NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has unveiled an innovative prototype, a four-wheeled vehicle measuring four feet in length, engineered for high-speed and long-distance travel. This development, announced recently, aims to enhance exploration capabilities on planetary surfaces, potentially paving the way for future missions to Mars and beyond. The vehicle's design incorporates advanced technology to navigate challenging terrains efficiently, addressing the need for faster and more reliable transportation in extraterrestrial environments. By leveraging cutting-edge engineering and robotics, JPL seeks to overcome the limitations of current exploration vehicles, ensuring that future missions can cover greater distances in shorter timeframes. The prototype is a significant step forward in NASA's ongoing efforts to expand human presence in space and improve the tools available for scientific discovery.
NASA’s new prototype rover completes 16-mile autonomous desert trek
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Kidz AI Raises $1.9 Million to Enhance KIDZBot Educational Robotics Platform
Kidz AI has secured $1.9 million from its previously announced $500 million convertible-note financing facility to boost the manufacturing and deployment of its KIDZBot educational robotics platform. The funding will support the expansion of KIDZBot, which is designed to teach robotics, coding, and AI concepts through hands-on applications. This financing...
AI AI Funding & Investment Robotics
MIT Researchers Develop Robotic Lab for Autonomous Laser Experimentation
MIT researchers have created a robotic laboratory capable of autonomously assembling and conducting laser experiments. This innovative setup utilizes advanced robotics to enhance the efficiency and precision of scientific research, marking a significant advancement in automation technology. The development is crucial as it demonstrates the potential of ro...
AI and Robotics
Researchers Develop AthenaZero, a Robot Capable of Throwing, Catching, and Hitting Baseballs
Researchers have developed AthenaZero, a robot designed to throw, catch, and hit baseballs with human-like precision. This advancement showcases the potential of robotics in sports, highlighting the capabilities of robots to perform complex physical tasks that require coordination and timing. The significance of AthenaZero lies in its ability to mimic hum...
AI and Robotics
FTS Introduces TAHR, a New Air-Droppable Light Combat Vehicle for German Special Forces
FTS has unveiled the TAHR, a light combat vehicle designed for German Special Forces. This innovative vehicle can be air-dropped, with two units fitting inside a Chinook helicopter, enhancing operational flexibility. The introduction of the TAHR is significant as it addresses the need for versatile and deployable combat solutions in modern warfare. Its ai...
Global Land Warfare Army
GPT-6 Astra Surpasses Specialist Robotics Models in Recent Evaluations
GPT-6 Astra's performance in robotics evaluations has shown significant advancements, surpassing open-source models in a recent MolmoSpaces assessment. The model achieved a score of 70.5%, outperforming competitors like Cosmos3 and MolmoAct-2, which scored 53.0% and 38.6%, respectively. This progress highlights the potential of general-purpose reasoning i...
OpenAI Benchmark Research
Innovation Works Venture Expo 2026: 58 Pittsburgh Startups Pitch to Investors
58 health, deep tech and robotics startups pitched at Innovation Works Venture Expo 2026 in Pittsburgh. Full company list, program and 2025 funding data.
Market and Business News
Oshen's Autonomous Sailboat Achieves Historic 3,555-Mile Atlantic Crossing in 127 Days
Oshen's four-foot autonomous sailboat, the C-Star PC13, has successfully completed a 3,555-mile Atlantic crossing, marking a historic achievement in the Microtransat Challenge after over 30 attempts. Departing Gran Canaria on May 7, the vessel reached Barbados in 127 days, navigating through busy shipping routes and challenging weather conditions, includi...
Transportation
WaiV Robotics Achieves First Autonomous Nighttime Landing on Moving Vessel
WaiV Robotics has successfully conducted a series of open-sea demonstrations showcasing its autonomous drone launch and recovery system. Notably, the company achieved the first-ever autonomous maritime takeoff and landing at night, marking a significant milestone in maritime technology. This achievement is crucial as it demonstrates the capabilities of Wa...
