Meet the humanoids: 8 robots ready to revolutionize work
Everything you need to know about the humanoids that will soon enter the workforce — or are in it already.
Robots who share your accent are more trusted, study shows
What makes a robot seem competent and trustworthy might be different for different people.
Boston Dynamics retires dancing Atlas robot — and debuts its electric replacement
A day after retiring its hydraulic Atlas robot, Boston Dynamics released a video debuting its all-electric, workplace-ready replacement.
Humanoid robots are joining the Mercedes-Benz workforce
German automaker Mercedes-Benz is deploying Apptronik’s Apollo robots at a manufacturing plant in Hungary.
Install open-source AI in a commercial robot and it’ll clean your room
Open-source AIs and commercial hardware may be enough to build domestic robots that can take over our chores.
Does AI need a “body” to become truly intelligent? Meta researchers think so.
We’re finally starting to see what can happen when we put an advanced AI “brain” in a state-of-the-art robot “body” — and it’s remarkable.
Bipedal robot takes a beating, keeps on hiking
LimX Dynamics’s bipedal robot, P1, can keep its footing, even when traversing rough terrain unlike any it’s seen before.
See the humanoid robots that will build new BMWs
General purpose robots developed by robotics startup Figure are going to be deployed at a BMW Manufacturing plant.
Watch: Figure’s humanoid robot just learned something new
Robotics startup Figure AI just shared a video showing its humanoid robot completing a fully autonomous “real world task.”
NASA tests autonomous space robots for off-world construction
NASA is developing autonomous space robots to build shelters, solar arrays, and more on the moon and Mars.
OpenAI is reportedly investing in humanoid robots
Microsoft and OpenAI reportedly plan to invest $100 million into Figure, a startup developing a humanoid robot for the workplace.
Series| Hard Reset
Meet Apollo, the real-life robot who wants to give you more free time
Will robots replace us? Apptronik, creator of the general purpose robot Apollo, has crafted a product that would only take the undesirable tasks away from humans.
MIT engineers design flexible “skeletons” for soft, muscle-powered robots
New modular, spring-like devices maximize the work of live muscle fibers so they can be harnessed to power biohybrid bots.
Robot police dog helps end standoff in LA
The LAPD used its controversial robot police dog to deescalate a standoff with an armed man on a public bus.
Disney’s new robot is a cartoon came to life
A highly expressive new Disney robot developed in a fraction of the time it usually takes could be the first of many expressive bots to come.
AI robots are making burgers and fries at this new restaurant
The AI robots making burgers and fries at CaliExpress could help the restaurant industry address its persistent labor shortage.
New 3D printing technique creates life-like robots
A new 3D-printing technique, vision-controlled-jetting, can be used to create a robotic hand, complete with bones, ligaments, and tendons.
Why Toyota is building a “kindergarten for robots”
Toyota is using a generative AI-based method to teach robots to peel veggies, prepare snacks, and perform other dexterous tasks.
Autonomous tech is taking over last-mile delivery
Autonomous robots, drones, and even underground tunnels could be the standard for last-mile delivery in the future.
Brain stimulation could boost learning
Noninvasive brain stimulation while a person learns a new task in VR can improve their performance in the “real world.”
First-of-its-kind robot receptionist is like ChatGPT with a face
Engineers have combined the AI model powering ChatGPT with a humanoid bust to create a robot receptionist for the UK National Robotarium.
Hard Reset Podcast: Robot Recycling | Episode #13
How much of our recycling actually gets recycled? Robots could help boost the percentage of recycled trash with near-perfect accuracy.
Series| Hard Reset
Can underground tunnels make instant delivery possible?
McNuggets delivered in < 10 min for just $1? This underground “Amazon Prime”-like delivery service is the closest thing humans have to teleportation.
NASA partner unveils the “iPhone” of robots
Texas-based robotics company Apptronik has unveiled Apollo, a humanoid robot that could revolutionize the workforce.
