Robots

Two new videos from Chinese companies make it clear: it'll soon be no use trying to run from robots. Rapid upgrades in speed and agility mean robot dogs can now sprint at near-Olympic pace, and humanoids are running smoothly over tough terrain.

Chinese startup Pudu Robotics wants you to put its latest robot to work. The company's new humanoid D9 can walk upright, carry loads up to 44 lb, stock grocery store shelves – and maybe even sell you your next car.

In the long list of tasks we'd like humanoid robots to perform for us, shooting hoops is probably close to the bottom. But the CUE6 bot from Toyota recently set its second Guinness World Record, for the farthest basketball shot by a humanoid robot.

One of the rotary engine's biggest champions, AIE has been advancing rotary design since 2012. Its latest release shows that Wankel engines can be a perfect fit for compact, power-demanding applications in robotics and aerospace.

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have teamed up to create the "X-ble Shoulder," a wearable robot designed to enhance industrial efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries and fatigue.

China's DEEP Robotics is about to add a new quadruped to its kennel called the Lynx. But rather than go for walkies on pads, the mid-sized pup rolls on four wheels and is built for all-terrain shenanigans – as you can see in the pre-launch promo.

The Harmonic Drive is a key part of countless robotic applications. Incredibly simple yet quite odd to watch, this gear system is extremely precise with an impressive torque-to-weight ratio, even if it does wobble. So how does it work?

Emerging startup Physical Intelligence has no interest in building robots. Instead, the team is powering the hardware with a foundational model AI 'brain', that enables existing machines to learn and dextrously perform many tasks – including housework.

Kepler took its Forerunner humanoid to CES 2024 back in January, taking aim at Tesla's Optimus in the process. The company has since been in talks with target customers and has now announced a follow-up that's "tailored for commercial applications."

From fire-breathers to sprinters, climbers and gymnasts, we've seen more than our fair share of impressive quadruped robots. Now the fourth-generation Honey Badger has added underwater walkies to the list of robodog capabilities.

Brand new videos on the Tesla and Unitree humanoids perfectly illustrate the different approaches behind these two cutting-edge robots. Optimus is clearly focused on useful work, ASAP – while the Unitree G1 is becoming surprisingly agile and athletic.

The Toyota Research Institute has been doing some incredible work teaching robots to rapidly learn and perform tasks autonomously – now, it's bringing its Large Behavior Model tech to the extraordinary Atlas humanoid in partnership with Boston Dynamics.