Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

The 100th ANYmal passes locomotion testing. Source: ANYbotics ANYbotics AG recently celebrated the production of its 100th ANYmal quadruped. The Zurich-based company said the unit’s unique golden casing symbolizes its “commitment to the advancement of robotic inspections.” ANYmal has also successfully completed numerous test missions in long-term, year-round trials. “Inspection robots such as ANYmal are critical in improving worker safety, increasing productivity, and supporting sustainable industrial facilities,” the company said in a release . “As the industry evolves, the demand for advanced robotic solutions grows, making the 100th ANYmal a symbol of progress and innovation.” ANYbotics spun out of ETH Zurich in 2016 and sold its first systems in 2017. The company’s backers include industrial leaders Petronas, Shell, and BASF, as well as investors such as Walden Catalyst, NPG Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Aramco Ventures, and Swisscom Ventures. In May 2023, ANYbotics r...

EverestLabs uses RecycleOS and robotics to increase recycling rates. Credit: EverestLabs Even in states that offer refunds for aluminum beverage cans, many of these cans end up in landfills while sustainability concerns rise. In September 2023, the Can Manufacturers Institute, or CMI, funded an EverestLabs robot at a Caglia Environmental material recovery facility, or MRF, in California. Just months later, CMI said that the system is on track to capture more than 1 million used beverage cans (UBCs) a year. Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings , two CMI members, provided the funding for a two-year equipment lease in which Caglia will share revenue from the UBCs captured with the robot 50/50 with CMI. “We are excited about the lease model because it highlights that aluminum beverage cans are consistently one of the most valuable recyclable commodities and further exemplifies how this recycled beverage container pays its own cost of recycling due to that high market value,”...

LimX Dynamics Inc. yesterday showed off the latest abilities of its CL-1 humanoid robot in a new video. In the video, CL-1 completed tasks such as climbing stairs and walking down slopes. The robot can also move indoors and outdoors. The Shenzhen, China-based company said in a blog post that CL-1 was able to do these tasks because it “closed the loop” between real-time perception, gait planning, locomotion control, and hardware and data streams.  During the testing, CL-1 used perception control to adjust its motion proactively, said LimX. This allowed the humanoid to do things like take smooth steps onto a curb, ascend stairs dynamically and fluidly, and walk down a 15-degree slope.  The company’s team tested CL-1 indoors and outdoors, as well as from afternoon to dusk to test its performance in different environmental conditions. LimX Dynamics said it expects its humanoid robots to eventually be deployed in business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) app...

Fourier Intelligence has been manufacturing exoskeletons and rehabilitation devices since 2017. The Singapore-based company launched its first generation of humanoid robots this year, designated the GR-1. The humanoid platform includes 40 degrees of freedom distributed throughout its body, which measures 1.65 m (5 ft., 5 in.) in height and weighs 55 kg (121.2 lb.). The joint module that is fitted at the hip of the robot is capable of producing a peak torque of 300 Nm, which allows it to walk at a speed of 5 kph (3.1 mph) and carry goods that weigh 50 kg (110.2 lb.). Making the leap from exoskeleton development to humanoid design is a logical progression, as the humanoid platform shares many of the mechanical and electrical design elements that Fourier developed for its core product line. Actuation is a core competency of the company , and by designing and building actuators, it claimed that it can optimize the cost/performance of the system. The Exomotus exoskeleton is designed ...

One of Pipedream’s delivery robots travels through its underground tunnel to deliver goods. | Source: Pipedream Pipedream Labs Inc., which has developed underground logistics networks, has partnered with Curiosity Lab to launch a below-ground delivery system in Peachtree Corners, Ga. The companies said it could provide fast and cost-effective autonomous deliveries, giving consumers additional convenience.  Peachtree Corners is aiming to be one of the first smart cities in the U.S., using connected infrastructure and 5G wireless networks. It is the first city to launch and install Pipedream’s underground logistics system, according to Pipedream and Curiosity Lab .  “By bringing the delivery system underground and directly to the customer, Pipedream is showcasing the future of logistics technology that will not only bring added convenience to our residents and businesses, but also reduce traffic, noise, and emissions from delivery vehicles on our roads,” Brandon Branham, as...

