A single destination for timely, editor-curated robotics news from around the world.
On October 6, the sun released a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) aimed at Earth, prompting NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a G2 geomagnetic storm watch for October 9. This CME, associated with an M1.4-class solar flare from sunspot region AR4549, is expected to enhance the vi...
China Rare Earth Group Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. has entered into a strategic cooperation with Benmo Technology. This partnership aims to enhance the industrialization of direct drive power modules specifically tailored for the robotics sector. The collaboration is significant as it seeks to...
Rare earth elements are crucial for various technologies, including electric vehicles and military systems. To establish a reliable U.S. supply chain, companies must navigate the complex processes of mining, refining, and manufacturing. Five companies—Tactical Resources, USA Rare Earth, MP Materials...
The U.S. Army has selected Vulcan Elements to supply neodymium-iron-boron magnets for its initiative to produce one million small drones annually. These magnets will be integral to the brushless motors powering the Army's unmanned aircraft, highlighting the importance of reliable component access in...
USA Rare Earth has announced a collaboration with French quantum computing firm Pasqal and industrial AI company Riven Systems to enhance the separation of rare earth elements in the U.S. This initiative, revealed on September 17, aims to utilize quantum machine learning and automated lab experiment...
In the latest edition of IndustryWeek's Weekly Review, key topics included the ongoing shortage of memory chips and the revival of rare earth production in the U.S. The report highlights that the chip supply constraint could hinder progress and increase costs for American consumers, raising concerns...
The University of Manchester has developed a new air pollution forecasting model using NVIDIA Earth-2 technology, addressing a significant public health issue in the UK. With air pollution contributing to approximately 30,000 deaths annually, the integration of generative frameworks from NVIDIA aims...
Cyclic Materials has inaugurated its first U.S. facility in Mesa, Arizona, aimed at enhancing domestic rare earth supply chains. This initiative aligns with the Trump administration's strategy to reduce reliance on foreign materials, particularly from China, as highlighted by William Kimmitt of the...
On June 24, 2026, two significant earthquakes hit northern Venezuela, prompting immediate drone deployment for damage assessment and search and rescue operations. Drones provided critical situational awareness, revealing destruction and aiding in the rescue of 6,462 individuals from collapsed buildi...
The Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) led a coordinated response to the Kumamoto earthquake, utilizing drones and AI for effective disaster management. Teams conducted indoor searches at Aeon Mall Kumamoto and mapped affected areas using fixed-wing aircraft and drones, integrating...
The Kumamoto earthquake in late July 2026 showcased the capabilities of Japanese drones, particularly the lightweight IBIS2 from Liberaware, which supported rescue and recovery operations. This event not only raised the profile of Liberaware but also underscored the ongoing challenges faced by the J...
A significant partial lunar eclipse will occur overnight on August 27-28, during which over 96% of the moon will enter Earth's umbra, creating a striking visual effect. This event serves as a direct visual proof of Earth's spherical shape as the moon passes through the shadow cast by our planet. Th...
After 11 years of working on a project to digitally clone Earth, the company Five One Vision has pivoted its focus to developing physical AI technologies for space applications. On August 18, the company launched two embodied intelligence products and unveiled a three-tier aerospace strategy encompa...
NASA's Perseverance rover recently observed a rare occultation event, where Earth briefly disappeared behind Mars' moon Phobos. This occurrence was captured on July 2, 2026, during the 1,907th Martian day of the rover's mission, using its Mastcam-Z instrument to take nine composite images of the eve...
MP Materials has launched an initiative to produce neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, essential for drone motors, aiming to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources. Currently, 75% of U.S. imports of these magnets come from China, highlighting the need for domestic production. The initiative wil...
On June 24, two major earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, resulting in over 5,000 deaths and significant injuries and displacements. In response, a specialized rescue team from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) deployed snake-like robots to assist in search efforts. From June 30 to July 3, the CMU...
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University collaborated with international search and rescue teams in Venezuela to deploy snake robots. These robots were used to navigate and explore collapsed buildings after two significant earthquakes caused widespread devastation in the region. The use of snake...
SpaceX is set to launch a groundbreaking satellite-servicing mission today, July 21, using a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission, named MRV-MEV, will deploy a Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) and three Mission Extension Pods (MEPs) to geostationary orbit (GEO) at an alt...
The U.K. is rapidly deploying advanced technologies across various sectors, driven by NVIDIA's commitment of $250 million over five years to enhance safety and security research. This initiative includes partnerships with the Earthshot Prize to support innovators tackling climate and sustainability...
France is actively deploying agentic computing across various sectors, including space, finance, and public services, showcasing a shift from ambition to practical application. This progress is supported by significant compute commitments established during the AI Action Summit and Choose France Sum...
Three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are on their way to Earth, potentially enhancing the visibility of the northern lights across parts of the U.S. this weekend. The CMEs originated from sunspot region AR4549 on October 6 and 7, with the most significant expected to arrive on October 9. This event...
Muju Earth has unveiled the Aeropod, a device designed to automate soil aeration without the use of traditional machinery or robotics. This innovation aims to address the significant issue of soil compaction, which can lead to yield reductions of 20% to 60%. The Aeropod, comparable in size to a fing...
The U.S. Army has chosen Vulcan Elements to supply rare earth magnets for its SkyFoundry drone initiative, which aims to produce one million small drones annually. Vulcan is currently expanding its production capabilities with a new plant in Benson, North Carolina, designed for 10,000 metric tons of...
Hylenr Technologies, a startup based in Hyderabad, has reported the detection of 32 elements, including rare earths and uranium, through its experimental nuclear fusion system. This finding follows over two years of material analysis linked to their lattice confinement fusion research, suggesting a...
