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Venture capital investments in artificial intelligence (AI) have reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with startups in the sector raising $74.9 billion year-to-date, according to data from AltIndex.com. This figure surpasses the combined funding of 2022 and 2023, marking a historic high for AI investment. The surge highlights the enduring confidence of investors in AI technologies, despite earlier uncertainties surrounding the sector.

Syrebo, a Shanghai-based company specializing in rehabilitation robotics, presented its range of rehabilitation robots at MEDICA 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Featured products included its upper limb rehabilitation robot, brain-computer interface (BCI) rehabilitation robot, and a home rehabilitation robot, all designed for use in clinical and home-care settings.

Google Quantum AI has unveiled Willow, a new quantum computing chip showcasing advancements in quantum error correction and computational performance. The chip represents a significant step toward achieving scalable, commercially relevant quantum computing, addressing longstanding challenges in the field.

In its most advanced fulfillment center to date in Shreveport, Louisiana, Amazon uses both artificial intelligence and robotics to enhance logistics operations. The facility, which spans five floors and over 3 million square feet, represents the largest deployment of robotics and AI in the company’s history. Once fully operational, the site will employ 2,500 workers and is expected to significantly improve delivery efficiency, employee ergonomics, and operational safety.

Cobot, a company specializing in collaborative robots, was featured in the keynote address by Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman at AWS re:Invent 2024, held in Las Vegas. The keynote included a video presentation highlighting Cobot’s innovative approach to robotics and included an interview with its CEO and Founder, Brad Porter. Porter, who previously spearheaded Amazon’s robotics initiatives, discussed the company’s vision for robotics that are both interactive and adaptable.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida, in collaboration with Washington State University, has identified four key traits that robots must exhibit to be perceived as lifelike: human-like appearance, emotional capacity, social intelligence, and self-understanding. The research aims to guide the development of more approachable robots, particularly in customer service roles in industries such as hospitality.

This year the International Space Station (ISS) hosted a an experiment with the Robotic Surgery Tech Demo, designed to explore the feasibility of performing robotic surgeries in the unique conditions of microgravity. This experiment uses a miniature surgical robot capable of being remotely controlled or autonomously operated, a step that could revolutionize medical care during long-duration space missions.

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new soft robot inspired by manta rays, setting a new record for the fastest swimming soft robot. The device achieves speeds of up to 6.8 body lengths per second, nearly doubling the performance of its predecessor, which reached 3.74 body lengths per second. The innovation also allows the robot to navigate the full water column, a significant improvement over earlier models that could only swim at the surface.

A study conducted at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) compared robotic-assisted navigation (RAN) and augmented reality (AR) technologies in spine surgery, focusing on the precision and safety of pedicle screw placement. Published in the journal Spine, the research concludes that both approaches provide high accuracy and safety, with minimal differences in outcomes.

Danish startup O-Robotics is developing an autonomous mobile robot designed to clean and maintain paved areas without the use of chemicals. The robot, capable of operating 24/7, removes weeds, algae, leaves, snow, and ice using mechanical brushes. Initially aimed at commercial spaces such as theme parks, the project has secured support from the Odense Robotics StartUp Fund, a Danish business incubator for robotics innovation.