Mantis Robotics’ MR-1 marks a potential turning point in industrial automation, achieving safety certification as a fenceless, high-speed robot designed to work alongside humans. By combining Physical AI with advanced safety sensing, the system challenges the long-standing tradeoff between productivity and safety, signaling a new era of collaborative industrial robotics.

Siemens has partnered with Expert Technologies Group and RMGroup to launch the UK’s first fully customisable autonomous mobile robot (AMR) manufacturing capability. The collaboration aims to deliver flexible, locally supported intralogistics solutions, combining advanced navigation, safety integration, and scalable automation to help UK manufacturers boost productivity and modernise operations.

At Milan Fashion Week, Yukai Engineering debuts Mirumi—a $149 robot bag charm with baby-inspired eyes and shy movements. Riding the global “kidult” wave fueled by collectibles like Labubu, Mirumi blends fashion, nostalgia, and robotics—proving emotional tech is becoming wearable.

Harvard researchers have developed a new 3D printing method that enables soft robots with built-in shape-morphing capabilities. Using rotational multimaterial printing, engineers create flexible structures with programmable air channels that bend predictably, simplifying fabrication and opening new possibilities for surgical tools, assistive devices, and adaptive robotic systems across healthcare and industry.

Agility Robotics’ humanoid robot Digit is moving into commercial automotive manufacturing as Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada plans deployment following a successful pilot. Designed to support logistics and repetitive tasks, Digit reflects growing industry interest in humanoids as flexible automation tools aimed at improving efficiency, safety, and workforce augmentation in modern production environments.

HII and Path Robotics have signed an agreement to explore using physical AI-driven welding in shipbuilding, aiming to boost production and augment skilled labor. By integrating adaptive perception and real-time decision-making into industrial robots, the partnership reflects a growing push to apply physical AI to complex, high-variability manufacturing environments like naval shipyards.

Jevons Robotics has partnered with Newmont Australia to deploy an automated pre-split loading robot designed for highwall mining environments. Built on the ARTEV1000 platform, the battery-electric system aims to reduce human exposure in hazardous zones while maintaining consistent blast preparation, highlighting mining’s growing adoption of safety-focused robotic automation solutions.

X-Humanoid has launched Embodied Tien Kung 3.0, a full-size humanoid robot built for practical deployment and open development. Powered by the Wise KaiWu embodied AI platform, the system emphasizes autonomy, interoperability, and high-dynamic motion control, signaling China’s continued push toward scalable, developer-friendly humanoid robotics ecosystems designed for real-world applications.

Munich-based startup Sitegeist has raised €4 million to scale AI-powered robots designed for concrete renovation. Targeting Europe’s growing infrastructure repair backlog, its modular systems automate hazardous, labor-intensive tasks directly on existing structures. The approach highlights a shift toward purpose-built robotics addressing skilled labor shortages and complex real-world construction environments.

Agovor has raised AU$3 million to accelerate development of its autonomous horticulture robots, combining electric eTractors with smart attachments designed for orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops. Early deployments show significant cost savings and sustainability gains, highlighting growing momentum behind practical, task-focused robotics solutions addressing labor shortages and efficiency challenges in agriculture.

Fincantieri and Generative Bionics have launched a partnership to develop a humanoid welding robot designed for shipyard operations. The initiative combines advanced robotics and Physical AI to support workers, improve safety, and address labor challenges, marking a significant step toward deploying humanoids in complex, real-world industrial environments.

Just Eat has launched a UK trial of autonomous delivery robots in Bristol and Milton Keynes, testing ground-based robotics ahead of Valentine’s Day demand. Working with Delivers.AI and RIVR, the pilot explores how automation can support peak delivery volumes, improve last-mile logistics, and complement human couriers while expanding access to local high street restaurants.

Apptronik has raised $520 million from investors including Google and Mercedes-Benz, valuing the humanoid robotics company at $5 billion. The funding will accelerate development of its Apollo robot, expand production, and deepen AI partnerships as humanoids move from research prototypes toward real deployments in manufacturing, logistics, and future human-centered environments.

Purdue researcher Sooyeon Jeong is advancing human-robot interaction by developing socially intelligent robots that listen, adapt, and provide personalized support. From study companions to healthcare assistants, her work explores how empathy, conversational cues, and adaptive behavior can make robots more effective collaborators as physical AI increasingly enters everyday human environments.

Montréal-based Haply Robotics is betting that the future of physical AI depends on touch. With new funding and growing enterprise adoption, the company aims to build the “steering wheel” for robots—precision haptic systems that allow machines and humans to feel, adapt, and interact safely across industries from manufacturing to surgery and remote operations.

North American robot orders rebounded in 2025, with companies purchasing 36,766 units valued at $2.25 billion, according to A3. Growth was driven largely by non-automotive industries, while collaborative robots gained momentum. The data signals renewed confidence in automation as manufacturers pursue productivity gains, workforce solutions, and reshoring initiatives heading into 2026.

Humanoid has introduced KinetIQ, an agentic AI framework designed to orchestrate mixed robot fleets across industrial, service, and home environments. Built on a four-layer architecture spanning fleet coordination to real-time control, the system aims to enable scalable, multi-embodiment autonomy—combining reasoning, planning, and reinforcement learning to manage complex robotic operations.

Inside Ohio State’s AIMS Lab, robots don’t just automate — they learn. Blending AI, robotics, and hands-on education, the lab is reimagining manufacturing as an adaptive system while training the next generation of automation engineers to build the future of intelligent production.

Humanoid robot AgiBot A2 just made history, walking 106 kilometers from Suzhou to Shanghai fully autonomously. No remote control, no human guidance—just balance, perception, and endurance over 56 hours. It’s less a stunt than a signal: humanoids are moving from demos toward real-world reliability, step by step, in public space.

LimX Dynamics has raised $200M to accelerate development of embodied intelligence for humanoid robots. Its COSA software and modular Tron 2 platform aim to deliver more adaptive, general-purpose robots capable of learning through real-world interaction.