On August 23, 1961, NASA launched the Ranger 1 robotic spacecraft as part of its Ranger program aimed at testing technologies for future lunar missions. The primary objective of Ranger 1 was to assess the spacecraft's performance and study the Earth's surrounding particles and fields. Unfortunately,...
SpaceX and Tesla are embarking on the construction of Terafab, a semiconductor manufacturing facility, as part of a joint venture with Intel. This $16.8 billion investment in a 100-million-square-foot plant in Grimes County, Texas, is crucial for both companies to enhance their supply chain resilien...
Amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe discovered a potential meteorite impact crater in Quebec's Côte-Nord region while planning a camping trip. The crater, named Uhackatik, was confirmed by Western planetary geologist Gordon Osinski during a visit in 2025 and is estimated to be 390 million years old and...
Vertical Aerospace has partnered with Near Earth Autonomy to enhance its Valo aircraft with advanced autonomous flight capabilities. This collaboration aims to integrate Near Earth's autonomy software with Honeywell Aerospace's Anthem digital cockpit, facilitating the development of self-flying tech...
Starmind has announced that its satellite technology can save approximately 880 billion liters of cooling water annually at full scale. This figure is equivalent to the annual household water use of around 6.5 million Americans. The technology operates by utilizing a closed-loop liquid cooling syste...
SpaceX has officially named its orbital AI infrastructure project 'Starmind,' which aims to deploy a constellation of up to 1 million satellites. This initiative, confirmed by Elon Musk on June 22, 2026, will enable AI inference directly in space, utilizing solar energy rather than terrestrial power...
On January 30, 2026, SpaceX submitted a request to the FCC to launch up to 1 million satellites as part of its Starmind orbital compute constellation. This ambitious plan is unprecedented, as the total number of satellites ever launched globally is in the low tens of thousands. The proposal seeks a...
On January 30, 2026, SpaceX filed with the FCC to launch up to 1 million AI compute satellites, positioning orbital data centers as a solution to the increasing demand for AI computing power. Ground data centers are facing significant challenges, with energy consumption projected to reach approximat...
The Trump administration is collaborating with a U.S. company to counter China's stronghold on rare earth elements, which are crucial for manufacturing components in various technologies, including smartphones, robotics, fighter jets, and drones. This initiative comes amid growing concerns over supp...
The Trump administration is collaborating with a U.S. company to confront China's significant control over rare earth elements, which are crucial for manufacturing various high-tech products, including smartphones, robotics, fighter jets, and drones. This initiative aims to reduce dependency on Chin...
IEEE Spectrum robotics has released its latest edition of Video Friday, showcasing a variety of innovative robotics videos and announcing upcoming events in the field. Notable events include the RSS 2026 conference in Sydney from July 13-17, the Summer School on Multi-Robot Systems in Prague from Ju...
A recent X1.1 solar eruption has caused a temporary disruption in radio communications across the daylight side of Earth. This event, which occurred on July 1, has raised concerns among scientists and communication experts. Forecasters are now predicting that the associated coronal mass ejection (CM...
A $30 million salvage operation is set to commence this week, featuring the launch of a robotic lifesaver designed to assist in recovery efforts. The initiative aims to address the challenges posed by recent maritime incidents, reflecting a growing commitment to enhancing safety and efficiency in sa...
In today's industrial landscape, automation has become a defining characteristic of both manufacturing and trading environments. On factory floors, robotic arms and sensor networks are prominently featured, executing tasks with precision and efficiency without direct human intervention. Similarly, w...
In a significant development this month, the Pentagon announced the inclusion of several major Chinese companies on a list of entities allegedly supporting the Chinese military. This decision has prompted a swift reaction from Beijing, which condemned the move as an unjustified attack on its busines...
A new bipartisan bill has been introduced in Congress to bolster the United States' domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets, which are essential components in drone motors. The legislation, spearheaded by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Ro Khanna (D-CA), addresses the growing...
A Japanese marine research agency is set to develop an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) by fiscal 2028 to enhance the search for rare earth elements and other mineral resources in the seabed near Minamitorishima, Japan's easternmost territory. This initiative, announced on June 3, 2026,...
Researchers from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the University of Duisburg-Essen have unveiled a groundbreaking study that explores the potential of artificial intelligence in enhancing urban planning. This research, published on October 15, 2023, aims to address t...
Planet Labs, a California-based Earth observation company, has successfully implemented AI image processing aboard its Pelican-4 multispectral satellite, marking a significant advancement in satellite technology. The satellite captured an image of an airport in Alice Springs, Australia, where an AI...
The Naval Air Systems Command has selected Near Earth Autonomy, a Pittsburgh-based autonomy specialist, to collaborate with Bell Textron, Moog, and XP Services on the development of an uncrewed Bell 505 aircraft. This partnership is part of the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistic...
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have harnessed artificial intelligence to accelerate the search for advanced magnetic materials. This initiative involves the creation of an extensive database comprising 67,573 magnetic compounds, which includes 25 newly identified materials that maint...
At the American Meteorological Society’s Annual Meeting, NVIDIA introduced its groundbreaking Earth-2 family, a suite of open models, libraries, and frameworks designed for weather and climate artificial intelligence. This initiative marks a significant advancement in the field, as it presents the w...
Tesla is experiencing delays in its production schedule for the Optimus humanoid robot, primarily due to new export restrictions imposed by China on rare earth minerals. During a recent earnings call, CEO Elon Musk highlighted a significant 'magnet issue' as a key challenge affecting the project. To...
As spring unfolds on the Carnegie Mellon University campus, students are actively engaged in a hands-on project to build a satellite intended for Earth's orbit. Divided into specialized teams focusing on communications, guidance navigation and control (GNC), and vision, these students are collaborat...
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
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