World’s largest robots will help airlines cut carbon emissions
Norwegian startup Avinxt is building massive AI robots to help airlines reduce their emissions, save water, and inspect their planes.
NASA is sending a team of autonomous robots to the moon
NASA is sending three autonomous mobile robots to the moon where they’ll have to work as a team under challenging conditions.
Welcome to the world’s first fully robotic restaurant
In partnership with Million Stories
Mezli chef Eric Minnich designed a menu for both diner’s delight and ease of robotic cooking.
These robot excavators are making workers more money
In partnership with Million Stories
With the rise of AI, more people are afraid of robots taking their jobs than ever before. But in this industry, AI is actually creating jobs — and helping workers make more money.
Robot painter lets smaller crews do jobs twice as fast
Tennessee-based startup PaintJet’s robot painter Bravo slashes the time it takes to complete painting jobs.
Autonomous construction robots are coming to a site near you
In partnership with Million Stories
Built Robotics has introduced an upgrade to construction equipment that converts regular excavators into near-autonomous digging robots.
Google’s “RoboCat” will power new general purpose robots
In a bid to help develop general purpose robots, Google has created a robotic training, self-improving AI, “RoboCat.”
Elon Musk’s Neuralink has implanted its first device in a human being
Now that Neuralink has implanted a device in a person, CEO Elon Musk is closer to his goal of making brain chips common in the future.
Chipotle’s new robot can make your burrito bowl or salad
Chipotle is testing a new robot that makes burrito bowls and salads under the same table where employees fill orders.
Autonomous auto racing promises safer driverless cars on the road
Autonomous racing is a testbed where competition spurs innovation and AI-controlled cars chart a course toward safer autonomous vehicles.
Shape-shifting space robots help firefighters on Earth
The designer of a new type of rover for NASA has found a way to make her space robots useful to firefighters on Earth.
A robot pilot is ready to fly a real plane — are you onboard?
PIBOT, a humanoid robot pilot developed in South Korea, is ready to take control of a real plane for the first time.
This startup is solving the biggest problem to creating drugs that work
Lab-grown human tissues could revolutionize drug development. This AI-powered robot can create and test 10,000 of them at once.
Farmers can fight invasive insects with AI and a robotic arm
As the invasive spotted lanternfly threatens to expand its range, Carnegie Mellon researchers are developing a robot to fight back.
Watch NASA’s one-of-a-kind snake robot training to go to space
NASA has released a video of its one-of-a-kind snake robot EELS slithering across a variety of challenging terrains.
Google’s AI can create a video game based on a napkin drawing
Named Genie, the AI can create a short video games from a single image. It could one day create a wide range of interactive environments.
UCLA’s humanoid soccer robot is headed to the “RoboCup”
A first-of-its-kind soccer robot built by researchers at UCLA is heading to France to compete in the annual RoboCup.
Will AI companions help or hurt the “loneliness epidemic”?
About a third of people are lonely. Three scholars consider whether AI can help, or if it'll just make things worse.
“Blind” robot hand can operate solely by touch
Columbia University’s new robot hand can deftly manipulate objects without seeing them, allowing it to work in complete darkness.
Can we automate science? Sam Rodriques is already doing it.
People need to anticipate the revolution that’s coming in how humans and AI will collaborate to create discoveries, argues Sam Rodrigues.
We tested the most advanced haptic gloves in the world
HaptX's new technology uses tactile and force feedback to allow people to "feel" virtual objects with high fidelity.
A general-purpose robot is entering the workforce
Tech startup Sanctuary AI has unveiled Phoenix, a general-purpose robot designed to perform many workplace tasks.
Humanoid robot Digit finally gets a head and hands
The newest version of Agility Robotics’ humanoid robot Digit has new body parts designed to make it more useful in workplaces.
Man receives donor lung through tiny 3-inch incision
The first fully robotic lung transplant was completed in Spain by surgeons using a robot and a brand-new access point.
