Now Robotics

Ukraine's digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov is pushing a plan to deploy an 'army of robots' to replace soldiers on the front line, Le Parisien reports. The initiative aims to use unmanned ground and aerial systems to reduce troop losses in the war with Russia, as Kyiv struggles with manpower shortages and continues positioning itself as a pioneer of battlefield technology.

NASA reports that the Canadarm2, the International Space Station's large robotic arm, has stopped working and cannot be moved for the time being. Engineers are assessing the fault on the critical system used for capturing cargo vehicles and moving equipment around the station. Observers are watching closely for updates on whether operations can be restored and what the malfunction means for station logistics.

The American Enterprise Institute has published an analysis arguing that autonomous robot trucks offer a window into how artificial intelligence will reshape the labor market. The piece examines what automated freight means for drivers and workers more broadly as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reversed Russian gains, with robots carrying out combat airdrops and clearing mines, Ars Technica reports. The operation reportedly defeated a Russian pincer movement, highlighting how uncrewed ground systems are taking on dangerous logistics and engineering tasks on the front line as battlefield automation expands in the war.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm outside the International Space Station, has reportedly stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The arm is essential for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so a failure would be a significant operational problem for the station's crews and ongoing maintenance.

The International Federation of Robotics reports the number of industrial robots operating in factories worldwide has surpassed 5 million units. The milestone reflects years of rising automation investment across manufacturing sectors, from automotive and electronics to logistics, with strong adoption in Asia driving global growth.

NASA says it is troubleshooting a transporter mechanism that moves the International Space Station's robotic arm along the station's truss. The issue affects the mobile base that allows the Canadarm2 to reposition itself for station maintenance and operations. NASA reports the station and its crew remain safe while engineers work the problem, though the arm's mobility may be limited until a fix is found.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm on the International Space Station, has reportedly stopped working. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so a failure would be a significant operational problem for the station's crews and their backers at NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. Details on the cause and possible fixes remain limited.

The global fleet of industrial robots operating in factories has reached five million units, a milestone in the automation of manufacturing. The figure reflects years of steady adoption across industries such as automotive, electronics and logistics, with strong demand from major manufacturing economies. Observers see it as evidence of how deeply robotics has become embedded in modern production lines.

The US Food and Drug Administration has released draft guidance for surgical robots, setting out proposed recommendations for devices used in robotic-assisted surgery. The guidance, reported by MedTech Dive, gives manufacturers and healthcare providers a framework to review. Stakeholders can weigh in before the agency finalizes its position.

The U.S. Army has chosen a humanoid robot along with four supporting technologies following a selection process that drew 103 proposals. Candidates were demonstrated at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia before the final picks were made. The selections point to the Army's growing interest in humanoid robotics and enabling technologies for future military use.

Amazon has moved from purchasing warehouse robotics from outside vendors to designing and manufacturing robots in-house, according to industry analysis from the Association for Advancing Automation. The shift reflects the company's scale in logistics and its push to control automation technology across its fulfillment network. The development is drawing attention within the robotics industry as a sign of how large retailers are internalizing automation capabilities.

NASA is reportedly developing infrastructure for a permanent Moon base ahead of sending astronauts back to the lunar surface. The approach focuses on robotic construction and pre-positioned systems so that future crews arrive at a functioning outpost rather than building one from scratch. Details on timelines and funding remain sparse, but the plans fit within NASA's broader Artemis programme to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have grown living human skin on a robotic finger, a step toward robots with lifelike appearance and touch. The cultured skin layer wrapped around the mechanical finger and reportedly healed and flexed like real tissue. Commentators say the work could advance humanoid robotics, prosthetics and skin-graft medicine, while raising questions about how lifelike machines should become.

Major League Baseball's average game length is climbing again after years of decline, and ESPN reports the automated ball-strike system is one of the reasons. The robot umpires, introduced to make strike calls more accurate, are being linked to longer at-bats and slower pace of play, prompting debate among fans and analysts over whether accuracy is worth the extra time.

