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Coco Robotics has appointed a UCLA professor to lead a new research lab focused on physical AI, aiming to advance the development of robots that can interact with the physical world more effectively. This initiative highlights the growing intersection of robotics and artificial intelligence in creating adaptable and intelligent machines.
Figure AI, a little-known startup, is attracting attention with a nearly $40 billion valuation and ambitious plans to deploy over 200,000 robots by 2029. Despite having no revenue last year and only a few dozen robots in production, the company has signed BMW as its first customer and projects significant future earnings.
OpenAI is intensifying its efforts in robotics as part of its pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI). The organization is focusing on developing advanced robotic capabilities that can learn and adapt in real-world environments, showcasing significant progress in integrating AI with physical systems. This strategic direction aims to enhance the potential applications of AI across various sectors.
Robotics expert Ken Goldberg discusses the challenges and advancements in robotics as we approach 2025. He highlights the limitations of current technologies while emphasizing the importance of combining AI with traditional engineering to improve robots' capabilities in tasks that are intuitive for humans.
MolmoAct is an innovative Action Reasoning Model (ARM) developed to enhance spatial reasoning in robotics, allowing machines to understand and execute tasks in three-dimensional space. Built on the open-source Molmo framework, MolmoAct utilizes depth-aware perception tokens for improved action planning and execution, demonstrating superior performance and generalization capabilities in real-world scenarios. The model is fully open-source, promoting transparency and accessibility for further research and development in the field.
The article discusses the critical importance of robotics to America's economic and technological future, emphasizing the need for investment and innovation in this field to maintain a competitive edge globally. It argues that losing momentum in robotics could have significant repercussions for the country's progress and industry leadership.
Tesla's team lead for the Optimus AI project has left the company to join Meta. This departure raises questions about the future of Tesla's robotics initiatives as the company continues to innovate in artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.
UniVLA presents a novel approach to generalist policy planning using an embodiment-agnostic action space, achieving state-of-the-art results across various benchmarks with efficient training. It includes a comprehensive methodology for extracting latent actions from cross-embodiment videos and guidance on pre-training and fine-tuning models for real-world robot tasks.
The article discusses the challenges and advancements in achieving dexterity in robotics, highlighting the complexities involved in replicating human-like movements. It emphasizes that despite significant progress, true robotic dexterity remains a difficult goal that has not yet been fully realized.
Genesis is a versatile physics platform for robotics and embodied AI, featuring a re-engineered universal physics engine, high-speed simulations, and photo-realistic rendering capabilities. It aims to simplify access to physics simulations for research, automate data generation, and support various robotic applications across multiple platforms. The project is open-source, encouraging community contributions and collaboration.
The Amazing Hand project aims to create an affordable, open-source robotic hand with 8 degrees of freedom, designed for use with the Reachy2 robot. It features 3D printable components, internal actuators, and two control options, making it accessible for experimentation and development in humanoid robotics. The project includes detailed assembly guides, calibration scripts, and a community for support and collaboration.
Figure AI is developing the Figure 03, a humanoid robot aimed at performing domestic chores and manual labor, with the potential for mass production. Despite progress, the robot is still in testing and won't be ready for home use at launch, but advancements in AI and robotics are accelerating the development of humanoid robots for everyday tasks. The company secured significant investment and is positioning itself to lead in the burgeoning field of general robotics.
Construction robots are revolutionizing the industry by autonomously printing floor plans onto concrete slabs, significantly enhancing accuracy and efficiency while reducing labor and errors. Companies like Dusty Robotics and HP SitePrint are leading this innovation, which is expected to expand further with advancements in artificial intelligence and automation. The integration of such technology is set to become a standard practice in construction, akin to the use of Roombas in home cleaning.
Tesla has unveiled a next-generation Optimus prototype featuring AI assistant Grok, showcasing its early development stage with notable design changes, including new hands and a gold color. Elon Musk emphasizes the robot's potential to significantly impact Tesla's market share and valuation, while also addressing concerns about his voting control amidst an upcoming shareholder vote on his compensation package.
Google DeepMind has introduced its Gemini Robotics project, which features two new models that enable robots to "think" before acting by integrating generative AI capabilities. The Gemini Robotics 1.5 model generates robot actions using visual and text data, while the Gemini Robotics-ER 1.5 model employs simulated reasoning to make decisions about complex tasks, enhancing the versatility of AI-powered robots. This advancement aims to overcome the limitations of traditional robots that require extensive training for specific tasks.
