The future leaves
signals in time.

Physical AI company Sereact, online retailer Zalando and CEVA Logistics have announced AI-powered automated returns processing at key fulfillment facilities in Greven, Germany and Świebodzin, Poland. The dual-arm robotic systems, powered by Sereact's Cortex physical AI platform, have entered live operations to autonomously process returned fashion items, which the companies describe as an initial phase.

A story by MIT Technology Review in collaboration with Aventine, a non-profit research foundation, argues that AI breakthroughs in robotics will not change your life any time soon. It notes that a white humanoid robot with a black head and torso has been appearing on video feeds.

Humanoid robot developer Lumos Robotics recently staged what it described as "the world's first humanoid robot theater performance" in Shenzhen, a 45-minute show designed to run autonomously from opening to curtain call. Held at the Dream Theater of the Shenzhen Bao'an District Youth Palace, the show featured a robot host.

Lumistar demonstrated its TERO Pro AI-powered tennis training robot at an event in New York, letting players practice against a machine designed to respond dynamically to their shots. More than 60 people, including media, influencers and members of the public, tried it at the 96th Street clay courts.

Schneider Electric's acquisition of PTC gives it a "digital thread" from design through operations, positioning the company to challenge Siemens, according to Interact Analysis. The analyst notes, however, that Schneider Electric still needs to integrate data and software.

Researchers have created an aquatic soft robot inspired by feather stars, a type of marine invertebrate. Powered by only two actuators, the robot can move through the water in all three dimensions. The paper, "Minimal-Actuation Feather Star–Inspired Soft Swimmers for Multimodal 3D Maneuverability," was published in the journal Science Advances.

California-based DataraAI is developing robotic automation technology intended to let industrial robot arms connect cables and other components during AI server and rack assembly, a task still largely performed manually. Reported target operations include routing cables, seating connectors, and handling wiring harnesses; the system remains in development.

The article says a robot-ready warehouse needs a building shell designed around automation from the start, with the column grid, clear height, floor, roof loads, and expansion path set by the system that will run inside it. It notes most automation planning begins inside the four walls, with the stock profile, storage system, and handling equipment.

Teradyne Robotics and Elite Robots have settled their software dispute, ending the legal case between them. The terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed.

Electric vehicle maker Faraday Future plans to bring a robotics factory online in the United States by the end of 2026 as it accelerates expansion into humanoid and other embodied AI robots. The California-based company says it aims to have the first new robot from its "Built in USA" program roll off the line.

The article argues there is no single safest option for securing robotics infrastructure: cloud, on-premises and hybrid setups can all protect robotics systems well, differing mainly in how responsibility is split, and most factories end up blending them. It notes the approach sounds neat on paper but is messy in practice.

According to Tech Xplore, the SANDO system is designed to ensure a robot's flight path remains collision-free in uncharted territory. The report describes UAVs potentially flying into wildfires to gather information for rescuers while avoiding flare-ups and falling debris, though such conditions could damage the aircraft.

A threadlike motor is reported to use sliding fibers to drive flexible robotic devices without gears. Researchers at EPFL's Soft Transducers Laboratory presented the world's first pump in fiber form in 2023; its flexible tubing can generate its own fluid pressure and flow rate and be sewn into smart textiles for thermoregulation, haptic feedback, or powering wearable assistive devices.

Harmonic Drive is set to present at RoboBusiness how its integrated actuators can reduce engineering effort by simplifying system integration. According to the announcement, attendees will learn about this approach.

In an interview, the CEO of San Francisco-based Minerva Humanoids said its semi-autonomous humanoid Roger is engineered to be the best possible avatar. The company takes a different approach from rivals pursuing general-purpose machines for a growing range of industrial tasks, starting with jobs where replacing the human body has an immediate and potentially life-saving purpose.

As rapid humanoid robot development intensifies debate over how autonomous robots should ultimately become and whether removing people from the loop should be the goal, Plus One Robotics, which develops AI-powered robotic automation for logistics and parcel-handling operations, has long advocated a human-in-the-loop model. CEO Erik Nieves discusses this view in an interview titled 'Robots work, People rule'.

Autonomous mobility company Avride and Sodexo Campus have announced an agreement to accelerate autonomous robot delivery across Sodexo Campus partner colleges and universities in the United States, pairing Avride's delivery technology with Sodexo Campus's national higher education footprint and creating a framework for participating campuses to move from interest to implementation.