Mistral Inc. has received a $20 million contract from the U.S. Army to supply THOR Group 2 uncrewed aircraft systems and mission payloads, with completion expected by March 2027.
PATEO has announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to develop an integrated software and hardware AI box solution for vehicles, powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor platform. The system aims to support large AI models in automotive applications and enable deployment across major automakers.
Pudu Robotics has opened a new U.S. headquarters in Dallas, Texas, as part of its expansion strategy in the Americas. The facility will strengthen regional operations and support continued growth across service, cleaning, industrial delivery, and embodied AI sectors.
Jetstream Venture Fund has established an interest in defense technology company Shield AI, which develops autonomous aircraft powered by its Hivemind AI pilot software. The move strengthens Jetstream’s focus on technologies enabling autonomy across air and space sectors.
The 139th Canton Fair in Guangzhou introduced nine new product zones, including dedicated areas for drones, smart wearables, and service robots, showcasing advances in AI, precision farming, and immersive display technology.
Pudu Robotics has raised nearly $150 million in new funding, bringing its valuation to more than $1.5 billion and total funding above $300 million. The company plans to use the funds to advance embodied AI technology, expand its product range, and scale manufacturing.
Fujitsu and Carnegie Mellon University have established the Fujitsu-Carnegie Mellon Physical AI Research Center to advance research in physical AI, combining expertise in robotics, machine learning, and human-computer interaction.
Sony AI has introduced Ace, a robot capable of defeating elite human table tennis players, marking a breakthrough in physical AI. The research, published in Nature, demonstrates real-world robotic performance at expert human levels.
Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto has expanded its partnership with the University of California, Berkeley to accelerate research in AI-based autonomous vehicle systems. The company aims to integrate artificial intelligence into every layer of vehicle design and control.
X Square Robot has unveiled Wall-B, an embodied AI foundation model designed for home robots, and announced plans to begin deployment in households within 35 days.
Laminar has received a Gold 2026 Edison Award in the Manufacturing and Logistics category for its physical AI technology that enables self-driving factory operations for global manufacturers such as Coca-Cola, AB InBev, Danone, and Unilever.
Ati Motors has rebranded as Ati Robotics to reflect its expanded focus on AI based material orchestration systems for manufacturing and warehousing environments. The company also launched a new domain, atirobotics.ai, highlighting the role of AI in its operations.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has launched the A1 Defense AI Center to develop artificial intelligence systems for battlefield operations, administrative optimization, and defense industry innovation.
Hyperscale Data is reconfiguring its Michigan facility into a combined AI data center and robotics hub through a partnership with AGIBOT, dedicating over 100,000 square feet for robotics assembly, testing, and AI model training.
Leidos and Havoc have signed an agreement to integrate their autonomy capabilities across maritime and aerial platforms, with testing planned for late 2026.
Magnet Defense LLC and Hanwha Defense USA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly produce Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels for the U.S. Department of War, including a 38-meter model and collaboration on AI-based shipyard and autonomy technologies.
BayCare Health System and robotics startup Rovex have launched a pilot at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida, to test robotic support for hospital operations and patient transport workflows. The initial phase will study transport patterns and workflow efficiency, with no patient transport planned at this stage.
Robot.com has appointed Gregory D. Smith, Chairman of American Airlines' board and co-founder of G2 Equity Partners, as an observer on its board of directors. Smith brings over 30 years of aerospace and enterprise operations experience, including a decade as Boeing's CFO and Executive Vice President.
RoboSense introduced its EOCENE SPAD SoC architecture along with two new chipsets, Phoenix and Peacock, at its 2026 Tech Day in Shenzhen. The Phoenix chipset is an automotive-grade monolithic SPAD SoC with 2,160-beam image-grade output, while the Peacock chipset is a fully solid-state SPAD SoC designed for robotics. The company also previewed its RGBD sensor, planned for release by 2027.
Coco Robotics and BlindSquare have announced a partnership to share real time sidewalk obstacle data. The collaboration aims to improve safety and accessibility for blind and mobility limited pedestrians across cities where Coco operates.
Weekly coverage of AI-driven robotics advances in industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, and robotic systems.
