robots

Ukraine's Third Army Corps says it used ground robots armed with grenade launchers to attack Russian shelters, with infantry kept out of direct contact. Operators controlled the machines from positions tens of kilometers away. The unit claims no side has used similar tactics before in this war, drawing attention to the growing role of unmanned systems.

The International Space Station's large robotic arm, Canadarm2, has stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment during spacewalks, and repositioning modules around the station. Details on the cause of the failure and whether engineers expect to restore it were not given.

The Yuelu Conference 2026 opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on September 23–24, drawing artificial intelligence companies, robotics developers, researchers and investors. The event featured an opening ceremony and ten themed "AI+" forums focused on applying artificial intelligence across industries. It is being highlighted as a showcase of Changsha's growing role in China's AI and robotics development.

Black Forest Labs has released Flux 3 Action, a 7-billion-parameter open-weight world action model aimed at robotics. The model is being shared with open weights, letting researchers and developers adapt it for robot control tasks. The release is drawing attention in the machine learning community, with discussion focused on what a compact open action model could mean for robotics research.

An essay published by Electric Literature explores how the trope of the Asian robot maid has followed the author throughout her life. The piece examines the stereotype's roots in fiction and service culture, and what it says about how Asian women are imagined as obedient, invisible labor. Readers of literary criticism and cultural commentary are sharing the essay's personal take on a familiar sci-fi cliché.

The Russian government has submitted to the State Duma its draft budget for the next three-year period. Alongside the budget push, the cabinet approved rules for autonomous delivery robots under a pilot regime and earmarked 1.2 billion roubles to support Dagestan's agro-industrial sector, while the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund projects revenues above 5 trillion roubles for 2027.

A self-driving car does not see a road the way humans do; its cameras capture raw pixels that computer vision software must interpret in real time, identifying lanes, traffic signs, other vehicles, pedestrians and hazards, frame after frame. This perception layer is described as one of the core foundations of autonomous driving, and the explanation is drawing attention for making the technical challenge accessible.

Elon Musk said Tuesday that "jobs are going to change" as artificial intelligence spreads through the workplace. Speaking about concerns over AI's impact on work, he predicted an "evolution of roles" driven by AI and robots across different fields. He added that the most likely outcome is worth considering seriously, remarks that have drawn wide attention amid ongoing debate about automation and employment.

Global humanoid robot shipments surged 432%, with China accounting for roughly 95% of the market, according to reports carried by Forbes and Yahoo Finance. The figures highlight how quickly Chinese manufacturers have scaled production of humanoids, leaving other countries far behind in commercial deployment and raising questions about the pace of Western competition in the emerging robotics industry.

NASA is reportedly developing lunar base infrastructure ahead of sending astronauts to the Moon, with equipment and habitat systems being readied in advance of crewed landings under the Artemis program. The approach would allow robotic systems to prepare the surface before humans arrive. Commenters are debating whether the agency can stay on schedule and whether autonomous pre-positioning of a Moon base is realistic.

An animated Hindi-language story is drawing large audiences, telling of three children who build a unique robot that begins moving by itself at night. The tale, presented as entertainment for viewers, combines themes of childhood invention and robotics with a spooky mystery twist. It has attracted significant engagement among Hindi-speaking audiences interested in animated storytelling.

Robin Williams' 1999 science fiction film Bicentennial Man is being revisited, with commentary framing it as a largely forgotten robot movie that has been overlooked or dismissed despite its ambitions. The film, based on Isaac Asimov's work, followed an android's 200-year journey to become human, and new discussion is prompting viewers to reassess its place in the robot-movie canon.

Headlines claim humanoid robots appeared on the America's Got Talent stage, leaving the show's judges alarmed about the future of artificial intelligence. Beyond the headline, no details are available about which robots performed, when the episode aired, or what the judges actually said. The claim could not be independently verified from the available information.

A robotics clip labelled 'Dumb Robot' from the Round2World (R2W) channel has attracted over 1.3 million likes. Beyond the title, little detail is available about the robot shown or what went wrong, but the scale of engagement suggests viewers are sharing it widely for entertainment.

An engineer has published a personal account of a robotics crash course, arguing that progress often comes from knowing when to step back and let systems, teams or automation move forward without interference. The essay is drawing attention among developers and hobbyists discussing hands-on robotics learning and the discipline of restraint in engineering work.

Anthropic is asking whether it is possible to predict which jobs robots will take on as robotics and AI advance. The question taps into a wider debate about automation and the future of work, with experts divided on how quickly robots will move from factories into everyday and white-collar roles.

Palmer Luckey is making the case that humanoid robots are becoming the interface between software and the physical world, a view echoed in ARK's robotics forecasts, which analysts say have been beaten by the pace of real-world progress. Discussion is focusing on China's embodiment race, where rapid development of humanoid platforms is reframing robots as an 'API' for physical tasks rather than single-purpose machines.

New experiments show that people perceive robots approaching from behind as moving faster than they actually are. The findings offer insight into how humans judge the speed of objects they cannot directly see, with potential implications for the design of robots that move safely around people in shared spaces such as homes, offices and public areas.

Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital in Florida has brought in a chemotherapy compounding robot, described as the first of its kind in the state. The automated system is intended to prepare chemotherapy medications, a task traditionally handled by pharmacy staff. Coverage in local healthcare media highlights the move as a notable step in hospital automation and medication safety.

Agility Robotics, the Oregon-based maker of the Digit humanoid robot, says its focus is scaling safety across a fleet of around 500 humanoid robots rather than perfecting a single unit. The company is working on how robots can operate reliably alongside people in warehouses and logistics settings as it moves toward mass production and commercial deployment.

A humanoid robot fitted with armor plating and artificial intelligence has drawn interest from the US Army, according to defense reporting. The machine is being pitched as a potential asset for military use, combining a human-like form with protective shielding and AI-driven operation. Details about the developer, capabilities, and stage of any talks with the Army remain limited, but the disclosure has fueled discussion about the Pentagon's growing interest in humanoid robotics.

A new humanoid robot priced at $3,555 is drawing attention for being deliberately slow, basic, and inexpensive. Its creators see the low cost and modest capabilities as the point: an accessible entry into humanoid robotics rather than a high-performance machine. Commentators are weighing what cheap, functional humanoids could mean for research, education, and the broader push to bring robots into everyday use.

A robotics industry commentary argues that robot safety functions are largely mature and reliable, but a critical vulnerability remains: the sensor and perception data feeding those systems. If the input is corrupted, faulty or deliberately manipulated, safety mechanisms may fail even though the hardware works as designed. The piece is prompting discussion among robotics engineers about validating sensor integrity and guarding against spoofed or false inputs in automated systems.

Researchers have developed a small robot that can hop and swim using a low-power twisting mechanism for propulsion. The design allows movement across different environments while consuming very little energy, and it is being covered by technology news outlets as a notable advance in compact robotics.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced plans to reduce the number of generals and admirals in the US military by around 20% as part of a major restructuring of top leadership. The Pentagon is also creating a new four-star command dedicated to autonomous systems and robotic capabilities, signalling a shift toward emerging military technology.

Pittsburgh International Airport is deploying robot dogs as part of its operations, according to an announcement reported by Aerospace Global News. The quadruped robots are expected to assist with tasks at the facility, adding to the airport's reputation as a testbed for new technology. Details on how many units will be used and their specific duties have not yet been made clear.