or the reason for the move. Esmail has remained a prominent television producer through his overall deals and recent projects since 'Mr. Robot' ended.

A new American national standard, ANSI/A3 R15.08-2-2023, has been published covering the integration of industrial mobile robots into workplaces. Part 2 of the R15.08 series, it sets safety and integration requirements for autonomous mobile robots operating alongside people and fixed automation. The publication matters for manufacturers and integrators who must now follow a consistent US framework for deploying mobile robotics safely.

AMD has agreed to pay $8.2 billion in stock for a startup that does not make chips, in a deal driven by CEO Lisa Su's push into physical AI — artificial intelligence tied to robotics and real-world systems. The all-stock acquisition marks one of AMD's largest moves beyond its core semiconductor business as it seeks to compete in the broader AI market.

Sensor maker ForceN will present an educational session on force and torque sensing for humanoid robots at the RoboBusiness conference. The talk is billed as a crash course covering how these sensors work and why they matter for humanoid platforms. It comes as interest in humanoid robotics grows across the industry, with sensing accuracy a key technical hurdle for tasks requiring delicate force control.

Bloomberg Tech reports that AMD has acquired World Labs, the spatial-intelligence startup founded by AI researcher Fei-Fei Li, in a deal valued at $8.2 billion. The move signals AMD's push beyond chips into AI systems that understand 3D space and the physical world, a technology many see as a possible stepping stone toward more general artificial intelligence and advances in robotics.

A new hexapod, a six-axis parallel robot, has been shown handling loads of up to 1,100 pounds while positioning with sub-micron accuracy. The combination of heavy payload and extreme precision makes it notable for industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, optics and metrology, where large components must be aligned with near-nanoscale accuracy. Automation industry observers are highlighting it as an example of how parallel kinematics continues to advance industrial motion control.

A new market report projects growth in the robot dress packs market through 2035, driven largely by demand for collaborative robot safety suits. Dress packs protect robot cabling and joints, and their adoption is rising as cobots spread across manufacturing and logistics. Industry analysts point to rising automation investments as the main engine behind the forecast.

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban has renewed his criticism of humanoid robots, arguing that the future of personal robotics lies in machines that are 'optimized' for specific tasks rather than designed to mimic the human form. His comments add to an ongoing debate in the tech and investment world over whether human-shaped robots are the right approach for consumer and industrial use, as companies continue to pour money into humanoid robotics development.

Mykhailo Fedorov is launching an initiative called Army of Robots, an ecosystem intended to develop and scale robotic systems for military use. According to the announcement, the project will bring together defense tech manufacturers and engineers to advance Ukraine's military robotics sector and coordinate efforts across the industry.

DYNA Robotics has launched DYNA 2.1, a semi-humanoid robot described as a physical agent capable of completing entire workflows, including a full commercial laundry shift, rather than isolated tasks. The launch highlights the company's focus on deploying robots in real business environments, and it is drawing attention as part of the wider push toward hands-on automation in service-industry jobs.

Analysis in the medical device industry examines how regulators must adapt as AI moves beyond software and into surgical robots that physically operate on patients. The piece argues that existing approval frameworks, built for diagnostic tools and imaging, may not be suited to autonomous or semi-autonomous systems whose behaviour can change after deployment, raising questions about oversight, accountability and post-market monitoring.

Japanese robotics giants Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric are accelerating a shift of manufacturing away from China toward the United States, according to Nikkei Asia. The move is driven by surging demand for factory automation tied to the AI boom, as well as trade tensions and supply chain pressures. Both companies are key global suppliers of industrial robots used in electronics and automotive production.

Real estate services firm JLL argues that physical AI — robots and intelligent machines working in buildings — is set to become the sector's next major transformation, following earlier waves of digitalisation and smart-building technology. The claim points to automation reshaping how properties are managed, operated and valued, though the company has released few details beyond the headline assertion.

A new R15.08 Part 3 safety standard for industrial mobile robot users has been published. The standard, developed under the R15.08 series covering autonomous mobile robots, provides safety guidance specifically aimed at end users of industrial mobile robots, complementing earlier parts that addressed manufacturers and integration requirements.