Tesla is reportedly facing technical difficulties in getting the hands of its Optimus humanoid robot to work properly. The hands, one of the most complex parts of the robot, have proven difficult to develop, according to reports. The news raises questions about the timeline for Tesla's ambitions to mass-produce a general-purpose humanoid robot, a project Elon Musk has repeatedly touted as central to the company's future.

The Yuelu Conference 2026 opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on September 23–24, drawing artificial intelligence companies, robotics developers, researchers and investors. The event featured an opening ceremony and ten themed "AI+" forums, positioning Changsha as a growing hub for China's AI and robotics sectors and giving firms a venue to showcase technology and strike partnerships.

Gecko Robotics and Nvidia have announced a partnership to develop guardrails for artificial intelligence systems. Gecko Robotics, a company known for using robots to inspect critical infrastructure such as power plants and pipelines, will work with the chipmaker on safety measures for AI deployment. The collaboration highlights growing industry efforts to make AI systems more reliable in industrial settings.

Forbes reports on the emergence of robotic systems designed to draw blood from patients, a task traditionally performed by human phlebotomists. The piece highlights how automated blood-drawing technology is moving toward real clinical use, raising questions about accuracy, patient comfort, and the future of routine medical procedures performed by machines instead of trained staff.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has purchased $1.3 million worth of robotic dogs from a Connecticut-based company. The acquisition, reportedly part of an effort dubbed Project Salt Box, adds quadruped robots to the agency's toolkit, raising questions about how the machines will be deployed in immigration enforcement operations.

Industry commentary is highlighting robot field service — the maintenance and support of deployed automation in real-world environments — as a critical test for scaling robotics. As robots move from pilots into logistics, manufacturing and other operations at volume, companies face questions about reliability, servicing capacity and total cost of ownership, making after-deployment support a decisive factor in whether automation can truly scale.

Robot dogs are expanding their role on farms beyond security and surveillance duties. Reports highlight how quadruped robots are being used for tasks like monitoring livestock, inspecting crops and equipment, and collecting data in rough terrain that wheels struggle with. The trend reflects growing interest in agricultural automation as farmers face labor shortages and look for new tools to manage operations more efficiently.

NASA says it is currently unable to move the International Space Station's large robotic arm, the Canadarm2, for the time being. The arm is essential for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks outside the orbiting laboratory. Few further details about the cause of the problem or expected repair timeline have been released, and observers are waiting for updates from the agency.

Black Forest Labs has released Flux 3 Action, a 7-billion-parameter open-weight world action model aimed at robotics, available via Hugging Face. The model is designed to let robots perceive and act in physical environments. Early discussion among developers is focused on the unusual choice of an image-model company entering robotics and on how a relatively compact 7B model performs on real robot tasks.

Gecko Robotics is working with NVIDIA to add security and control features for AI agents, according to The Robot Report. Gecko specializes in inspection robots for industrial infrastructure such as power plants and pipelines, and the partnership would pair its robots with NVIDIA's AI and computing technology. Further details on the scope and timeline of the collaboration were not provided in initial coverage.

Tesla has reportedly increased production of its Optimus humanoid robot tenfold, but the robotic hands remain the weak point, lagging behind the rest of the program. The news has drawn attention from robotics watchers, who see the hand dexterity problem as a key hurdle for the robot doing useful work. Tesla has yet to give detailed public figures on production volumes or hand reliability.

China is trialling self-driving traffic cones that can reposition themselves at construction sites and roadworks without workers manually lifting them. The robotic cones are designed to move into place automatically, potentially improving safety for road crews and cutting labour costs. Coverage so far is limited to gadget news, with little detail on which agencies are involved or when the technology might be deployed widely.

Major League Baseball's average game times have increased following the introduction of robot umpires and the automated ball-strike challenge system. The technology, trialled to improve strike-calling accuracy, appears to have added time through challenge stoppages. The finding is drawing attention as a possible counterpoint to the league's push for shorter, faster-paced games.