Researchers evaluated humanoids for surface finishing applications, examining features such as legs, hands, and heads. Legs are inefficient for factory floor locomotion and add complexity, while multi-fingered hands are expensive and may not provide a strong grasp. Heads offer limited value due to restricted camera placement. Dual arms are useful, but a configuration with general-purpose robot arms, rails, and cameras is more effective. This configuration can operate faster and apply higher forces, making humanoids unlikely to be [...]

Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corp. has achieved "world-class performance" in a complex wire-plugging task with a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, resulting in a 99.5%+ task success rate at a cycle time of 2.54 seconds. The milestone reflects the company's evolved strategy to deploy its physical AI on existing and next-generation industrial robots. Sanctuary AI's proof of concept involved a plug-insertion task requiring manipulation of materials on a conveyor, matching the production line's throughput speed and meeting industrial

Autonomique, a company spun out of SRI International, is deploying its semi-humanoid robots and AI platform at a Tier 1 automotive supplier in Canada. The AI platform, designed to address labor shortages and production complexity, features human-like dexterity and reasoning. It uses hardware-agnostic software to integrate with various robotic embodiments and has been tested in real-world environments. Autonomique claims its platform can adapt quickly to new tasks without major retraining, making it suitable for complex manufacturing processes.

PSYONIC, a San Diego-based startup, is partnering with ABB Robotics to equip robotic arms with its prosthetic Ability Hand. The goal is to give robots humanlike dexterity for complex assembly work, potentially involving irregularly shaped parts. Founded in 2015, PSYONIC initially developed advanced prosthetic hands for amputees, providing muscle control and touch feedback. The Ability Hand features touch sensors that allow users to feel vibrations on their skin when touching objects. This technology is now being used [...]

The Connectivity Standard Alliance (CSA) has announced the release of Matter 1.6, a significant update to the Matter smart home standard. This update streamlines setup, improves multi-ecosystem support, and expands user preferences. Key features include NFC-based commissioning, Joint Fabric for seamless device integration across ecosystems, and Thermostat Suggestions for context-aware communication. The update also includes Product Security 1.1, which offers security certifications for the entire smart home ecosystem. The new version is available to developers and accessory [...]

Fennec Engineering has received T2 qualification from TÜV Rheinland for its Advanced Safety Acceleration Platform, demonstrating compliance with IEC 61508 and ISO 13849 standards. The year-long process assessed the platform's methodology and end-to-end traceability. Fennec Engineering has worked with clients including Amazon Robotics and provides safety infrastructure for autonomous systems, robotics, and AI. The company's platform automates traceability, replacing error-prone processes with a single, auditable environment. This certification is significant for the development of safety-critical systems, enabling [...]

The Honor Lightning humanoid robot achieved a significant milestone by running a half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, surpassing the human world record by 7 minutes and the best robot time from 2025 by almost two hours. This feat was made possible by the robot's optimized gear ratio and liquid-cooling system, which enabled it to generate the necessary torque while minimizing energy loss as heat. The robot's motor specifications and cooling technology played a crucial role [...]