Now Robotics

Former Ukrainian defense minister Fedorov has announced a new 'Army of Robots' initiative, his latest move since leaving office. The announcement is being reported by Ukrainian and international outlets covering Ukraine's wartime push toward unmanned systems. The exact scope and funding of the robotics program were not detailed in the initial reports.

Aldi is processing large volumes of fresh produce through its automated distribution warehouse in the UK, part of the discounter's push to use robotics to speed up supply and cut costs. The facility handles the flow of goods to stores as the grocer expands automation across its logistics network.

Le Parisien reports that Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's digital transformation minister, is backing plans to deploy ground robotic vehicles on the battlefield to reduce human casualties. The initiative would see unmanned systems carrying out frontline tasks currently done by soldiers, part of Kyiv's broader push to use technology to offset manpower shortages in its war against Russia.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reportedly reversed Russian gains, repelling a Russian pincer movement while using robotic systems to carry out combat airdrops and clear minefields. The operation highlights Ukraine's growing reliance on ground robots to reduce risk to soldiers while sustaining offensives, drawing attention to how unmanned machines are reshaping frontline tactics in the war.

A new report says China remains the world's largest market for industrial robots, maintaining its top position in global robotics demand. The finding underlines the country's continued heavy investment in factory automation despite economic headwinds and intensifying competition in the global robotics industry.

New figures show China accounted for 59% of global industrial-robot installations in 2025, cementing its position as the world's dominant market for factory automation. The share dwarfs installations in Europe and North America, underlining how Chinese manufacturers are automating faster than any other region amid rising labour costs and competition in electric vehicles and electronics.

Robotics companies in the United States, China and Korea are competing to secure training data for their humanoid robots, according to a news report. The race highlights how access to large, high-quality datasets is becoming a key battleground in the development of humanoids, alongside hardware and AI models.

China installed 354,000 industrial robots in 2025, accounting for 59% of global installations, according to figures reported by TechNode. The United States overtook Japan to become the world's second-largest robot market, highlighting the scale of Chinese manufacturing automation and shifting rankings among major industrial economies.

A Ukrainian commander has described how his troops conduct ground assaults during daylight hours while deploying ground robots and other unmanned systems at night. The explanation highlights how Ukraine's forces are increasingly relying on robotic vehicles to move supplies and support attacks while reducing risk to soldiers, with darkness offering cover from Russian drones and observation.

The Yuelu Conference 2026 opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on September 23–24, bringing together artificial intelligence companies, robotics developers, researchers and investors. The event featured an opening ceremony and ten themed "AI+" forums covering applications of AI across industries, positioning Changsha as a growing hub for China's AI and robotics sectors.

Foxconn and Alter have formed a new joint venture, Beijing Futekang, to build a mass production platform for humanoid robots. The move ties Foxconn's large-scale manufacturing capability to the fast-growing humanoid robotics sector, positioning the partners to industrialise robot assembly much as Foxconn did for consumer electronics. Industry watchers see it as a signal that humanoid robots are moving from prototypes toward volume production in China.

China now accounts for roughly 60% of patents related to humanoid robots, underlining its growing dominance in the sector. The figure highlights the country's aggressive investment in robotics innovation and intellectual property, raising concerns among competitors in the US, Europe, Japan and South Korea about falling behind in a technology seen as key to future manufacturing and automation.

Researchers have developed a wind-up, elastic-powered robot that can keep jumping indefinitely as long as it is supplied with infrared light, which recharges its elastic mechanism. The design points to small, battery-free jumping robots that could operate for extended periods in hard-to-reach places.

Ukraine says its forces have deployed ground combat robots as far as 10 kilometres behind Russian lines, claiming the unmanned systems have inflicted around 3,000 Russian casualties. The reported use of robotic units deep in enemy territory is drawing attention as an example of how unmanned vehicles are increasingly taking on frontline combat roles in the war, though the casualty figures have not been independently verified.

A new humanoid robot has been demonstrated capable of shedding tears on demand, a development in emotional expression for machines. The display pushes humanoid robotics further into uncanny territory, with observers reacting to how closely the machine mimics human behaviour and what it signals about the direction of robotics research.

