Latest news with #humanoidrobot
Fast Company
14 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Nvidia and Hexagon's Aeon humanoid robot brings AI-powered automation to factories
Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace, advancing from simple generative tasks to autonomous decision-making through agentic models. Now AI is moving beyond the digital realm into the physical world. This next frontier, known as physical AI, combines advanced algorithms with sensors and actuators, enabling machines to perceive, reason, and act in complex real-world environments. At Hexagon LIVE 2025 in Las Vegas, a physical AI humanoid robot named AEON made its debut. Think Tron meets I, Robot, but powered by next-gen AI and hardware rather than movie magic. Developed by Sweden-based industrial tech giant Hexagon in partnership with Nvidia, AEON is designed for real-world industrial work. It can inspect equipment in cramped industrial corridors, navigate hazardous construction zones, and manage logistics in understaffed warehouses. Spencer Huang, Product Lead for Robotics at Nvidia and the son of CEO Jensen Huang, sees a massive opportunity in humanoids, as their form allows them to perform tasks that are dangerous and demanding for humans.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
China's Robot Maker Unitree Valued At $1.7 Billion In Series C Round
A Unitree humanoid robot performs Thursday, the first day of the Mobile World Conference in Shanghai. Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based maker of humanoid robots whose founder recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, completed series C funding this month that values the company at 12 billion yuan ($1.7 billion), according to people with knowledge of the matter. As investors, the company attracted Chinese auto maker Geely Automobile, fintech giant Ant Group and investment firm HongShan Capital Group (formerly known as Sequoia Capital China), people familiar with the matter told Forbes Asia. The valuation of 12 billion yuan was confirmed by two investors who participated in the deal but requested anonymity. A Unitree representative confirmed the company completed the series C funding but said it had no further information to provide. Chinese media Late Post reported the deal first Thursday, saying that Unitree raised an undisclosed amount from investors that also included tech giant Tencent, e-commerce behemoth Alibaba and a fund affiliated with the state-run telecommunications giant China Mobile at a valuation of 'over 10 billion yuan.' Founded in 2016, the company is now at the forefront of China's robotics industry. Its 35-year-old founder Wang Xingxing, who is CEO and CTO, landed in February a coveted front-row seat at a meeting with Chinese President Xi. That meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing also included Alibaba cofounder Jack Ma, Tencent Chairman Ma Huateng and DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng. Xi held the meeting to send a message of support to China's private sector amid a plethora of economic challenges. Seated in the first row in front of Xi was Unitree's Wang, who later shook hands with the president. The bespectacled young entrepreneur is helping China's development of humanoid robots, an emerging industry the country is keen to dominate as it vies for tech supremacy with the U.S. Unitree has developed products including a series of robot dogs that start from $1,600 and humanoid models priced from $16,000, according to its website. That compares with the $20,000 to $30,000 Tesla intends to charge for each of its Optimus humanoid products. The bipedal product from the American electric vehicle pioneer can walk, dance and perform household chores such as cooking, cleaning up tables and dumping trash, according to video clips posted on its X social media account. Unitree's humanoids are shown performing similar tasks on clips posted on its website. They shot to national fame in China when the robots danced alongside real people during a performance at January's 2025 Spring Festival Gala. A huge audience watched the performance as China celebrated the start of the Year of the Snake. Unitree's humanoid robots have also participated in marathons and battled real fighters in boxing competitions. The Unitree representative says the company controls over two thirds of the global market for quadruped robotics dogs and leads worldwide sales of humanoid robots. However, the representative declines to provide specific sales figures. Founder Wang has traced his interest in robots to at least 2013. The young entrepreneur was pursuing a graduate degree in mechanical engineering at Shanghai University when he designed XDog, a quadruped robot that helped him win second prize in a local competition. Wang briefly worked for Chinese drone maker DJI before founding Unitree in 2016. In 2017, he raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding before progressing to complete a series B round last year. At the time, his company raised at at least 1 billion yuan from investors including Chinese food-delivery giant Meituan, investment firm Source Code Capital and the state-affiliated Shenzhen Capital Group, according to the Qichacha local regulatory filing system.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
New robots make AI something anyone can try at home
Hugging Face, a well-known name in AI development, is making big moves in the world of robotics. The company has just introduced two open-source humanoid robots, HopeJR and Reachy Mini, designed to make advanced robotics more accessible to everyone, from researchers and developers to students and hobbyists. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join. HopeJR is Hugging Face's new full-size humanoid robot. It stands out for its impressive 66 actuated degrees of freedom. This means it can walk, move its arms, and perform a wide range of independent gestures, making it a versatile platform for research, experimentation, and even household tasks in the future. Imagine a robot that can help with chores or serve as a hands-on learning tool. HopeJR is designed to be just that. One of the biggest talking points is price. Hugging Face aims to keep HopeJR affordable, with an estimated cost of around $3,000. That is a fraction of what most full-scale humanoid robots cost, opening the door for smaller labs, schools, and dedicated enthusiasts to get involved in advanced robotics development. If you are looking for something more compact, Reachy Mini is Hugging Face's answer. This desktop robot stands about 11 inches tall and is packed with features, including a camera, microphone, speaker, and a full six-degree-of-freedom neck for expressive movement. It can move its head, listen, speak, and interact with AI applications, making it a fun and practical tool for developers and educators alike. Reachy Mini is expected to cost between $250 and $300. It is designed to be a hands-on gateway into robotics, letting users build, customize, and experiment with embodied AI. