Physical AI, embodied systems, and robots.
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Honor has unveiled its new Robot Phone, featuring a four-degree-of-freedom titanium gimbal camera and an advanced system-level AI agent named YOYO Pro. The device is designed to execute complex, cross-application instructions.
Northrop Grumman has developed a robot space mechanic that can extend the life of satellites in orbit. The Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) is equipped with two advanced robotic arms and can attach a Mission Extension Pod (MEP) to a satellite, keeping it in the right place i…
The US FCC has added Chinese humanoid robots and power inverters to a list, restricting their sale due to cybersecurity and supply-chain risks. This move aims to protect the nascent American robotics industry from Chinese dominance.
This edition of The Download explores AI agents' potential to accelerate scientific discovery by mimicking human research, contrasting with data-heavy models like AlphaFold. It also investigates the 'censorship-industrial complex' theory's impact on US policy, alongside A…
China's AgiBot has surpassed Unitree Robotics to become the world's leading humanoid robot vendor in the first half of 2026, shipping approximately 8,400 units and capturing 44% of the global market.
Chinese robot maker Unitree said its Shanghai IPO was oversubscribed by about 8,288.82 times by retail investors, with a final lot-winning rate of roughly 0.018%.
Crunchbase reports 195 companies joined its Unicorn Board in H1 2026, already exceeding the 193 new unicorns minted across all of 2025, with AI, robotics and semiconductors leading the cohort.
NVIDIA Warp Accelerates Python Simulations and ML with GPU JIT Compilation
NVIDIA Warp is a Python framework that JIT compiles regular Python functions into efficient kernel code for GPU-accelerated simulation, robotics, and machine learning.
A postdoctoral researcher at the Polytechnic University of Milan in Italy, studying V2X, digital twins, and AI enabled wireless networks, discusses how 5G-inspired V2X tech lets vehicles share sensors on the open road.
DeepSeek invested RMB141 million in Unitree Robotics' Shanghai STAR Market IPO, acquiring 933,900 shares with a 36-month lockup. Unitree seeks collaboration in large models, embodied intelligence, and robotics.
Unitree Robotics' IPO on Shanghai's Star Market, valued at US$9 billion, is a key test for China's AI robotics sector. Backed by DeepSeek and Tencent, the company aims to raise 6.1 billion yuan.
An AI-powered robotic make-up arm named Iron Bestie won top honors at Hong Kong's first physical AI hackathon, demonstrating its ability to apply make-up based on a user's schedule.
Shandong Province commended 299 tech projects (personnel) at the 2025 provincial science and technology awards. The awarded projects showcased innovative outcome conversion modes, with 184 items of collaborative research and development, accounting for 79.3% of the total …
Ford unveils its first ultra-cheap electric truck, the Fathom, priced at $28,350. The Slate Truck, a new electric upstart, lacks features like power windows and touchscreen.
Hefei, China, is rapidly developing an embodied intelligence industry, establishing a large training ground where 83 robots learn real-world tasks using vast datasets, preparing them for diverse applications from industrial production to retail.
PokeBot, a Chinese embodied-AI startup, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in a pre-A round led by Shunwei Capital and Matrix Partners. The company is developing household robots for tasks including clothes folding and cooking.
Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi says the relationship with Waymo remains strong despite signs of drifting apart.
Meta's 'pervert' glasses have sparked concerns over surveillance and privacy rights. Rights groups warn that the glasses threaten the right to privacy, and countries like Germany are considering a ban.
Ahead of a planned Xi-Trump summit, US-China relations are strained by escalating disputes over Chinese AI models, new US robotics restrictions, and forced labor claims, with Washington accusing Beijing of intellectual property theft.
Chinese start-up X Square Robot has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, joining a growing wave of domestic robot makers seeking capital.
AI-assisted cameras from French startups are replacing human lookouts in wildfire detection, spotting fires up to 20km away and cutting response times by 15 minutes.
The US Federal Trade Commission has issued a sweeping ban on foreign imports of advanced robots, including humanoids, quadrupeds, and wheeled robots. This decision is seen as evidence that the Trump administration is expanding its protection of the AI industry beyond lead…
A recent test by Wafer AI on AMD MI355X showed that 16 NVIDIA B200 cards could be replaced by 8 AMD cards, achieving a 3.8 times higher throughput and a 1.7 times higher single-user generation speed. The test also highlighted the importance of memory capacity in large-sca…
A Chinese physical AI start-up, Spirit AI, briefly overtook Nvidia to take the top spot on RoboArena, a global benchmark for physical AI, but its victory was short-lived due to 'benchmark hacking'.
Embodied-AI startup PaXini has secured RMB1 billion in strategic funding, bringing its total fundraising to RMB3.5 billion, to advance R&D, expand capacity, and grow overseas for its tactile-sensing chips.
Robbyant, Ant Group's embodied artificial intelligence division, has begun seeking external funding, aiming for US$222 million in its first round and a second by year-end.
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has launched an AI-integrated smart helmet for food couriers, following similar initiatives by rivals Alibaba and Meituan, to enhance rider safety and delivery efficiency.
Yingchuang Future, a Chinese company specializing in full-link intelligent surgical navigation, is seeking 10 million yuan in angel round financing to expand into grassroots and lower-tier markets.
Pon a a robot guardián en casa and enjoy your vacations with total tranquility
You can now have a robot guardian at home to monitor your house while you're away on vacation. Enabot and SwitchBot offer robot guardian solutions that can be controlled via a mobile app. These robots can move around the house, transmit live video, listen to what's happen…
Chinese robotics firm UBTech is launching consumer humanoids designed for emotional companionship, with initial deliveries set for September after racking up over 13,000 pre-orders.