Robotics
Ongoing coverage on Robotics.
Latest coverage
Musk pledges to fix 2019-2023 Teslas that can't fully self drive
Elon Musk announced that Tesla will upgrade Hardware 3 computers in vehicles manufactured between 2019 and early 2023 to enable Full Self-Driving capabilities, as the current hardware lacks sufficient memory bandwidth. The company plans to establish microfactories for efficient upgrades and will release FSD version 14 for Hardware 3 by the end of June. Additionally, Tesla's Fremont factory will begin producing Optimus robots in late July or August.
Tesla (TSLA) is preparing 10 million Optimus robots per year production line at Gigafactory Texas
Tesla is reportedly preparing a production line at Gigafactory Texas capable of manufacturing 10 million Optimus robots annually. This move signals ambitious plans for the company's robotics division.
Enabot Reveals EBO Max AI Home Robot With 4K Camera and Smart Automation | Invision Game Community
Enabot has unveiled the EBO Max, an AI-powered home companion robot featuring a 4K camera and smart automation capabilities. The device utilizes multimodal perception and long-term memory for dynamic interaction and environmental awareness. Available for pre-order, the EBO Max aims to provide advanced home monitoring, assistance, and family interaction beyond traditional smart devices.
Beijing's robot half-marathon is back for its second year with far less embarassing results
Beijing's second annual humanoid robot half-marathon saw significant improvements in performance and fewer embarrassing incidents compared to its inaugural event. Honor's robot, Lightning, won first place with a time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds, navigating the course autonomously. While about 40 percent of the robots competed autonomously this year, the event still featured some crashes and remote-controlled participants.
NASA restarts work to support Europe's uncrewed trip to Mars after years of setbacks
NASA has resumed work to support the European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover mission to Mars, with a planned launch no earlier than 2028 via a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. This partnership involves NASA providing launch assistance and specific hardware, while ESA supplies the rover and lander. The mission, aimed at searching for signs of ancient life, has faced numerous delays since its conception in 2001 due to budget constraints, technical issues, and geopolitical events.
Morning Tech Bits
AliExpress will soon offer a humanoid robot for sale at a price of $4,370. This announcement indicates a growing availability of advanced robotics for consumers.
Starfield Animated Short Showcases the Terran Armada’s Brutal Efficiency (and Delta’s Origins)
An animated short for Starfield showcases the Terran Armada's brutal efficiency and hints at the origins of the companion Delta. The short depicts robot soldiers boarding a luxury ship and highlights the development of a specific droid under pressure from Admiral Ode Balewa. The Starfield Terran Armada expansion is launching tomorrow on PlayStation 5 alongside the Free Lanes update.
Robosen Soundwave review: A childhood dream made real
The Robosen Soundwave is an officially licensed auto-converting Transformer toy that brings the iconic character to life with impressive detail and functionality. It can transform between robot and boombox modes, speak classic lines voiced by Frank Welker, and even function as a Bluetooth speaker, though its audio quality is mediocre. Despite a high price tag of $1,400 and some minor drawbacks like voice recognition issues and structural integrity when powered down, the toy offers a magical experience for fans, especially children.
Films About Teachers That Explore Education, Influence, and Change
This article discusses films that explore themes of education, influence, and social change, highlighting how mentors and learning experiences can shape lives. It features movies like "Rule Breakers," "If You Build It," and "Coded Bias," which showcase the power of education in overcoming challenges and fostering innovation across various fields, including STEM and robotics.
Into the Black
A robot reportedly went berserk in a California restaurant, smashing tableware before being subdued by staff. The incident was highlighted as a peculiar event, alongside an obituary for actor Ed Bernard.
Amazon acquires autonomous robotics startup Rivr
Amazon has acquired the autonomous robotics startup Rivr, which was valued at $110 million in a previous funding round that included Amazon and Bezos Expeditions. The acquisition is expected to enhance Amazon's capabilities in package delivery automation, aligning with its goal to automate 75 percent of its operations.
Forget about PCs or LLMs, Micron says driverless cars and humanoid bots will soon be gobbling up 300 GB of RAM per…
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra predicts that driverless cars and humanoid robots will soon require hundreds of gigabytes of RAM each, driven by AI advancements. This demand is expected to strain the supply of DRAM and NAND memory chips, with industry bit demand in 2026 potentially constrained by supply despite overall market growth.
Bethesda reveal Starfield's Terran Armada DLC: it's about a space robot army and drops alongside a beefy free overhaul of the base game
Bethesda Game Studios has announced two major updates for Starfield: the Terran Armada DLC and a free overhaul called Free Lanes, both launching on April 7th. The Terran Armada DLC introduces a space robot army and new story content, while the Free Lanes update adds features like free ship travel between planets and a cruise control mode. The updates also include new points of interest, customization options, and the ability to upgrade Starborn powers without starting a New Game+.
Krafton to invest $1 billion into South Korea defense company partnered with the U.S. navy
Krafton has announced a strategic alliance and investment of approximately $1 billion into Hanwha Aerospace's global AI, robotics, and defense initiatives. The partnership aims to develop and commercialize technology across various sectors, including defense, and will involve Krafton investing in a fund managed by Hanwha Asset Management. The companies plan to leverage Krafton's experience with large-scale game data and virtual worlds for physical AI training and verification, and will establish a joint venture for seamless development and commercialization.
Niantic Says Pokémon Go Data Now Being Used to Train Delivery Robots, as 'Getting Pikachu to Realistically Run Around' Is 'Actually the Same Problem' - IGN
Niantic is leveraging data from its augmented reality games like Pokémon Go to train delivery robots for its partner company, Coco. The company claims the spatial understanding required for AR navigation is similar to that needed for robots to safely traverse urban environments. Niantic Spatial has access to billions of real-world images collected from players to aid in this development.
OpenAI hardware leader resigns over concerns about 'surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal…
Caitlin Kalinowski, a leader in OpenAI's robotics division, has resigned, citing concerns over "surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization." She stated that the company's rushed deals, particularly with the US Department of War, lacked sufficient deliberation and guardrails. Despite her departure, Kalinowski expressed respect for Sam Altman and the team, emphasizing her departure was a matter of principle.
Qualcomm's new Arduino Ventuno Q is an AI-focused computer designed for robotics
Qualcomm has announced the Arduino Ventuno Q, a new AI-focused single-board computer designed for robotics and edge AI applications. It features Qualcomm's Dragonwing IQ8 processor with a dedicated AI accelerator, capable of 40 TOPs, and includes 16GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The device supports offline AI model execution and aims to make advanced robotics and edge AI more accessible.
AI Yi-Yi!
OpenAI's lead for robotics hardware has resigned following a deal with the Department of Defense. The article also touches on the capabilities of AI agents in managing attack infrastructure and the rise of AI-generated videos.
OpenAI's robotics hardware lead resigns following deal with the Department of Defense
Caitlin Kalinowski, OpenAI's robotics hardware lead, has resigned, citing concerns over the company's partnership with the Department of Defense and the lack of proper guardrails for AI applications. Kalinowski, who previously worked at Meta, expressed worries about domestic surveillance and lethal autonomous weapons. OpenAI stated it understands strong views on these issues and aims for responsible national security uses of AI while prohibiting domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons.
OpenAI's head of robotics resigns following deal with the Department of Defense
Caitlin Kalinowski, OpenAI's former head of robotics, has resigned, criticizing the company's partnership with the Department of Defense for lacking sufficient deliberation on guardrails. Kalinowski expressed concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons, stating the announcement was rushed. OpenAI confirmed her departure and stated they do not support the issues Kalinowski raised, emphasizing their deal prohibits domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons.