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ABB Robotics has announced T-Robotics and Mbodi as the winners of its 2024 ABB Robotics AI Startup Challenge, selected from a pool of over 100 global applicants. The two startups will collaborate with ABB to develop AI-driven solutions aimed at enhancing industrial robots’ autonomy, adaptability, and efficiency.

Shenzhen is hosting the China High-Tech Fair, an event showing the latest advancements in robotics, drone technology, and automation. Once a small fishing village, Shenzhen has grown into a metropolis of over 17 million people and is home to leading technology companies such as DJI, Tencent, BYD, and Huawei.

Huawei Technologies has enlarged its investment in robotics and intelligent manufacturing by injecting an additional 3 billion yuan (approximately $413 million) into Dongguan Jimu Machinery Co., Ltd., bringing the company’s total registered capital to 3.89 billion yuan. Jimu Machinery, originally established in mid-2023, is fully owned by Huawei and chaired by Li Jianguo, a senior executive and member of the company’s board of directors.

Sanctuary AI has demonstrated in-hand manipulation capabilities aimed at enhancing the dexterity of general-purpose robots. The hands, featuring 21 degrees of freedom (DOF), are designed for industrial tasks requiring precision and fine manipulation. The company attributes the enhanced performance of its robotic hands to a proprietary hydraulic actuation system that incorporates miniaturized hydraulic valves.

Exotec, a global provider of warehouse robotics, has reported that its Skypod robots now perform over one million container presentations daily across its global operations. This number illustrates the growing utilization of the Skypod robot in the supply chain . The system retrieves containers and delivers them to designated workstations, with each container capable of fulfilling up to four orders.

TDK Ventures, a subsidiary of TDK Corporation, has invested in ANYbotics, a robotics company based in Switzerland, as part of a $60 million funding round. ANYbotics develops autonomous robots for industrial inspections, focusing on improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability in industries such as energy, power, mining, and chemicals. This funding increases the company’s total to $130 million and will support its global growth, including recent U.S. operations.

The global humanoid robot market is projected to expand significantly, with an estimated growth of USD 16.99 billion from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is anticipated to be 45.57% during this period. The Asia-Pacific region (APAC) is forecast to contribute 36% of this growth, highlighting its role as a major driver in the market’s expansion. The “Humanoid Robot Market” report provides revenue forecasts at global, regional, and country levels, covering developments from 2017 through to 2027.

Lam Research Corporation has launched Dextro, a collaborative robot (cobot) designed to enhance maintenance tasks in semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities. This marks the first such cobot introduced to the semiconductor industry, with the aim of improving yield, reducing downtime, and increasing the precision and repeatability of maintenance processes.

Researchers from UC San Diego, USC, and NVIDIA have introduced NaVILA, a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) framework designed to enable legged robots to interpret natural language commands and navigate complex environments. This system integrates high-level language processing with precise motion control, aiming to address challenges in robotic navigation across varied terrains.

General Motors (GM) announced it will discontinue its investment in the development of self-driving robotaxis at its Cruise unit, citing the high costs and competitive challenges of scaling the business. This decision marks a strategic pivot away from autonomous vehicles after years of significant investment, amounting to over $10 billion since acquiring a majority stake in Cruise in 2016. The company stated that Cruise will now be integrated into its broader operations focusing on driver assistance technologies.