Amazon is preparing to replace more than half a million jobs with robots as part of a strategy to automate 75% of its operations. Internal documents indicate that this shift marks a significant transformation in the company's labor force, which has already heavily relied on technology in its operations.
NVIDIA Research is showcasing advancements in Physical AI at SIGGRAPH 2025, emphasizing the integration of AI, graphics, and robotics to enhance simulation capabilities. Their innovations include new software libraries and technologies for creating lifelike virtual environments, which are essential for training advanced AI systems in robotics and autonomous vehicles. The research highlights the importance of realistic simulations and the coupling of AI with graphics to drive developments in various applications.
A Chinese robotic system has been deployed in an Australian solar project, effectively replacing the work of three to four human workers by installing thousands of solar panels with increased efficiency. This innovative technology aims to accelerate the installation process and reduce labor costs in the renewable energy sector.
Researchers are grappling with the challenge of creating robotic hands that can match the dexterity and functionality of human hands. This "hands problem" is crucial for advancing humanoid robots into versatile laborers, with significant market potential projected for the coming decades.
Amazon's push for automation through robotics is projected to replace approximately 600,000 human jobs, significantly altering the workforce landscape. The shift towards automation is driven by the company's efforts to increase efficiency and reduce costs in its operations. This transition raises concerns about the future of employment in sectors heavily reliant on human labor.
Gemini Robotics 1.5 introduces advanced AI models that enable robots to perceive, plan, and execute complex tasks in the physical world. The models enhance a robot's ability to reason, learn across different embodiments, and interact naturally, marking a significant step towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) in robotics. Developers can access these capabilities through the Gemini API in Google AI Studio.
Google announced significant AI updates in March 2025, including enhanced features for the Gemini app, new AI tools for Google Shopping, and advancements in robotics aimed at improving everyday life. Key highlights include the introduction of Gemini 2.5 Pro, personalized AI responses, and innovative solutions for wildfire detection and environmental protection. These developments reflect Google's ongoing commitment to leveraging AI across various sectors to benefit users globally.
Hugging Face has launched a new 3D-printed robotic arm priced starting at $100, aimed at making robotics more accessible to hobbyists and educators. The arm is designed for various applications, including prototyping and learning, emphasizing affordability and ease of use.
A compliant manipulation system has been developed for robotic packing of items onto densely packed shelves in e-commerce fulfillment centers. This system has successfully completed over 500,000 stows, achieving human-level packing density and speed while enhancing safety for human workers by prioritizing overhead shelf tasks.
Amazon has established a new team within its Lab126 R&D unit focused on developing agentic artificial intelligence, which enables robots to perform complex tasks based on natural language commands. This initiative aims to enhance robotics operations and is part of a broader trend among companies moving beyond basic AI functionalities. The team will create an AI framework that supports the development of versatile robotics assistants.
Google DeepMind is advancing robotics by enabling robots to learn and improve autonomously through competitive play, using table tennis as a testbed. By having robots play against each other and incorporating vision language models for coaching, they aim to overcome the limitations of traditional programming and machine learning approaches that require extensive human input. This research seeks to create machines capable of continuous self-improvement and skill acquisition in dynamic environments.
Figure AI has unveiled a new humanoid robot designed to assist with household chores, including folding clothes and washing dishes. This innovative technology aims to provide convenience and efficiency in daily tasks, potentially transforming home management for busy individuals.
Humanoid robots are poised to transform the workforce, with companies like Agility Robotics and Tesla planning significant production increases. However, challenges such as demand, battery life, reliability, and safety must be addressed before these robots can scale effectively in real-world applications. While the potential for humanoid robots is acknowledged, the current technological and market realities suggest a cautious path forward.
Amazon has deployed its one millionth robot and introduced a generative AI model named DeepFleet, which enhances travel efficiency of its robotic fleet by 10%. This technological advancement not only accelerates delivery times and reduces costs but also reflects the company's commitment to upskilling its workforce, having trained over 700,000 employees since 2019.
Today's humanoid robots are unlikely to achieve dexterity, despite significant investments in their training. The challenges of developing effective manipulation capabilities have persisted for decades, with current approaches relying on insufficient data and methods that do not generalize well across tasks. The article argues that while humanoid robots will proliferate in the future, they will not resemble humans or current humanoid designs.
