robot

In 2018 Russia presented its new and revolutionary humanoid robot. The only problem is that it wasn’t a robot.

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Yeah “AI” is a trendy technological concept, the other is robotics. humanoid robotsspecifically. The United States and China have embarked on a race to see who creates humanoid consumer robotsbut when in 2018 it was only Atlas jumpingRussia already had a humanoid robot dancing and putting on a show. His name was Boris, but there was one problem: he wasn’t a robot. robotic cold war. Until the recent generation of robots, which have left laboratories and workshops to become compete even in sports eventsthe great reference in robotics was Boston Dynamics. On the one hand, with Spot, the robot dog. On the other hand, with an Atlas that did parkour and executed very fluid and calculated movements. Although owned by Hyundai, those advances came from the United States, and Russia wanted to get into the conversation. Thus, in December of 2018, something occurred on the state channel Russia-24: a robot that looked like an astronaut and named Boris came on stage. He did so in the city of Yaroslavl, where the Proyektoria Annual Science and Technology Forum had just been inaugurated, aimed at promoting robotics and technology among young people. It was an important event, since it had the support of the Ministry of Education itself and Putin had attended previous versions. The Russian prodigy. Boris was a machine, in the figurative sense. He danced, talked, had dreams and illusions, stating that he wanted to learn musical composition and draw, and it was treaty like a celebrity on the television channel. It was the most advanced example of Russian robotics and seemed finished. Atlas had cables hangingBoris a helmet, little lights and he was a movie robot. There were those who began to wonder things. Appears at the 32nd hour of this video. Suspicions. TJournal is a Russian technology website and was one of the first to question the authenticity of the robot. How to collect BBCthe questions were quite accurate: Why aren’t there any sensors? How has it appeared out of nowhere without prior leaks? Why is no one on the Internet talking about something so advanced? Why were some movements so fluid during the dance? Why was the voice so robotic? And most importantly: why was it so unnecessarily large? But the most important thing is that, beyond the official images of Russia-24, which seemed to be very concerned that the country gave the impression of having this very advanced device, there were other images. Taken by the assistants, in some of those photos from behind a human neck was perfectly visible protruding from the back of Boris’s head. Caught. Very expensive costume. There was no need to investigate much: Boris was nothing more than a suit that a worker had put on. The suit could be bought. If you had 3,600 euros, you could buy the Alyosha model from the Show Robots company, which also came with Iron Man or Robocop suits. In fact, it was a media agency founded by a rival of Putin that public some photos with the actor putting on the suit. Deception? Naaah, a joke. Imagine the embarrassment after pulling on the blanket. The video went viral and was mocked, so much so that, a few days after its publication, Russia-24 removed it from its YouTube channel. However, two days after the original broadcast, they re-uploaded it and published an interview with the journalist who had done the piece. The excuse? He was sure no one would believe it, since he was like Santa Claus: a project for children. The problem is that the journalist narrated the original report as if it were Russia’s latest technological marvel. Those responsible for Proyektoria threw up their hands and said that they had never claimed that it was a robot, that it was not their business and that those at Russia-24 did not find out about the film. The problem is that there were those who pulled the blanket and discovered that Russia-24 had already shown a fake military robot. In fact, in 2019 the play was repeated with another robot taking the kickoff in a match between FC Orenburg and CSK Moscow. It was another man in disguise and the video is brutal. The state of Russian robotics… In the international media there were those who laughed it off, like CBS affirming that “regardless of the intention, Boris will not go down in history as the most embarrassing example of Russian fake news.” And we remember this episode because, recently, Russia has presented AIdol, its first humanoid robot. Already gone… wrong. With the soundtrack of ‘Rocky’ in the background and with a face of “please, what am I doing here”, the first thing the new Russian robot did was take a couple of steps to fall on its face. The scene is high-level unintentional comedy, with the robot kicking on the floor and the employees taking it away and covering the stage with a large black cloth. At least AIdol is real. Images | ПроеКТОриЯ In Xataka | In China they are not satisfied with creating advanced robots: a company has developed a head that gestures like a human

A beach bar in Malaga had the happy idea of ​​taking its ‘Sardinator’ robot for a walk. Until the police found out

