🤖 World-First Quantum-Inspired Robot

Good Morning, Roboticists!

The robots look ready for civilization. Civilization is still waiting for reliability.

World-First Quantum-Inspired Robot

TL;DR: Toshiba and MIRISE Technologies have embedded Toshiba’s Simulated Bifurcation Machine, a quantum-inspired optimization computer, directly inside a mobile robot for the first time. Running on an FPGA, the system enables real-time multi-object tracking and dynamic path planning at 23 FPS, allowing autonomous robots to navigate crowded environments efficiently without relying on cloud or server-based computation.

Hyundai’s $86.7B Robotics Future

TL;DR: Hyundai Motor Group will invest $86.7 billion by 2030 to expand robotics and physical AI, building a dedicated Robot Metaplant Application Center in Georgia and targeting 30,000 robots annually by 2028. Leveraging manufacturing data, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and Spot, and Hyundai Mobis components, the company also aims to counter South Korea’s looming 1.2 million worker shortfall.

Audi Tests AI Dexterous Robots

TL;DR: Audi is collaborating with Zurich startup Mimic Robotics to deploy AI-powered bimanual robots capable of autonomously installing flexible weather seals on car doors. Using 16-DoF humanoid hands and a “pixel-to-action” model that converts raw visual data into coordinated movements, the system targets complex, precision assembly tasks that have long resisted traditional rule-based industrial automation.

Honor to Debut First Humanoid

TL;DR: Chinese smartphone maker Honor announced it will unveil its first humanoid robot on March 1 in Barcelona, ahead of MWC 2026. Teased in a short YouTube video, the matte-black robot appears alongside a “Robot Phone.” The company has not disclosed specifications, pricing, or final product details.

Unitree Launches Heavy-Duty As2

TL;DR: Unitree Robotics has unveiled the As2 quadruped, a 40-pound robot dog capable of 90 N·m torque, speeds near 5 m/s, and a standing payload of 65 kg. Compared with the lighter Go2, As2 targets industrial use with higher load capacity, 64-128 line LiDAR, and optional Jetson Orin NX expansion, positioning it for inspection, logistics, and harsh outdoor operations.

Rodney Brooks Pushes Back on Robotic Hype

TL;DR: Robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, founder of iRobot and former MIT CSAIL director, says today’s humanoid robot demos are misleading and practical factory or household machines remain at least 15 years away. Citing his decade-long struggle to commercialize Roomba, Brooks argues real-world robotics advances slowly, and dependable, scalable human-shaped robots are far harder than viral videos suggest.

AWS Builds Robotics AI Sandbox

TL;DR: AWS has launched Strands Labs, a new GitHub hub centered on robotics experimentation using its Strands Agents SDK. The initiative lets developers connect AI agents to physical robots and sensor hardware, or test them in physics-based simulations, accelerating prototyping without real machines.

Unitree G1 Swarm at Temple

TL;DR: Unitree Robotics released footage of more than 40 G1 humanoid robots performing synchronized kung fu routines at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, executing coordinated punches, kicks, flips up to three meters high, and running at speeds of 4 m/s. Using its Cluster Cooperative Rapid Scheduling System, the demonstration follows their Spring Festival Gala appearance.

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