Advances in artificial intelligence are enabling the creation of robots directly from textual descriptions. This innovative approach allows users to generate physical robot designs merely by inputting text, significantly streamlining the design process and making robotics more accessible. The technology could revolutionize various industries by simplifying the way robots are conceptualized and built.
Google announced several advancements in AI technology in June 2025, including the launch of the Gemini 2.5 family of models and new features for AI Mode that enhance search capabilities. Other highlights include Gemini for Education, improvements to photo search, and the introduction of AlphaGenome for genomic research, showcasing the diverse applications of AI across various fields such as healthcare, education, and robotics.
A critical vulnerability in the Bluetooth Low Energy interface of Unitree robots allows attackers to take complete control, potentially creating a wormable botnet. Discovered by security researchers, this exploit affects multiple models and highlights ongoing security lapses in Unitree's firmware, raising concerns about the robots' deployment in sensitive environments. Despite attempts at responsible disclosure, Unitree has been unresponsive, prompting researchers to publicize the issue.
Meta has unveiled its new AI model, V-JEPA 2, designed to enhance understanding of 3D environments and physical object movements, enabling more human-like decision-making. This open-source world model aims to improve technologies like delivery robots and self-driving cars by allowing machines to reason about their surroundings without extensive labeled data. CEO Mark Zuckerberg's focus on AI is underscored by a planned $14 billion investment in artificial intelligence firm Scale AI.
AI company Hugging Face has acquired humanoid robotics startup Pollen Robotics to enhance its robotics capabilities, particularly with the humanoid robot Reachy 2. The acquisition aims to promote open-source development in robotics, making technology more accessible and potentially lowering costs for users. Hugging Face's co-founder emphasized the importance of open-source software for ensuring security in robotic systems.
RISE Robotics is raising funds to revolutionize the heavy machinery sector with its Beltdraulic™ technology, which offers a faster, more efficient, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional hydraulic systems. With significant backing from venture capital and impressive revenue growth, RISE aims to lead the transition to fully electric heavy machines, targeting a market worth over $600 billion.
Gemini models 2.5 Pro and Flash are revolutionizing robotics with advanced coding, reasoning, and multimodal capabilities, enhancing robots' spatial understanding. Developers can utilize these models and the Live API for applications such as semantic scene understanding, spatial reasoning, and interactive robotics, enabling robots to execute complex tasks through voice commands and code generation. The article highlights practical examples and the potential of Gemini's embodied reasoning model in various robotics applications.
Researchers have developed the Video Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture (V-JEPA), an AI model that learns about its environment through videos and exhibits a sense of "surprise" when presented with contradictory information. Unlike traditional pixel-space models, V-JEPA uses higher-level abstractions to focus on essential details, enabling it to understand concepts like object permanence with high accuracy. The model has potential applications in robotics and is being further refined to enhance its capabilities.
Google DeepMind has unveiled the Gemini Robotics models, which enhance robots' capabilities to perform complex tasks through natural language understanding and dexterity. These multimodal models allow robots to adapt to various environments and instructions, paving the way for future applications in everyday life and industry. Carolina Parada emphasizes the potential of embodied AI to transform how robots assist with daily tasks.
The first beta release of OM1, an open-source and modular operating system for robots, has been announced, featuring integrations with multiple LLM providers, advanced autonomy capabilities, and simulator support. Key enhancements include support for various robots, speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities, and improvements in navigation and interaction with hardware components. Developers can leverage this release to prototype and deploy robotics applications across different platforms.
Google DeepMind has introduced a cloud-free on-device VLA model for robotics, enhancing the autonomy and reliability of physical robots. This innovation allows robots to quickly adapt to their environments without relying on cloud processing, marking a significant advancement in generative AI applications in robotics.
Amazon has introduced the Vulcan robot, which features a sense of touch, enabling it to perform tasks in fulfillment centers with greater dexterity and efficiency. Unlike traditional robots, Vulcan can manipulate items carefully, improving worker safety and ergonomics while assisting employees in their daily operations. The technology aims to enhance operational efficiency and support workers by reducing physically demanding tasks.
Gemini Robotics On-Device is an advanced vision language action model that enables efficient, on-device AI for local robotic devices, showcasing strong dexterity and adaptability for various tasks. It operates independently of data networks, making it suitable for applications requiring low latency and robustness in challenging environments. The accompanying SDK allows developers to easily customize the model for specific uses, enhancing innovation in robotics.
Xrobotics has developed countertop robots capable of producing 25,000 pizzas each month, revolutionizing the way pizza is made at home. These robots combine advanced technology with user-friendly interfaces, allowing anyone to create their favorite pizzas with ease. Demand for these innovative cooking gadgets is rapidly increasing as they promise both convenience and quality.
The article discusses the pivotal role of ChatGPT in advancing robotics and artificial intelligence, highlighting its potential to transform the industry by enhancing human-robot interactions. It emphasizes the significance of integrating language models into robotic systems to improve their functionality and user experience. The author argues that this integration represents a crucial moment for the future of robotics.
Denmark is testing autonomous robot sailboats in the Baltic Sea, aimed at enhancing ocean research and monitoring. These sailboats are designed to collect data on water conditions and marine life while reducing costs and human labor involved in traditional research methods. The initiative represents a significant step forward in utilizing technology for environmental insights.
General Intuition has secured $134 million in seed funding to develop artificial intelligence agents capable of improving spatial reasoning through the analysis of video game clips. This innovative approach aims to enhance the learning capabilities of AI by leveraging the dynamic environments found in gaming. The funding will support the company’s efforts in refining these agents for various applications, including robotics and autonomous systems.
Tesla's Optimus robot program faces significant setbacks as the head of the project has exited, leading to production delays. This transition raises concerns about the future of the Optimus initiative and the company's ability to deliver on its ambitious plans.
Tesla showcased its humanoid robot, Optimus, in a remarkable video demonstrating its ability to perform various household tasks using a single neural network. The robot learns from first-person videos of humans, enabling it to quickly acquire new skills. Additionally, Tesla is preparing for the Cybercab's Asia-Pacific debut at the China International Import Expo while progressing on the Tesla Semi factory's construction, which is on schedule for initial production by 2026.
Nvidia has launched its Jetson AGX Thor robotics chip module, priced at $3,499 for developers, aimed at enabling companies to create advanced robots. The chips, which are 7.5 times faster than previous models and equipped with 128GB of memory, are part of Nvidia's strategy to capitalize on the growing robotics market, although it currently represents only 1% of the company's revenue. Major companies like Amazon and Boston Dynamics are already utilizing these chips for their robotic applications.
Researchers have developed V-JEPA 2, a neural network trained on one million hours of YouTube videos to enhance robotic understanding of physics through video prediction rather than language processing. This model enables robots to perform actions in new environments with impressive accuracy, demonstrating zero-shot generalization and significant efficiency compared to traditional methods. Despite its successes, the model faces challenges with camera sensitivity and long-term planning.
Amazon is approaching a significant milestone in its automation efforts, with over one million robots deployed in its warehouses, nearing parity with the number of human workers. These robots perform various tasks, including sorting, packaging, and transporting goods, marking a major shift in the company's operational structure.
The article discusses the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and physical interactions, suggesting that the future of AI will increasingly involve tangible interfaces and robotics. It emphasizes the importance of physicality in enhancing the user experience and fostering deeper connections with technology. The piece also explores potential implications for various industries as AI becomes more integrated into the physical realm.
Chinese researchers have successfully connected a monkey's brain to a computer, enabling it to control a robotic arm using thought alone. This groundbreaking development in brain-computer interface technology could have significant implications for neuroscience and rehabilitation. The experiment highlights advancements in understanding brain functionality and the potential for restoring movement in paralyzed individuals.
China's Unitree R1 humanoid robot is now available for under $6,000, making advanced robotics more accessible to consumers and businesses. This price point positions the R1 as a competitive option in the growing market for humanoid robots, highlighting advancements in technology and affordability.
The article discusses the expansion of global robotics in Colombia, highlighting the country's growing interest in automation and technology. It outlines how local companies are adapting to incorporate robotics into various industries, fostering innovation and economic development.
Amazon has introduced a new warehouse robot named Vulcan, equipped with a sense of touch that allows it to handle a wide variety of items while working alongside human workers. The robot aims to improve efficiency and reduce injury risks, with plans to expand its use in more facilities by 2026. Despite advancements in automation, Amazon emphasizes that it does not intend to fully automate its warehouses, focusing instead on creating new skilled jobs related to robot maintenance and operation.