2023 has been full of exciting innovations within the robotics industry. We’ve seen the rise of new technologies, and robotics developers have pushed the boundaries of what robots can do. At the same time, there has been a dip in robotics funding across the board, and some sectors have struggled to gain public trust.  As 2023 comes to an end, let’s look back at some of the biggest trends in the robotics industry this year.  Humanoid robots make strides Were it not for ChatGPT – more on that later – humanoid robots would have been the biggest story in robotics, automation, and AI of 2023.  In January, Boston Dynamics posted YouTube videos of its Atlas robot running around a simulated construction site and throwing a bag of tools onto a scaffold.   Other humanoid robots emerging this year included Figure AI’s Figure 01 , Sanctuary AI’s sixth-generation Phoenix , Unitree’s H1 , and Apptronik’s Apollo . In September, Tesla showed its Optimus, which it or...

A PaintJet robot applying the company’s proprietary paint to a building. | Source: PaintJet PaintJet, a company using robots for industrial painting, has brought in $10 million in Series A funding. The Nashville, Tenn.-based company says its industrial painting robots can help protect infrastructure from premature aging.  Instead of selling or leasing its painting robots, PaintJet provides a comprehensive service inclusive of its robots and proprietary paint. The company maintains oversight of the painting process from start to finish. PaintJet says this enables it to tap into a $200 billion market without being reliant on a shrinking workforce.  “Our latest round of funding has officially signaled that help is on the horizon for the industrial painting industry,” Nick Hegeman, CEO and co-founder of PaintJet, said in a release. “It’s not just about automation; it’s about redefining industry standards, addressing labor shortages, and introducing cost-effective solutions t...

This image was created with Microsoft’s Bing AI Image Creator. This is never a fun recap to write. We don’t want to see startups fail, but inevitably, many do. The last couple of years have been especially difficult, but perhaps some lessons can be learned from those that didn’t survive. There are many reasons robotics companies fail. From an ill-conceived idea to poor execution, tough economic headwinds or the inability to raise funding, building and running a sustainable robotics company is challenging. Here are some of the robotics companies we lost in 2023. Everyday Robots (2021-2023) Alphabet, Google’s parent company, shut down its subsidiary Everyday Robots in February . This was part of a larger layoff at Alphabet in which it cut 12,000 workers, or 6% of its workforce. Some of the technology and part of the Everyday Robots team was consolidated into existing robotics projects within Google Research. Everyday Robots employed over 200 people, but Alphabet did not give any d...

PrecisionHawk , a Raleigh, North Carolina-based developer of commercial drones, is shutting down. In mid-December 2023, the company voluntarily filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy . The Robot Report reached out to PrecisionHawk but hadn’t received a response at press time. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy indicates a company no longer has plans to continue operating. According to the filing, PrecisionHawk has about $17 million of debt and assets of about $3.8 million. According to LinkedIn, it has between 51 and 200 employees. Founded in 2010, PrecisionHawk was once a promising drone startup. It raised more than $136 million since it was founded, including a $32 million Series E round in 2019 . PrecisionHawk had customers in a variety of industries, including agriculture, energy, and telecommunications. Some of its applications for agriculture, for example, included counting crops, quantifying plant health and maximizing yield. It said another leading application is inspecting telecom...

We covered 25 acquisitions in 2023, which was down significantly from the 50 we covered in 2022. Below are eight robotics acquisitions, in chronological order, that stood out to us in 2023. Here’s a look back at the notable acquisitions of 2022 and 2021 . Note that there’s one major acquisition still pending from 2022. Amazon announced in August 2022 its intent to acquire iRobot for $1.7 billion . The deal was quickly put on hold in September 2022, when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission officially started an antitrust investigation. In late November 2023, the European Commission shared an update on its investigation into the deal . Its preliminary view is the acquisition may restrict competition in the market for robot vacuum cleaners. The European Commission’s concerns with the merger center around Amazon’s ability to throttle iRobots’ competition in its online marketplace. A final decision on the deal is expected by Feb. 14. Subscribe to The Robot Report  Newsletter  or ...