unity Unity Targets Autonomous Cars and Robotics With Cloud Simulation Product Unity unveils Unity Simulation, a new cloud-based product that leverages Google Cloud to help robotics and self-driving car companies test virtual environments at scale.
openai OpenAI Agents Develop Clever Tool Use During Hide-and-Seek Simulation OpenAI researchers observe machine learning agents teaching themselves sophisticated tool use and rule-breaking strategies in a virtual hide-and-seek game. This simulated environment serves as a stepping stone for teaching AI to navigate real-world physics.
farmwise FarmWise Raises $14.5M for Autonomous Weed-Pulling Agricultural Robots Startup FarmWise secures $14.5 million in funding to advance its autonomous weeding vehicle that precisely plucks invasive plants from crop fields. The company plans to expand its AI capabilities to monitor crop health and apply targeted treatments.
mit MIT Roboats Gain Ability to Shapeshift Into New Structures MIT's autonomous robot boats develop a new algorithm that allows them to disconnect, navigate safely, and reassemble into various on-demand shapes.
beam Telepresence Robot Beam Acquired by Danish Robotics Venture Factory Blue Ocean Robotics purchases the Beam telepresence robot assets from Suitable Technologies to integrate the technology into their existing robotic toolbox.
microsoft Microsoft Ships $399 Azure Kinect AI Camera to U.S. and China Microsoft's Azure Kinect developer kit, a business-focused sensor packed with depth cameras and microphones, is now shipping to customers. The device serves as an AI gateway for industries like healthcare and robotics.
ihmc Florida Researchers Teach Humanoid Robots to Autonomously Traverse Rocky Terrain The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition develops software that allows bipedal robots like Atlas and Valkyrie to independently plan footsteps across piles of cinder blocks. The system calculates the best path forward and achieves a 90% success rate on rough surfaces.
robotics Harvard Robobee X-Wing Achieves First Light-Powered Untethered Flight Harvard's latest Robobee X-Wing flies using only power collected from light, eliminating the need for batteries or tethered wires. Weighing just a fraction of a gram, this tiny robot matches the thrust efficiency of real insects.
argo ai Argo AI Pours $15 Million Into Carnegie Mellon Autonomous Vehicle Research Ford-backed Argo AI commits $15 million over five years to establish a dedicated autonomous vehicle research center at Carnegie Mellon University. The partnership focuses on advancing perception and decision-making algorithms for self-driving cars.
wind turbines Sandia Labs Builds Crawling Robot to Detect Hidden Wind Turbine Damage Researchers at Sandia National Labs develop an autonomous crawling robot that uses ultrasonic imaging to find invisible internal flaws in wind turbine blades. This new technology eliminates dangerous manual inspections and catches severe damage long before it becomes visible on the surface.
healthcare Surgeons Train On Robotic Systems To Master Advanced Operating Tools Medical professionals are attending specialized training sessions to learn how to operate advanced surgical robots. These machines provide enhanced precision and control during complex procedures.
mit MIT Researchers Unveil Gen, a Flexible AI Programming System for All Skill Levels MIT introduces Gen, a new probabilistic-programming system that simplifies artificial intelligence for beginners while offering advanced capabilities for experts. The versatile platform handles tasks ranging from 3D body pose inference to automated data analytics.
amazon Amazon Builds Scout Delivery Robots Entirely In-House for Sidewalk Deliveries Amazon's new Scout sidewalk robots currently navigate Washington State neighborhoods with human assistants. The company designs and builds the entire robot in-house to maintain strict control over the technology.
irobot iRobot Unveils Communicating Roomba and Braava for Tag-Team Floor Cleaning iRobot introduces the redesigned Roomba s9+ and Braava Jet m6, which use new Imprint Link technology to communicate and coordinate floor cleaning. The flagship vacuum features a flat-front design for better edge cleaning and marks the beginning of the company's "iRobot 2.0" era.
lego Lego Merges Star Wars IP with STEM Learning in New Droid Kit Lego combines its popular Boost coding platform with iconic Star Wars characters for a new educational robotics set.