Colin Angle, the co-founder of iRobot and creator of the Roomba, has launched a new venture, Familiar Machines & Magic, introducing a robotic pet designed for companionship rather than household cleaning. This innovative robot, resembling a dog and aimed at providing emotional support, marks a significant shift in Angle's focus from practical household appliances to interactive and engaging robotic companions. The announcement comes as the demand for social robots continues to grow, reflecting a broader trend in technology where emotional connection and companionship are increasingly valued. Angle's new creation aims to enhance the quality of life for users by offering companionship and interaction, tapping into the growing market for robots that fulfill emotional needs.
The creator of Roomba is back with a furry robot companion
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Obayashi Corporation Launches 18-Month Project with Humanoid Robots in Construction
Obayashi Corporation has initiated an 18-month joint verification project utilizing humanoid robots at a construction site near Tokyo. The project aims to address the critical labor shortage in Japan's construction industry, where over one-third of workers are aged 65 and older, while less than 10% are under 30. The introduction of humanoid robots is seen...
Humanoid Robots Construction Automation Robotics
Xiaopeng Motors Plans to Launch IRON Humanoid Robot with 1,000 Units Monthly Production by 2027
Xiaopeng Motors has announced plans to launch its IRON humanoid robot globally by 2027, aiming to ramp up production to over 1,000 units per month by the end of this year. The robot will initially serve as a sales assistant in domestic stores, with expansion to international locations later in the year. This initiative is significant as Xiaopeng's Preside...
Humanoid Robots Robotics AI
Investors Focus on Emerging Robotics Innovators Amid Rapid Industry Growth
In the spring of 2025, Yushu Technology gained significant attention with its humanoid robot, 'Yang BOT,' igniting interest in the embodied intelligence sector. This industry is not just about Yushu but encompasses numerous potential innovators. According to IT Juzi data, funding in China's embodied intelligence sector surpassed 10 billion yuan in 2024, r...
Embodied Intelligence Robotics Startup Investment
Agility Robotics Proposes Six Key Recommendations for U.S. Humanoid Robot Policies
Agility Robotics has outlined six recommendations aimed at establishing a robust policy framework for humanoid robots in the U.S. According to CEO Peggy Johnson, these recommendations are essential for enhancing the regulatory environment and ensuring the successful integration of humanoids into the workforce. She emphasizes the need for domestic producti...
China Defense / Security Humanoids
RoboParty Launches Open Source Framework for Next-Gen Humanoid Robot Development
In the past two years, the humanoid robot industry has seen numerous impressive demonstrations, but a shift is emerging in the second half of 2026. Companies are now focusing on developing training frameworks, development platforms, data tools, open-source models, and various R&D infrastructures. The competition is evolving from showcasing superior robots...
Humanoid Robots R&D Infrastructure Open Source
Addressing the Human Bottleneck in Healthcare Automation: Aligning Physicians with Patient Demand
Hospitals are increasingly adopting automation to enhance care delivery by integrating software for administrative tasks, utilizing robots for logistics, and deploying AI for documentation and scheduling. These advancements aim to reduce waiting times and streamline workflows, allowing clinical teams to focus more on patient care. However, despite these t...
Automation Health artificial intelligence
STMicroelectronics Invests in Oversonic Robotics to Enhance Humanoid Robot Development
Oversonic Robotics, an Italian cognitive robotics firm known for RoBee, has announced a strategic investment from STMicroelectronics, Fondazione ENEA Tech Biomedical, and SpotInvest. This investment aims to accelerate Oversonic's industrial, technological, and international growth, particularly in the cognitive humanoid robotics sector. The involvement of...
Humanoids News artificial intelligence
Robot.com Introduces R-noid Humanoid Robot for Challenging Labor Markets
Robot.com has officially launched R-noid, a humanoid robot designed to tackle repetitive and hard-to-fill jobs across various industries. Deployed under a Robot-as-a-Service model, R-noid can achieve autonomous operation within eight to twelve weeks, addressing significant staffing challenges in sectors like healthcare and food services. The introduction ...
Humanoids News automation
ROBOTTODAY Weekly July 6 – 10, 2026
This week in robotics: AI² Robotics raises $735M for wheeled humanoids, Unitree G1 performs first live surgery, Dexmal launches DexOS platform, Agility Robotics announces SPAC, and Ondas acquires DZYNE for $875.8M. July 6–10, 2026.
