Robotics

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Robotics ETFs to lead 2030s, one fund trades at discount

   Investor focus in AI is beginning to shift from software toward physical robotics and hardware infrastructure, with one robotics-focused ETF currently trading below its intrinsic value. As AI deployment moves beyond digital services into manufacturing, logistics, and physical automation, investors who focus only on software ETFs may miss exposure to the hardware and robotics companies driving this next phase of economic disruption.

   The article identifies one robotics ETF trading at a discount relative to the sector's growth potential, though specific fund names, ticker symbols, valuations, and the mechanism of the discount are not detailed in the provided text.

2. 2

   Emesent raises $17M for autonomous mapping platform

   Emesent, an Australian autonomous mapping and robotics company, secured $17 million（約27億円） in funding comprising $7 million（約11億円） in venture debt from the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) and $10 million（約16億円） in equity from investors including Main Sequence, QIC Ventures, Orion Resource Partners, Hostplus, and NGS Super. The capital will accelerate development of Cortex AI (onboard autonomy for GPS-denied environments) and Aura (cloud platform for 3D data processing), and scale manufacturing at the company's Queensland facility. Emesent's Hovermap product is already deployed across more than 200 mine sites globally and used by Rio Tinto, BHP, and Glencore, making this investment significant for Australia's robotics and autonomous systems capability.

   Emesent plans to scale its 109-person workforce to meet demand from overseas markets. The company's Emesent GX1 scanner recently completed a global AEC Solutions roadshow spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia, suggesting expansion into architecture, engineering, and construction sectors beyond mining and defense.

3. 3

   Agility Robotics opens Fremont hub to accelerate Digit humanoid AI

   Agility Robotics opened a 60,000-square-foot facility in Fremont, California to serve as its software and capabilities hub for training and advancing AI technologies that enable its humanoid robot Digit to learn new skills and perform tasks in customer environments. The facility will house nearly 200 existing and new employees across hardware engineering, AI/ML software engineering, and field operations. Agility is one of the few companies operationally deploying humanoids in real enterprise environments, with active deployments at Schaeffler, GXO, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, and Mercado Libre. The Fremont location in Silicon Valley positions the company to access top AI talent and innovation ecosystems while meeting growing customer demand—the company has secured more than $300 million（約480億円） of multi-year orders for Digit v5 and a pipeline of over 30 customers.

   The facility is critical as Agility prepares for its planned public listing via business combination with Churchill Capital Corp XI, which will make it the first publicly listed US pure-play humanoid robotics company. The hub will drive innovation to deliver ongoing safety and productivity advantages for enterprises preparing to deploy humanoid robots at scale in warehouses and manufacturing facilities.

4. 4

   McLaren Construction deploys FieldAI robots on UK sites for quality checks

   McLaren Construction has partnered with FieldAI, a physical AI developer, to deploy autonomous quadruped robots across its UK construction sites. The robots will initially capture 360° imagery, generate point cloud data, conduct safety patrols, and verify progress against design models. The robots perform AI-enabled deviation analysis to compare site conditions against design specifications, catching quality issues earlier and reducing rework—a significant shift from remote-controlled or pre-programmed machines. This marks FieldAI's entry into the UK market and extends its existing deployments across hundreds of sites in Europe, Asia, and North America.

   McLaren expects the partnership to deliver more reliable project monitoring and stronger evidence for compliance and quality assurance. Over time, the robots' capabilities will expand to site logistics, dexterous manipulation, and multi-robot coordination as FieldAI's general-purpose systems grow more capable.

5. 5

   Graduate student builds NASA robot that assembles satellites without cameras

   Sarah Downs, now a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering at Texas A&M University, developed an algorithm for a robotic arm that performs satellite assembly in space by sensing force and torque rather than using cameras. The robot solves the classic peg-in-hole problem—inserting an antenna into the correct opening on a satellite—without visual guidance, a capability she demonstrated as part of a master's degree project completed in collaboration with NASA and the U.S. Air Force. In the harsh environment of outer space, camera systems can malfunction or experience communication delays. Downs's force-based insertion approach using torque sensors allows the robot to "feel" its way through assembly tasks, making it more reliable for satellite construction and maintenance in orbit. The work addresses a fundamental challenge in robotics: enabling machines to manipulate objects in extreme environments where traditional sensors fail.

   Downs is completing her doctoral thesis on the project at Texas A&M's Robotics and Automation Design Lab, which collaborates with NASA. Her thesis advisor is Robert Ambrose, a NASA veteran who launched the lab in 2022. After earning her Ph.D., Downs says she hopes to work for NASA, developing rovers that collect samples from Mars or robotic arms that perform tasks on space stations.

6. 6

   1X unveils 25-DoF hands for NEO humanoid robot

   Humanoid robotics company 1X has unveiled a new tendon-driven robotic hand for its NEO platform featuring 25 degrees of freedom—22 fully actuated joints in the fingers and palm and three at the wrist—with force-controlled, backdrivable joints designed for improved manipulation and tactile perception. The company says the new hardware removes the "hardware ceiling" that has limited humanoid robot capabilities, allowing AI models to leverage more human-like manipulation. The hands are capable of tasks including assembling LEGO models, picking up coins and screws, installing light bulbs, using screwdrivers, zipping jackets, sorting grapes, pouring tea, plugging in USB-C connectors, and communicating using sign language—demonstrations that the robot can handle everyday human tasks.

   1X has established a dedicated production line and expects to manufacture up to 10,000 units during the year. The hands use tendon-driven actuation with gear ratios of approximately 5:1 to 15:1, are rated IP68 for water resistance, and incorporate high-resolution tactile sensing capable of measuring pressure, contact location, and shear forces.