ChatGPT forces us to ask: how much of “being human” belongs to us?
Large language models have been trained on massive amounts of “natural” human language — just like us. Does this make the robots part human?
This robotic arm study is preparing us for our cyborg future
A new study at the University of Tokyo aims to find out how people feel using robotic arms — and sharing them with others.
This restaurant is run entirely by robots
In partnership with Million Stories
These robots can chop, cook, and serve — and they could revolutionize the food industry.
Series| Hard Reset
Disrupting one of the world’s dirtiest industries: Meet the 3D loom
Fast-fashion is over. “Automated Apparel” is here to reduce waste, fit everyone better, and save human time and labor.
Series| Hard Reset
See the robots turning a $250B industry into a one-button click
It takes years to fix a complex fighter jet. Machina Labs' robo-factory could do it at the click of a button.
Gold-laced gel could help you recover from a major muscle injury
A combination of electrical stimulation and a gold nanoparticle-laced hydrogel could one day help people recover from major muscle injuries.
40% of chores could be done by robots within 10 years, according to a new study
Nearly 40% of the time spent on domestic chores could be automated within a decade, researchers estimate.
“Relationships 5.0”: Are people going to start dating AI?
Online dating is so mainstream that you’re an outlier if you haven’t met your partner on an app — so why not AI?
Students use calculators to do math. Let them use ChatGPT to write.
Researchers tasked teachers with rating hundreds of essays, some written by students and others written by ChatGPT. Here's what they found.
Massive autonomous robot is 3 to 5 times faster than a human construction crew
Built Robotics has unveiled an autonomous construction robot that speeds up the installation of utility-scale solar farms.
Killing this toxic invasive species could help fix the climate
A robot from Seaweed Generation will drag chunks of sargassum 200 meters deep until they burst and die.
In Japan, humanoid robots could soon become part of the family
More than any other nation, Japan tends to feel comfortable with the idea of humanoid robots entering the home.
The AI healthcare revolution has begun
The ability of AI to diagnose diseases, discover drugs, and even perform surgery is increasing rapidly — but will patients accept Dr. AI?
This incredibly life-like robot hand can be made for just $2,800
Low-cost robots that perfectly mimic parts of the human body foreshadow a future in which humanoid robots do all the work people don't want.
Watch: Robotic window cleaners take to the sky
In a bid to shake up the industry, two Israeli companies will soon deploy robot window cleaners to cities around the world.
Series| Hard Reset
The farming robots that will feed the world
Food waste is a ridiculous problem. Enter the robots.
DARPA is testing this autonomous tank with glowing “eyes”
DARPA just tested an autonomous tank that could help keep soldiers safe — and even more self-driving military vehicles are on the horizon.
Gas-pumping robot lets you stay in your car when it’s cold out
Autofuel, a gas-pumping robot that can be installed right next to existing gas dispensers, could be the answer to our refueling woes.
Series| Hard Reset
What is Generative AI? It’s going to alter everything about how we use the internet
Artificial intelligence is bigger than image prompts and idea generation. Much bigger. This veteran technologist says Generative AI will bring about “The New Internet.”
New AI-powered farming robot covers 50 acres of crops per day
French startup Meropy has developed an agricultural robot that can autonomously inspect crops from above and below.
65% of retail jobs could be automated by 2025
The retail sector has been making ground in the adoption of automation with the use of self checkouts, and robots and AI in supply chains.
Hard Reset Podcast: Cars | Episode #8
You’re worried about autonomous cars. We want to answer your questions.
Performing complex surgeries with single-incision robotics
In partnership with Intuitive
These surgeons are among the first to adopt the latest approach to robotic surgery. Here’s what they’ve learned.
Graphene sensor could let you control robots with your mind
The “wonder material” graphene has been used to develop a dry sensor that could enable anyone to control technology with their minds.
Boosted Breeding and beyond: 3 tech trends that could end world hunger
A world without hunger is possible, and the development and deployment of new farming technologies could be one key to manifesting it.
