R&D News | Robotics and Automation

Apptronik announces $520m in Series A funding

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:20:45 +0000

AI-powered robotics company Apptronik today announced a US$520 million (c. £381m) Series A-X funding round. Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots, with specific interest in humanoid robotic [...]

The post Apptronik announces $520m in Series A funding appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Barnsley the UK’s first AI town

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:00:45 +0000

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has set out plans for Barnsley to become the UK’s first Tech Town. Reportedly, over the next 18 months the UK government [...]

The post Barnsley the UK’s first AI town appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Aston University and Aurrigo streamline airport fleet AI

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:30:06 +0000

Aston University has partnered with Aurrigo, a provider of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and related software for international airport operations, to develop fleet AI. Under the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), Aston University’s [...]

The post Aston University and Aurrigo streamline airport fleet AI appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

KITA reports outlines South Korean robotics advancements

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:39:47 +0000

Korea International Trade Association’s (KITA) Institute for International Trade and Commerce Research has published a report stating that South Korea ranks near the top globally in robot utilisation. Titled, ‘Changes [...]

The post KITA reports outlines South Korean robotics advancements appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Lancashire AI Growth Zone backed by £8.2bn

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:10:59 +0000

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced that more than £8.2bn in private investment with an additional £540m community fund has been committed to support Lancashire’s AI Growth [...]

The post Lancashire AI Growth Zone backed by £8.2bn appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

A2I launches to expedite scientific spinoffs

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:43:13 +0000

A new programme, Accelerate to Investment (A2I), has launched to help public sector researchers turn high-potential research into investment-ready spinout companies. Designed specifically for government research organisations, A2I provides structured [...]

The post A2I launches to expedite scientific spinoffs appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Microsoft announces Rho-alpha robotic model

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:38:21 +0000

Microsoft has announced Rho-alpha (ρα), its first robotics model derived from Microsoft’s Phi series of vision-language models. Rho-alpha translates natural language commands into control signals for robotic systems performing bimanual [...]

The post Microsoft announces Rho-alpha robotic model appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Fauna Robotics debuts humanoid robot

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:27:27 +0000

Fauna Robotics has launched its debut robot Sprout, a friendly and capable humanoid robot platform designed to operate safely in shared human spaces. Reportedly, moving beyond the closed industrial systems [...]

The post Fauna Robotics debuts humanoid robot appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

DSIT £36m funding boost increases Cambridge supercomputer’s power sixfold

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:26:26 +0000

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced that the UK government has injected £36m to increase the power of one supercomputing centre sixfold. Reportedly, British researchers and [...]

The post DSIT £36m funding boost increases Cambridge supercomputer’s power sixfold appeared first on Robotics and Automation.

Unbox Robotics announces Series B funding success

Reuben Henry-Fellows — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:48:13 +0000

Supply chain robotics technology company Unbox Robotics has announced that it has secured US$28m in Series B funding. The funding is led by ICICI Venture and Redstart Labs (Infoedge), with [...]

The post Unbox Robotics announces Series B funding success appeared first on Robotics and Automation.