Robotics Special: Google unveils its first 'thinking' robotics model

Welcome back, Superhuman. Waymo wants its robotaxis to drive you to work, Google has a new robotics model that thinks before it acts, and Chinese researchers have unveiled a pill-sized robot that can look inside your gut. It’s been another week of major progress in robotics.

WHAT’S NEXT

The most important news and breakthroughs in robotics this week

1. Google’s new robotics model thinks before it acts: The search giant dropped Gemini Robotics 1.5, a new model that gives robots the ability to reason through complex tasks. The system can tackle multi-step challenges: for instance, it can sort objects according to local recycling guidelines by first researching the rules online, then planning and executing the physical tasks. Skills learned on one type of robot automatically transfer to different robot designs, accelerating the learning process across different hardware. See it in action here.

2. Waymo is stepping into the corporate travel market: The robotaxi startup has launched "Waymo for Business," allowing companies to set up corporate accounts for employee robotaxi rides across five major cities in the US. The service lets employers manage where, when, and how staff use autonomous rides, complete with budget tracking and reporting tools.

3. Skild AI claims to have developed an "omni-bodied robot brain": The startup claims its new AI system can control any robot without being specifically programmed for it. Unlike traditional robotic controllers that memorize solutions for one specific robot body, Skild AI’s system was reportedly trained on 100K different robot configurations. The result: a controller that can adapt to obstacles like broken limbs and jammed motors. "If the bot can move, the Brain will move it — even if it’s an entirely new robot body."

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ROBOTS IN ACTION

How robots are transforming the world around us

🤖 Robot Nation: According to a new report, China installed nearly 300K factory robots last year — more than the rest of the world combined. The country now hosts over 2M robots working in its factories, part of Beijing's "Made in China 2025" campaign to help domestic companies dominate robotics adoption while reducing reliance on imports.

👀 Sneak Peek: Chinese researchers have unveiled a pill-sized robot that peeks inside your gut without surgery. It collects liquid samples from inside the digestive tract without invasive procedures, using external magnetic fields to navigate to target areas. Unlike traditional gut biopsies that require endoscopies or colonoscopies with anesthesia, this approach offers a less invasive way to analyze gut health.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Furry Friends: West Berkshire Council in the UK is testing robotic pets in local care homes to combat loneliness among residents with dementia and learning disabilities. The lifelike companions feature built-in sensors that respond to petting and hugging, providing predictable, non-judgmental interaction that can help reduce anxiety and stress.

🚢 Shipyard Shift: The American Bureau of Shipping has teamed up with Persona AI to bring humanoid robots to shipyards, targeting an industry struggling with up to 60% first-year employee turnover. The partnership will develop safety standards for robots designed to handle shipbuilding tasks in spaces originally built for human workers.

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

Everything else you need to know this week

Here are the biggest developments in the robotics space that you should know about:

• Alibaba has partnered up with Nvidia to integrate physical AI development tools for robotics and autonomous vehicles into its cloud platform.

• 1X, the Norwegian robotics startup, is reportedly eyeing a $1B funding round at a $10B valuation to advance home trials of its NEO humanoid robot.

• The US government is reportedly set to launch national security investigations into imported robotics, among other commodities, for potential new tariffs.

• Amazon-backed Zoox has applied for a federal exemption to commercially operate its custom-built robotaxis without steering wheels and pedals.

• Nvidia has reportedly signed a letter of intent to invest $500M in UK-based self-driving startup Wayve as part of a £2 billion AI commitment.

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ROBOT OF THE WEEK

A robot that caught our eye this week

You don’t have to spend your Sundays mowing your lawn anymore.

Roborock has unveiled the RockNeo Q1 robotic mower, which maps your yard with AI, trims edges down to 1 inch, and climbs slopes up to 45 percent. It navigates tight spaces and obstacles automatically, so lawns maintain themselves while you sit back and relax.

You can check it out here.

ROBO REEL

Watch: China’s humanoid robot head shocks with almost lifelike facial expressions

Chinese robotics company AheadForm has unveiled a humanoid robot head that's generating buzz for its startlingly realistic facial expressions and lifelike blinking. The company combines self-supervised AI algorithms with bionic actuation technology to create robots with up to 30 degrees of freedom in facial movement, aiming to make human-robot interactions more natural and engaging.

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Until next time,

Zain and the Superhuman AI team