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with Hugging Face Spaces, giving access to over 500,000 AI apps on the Hugging Face Hub. Both HopeJR and Reachy Mini are fully open source. This means anyone can assemble, rebuild, and understand how these robots work. Hugging Face's CEO, Clem Delangue, emphasized that this approach helps keep robotics open and accessible rather than dominated by a handful of companies with proprietary black-box systems. The community-driven model encourages collaboration and innovation, allowing users to share their improvements and build on each other's work. Hugging Face has not set an exact shipping date for these robots, but the company expects to deliver the first units by the end of the year. There is already a wait list open for those interested in getting their hands on HopeJR or Reachy Mini. This expansion into robotics builds on Hugging Face's recent acquisition of Pollen Robotics, the creators of the original Reachy robot. That partnership gave Hugging Face the expertise needed to accelerate hardware development and bring these new robots to market quickly. If you have ever wanted to dive into robotics or just see what AI can do in the real world, now is a great time to jump in. Hugging Face is making it easier than ever for anyone to experiment, build, and learn with robots that are open, affordable, and packed with potential. Whether you are a student, a developer, or just someone who loves to tinker, HopeJR and Reachy Mini could be your ticket to hands-on experience with the future of AI. What would you create or change in your daily life if you had your own open-source humanoid robot at your fingertips? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla (NasdaqGS:TSLA) Sees 30% Price Jump Over Last Quarter
Tesla has recently undergone notable changes, including the resignation of Milan Kovac from the Optimus humanoid robot program and the addition of Jack Hartung to its board. These executive adjustments join amendments in company bylaws as Tesla adapts to legislative changes in Texas. Despite these events, Tesla's 30% price increase over the last quarter could be seen in the context of broader market growth of 11% over the past year. The company's adjustments may have added weight to Tesla's upward trend, but other factors would also play a role in this growth. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 weaknesses for Tesla you should know about. We've found 20 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. The recent executive changes at Tesla, including Milan Kovac's departure and Jack Hartung's board appointment, come as the company undergoes legislative adaptations in Texas. These shifts may exert influence on Tesla's ambitious projects such as autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots, potentially affecting revenue streams and profit margins due to changes in operational focus or strategy. Considering Tesla's 387.53% total return over five years, its long-term performance remains robust, markedly outpacing recent broader market growth, which returned 11% over the past year. This historical context highlights Tesla's ability to achieve significant returns despite short-term fluctuations. Notably, Tesla's price increase over the last quarter aligns with executive changes, perhaps reflecting market confidence in adapted leadership and strategic direction. However, the current share price of US$275.35 positions it near the analyst consensus price target of US$289.44, indicating limited expected room for upside in the near term. The company's future revenue growth, pegged at 16.6% annually over the next three years, and expected earnings increase to US$14.7 billion, hinge on successful execution of its ventures into autonomous technology and energy sectors. These projections, although optimistic, underline the importance of Tesla mitigating execution risks to align realized performance with market expectations. Click here and access our complete financial health analysis report to understand the dynamics of Tesla. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqGS:TSLA. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Sign in to access your portfolio
The Verge
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
Tesla just lost the head of its robotics division
The head of engineering for Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot division, left the company on Friday. Milan Kovac announced his departure on X, insisting that it 'will not change a thing' about the company's plans, which, as of March, meant building thousands of robots this year alone. Kovac insisted that he was leaving Tesla only to 'spend more time with family abroad,' adding that his 'support for @elonmusk and the team is ironclad,' heading off speculation that his exit might have been prompted by Musk's political activity or recent public squabble with Donald Trump. In his own tweet, Musk thanked Kovac for his 'outstanding contribution to Tesla over the past decade.' Musk has called the humanoid Optimus robots Tesla's 'most important product development,' and has repeatedly leaned on the division to generate hype as EV sales slow and the company's stock price tumbles. 'The only things that matter in the long term are autonomy and Optimus,' Musk told CNBC in May, referring to the company's separate plans for self-driving cars, set to be deployed in a 'robotaxi' service in Austin this month. Bloomberg reports that Autopilot chief Ashok Elluswamy will take over responsibility for Optimus, which is at a critical stage. In March Musk claimed the company could make 'at least one legion of robots this year and then probably 10 legions next year,' which would mean around 5,000 robots by the end of this year, and 50,000 in 2026. To do so, it will have to overcome China's recent restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals and magnets, which are essential for the robots' construction.