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An establishment in La Malagueta decided to innovate when it came to attracting new customers with an advertising robot that wandered along the seafront, advertising mojitos, caipirinhas and espetos for four euros. Although the idea was striking and made heads turn among the local residents, the Malaga City Council has stopped the initiative. ‘Sardinator’ does not comply with municipal regulations and the Local Police have already reported the beach bar. The beach bar play. The robot, named Sardinator, walked along the La Malagueta promenade inviting people around to follow its voice to the beach bar. It wasn’t a waiter robot of those that serve inside the premises, but an autonomous device designed to advertise in the middle of a public street. It advertised drinks and food as it moved, although according to MálagaHoyhis ability to avoid obstacles left a lot to be desired: “he avoids trash cans, but he is not so skilled with people”, even tripping over a pedestrian. Why did the police intervene? Just like has shared The medium, Elisa Pérez de Siles, Councilor for Public Roads of the Malaga City Council, assured that this type of robots “are not authorizable” in the city. The use of the device on the promenade violates the municipal ordinance, which is why the Local Police were ordered to draw up a report and report the establishment. Although in other cities they are quite popular devices, in Malaga “there is an ordinance that must be complied with,” said the councilor. The political reaction. The municipal group Con Málaga has also focused on the issue. Its councilor, Toni Morillas, submitted a letter to the mayor asking about the robot after receiving complaints from neighbors who observed the advertising device “with astonishment.” Morillas even described the situation as “Málaga, the lawless city” on his social networks, according to inform MálagaHoy, highlighting the concern over the lack of control over this type of initiatives on public roads. The legal loophole of advertising robots. The case of Sardinator is something very specific and Spanish legislation does not yet specifically contemplate autonomous advertising robots on a public road. Municipal ordinances regulate outdoor advertising through urban planning licenses, but these regulations are designed for static elements such as fences, signs or posters. Many ordinances expressly prohibit the distribution or delivery of brochures and advertising on public roads, and even advertising in circulating or parked vehicles except for very specific exceptions. The boom of robots in hospitality. Sardinator does not seem to have had the same luck as other robots that have had growing popularity, such as those who work inside serving at the tables. In Spain, waiter robots are being introduced mainly in fast food restaurants, chains and some fine dining restaurants. Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia or Seville have already seen the introduction of these robots in several establishments. The fundamental difference here is that these robots move in controlled private spaces, not on public roads, which avoids conflicts of this type. Without going any further, in Malaga, there are several establishments that have incorporated this type of robots, although never outside the premises, as is the case of Sardinator. How they work. Waiter robots are designed to take orders from the kitchen to the customer’s table, following already marked routes and avoiding obstacles. The manufacturers are mostly of Chinese origin, including PUDU Robotics with its Bellabot and Kettybot models, Orion Star with Lucky, and Keenon, although there are also Spanish companies such as DAX Robotics with its Delibot and Slimbot model. The prices of waiter robots range between 6,000 and 15,000 euros, and they can support up to 60 kilos of load. They are equipped with LIDAR laser sensors and 3D cameras to move autonomously and safely. Robots as an alternative to labor shortages. The labor shortage in the Spanish hospitality industry, which affects more than 60% of businessesaccording to the Bank of Spain, means that this type of device could end up being an effective alternative. This is not about replacing staff, but about easing the burden due to the difficulty in finding waiters and qualified staff, which is why many establishments are turning to service robots as support. Although they are not yet a complete substitute for human interaction nor are they profitable for all establishments, these robots may end up representing a pragmatic response to a structural problem. And now what. The La Malagueta beach bar will have to return to traditional advertising methods or look for alternatives that respect the regulations. Meanwhile, ‘Sardinator’ has stopped touring the promenade and his catchy “mojito, caipirinha, daikiri” promotion is no longer heard in the area. Let’s give a minute of silence for our friendly friend. Cover image | Javier Albiñana In Xataka | The crazy story of the Galician woman who registered El Sol before a notary, sold plots online and then took eBay to court

It is proof that China has won the robot vacuum war

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Already it was seen coming for a long time: iRobot is sinking and bankruptcy is knocking on the door. The one that pioneered robot vacuum cleaners has been going through difficulties for years and their current situation is critical: they have admitted that they barely have cash to operate and there are no more ways to earn income. It looks very bad. what has happened. iRobot has published the third quarter results of the year and paint a very gloomy scenario. Revenue was $145.8 million, down 33% in the United States, 13% in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and 9% in Japan compared to the same period last year. The serious thing, according to its CEO, is that due to “market difficulties, production delays and unforeseen interruptions in shipments” the use of cash increased and right now they only have 24.8 million dollars and no additional source of income in sight. Why is it important. iRobot was the one who started the robot vacuum cleaner market in 2002 with the first Roomba model. In 2016 They were market leaders. with a share of 64%, but the emergence of more competitors meant that the pie began to be shared more and more, reducing its portion. iRobot reached its peak valuation in 2021 and from there it was downhill and without brakes. In 2022 Amazon threw her a lifeline and tried to buy herbut regulatory problems in the European Union they caused the agreement to end up being diluted. Its fall is not only important because it was the company that inaugurated the sector, which made us call robot vacuum cleaners ‘Roomba’, it is also confirmation that Chinese companies have conquered the sector. Possible bankruptcy. In a document addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission Last October, the company warned of its critical situation and opened the door to bankruptcy as soon as December 1st. The reason is that it has a credit agreement with The Carlyle Group and has two key requirements: to demonstrate that the company can continue to operate and to maintain a minimum of core assets, something they cannot currently meet. The problem is that they have already received two extensions and the deadline is December 1. They need another extension or sell the company, but they have no buyer. What’s wrong with my Roomba. In statements to The VergeiRobot says the company continues its daily operations, including support for its products. However, if the company closes and the cloud stops working, it will mean that the Roombas will lose their online connectivity. That is, they cannot be controlled from the mobile phone with the app, but they will continue to work using the buttons. It’s already happened. Even if iRobot goes bankrupt, its cloud services may continue for a while, the question is for how long. This is what has happened with Neato vacuum cleaners. The company closed in 2023 and their cloud continued to function, until a couple of weeks ago when they announced that they turned it off permanently. Neato vacuum cleaners only work in manual mode and it is no longer possible to use the app to control the robot or create cleaning routines. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Dyson is late to the robot vacuum party. Your ace in the hole is an AI that identifies and removes difficult stains

