FCC limits have been imposed on U.S. imports of new humanoid and mobile robots, highlighting the need for policy in robotics. Derik Pridmore, co-founder and CEO of OSARO, discusses how adaptable AI-driven automation has evolved warehouse robotics from limited perception systems. Pridmore emphasizes the importance of hardware-agnostic design, continuous learning, and real-world monitoring over flashy demos.
KUKA has successfully deployed its Automation Management Platform (AMP) at its Toledo Production Operations in Ohio, a major automotive manufacturing facility that produces over 300 vehicle bodies per day. AMP combines industrial automation and AI-driven decision-making to increase operational flexibility and enhance productivity. The platform provides an open orchestration solution for connecting existing automation infrastructure with next-generation AI-powered technologies. KUKA aims to help manufacturers modernize and drive higher efficiency through more comprehensive automation without replacing existing assets.
Procore Technologies has acquired DroneDeploy for approximately $845 million in cash. DroneDeploy offers a robotics and visual intelligence platform that enables automated inspections on over 3 million job sites across more than 180 countries. The acquisition aims to accelerate Procore's AI strategy, delivering digital co-workers that can track project progress, make sense of it, and take action.
A free API tier has been opened for a global planning engine aimed at warehouse and fleet deployments. It solves a field for a goal, such as a charging station or pick station, and returns a strictly optimal path in microseconds for any start cell query, without re-searching the map. The system measures 1M-cell 3D warehouses maps with peak memory of 5MB and can handle 10,000 simultaneous queries. A native Nav2 global-planner plugin is on the roadmap.
A utility script named ros2_pkg_create.py generates ROS 2 package templates supporting both C++ and Python nodes in one package. The tool is easy to use, requiring only downloading the script and running it with a package name. The output includes necessary files for compilation, installation, and testing of C++, Python, and executable code within a single package.
Atlas Energy Solutions is expanding its autonomous truck fleet with Kodiak AI's physical AI-powered technology, aiming to reach 100 vehicles by mid-2027. The company has added a second simultaneous load-out point along its 42-mile Dune Express sand conveyor system, increasing the reach of autonomous deliveries and responsiveness to customer demand. Atlas expects to have its fleet operating on public roads in early 2027, dramatically expanding its reach.