Vision-language-action (VLA) models enhance robotic manipulation by integrating action generation with vision-language capabilities. This paper reviews post-training strategies for VLA models, drawing parallels with human motor learning to improve interaction with environments. It introduces a taxonomy focusing on environmental perception, embodiment awareness, task comprehension, and multi-component integration, while identifying key challenges and trends for future research.
Amazon is increasingly deploying robots like Sparrow, Cardinal, and Proteus in its warehouses to enhance automation and reduce reliance on human labor. These robotic systems are designed to streamline operations by efficiently handling tasks such as moving products and organizing shipments, reflecting the company's strategy to minimize hiring in the future.
Hugging Face has unveiled Reachy Mini, a $299 robot aimed at democratizing access to robotics. This open-source device integrates with the Hugging Face Hub, allowing developers to create and share AI applications, potentially reshaping the robotics industry by lowering costs and fostering innovation.
Waymo's latest research reveals that scaling laws, which have driven advancements in AI, also apply to autonomous driving, particularly in motion forecasting and planning. By analyzing a vast dataset of 500,000 hours of driving, the study confirms that increased data and compute resources significantly enhance the performance of autonomous vehicles, paving the way for safer and more efficient AVs and robotics applications.
Runway is exploring opportunities in the robotics industry as a strategy for future revenue growth. This move aligns with their focus on innovation and expanding their technological capabilities. By tapping into robotics, Runway aims to diversify its offerings and enhance market competitiveness.
Asynchronous robot inference improves robotic performance by decoupling action prediction from execution, allowing for continuous operation without idle waiting for new actions. This method significantly reduces task completion times and enhances responsiveness by overlapping computation with execution, utilizing a two-component system involving a PolicyServer and RobotClient connected via gRPC.
Security researchers have uncovered a serious vulnerability in Unitree Go1 robot dogs, allowing unauthorized remote access to the devices and their cameras through an undocumented service called CloudSail. This flaw, attributed to poor code review practices, poses significant risks, particularly in sensitive environments, prompting experts to recommend users disconnect the devices from their networks.
SmolVLA is a compact and open-source Vision-Language-Action model designed for robotics, capable of running on consumer hardware and trained on community-shared datasets. It significantly outperforms larger models in both simulation and real-world tasks, while offering faster response times through asynchronous inference. The model's lightweight architecture and efficient training methods aim to democratize access to advanced robotics capabilities.
Vision Language Models (VLMs) have evolved significantly over the past year, showcasing advancements in any-to-any architectures, reasoning capabilities, and the emergence of multimodal agents. New trends include smaller yet powerful models, innovative alignment techniques, and the introduction of Vision-Language-Action models that enhance robotic interactions. The article highlights key developments and model recommendations in the rapidly growing field of VLMs.
Tesla has abandoned its plans to produce thousands of Optimus robots this year due to challenges with the robot's hands and other issues. CEO Elon Musk has emphasized the growing importance of Optimus to the company as EV sales decline, suggesting it could eventually represent 80% of Tesla's value. Musk is planning to showcase a "dancing troupe of Optimus bots" at the upcoming shareholder meeting to impress investors.
Nike has introduced Project Amplify, marketed as the world's first powered footwear system that enhances walking and running speed through a lightweight robotic brace. Designed for everyday users rather than competitive athletes, this innovative footwear aims to provide support and power for those moving at a 10-to-12-minute mile pace, with plans for consumer availability in the future.
The article introduces HP SitePrint, an innovative robotic layout solution designed to enhance construction site efficiency by minimizing errors and reducing layout costs. It highlights features such as automated floor deviation marking, precise layout accuracy, and advanced navigation capabilities, showcasing the potential for significant productivity improvements on construction projects. Case studies illustrate the successful implementation and cost savings achieved by various clients using HP SitePrint.
The article discusses ASIMO, Honda's famous humanoid robot developed in 2000 and discontinued in 2018, highlighting its design, history, and capabilities. ASIMO was created to assist people and features advanced technologies such as object recognition and voice command interpretation, making it a significant milestone in robotics. The evolution of Honda's humanoid robots leading up to ASIMO is also detailed, showcasing the progression from early prototypes to its final form.