Seoul is moving to clear regulatory obstacles so delivery robots can operate and park inside apartment complexes, where many residents receive packages. The city aims to make it easier for autonomous delivery services to reach people's doors in high-density housing. The move signals growing official support for robotics in everyday urban logistics as demand for contactless delivery rises.

Japanese robotics startup LOMBY has raised $2.5 million in a Series A funding round to finance mass production of its delivery robots. The investment is intended to move the company from development toward large-scale manufacturing of autonomous robots for last-mile delivery. Further details about the investors or production timeline have not been disclosed.

Qualcomm has announced an agreement to acquire PickNik, a robotics software company, in a move aimed at strengthening its AI-driven robotics capabilities. The deal signals Qualcomm's push to expand beyond mobile chips into robotics and edge AI. Details on the transaction's value and timing have not been widely reported yet.

Robotics startup O-ID has raised $1.2 million in funding to develop modular humanoid robots. The round, reported by engineering media, will support the company's work on robots built from interchangeable parts rather than fixed designs, an approach aimed at making humanoid machines cheaper to produce and easier to adapt for different tasks. The funding comes as investor and public interest in humanoid robotics continues to grow worldwide.

Stellantis is using a new robot from Dexory, an AI-powered vision-scanning system, according to The Detroit News. The system is designed to scan and monitor environments autonomously, with the automaker applying the technology in its operations. Coverage is so far limited to the announcement that the robot uses AI-driven visual scanning as part of Stellantis' technology push.

Industry commentary argues that Isaac Asimov's famous Three Laws of Robotics, while culturally influential, are not an adequate framework for ensuring the safety of modern robotics and artificial intelligence. The discussion comes as real-world AI and robotic systems grow more complex and autonomous, prompting calls for practical safety standards, regulation, and engineering safeguards that go beyond science fiction-era rules.

South Korean chip developer Moblint is working with LG, Doosan and Daedong to build on-device AI semiconductors designed to run artificial intelligence directly inside robots and home appliances. The partnerships signal a push to bring AI processing off the cloud and into everyday consumer and industrial hardware across Korea's electronics and machinery sectors.

Suffolk Construction is using Spot, a four-legged robot, on its job sites. The robot dog is being deployed to help with tasks such as site inspection and monitoring, part of a growing effort by construction firms to bring automation and robotics into everyday building work.

South Korean robotics firm Now Robotics is moving into maintenance, repair and overhaul services for military robots, and will formalize its defense business push on November 4. The company aims to position itself in the growing market for servicing robotic systems used by armed forces, joining a wider trend of commercial robotics firms expanding into defense contracts.

A new benchmark called RoboHarm examines whether frontier AI models used to control robots refuse unsafe instructions. The project, hosted by RoboCurve, raises safety questions about AI-driven robotics as language-model-based policies move into physical systems. Discussion is active among robotics and AI safety communities, with many debating how well current models handle harmful or dangerous commands before deployment.

Unitree and other humanoid robot companies are publicly stating they intend to avoid the missteps of China's new energy vehicle startup boom, which saw heavy subsidies, price wars and a wave of failed entrants. The companies are signalling a more cautious approach to competition and expansion as investor interest in humanoid robotics accelerates.

British police used a robot to fire at vans near an airbase used by US forces, in what authorities are treating as a terror-related incident. The incident, captured on video, has drawn attention to both the security response at the base and the use of armed robots by police in counter-terrorism operations.

Reports say robots are now being used to manufacture other robots, marking a step toward fully automated production in the robotics industry. The idea of self-replicating machines has long been a staple of science fiction, and the news is prompting discussion about how far automation in factories could go, and what it might mean for manufacturing jobs and the future of the industry.

Dealroom examines arguments from Waddle Labs and RoboCurve that general-purpose large language models, rather than bespoke robot-specific systems, are likely to dominate robotics development. The analysis suggests broad AI foundation models could outpace specialized approaches as robots increasingly rely on general reasoning capabilities.