➀ Gitai USA, a space robotics startup, has raised $15.5 million in its latest Series B Extension round. This brings the total raised in Series B Extension rounds to $60.5 million. ➁ The lead investor in this round was Maezawa Fund, operated by Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. ➃ Gitai USA plans to use the additional funding to advance on-orbit services and lunar infrastructure construction in the U.S. space and defense market.

➀ Renesas Electronics Corporation has introduced the RZ/T2H, its highest-performing MPU for industrial equipment; ➁ The MPU provides high-speed, precise control for industrial robot motors, supporting up to nine axes; ➂ It also supports network communications on a single chip, including Industrial Ethernet, and is designed for industrial controller applications such as PLCs and CNCs.

➀ The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology and the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding have conducted tests to create a conceptual framework for an autonomous swarm with a specific mission. The swarm is designed to efficiently scan irregularly structured environments. ➁ The research aims to improve economic prosperity, social development, and environmental protection through the use of drones. ➂ The proposed system is more resilient to failures and can recover quickly. It has been tested both in virtual and real drone swarms, demonstrating its reliability and performance.

➀ SeiAnmai Technologies' TOTO robot, a telepresence platform developed in collaboration with IIT Delhi, allows users to remotely control and interact with environments. ➁ The robot is designed for teleoperation and tele-observance, aiming to replicate the experience of physical presence. ➂ The research edition of the robot is open-source, accessible for customization and modification.

➀ The rise of generative AI, humanoid and service robots; ➁ AI notebooks and servers becoming mainstream; ➂ Advancements in advanced processes and CoWoS; ➃ Enhanced cybersecurity defenses and threat detection; ➄ AMOLED expansion in consumer electronics; ➅ Miniaturization and low-cost production of CubeSats; ➆ Modular end-to-end model production and Level 4 robotaxi commercialization; ➇ EVs and AI data centers driving battery and energy storage innovations.

➀ Melexis introduces Arcminaxis, a magnetic technology for high-precision position sensing in robotic joints; ➁ The MLX90384, incorporating Arcminaxis, simplifies assembly and calibration; ➂ The MLX90384 offers a cost-effective alternative with improved performance and versatility in robotic designs.

➀ A learning robot has been developed at the TU Wien; ➁ The robot can imitate a cleaning process and apply it to different situations; ➂ The robot learns through demonstration and can clean various surfaces despite being trained on a single edge.

➀ DFKI researchers present new projects at CoRL; ➁ TacEx simulation environment for tactile sensors; ➂ Analysis of dataset requirements for Diffusion Policies in humanoid robot locomotion training.

➀ An interdisciplinary team in France and Germany has developed hybrid operating rooms using 5G and AI to improve patient outcomes; ➁ The project, 5G-OR, aims to reduce complications and streamline workflows; ➂ The team has implemented AI-assisted monitoring, AI-supported analysis of surgical data, robot-assisted telesurgery, and mobile robotic support in the OR; ➃ The focus is now on transferring these applications into clinical practice and expanding the network for broader user feedback and international collaboration.

➀ Researchers at Fraunhofer IWS are developing biomimetic artificial grippers that can 'feel'; ➁ The grippers use sensors to gently grip objects without causing damage, inspired by nature; ➂ The technology could be applied to harvesting robots and autonomous rovers for various tasks.

➀ The FORSocialRobots research project, led by Prof. Dr. Jörg Franke, aims to enhance the social skills of robots for efficient human-robot interaction in various applications. ➁ The project focuses on scenarios such as logistics, production, service, elderly care, and dementia centers. ➂ Challenges include natural communication, understanding human emotions, and adapting to diverse environments.

➀ The design introduces a multi-axis servo drive system with a fast serial interface for enhanced communication, suitable for industrial automation and robotics; ➁ The system utilizes Texas Instruments' C2000 real-time controllers and Fast Serial Interface (FSI) for high-speed communication and control; ➂ The design aims to provide cost-effective and reliable performance for various industrial applications.

➀ ROBDEKON presented its technologies for autonomous decontamination robotics at the Robotics Innovation Center of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Bremen. The focus was on the collaboration of autonomous systems, where different robots communicate with each other and complete complex decontamination tasks together. ➁ The technologies demonstrated included teleoperation, VR visualization, and assistance for construction machinery. ➂ The goal is to create an entirely automated decontamination process, where humans only provide the basic task and machines plan and execute the necessary work steps autonomously.

➀ A high-precision machining robot with a new hybrid drive train has been developed in Lower Saxony, Germany, to bridge the gap between industrial robots and machine tools. The robot excels in machining lightweight materials and metals up to steel with a production tolerance of up to 0.1 millimeter.➁ The robot's hybrid drive concept enhances dynamic behavior and allows for increased productivity and higher path accuracy.➂ The project is part of the Lower Saxony LuFo research initiative, aiming to advance industrial robotics and precision machining techniques.

➀ A robot-assisted laser surgery system is developed to minimize risks in spinal canal stenosis operations; ➁ The system uses short-pulse lasers and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for precise bone cuts; ➂ The research aims to prevent serious injuries to the spinal cord and nerve roots during surgery.

1. The author reiterates a 'Sell' rating on Intuitive Surgical due to its high valuation. 2. The launch of the Da Vinci 5 robot in mid-2025 is seen as a major catalyst for growth. 3. Despite strong leadership, the company's overvaluation and high WACC of 13% support the 'Sell' rating.

➀ Takayuki Ito, a veteran of over 40 years in the robotics industry, is elected as the new President of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). He has a history with Fanuc Corporation, serving in various roles since 1981. Ito aims to continue the legacy of his predecessor, Marina Bill, and address the rapid changes in automation across industries. ➁ Jane Heffner, Vice President Global Sales at Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), is appointed as the new Vice President of IFR. She brings over 20 years of experience in technology-driven industries, focusing on automation and robotics. ➂ The IFR, established in 1987, is a non-profit organization aiming to promote the benefits of robotics for productivity and quality of life.

➀ Infineon has launched the EiceDRIVER 1EDL8011, a high-side gate driver designed for battery-powered applications. ➁ It offers fast switching of high-side N-channel MOSFETs and includes a charge pump for robust startup. ➂ The driver is available in a compact DSO-8 package with features like overcurrent protection and adjustable current settings.

➀ Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China have developed a robotic 'finger' with advanced touch sensitivity for medical exams; ➁ The soft robotic device could assist in early disease detection and offer a more comfortable alternative to traditional physical exams; ➂ The technology holds significant potential for healthcare professionals, especially in remote or underserved areas.

➀ Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a new computational framework called RoVi-Aug; ➁ The framework enhances robotic data to facilitate skill transfer between different robots; ➂ It utilizes advanced diffusion models to generate synthetic images of robots performing tasks from various viewpoints.