Robotics

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Richtech Robotics lets anyone chat with its humanoid robot ADAM via 24/7 live stream

   Las Vegas-based Richtech Robotics launched a round-the-clock interactive live stream on June 18 where people anywhere in the world can talk to and direct ADAM, its AI-powered humanoid service robot (a human-shaped robot designed to work in restaurants and hospitality settings). The platform runs on NVIDIA technology and is listed on Nasdaq under the ticker RR. The company calls this the next step in 'embodied AI' — AI that lives inside a physical body rather than just on a screen.

   You can now interact with a real humanoid robot from your couch — watch it respond to commands in real time, giving ordinary people a firsthand look at how close service robots are to entering everyday spaces like hotels, cafes, and airports.

2. 2

   America can dream up drones — but a new White House memo reveals it can't build them fast enough

   The Trump Administration invoked the Defense Production Act (a law that lets the government force manufacturers to prioritize certain goods) on June 18 to tackle a bottleneck in drone manufacturing. Since the 'Drone Dominance' initiative launched in June 2025, the U.S. has focused heavily on rules and aircraft design — but the harder problem is that domestic factories don't yet have the capacity to produce drones at the scale the military and industry need. The memo signals that regulators now recognize making drones is as hard as designing them.

   If U.S. drone manufacturing doesn't scale up, American companies and the military will remain dependent on foreign-made components — a supply-chain risk that could affect everything from Amazon delivery drones to national security.

3. 3

   Surgical robot maker Stryker expands into outpatient clinics as surgeons push for it

   Investment bank BTIG reports that Stryker — the medical device company behind the Mako surgical robot (a robotic arm that helps surgeons perform precise knee and hip replacements) — is leading a shift of robotic surgery into ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which are outpatient clinics where patients go home the same day. The driver is surgeons themselves requesting the technology, not just hospital administrators. This marks a move away from robots being confined to large hospital operating rooms.

   If you need a knee or hip replacement in the next few years, there's a growing chance it could be done with robotic assistance at a local outpatient clinic rather than a major hospital — potentially meaning shorter stays and faster recovery.

4. 4

   RealSense releases a smarter robot eye that sees depth twice as clearly as before

   RealSense unveiled the D585 Pro depth camera on June 18, a device that helps robots 'see' the world in three dimensions — understanding how far away objects are, not just what they look like. Powered by a new custom chip, it delivers more than twice the depth accuracy of the previous generation. Better depth perception means robots can pick up objects, navigate spaces, and avoid obstacles with far fewer errors.

   This kind of improvement trickles into warehouse robots, delivery machines, and even self-driving vehicles — making automated systems less likely to bump into things or drop packages, which matters every time you order something online.

5. 5

   Tesla's $25 billion spending plan is now centered on AI and humanoid robots, not cars

   Tesla's capital expenditure plan (money earmarked for major investments) for 2026 has shifted away from expanding car production and toward AI infrastructure and its Optimus humanoid robot. Analysts at The Motley Fool argue this makes Tesla one of the most undervalued robotics and AI stocks of 2026, positioning the company less as a carmaker and more as an AI-in-a-body company. Tesla's bet is that the same AI that drives its cars can power robots that do physical work.

   Tesla is no longer just competing with Ford and GM — it's chasing the same market as warehouse robot makers and AI companies, which means the brand you associate with electric cars could soon be the name on robots working in factories and homes.

6. 6

   Engineers test whether humanoid robots can do the unglamorous factory job of sanding and finishing surfaces

   Researchers published an evaluation on June 17 looking at whether general-purpose humanoid robots can handle surface finishing — repetitive industrial tasks like sanding, polishing, and coating that are physically demanding for humans. The challenge is that these jobs require consistent pressure and movement across long shifts, something robots can theoretically do without fatigue. The findings highlight both the promise and the current limitations of humanoids on real factory floors.

   The dull, repetitive, physically wearing factory jobs that are hardest to fill with human workers are exactly where humanoid robots may prove their worth first — which could reshape manufacturing employment within this decade.