Drones News autonomous drones
Jiushi Expands Its 30,000 Autonomous Vehicles into Urban Governance Applications
Jiushi has announced a strategic upgrade to its urban-level physical AI, aiming to extend its 'Jiushi Brain' capabilities beyond autonomous logistics vehicles. CEO Kong Qi emphasized that the company will leverage its extensive operational experience and data from over 30,000 vehicles, which have collectively traveled more than 250 million kilometers acro...
Autonomous Vehicles Urban Governance AI Technology
SegCert-PCR: Certifiable Point Cloud Registration for Ground Segmentation in Unstructured Environments
The Journal of Field Robotics has published an early view article on SegCert-PCR, a method for certifiable point cloud registration focused on ground segmentation in unstructured field environments. This innovative approach addresses the challenges of accurately registering point clouds, which is crucial for various robotic applications in unpredictable t...
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Quadruped Robot Competition Opens for Participants to Showcase Specialized Applications
A new competition has been announced, inviting participants to demonstrate the capabilities of quadruped robots in specialized scenarios. This event is designed to challenge the limits of robotic applications and encourage innovation within the industry. The significance of this competition lies in its potential to advance the development of robotic techn...
Quadruped Robots Robotics Competition Specialized Applications
Anthropic Disrupts Five Cases of Claude Misuse for Potential Bioweapons Research
Anthropic reported that it intervened in five instances where researchers misused its AI model, Claude, in ways that could have facilitated biological weapons development. These incidents occurred between December 2025 and August 2026, highlighting the challenges of distinguishing legitimate scientific research from potentially harmful activities. The sig...
AI and Robotics
Didi Chuxing (CN)
China
Didi Chuxing is a Chinese ride-hailing platform that has expanded into autonomous vehicle research and development. The company operates a large-scale mobility service network and invests in self-driving technology.
Drone Delivery Canada
Canada
Operates the FLYTE proprietary platform for automated cargo UAS, with integrated air traffic management and DroneSpot depots for medical and commercial use.
Duckietown Robotics
United States
Educational robotics platform provider offering autonomous vehicle kits and AI curricula used by 250+ universities worldwide.
DRT Co.,Ltd.
Korea, Republic of (South)
South Korean drone manufacturer specializing in cleaning drones, defense drones, and drone software for safety-critical environments.
Easy Aerial
United States
US drone-in-a-box maker delivering NDAA-compliant tethered and free-flight autonomous UAS for defense, security, and critical infrastructure.
Eelume
Norway
Norwegian AUV startup offering snake-like autonomous underwater robots for subsea inspection, maintenance, and mine countermeasures.
BioRobotics Laboratory, Korea University of Technology and Education
Korea, Republic of (South)
South Korean university research laboratory focusing on haptics, exoskeletons, rehabilitation robotics, and autonomous ground vehicles.
Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL)
United States
VA–Univ. of Pittsburgh research center founded 1994, developing wheelchair robotics and assistive mobility tech for veterans and people with disabilities.
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
United States
The REC Foundation is a US nonprofit that runs VEX-based robotics and drone competitions reaching 1.1 million students across 70 countries.
SAISON ROBOT/LingYu Robotics 灵御智能
China
LingYu Robotics to Showcase Teleoperation and Embodied AI Solutions at Automate 2026 Subscribe for the Latest Automate Show Updates Copyright © 2013-2026 A3 Automate.
Yuanqi Innovation (Xiamen) Robot Co., Ltd. 元启创新（厦门）机器人有限公司
China
yuanqirobot.com resolves to a Xiamen-based robot company; directory lists it as Qingdao YuanQi Intelligent Robot Tech — city mismatch requires verification.
OM Robot Technology Co. Ltd. 东莞全向机械科技有限公司
China
Chinese manufacturer of mecanum wheels, omnidirectional wheel bases, and mobile robotic platforms for AGV applications.
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