Now Robotics

Ukraine's Third Army Corps says it used ground robots armed with grenade launchers to attack Russian shelters, with infantry kept out of direct contact. Operators controlled the machines from positions tens of kilometers away. The unit claims no side has used similar tactics before in this war, drawing attention to the growing role of unmanned systems.

The International Space Station's large robotic arm, Canadarm2, has stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment during spacewalks, and repositioning modules around the station. Details on the cause of the failure and whether engineers expect to restore it were not given.

An essay published by Electric Literature explores how the trope of the Asian robot maid has followed the author throughout her life. The piece examines the stereotype's roots in fiction and service culture, and what it says about how Asian women are imagined as obedient, invisible labor. Readers of literary criticism and cultural commentary are sharing the essay's personal take on a familiar sci-fi cliché.

A self-driving car does not see a road the way humans do; its cameras capture raw pixels that computer vision software must interpret in real time, identifying lanes, traffic signs, other vehicles, pedestrians and hazards, frame after frame. This perception layer is described as one of the core foundations of autonomous driving, and the explanation is drawing attention for making the technical challenge accessible.

Black Forest Labs has released Flux 3 Action, a 7-billion-parameter open-weight world action model aimed at robotics. The model is being shared with open weights, letting researchers and developers adapt it for robot control tasks. The release is drawing attention in the machine learning community, with discussion focused on what a compact open action model could mean for robotics research.

Robin Williams' 1999 science fiction film Bicentennial Man is being revisited, with commentary framing it as a largely forgotten robot movie that has been overlooked or dismissed despite its ambitions. The film, based on Isaac Asimov's work, followed an android's 200-year journey to become human, and new discussion is prompting viewers to reassess its place in the robot-movie canon.

An animated Hindi-language story is drawing large audiences, telling of three children who build a unique robot that begins moving by itself at night. The tale, presented as entertainment for viewers, combines themes of childhood invention and robotics with a spooky mystery twist. It has attracted significant engagement among Hindi-speaking audiences interested in animated storytelling.

Global humanoid robot shipments surged 432%, with China accounting for roughly 95% of the market, according to reports carried by Forbes and Yahoo Finance. The figures highlight how quickly Chinese manufacturers have scaled production of humanoids, leaving other countries far behind in commercial deployment and raising questions about the pace of Western competition in the emerging robotics industry.

Headlines claim humanoid robots appeared on the America's Got Talent stage, leaving the show's judges alarmed about the future of artificial intelligence. Beyond the headline, no details are available about which robots performed, when the episode aired, or what the judges actually said. The claim could not be independently verified from the available information.

An engineer has published a personal account of a robotics crash course, arguing that progress often comes from knowing when to step back and let systems, teams or automation move forward without interference. The essay is drawing attention among developers and hobbyists discussing hands-on robotics learning and the discipline of restraint in engineering work.

A robotics clip labelled 'Dumb Robot' from the Round2World (R2W) channel has attracted over 1.3 million likes. Beyond the title, little detail is available about the robot shown or what went wrong, but the scale of engagement suggests viewers are sharing it widely for entertainment.

New experiments show that people perceive robots approaching from behind as moving faster than they actually are. The findings offer insight into how humans judge the speed of objects they cannot directly see, with potential implications for the design of robots that move safely around people in shared spaces such as homes, offices and public areas.

Agility Robotics, the Oregon-based maker of the Digit humanoid robot, says its focus is scaling safety across a fleet of around 500 humanoid robots rather than perfecting a single unit. The company is working on how robots can operate reliably alongside people in warehouses and logistics settings as it moves toward mass production and commercial deployment.

A tutorial circulating among robotics and maker communities explains how to build an AI companion device using a Raspberry Pi, with a real-time animated face created using Rive AI. The guide covers software, coding and engineering steps, and is being shared within inclusive maker communities interested in DIY robotics and conversational AI projects.

The United States is developing a new generation of humanoid robots, according to widely circulated claims describing the machines as shocking. The topic is drawing heavy attention, with hundreds of thousands of people engaging with discussions about American advances in humanoid robotics. No specific manufacturer, model or capability is named in the claim itself, and details about what the robots can actually do remain unverified.

Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital in Florida has brought in a chemotherapy compounding robot, described as the first of its kind in the state. The automated system is intended to prepare chemotherapy medications, a task traditionally handled by pharmacy staff. Coverage in local healthcare media highlights the move as a notable step in hospital automation and medication safety.

A humanoid robot fitted with armor plating and artificial intelligence has drawn interest from the US Army, according to defense reporting. The machine is being pitched as a potential asset for military use, combining a human-like form with protective shielding and AI-driven operation. Details about the developer, capabilities, and stage of any talks with the Army remain limited, but the disclosure has fueled discussion about the Pentagon's growing interest in humanoid robotics.

Palmer Luckey is making the case that humanoid robots are becoming the interface between software and the physical world, a view echoed in ARK's robotics forecasts, which analysts say have been beaten by the pace of real-world progress. Discussion is focusing on China's embodiment race, where rapid development of humanoid platforms is reframing robots as an 'API' for physical tasks rather than single-purpose machines.

A robotics industry commentary argues that robot safety functions are largely mature and reliable, but a critical vulnerability remains: the sensor and perception data feeding those systems. If the input is corrupted, faulty or deliberately manipulated, safety mechanisms may fail even though the hardware works as designed. The piece is prompting discussion among robotics engineers about validating sensor integrity and guarding against spoofed or false inputs in automated systems.

Pittsburgh International Airport is set to deploy robot dogs, quadruped robots typically used for security patrols and inspections. The announcement has drawn attention for bringing advanced robotics into everyday public travel, with observers weighing practical benefits against questions about surveillance and privacy. It is a notable step for an airport better known for its own technology testing initiatives.

CNET has published a glossary of 38 robotics terms designed to help readers understand how robots work. The piece explains key concepts and jargon from the field of robotics in plain language, aimed at a general audience rather than specialists. It comes as robots and automation receive growing public attention, and reflects a broader effort by news outlets to make technical subjects more accessible to everyday readers.

Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Aren't so Frightening is a 1998 point-and-click adventure originally released for Windows, later ported to iOS and Mac. The game follows the child superhero Pajama Sam as he confronts his fear of storms, featuring puzzle-solving, humor, kid-friendly minigames and anthropomorphic characters, including robots, in a colorful educational adventure for young players.

A new humanoid robot has been introduced that is designed to operate safely alongside human workers. According to Assembly Magazine, the robot is aimed at manufacturing and industrial settings where humans and machines share workspace. Details about the manufacturer, capabilities and availability were not provided, but the announcement adds to growing industry interest in humanoids for collaborative labour.

China shipped more than 19,000 humanoid robots in the first half of 2026, roughly 77.9% of global shipments, according to figures attributed to IDC. Worldwide shipments reached nearly 25,000 units, up 432.1% year over year, and IDC raised its global humanoid robot forecast. Commenters see the data as confirmation of China's rapid lead in robotics manufacturing.

E-Home Household Service Holdings is developing a home service robot designed to detect floor stains and remind users to take their medicine, combining cleaning assistance with basic care functions. The product targets elderly and busy households, pointing to growing interest in domestic robots that go beyond vacuuming to offer health-related support.

A former Ukrainian defense minister has proposed building a futuristic 'Army of Robots' for the country's armed forces. The initiative, described as an ambitious push toward unmanned and robotic warfare, has drawn skepticism and debate within Ukraine, with observers questioning its feasibility and cost as the country continues fighting a large-scale war against Russia.

Agility Robotics and FORT Robotics have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing safety standards for humanoid robots. The collaboration will focus on safety technologies for Agility's humanoid robots as they move into commercial and industrial workplaces. The announcement comes as humanoid robotics deployments accelerate, raising questions about how these machines can operate safely alongside people.

NASA is working on plans to send humanoid robots to the moon, according to a Popular Science report. The idea is that humanlike machines could perform tasks on the lunar surface before or alongside human crews, supporting future Artemis-era missions. The concept has drawn attention from robotics and space enthusiasts.