RobotToday Weekly
Physical AI Landscape: From Digital Intelligence to the Embodied Physical World
A comprehensive industry analysis of Physical AI — covering Embodied AI, Field AI, Factory AI, VLM, World Model, VLA, and the VLA vs WAM architecture debate. Includes 20+ companies, 28 references, and the RobotToday Physical AI Landscape diagram. July 2026.
Artificial Intelligence
Piaggio Fast Forward Brings kilo® Autonomous Mobile Robot to Automate 2026
Piaggio Fast Forward showcases kilo®, an infrastructure-free collaborative AMR (300 lb payload, 360° LiDAR), at Automate 2026 booth #17054.
Market and Business News
LingBot-VLA 2.0: Open-Source Universal Brain for Robots
Robbyant open-sources LingBot-VLA 2.0, a vision-language-action model trained on 60,000 hours of data for cross-morphology, whole-body robot control.
Artificial Intelligence
Humanoid M.AX Alliance
Korea, Republic of (South)
The Humanoid M.AX Alliance, established in April 2025, is a consortium comprising 224 entities focused on advancing Korea's humanoid robotics sector. Key initiatives include developing shared Robot AI Foundation Models, conducting R&D on next-gen humanoid technologies, and collaborating on AI semiconductors and mobility batteries. The Alliance also emphasizes startup acceleration and talent development through partnerships with leading universities.
Kind Humanoid (Acq. by 1X)
United States
NEO is an advanced humanoid robot designed for versatile applications in domestic and commercial environments. It utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms for natural language processing and machine learning to enhance user interaction. The robot is equipped with a modular hardware architecture, enabling scalability and customization. Key features include real-time data processing, autonomous navigation, and integration with IoT devices for smart home functionality.
Rotaku (humanoid robotics; limited public info)
United States
The humanoid robots developed feature a height of 1.7m, a weight of 45kg, and 22 degrees of freedom, enabling complex manipulation tasks. The system utilizes a robust SDK for high- and low-level control, alongside a data analytics stack for telemetry management. Advanced simulation environments support reinforcement learning for policy optimization, ensuring effective deployment in real-world scenarios.
Technology Collaborative
Technology Collaborative is a US nonprofit organization focused on technology education and workforce development. Connects businesses, educators, and government to advance applied technology skills including automation and robotics training.
AUBO Robotics 遨博智能
United States
AUBO is a Chinese national high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, and sale of collaborative robots (cobots) with full independent intellectual property rights. They offer various models (3-16KG payload, i/C/iV/iF series) for applications in 3C, automotive, healthcare, and logistics, aiming to increase efficiency and achieve low-cost operations globally.
Chang Robotics
United States
Chang Robotics is an engineering firm specializing in collaborative robotics and automation integration. It provides customized cutting-edge robotic solutions tailored to workforce needs, serving manufacturing, healthcare, government, food & beverage, and other sectors with engineering, deployment, and advanced automation systems.
Robot Care Systems
Netherlands
The URL resolves to Robots.nu, an informational portal covering personal, service, care, and educational robots. The site aggregates overviews and news about robots used in homes, healthcare, and workplaces, targeting general audiences exploring robotic technology applications.
Top Grade Healthcare (CN)
Top Grade Healthcare is a Chinese healthcare products and services company. It has limited verifiable presence in robotics; however, the company is listed in context of healthcare automation and senior care robotic applications in the Chinese market.
Xenex Healthcare Services
United States
Xenex Healthcare Services manufactures the LightStrike UV disinfection robot, which uses pulsed xenon UV technology to reduce microbial load in hospital rooms. Provides workflow consulting alongside the robotic system to improve room turnover efficiency.
HERL (Human Engineering Research Lab)
United States
Joint University of Pittsburgh and US Department of Veterans Affairs laboratory conducting rehabilitation engineering research. Develops mobility devices, assistive technologies, and medical-grade products for people with disabilities.
Joanneum Research Assoc (AT)
Austria
Joanneum Research Institute for Robotics and Flexible Production conducts applied R&D in industrial robot systems, production automation and robot safety, offering feasibility analysis, consulting and testing in a robotics solution centre.
St Petersburg National Research U of ITMO
Russian leading research university (ITMO University) specializing in information technology, optical engineering, and photonics. Active research programs in AI, robotics, computer vision, and cyber-physical systems.
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