Latest news, developments and reporting on Robotics.
Japan aims to put 10 million AI-powered robots into workplaces by 2040 as its population is projected to fall to about 112 million and age further. Startups and insurers are already preparing robots and policies for workplaces, TechRadar reported.
Russia’s USC unveiled underwater robots for oil, gas and maritime repair, claiming faster response and routine inspections.
Tesla secured $30B in credit lines from Citibank and Wells Fargo to help scale the Cybercab, Optimus, and Semi.
Nebius and NVIDIA have opened applications for the 2026 Physical AI Awards, offering $150,000 in compute credits in each of five categories. Entries close October 25, 2026, with finalists and winners named in mid-November.
According to Lei Feng News, Yuandian Robotics’ Xiaoqiao humanoid robot sold out its first 1,000 units within a week of its Sept. 2 launch and won the top IFA 2026 award in Next & Emerging Technologies. A Bilibili creator also used it to recreate a puppet from A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality.
British parcel firm Evri has begun Europe's first trial of a two-legged delivery robot in Barnsley, working with Japan's Refined Robotics. The robot climbs stairs, carries up to 15kg and is meant to assist couriers rather than replace them.
Striding AI said co-founder Yang Yuxin has become president, responsible for global market expansion, ecosystem building and commercialization. Yang, formerly CMO at Black Sesame Technologies, will help push the company's embodied AI stack into real commercial and industrial scenarios.
At IROS 2026, China's PHYBOT presented a humanoid badminton system that separates tactical decisions from whole-body execution, with a 1.35-meter robot trading more than 40 shots in a rally with a human.
Knowin raised several hundred million yuan in an angel+++ round led by a JD.com-affiliated fund, taking total funding past 1 billion yuan in five rounds within a year of its founding as it prepares its KNOWIN-X1 home robot for mass production.
AMD has agreed to acquire Fei-Fei Li's World Labs in an $8.2 billion all-stock deal, with Li joining as executive vice president and chief scientist reporting to CEO Lisa Su.
China's securities regulator has set three criteria for humanoid robot startups seeking IPOs, raising the bar as investors question AI valuations. Few, if any, may qualify, sources say.
JLC Group launched its Kaiwu incubator and new AI hardware support measures in Shenzhen after more than 400 projects competed in its Spark conference and finals. Separately, Yimu Technology said its SENTRA T0 optical tactile sensor is under 3 mm thick and aims to give robots touch.
AMD announced plans to acquire World Labs for $8.2 billion in stock, adding the spatial intelligence startup founded by Fei-Fei Li to its AI and robotics efforts. The deal is expected to close by year’s end.
UFORCE is recruiting Formula 1 engineers to redesign its MAGURA naval drones for lighter weight, greater speed and endurance, and is also hiring Ukrainian engineers from major tech and defense firms.
SiMa.ai raised a $150 million Series C at a $1.45 billion valuation to expand chips and software for on-device physical AI.
Dreame's step-climbing X50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop is discounted to $899.99 at Amazon for Prime members and $849.99 direct from Dreame for account holders, while Woot offers a refurbished ROG Ally and discounted Arctis Nova Pro headsets.
Robotic dogs are moving from security patrols into fields and greenhouses, where their cameras and onboard AI map crops, spot weeds and flag disease.
Ant Group's Ant Lingbo Technology and the Arab Digital Economy Alliance signed a framework MOU at the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo to deploy and localize embodied intelligence and robotics solutions in the UAE, GCC and Middle East.
SiMa.ai raised $150M at a $1.45B valuation to scale its physical AI platform and next-generation chips.
Ant Lingbo Technology signed a framework cooperation memorandum with the Arab Digital Economy Alliance at the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo, while Shutu Technology raised nearly RMB 100 million in Pre-A funding, its third round in a month. Both moves highlight Chinese embodied-intelligence companies advancing commercialization and international deployment.
Sharpa unveiled D01, W02 and AE01 at IROS in Pittsburgh, linking tactile humanoid, dexterous hand and data glove.
Yansyn-X2, a humanoid robot from Yanxi Technology, cried on command at a Shanghai conference, showing affective computing advances and the unease they can cause.
Ukraine’s Third Army Corps used heavy bomber drones to drop Gryphon ground robots more than 10 kilometers behind Russian lines in a first-of-its-kind attack, part of Operation Vivaldi, TechRadar reports.
Hangzhou Memo released Physical-WAM, a physical-perception world-action model, and RoboTwin-Phys, a physical-drift benchmark, on Sept. 26, 2026, with strategic backing from Suochen Technology.