AI
SoftBank to buy ABB robotics unit for $5.4 billion in AI push
The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval globally, means ABB will no longer look to spin off its robotics business as a separately listed company.
“SoftBank’s next frontier is Physical AI. Together with ABB Robotics, we will unite world-class technology and talent under our shared vision to fuse Artificial Super Intelligence and robotics — driving a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward,” Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank, said in a statement.
Robots And AI Are Rewriting The Future Of Surgery
Imagine a world where surgeons are guided by AI to perform complex operations with the precision of world-class experts and where life-saving surgery reaches remote corners of the globe through robotic telepresence. This future is arriving faster than most realize, driven by the convergence of artificial intelligence and surgical robotics that promises to revolutionize how we think about healthcare delivery.
Innovation
China’s wearable suit trains humanoid robots with high accuracy
A Unitree G1 robot trained with HumanoidExo data achieved 80% success on complex pick-and-place tasks.
Open Source Controller Revives Dead Industrial Robots
This open source controller brings cheap, used industrial robots back to life, and even makes it possible to control them with a 3D mouse.
Technology
Kitchen Robotics: The Design Challenges Shaping the Future of Food Operations
In the race to automate the commercial kitchen, robotics engineers face a uniquely high-stakes set of challenges. Unlike traditional industrial robots, kitchen robots must navigate not only heat, moisture and food particulates but also rigorous regulatory standards and ever-shifting real-world environments. Designing robots that can quite literally “take the heat” means balancing performance, safety, compliance and manufacturability. But for restaurant operators and food brands, the real question is how this technology will change their business.
Reframe Systems wants to use robotic microfactories to change how we build homes
The U.S. is currently facing a deficit of 4.7 million homes, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. On top of that, many existing homes are not resilient enough to rapidly changing weather patterns brought on by climate change. Andover, Mass.-based Reframe Systems is working to tackle this problem with robotic microfactories.
HumanoidExo Turns Human Motion Into Data That Teaches Robots to Walk
The new system uses a wearable exoskeleton to record human motion and teach humanoid robots complex, full-body skills.
Qualcomm acquires Italian hardware company Arduino in robotics play
The company said Tuesday that it’s acquiring Arduino, an electronics maker whose inexpensive programmable circuit boards and computers are common in hardware startups and robotics labs for prototyping.
Qualcomm didn’t announce a price for the transaction, but said the Italy-based company would become an independent subsidiary.
The deal gives Qualcomm direct access to the tinkerers, hobbyists and companies at the lowest levels of the robotics industry. Arduino products can’t be used to build commercial products but, with chips preinstalled, they’re popular for testing out a new idea or proving a concept.
Entertainment
Learning Resources Cooper the STEM Robot Prime Day Deal 2025
Our kid testers loved this little bot, and it's half off!
Trends
Democrats are proposing a ‘robot tax’ to save jobs from AI. Here's why it won't work.
The policy would slow innovation, reduce competitiveness, and leave American workers unprepared for the future.