“Korean Google” opens the world’s first robot-friendly building
Tech giant Naver Corporation designed its new headquarters, 1784, to be a "robot-friendly" testing ground for its latest technologies.
The (robotic) doctor will see you now
Study finds patients are receptive to interacting with robots designed to evaluate symptoms in a contact-free way.
Honda unveils hands-free wheelchair you steer like a Segway
Honda Robotics has unveiled a prototype of the UNI-ONE, a hands-free wheelchair that you steer with your body weight.
Series| Hard Reset
Laser “death ray” kills weeds 80x faster than humans
This farming robot kills 200,000 weeds per hour with lasers.
New 3D bioprinter could repair organs inside the human body
A snake-like soft robot designed to 3D bioprint tissues inside patients’ bodies might one day replace invasive implantation surgeries.
Watch a Neuralink robot insert electrodes into a dummy brain
During a livestreamed event, a Neuralink robot precisely inserted 64 electrode-packed threads into a dummy brain in just 15 minutes.
A look at innovative, single-incision procedures
In partnership with Intuitive
With a single incision, some surgeons can now accomplish just as much as they previously did with four.
How to build the skills needed for the age of AI
Knowledge-based workers already need to skill-up to coexist with sophisticated artificial intelligence technologies.
Gallium: The liquid metal that could transform soft electronics
By harnessing the unusual properties of a liquid metal called gallium, scientists could create a new generation of flexible devices.
AI isn’t close to becoming sentient, we just think it is
To what extent will our psychological vulnerabilities shape our interactions with emerging technologies? AI will be the test.
“Robot rooms” could be the future of homes and offices 
Integrating robots into walls, ceilings, furniture, and appliances could radically change our indoor spaces.
These “Kanga and Joey” bots will dive into the sewers, so we don’t have to
A new generation of smart, miniature robots could soon carry out the vital inspections and repairs needed to keep the sewer system afloat.
Medical robot to treat injured soldiers on the battlefield 
A VR-controlled medical triage robot is being built to help trained techs attend to injured soldiers on the battlefield.
10 must-see technologies from CES 2024
From super-hyped AI assistants to apps that translate babies’ cries, CES 2024 has given us a glimpse at the tech of tomorrow, today.
This bionic hand is fused to a woman’s bones, muscles, and nerves
A new way of merging the body with a bionic hand provided a woman with more control over her prosthetic and less phantom limb pain.
Elon Musk demos humanoid robot, which will cost less than $20K
CEO Elon Musk unveiled two prototypes of the humanoid Tesla robot, expected to cost less than $20,000, at his company’s second annual AI Day.
Scientists tweak Meta VR headset to measure brain activity
A modified VR headset that records brain activity reveals how being immersed in VR impacts people on a neurological level.
Tiny biobots surprise their creators by healing wound
Tiny “biobots” made from human windpipe cells, amazingly, helped damaged neural tissue to repair itself in a new study.
Sniper robot treats 500k plants per hour with 95% less chemicals
This “intelligent sharpshooter” farming robot distinguishes crops from weeds — and it could help feed 10 billion people.
Farming robot kills 200,000 weeds per hour with lasers 
Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder is a smart farming robot that identifies weeds and then kills them using high-power lasers.
Chinese robot helps convert moon dust into fuel and oxygen 
Chinese researchers have built an autonomous robot to set up an ISRU system for converting lunar soil into fuel and oxygen.
Life on Mars, together
Researchers spent two weeks at the Mars Desert Research Station conducting an analog mission for potential future trips to Mars.
Could 3D printing help solve the US housing crisis?
3D printing could help solve the nation’s housing crisis, as it's cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than conventional construction methods.
Robotic surgery is a game changer for minimally invasive surgery
In partnership with Intuitive
More and more surgeons are using robotic surgical systems. Here’s why.
Series| Hard Reset
Here’s why you won’t starve from overpopulation
How will we feed 8 billion people? New tech is making it possible.