industrial robots

The Yuelu Conference 2026 opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on September 23–24, bringing together artificial intelligence companies, robotics developers, researchers and investors. The event featured an opening ceremony and ten "AI+" themed forums, positioning the city as a growing hub for China's AI and robotics industries.

Nikon has announced an upgrade to its robot vision system, adding 3D vision tracking capabilities. The enhancement is designed to let industrial robots detect and follow objects in three-dimensional space, broadening the system's usefulness in automated manufacturing and inspection tasks. Details on pricing, availability and performance specifications have not yet been widely reported.

China shipped more than 19,000 humanoid robots in the first half of 2026, according to figures attributed to IDC, accounting for 77.9% of global shipments. Worldwide shipments reached nearly 25,000 units, up 432.1% year over year. IDC also raised its forecast for global humanoid robot shipments, pointing to rapid industrial scale-up and intensifying competition in robotics.

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.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is purchasing modified Boston Dynamics robot dogs under a $1.3 million contract, the Boston Globe reports. The deal puts quadruped robots, better known from industrial and disaster-response settings, into the hands of the agency responsible for immigration enforcement, drawing attention to how such machines will be deployed and raising questions among critics about surveillance and the militarisation of immigration operations.

Newly released records show that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drawn up plans to use Spot, a four-legged robot made by Boston Dynamics, in its operations. The documents have drawn attention because the robot dog, better known from industrial inspections and viral demos, could now be part of immigration enforcement work, raising questions about how such machines would be deployed.

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.

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 report dubbed 'The Great Chinese Robot Charger Mirage' questions the real-world scale of China's robot charging infrastructure, suggesting headlines about widespread automated charging networks may overstate what actually exists on the ground. The piece implies a gap between promotional claims and deployment reality in the robotics sector. Observers of China's tech industry are weighing how much of the robot charger narrative is substance versus spectacle.

Boston Dynamics' Spot robot dogs performed a choreographed dance routine at the Automotive News Congress, drawing attention from attendees and media. The demonstration highlighted the robotics company's quadruped machines, known for their agility and entertainment value, and underscored growing interest in robotics within the automotive industry.

An analysis of 36 publicly listed robotics companies finds a stark disparity in profitability, with revenue and earnings spread unevenly across the sector. The report argues that commercialization must move beyond superficial gimmicks toward genuine industrial applications, as investors and operators weigh which robot makers can actually turn technology into sustainable profits.

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.

The Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing plans to have students work with a humanoid robot as part of its programs. The announcement, reported by Georgia Southern student media, signals a hands-on push into robotics education. Details on the specific robot model, timeline and how it will be used in coursework have not yet been released.