a temporary robot with AI, drones and without labor rights

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The “robots eat us” is far away for some jobs. In others, that science fiction scenario became a reality a long time ago. Every time it is more common to see that department stores are operated by robots and that automated or remote-controlled machines they have made a space in a framework in which there is a lack of labor. The countryside does not escape from that reality and in a country as dependent on agriculture as Spain, there are already those who are testing self-employed seasonal workers with artificial intelligence who They work tirelessly. And the controversy is served. Temporary with AI. A few days ago there was XXX IRTA Fruit Daysa meeting in which agricultural companies present technical innovations for the sector. One of the participants was Moreno Intec del Pla, a distributor and manufacturer of agricultural machinery specialized in fruit harvesting that has to its credit the Tecnofruit: a picking platform with conveyor belts on which human workers manually place the fruit. At this year’s event, the company presented a robot that has been in development for four years. It is a kind of huge container that has the fruit tanks, diesel tank, engine and wheels, but that has eight drones hooked to its upper part. Each of them is armed with an arm that they use to pick up the fruit (apples, in this case) and place it in the containers. The main advantage? They don’t get tired and each unit has integrated lighting to continue working, whatever the time of day. How it works. Each drone has cameras that allow the specimens to be identified, and a artificial intelligence It is responsible for analyzing whether the piece fits the parameters predefined by the farmer. This system can be configured to harvest all units or to discriminate based on size or color, and although it has remote control so that a single person can control up to five harvesters with the tablet, operation is autonomous. Apart from harvesting, it can also perform other functions such as the selective elimination of small fruits and, although the system currently uses a diesel engine with the aim of guaranteeing long autonomy, there are plans to create electrified versions. Costs and labor. Lluís Asín is responsible for the IRTA Fruit Growing program and, as we read in Segrecomments that systems like this represent “an important leap in the competitiveness of the sector.” He states that between 30% and 40% of the production cost of a plantation corresponds to the harvest and that platforms like this can help improve the profitability of the fields. And, of course, the debate is on the table because the robot arrives to directly replace human labor. Sergi Moreno is the technical director of Tallers Moreno, promoters of this robot, and assures that “it replaces the human part of the process. Each drone acts as if it were a person, but with the ability to operate day and night without rest.” He continues by pointing out that “the main problem of the sector is the lack of labor at the time of harvest”, but it is not perfect and can be seen in the demonstration video: “the same productivity as in manual work has not yet been achieved.” Japanese impulse. Now, Moreno is clear that “the future of the field depends on this automation,” and although Tallers Moreno have been the promoters, the robot has the impulse from Kubota Corporation. This is a Japanese agricultural machinery manufacturer that is developing and marketing autonomous drones for fruit and vegetable harvesting. plantation care. It is not unusual for proposals like this come from Japansince the country is going through a deep birth crisis that is affecting all sectors of society, and work in the field is not left out of this. This automation, in addition to reducing labor costs by 30% (a figure that coincides with IRTA’s estimate), allows increase the height of trees so that they produce more and they claim that the return on investment occurs in just three weeks. World. The development of this machinery is not isolated and Kubota is working hand in hand with the Israeli company Tevel Aerobotics Technologies. Like many other countries, Israel has a problem with agricultural labor, which is why it is looking to accelerate the development of these autonomous drones. It is one of the epicenters of both development and testing, but there are other countries involved. In the United States, states such as California or Washington are already integrating drones in fruit and vegetable harvesting. lettuce. In Europe, Italy and Spain have pilot collection programs underway and are also creating development and collaboration platforms, such as Tallers Moreno. Chile is evaluating the implementation for apple and grape farms. Debate. There are other countries in which putting drones to work is being well developed or valued, and the debate is served for the reason you can imagine: it is something that directly replaces the human worker. There are already voices that warn of a future in which the majority of these seasonal jobs will be absorbed by local automation, threatening livelihood of thousands of workers around the world. Furthermore, there are those who point to a unequal access because it will be the large producers that, with more means, will access this machinery, further strangling the small plantations. There is also the opposite argument, the one that defends robotic labor, pointing that there is no one who wants to work in the field and that new jobs will be created, with people who will have to train to control and maintain these robots. We continually talk about robots in facilities like car megafactoriesdepartment stores of companies such as Amazon and even in the kitchenbut now the field can be that place where robots perform another silent surprise. Although it will be necessary to see if the collection speed improves, because currently it is far from optimal. Images | Tevel In Xataka | You cannot get on the … Read more

This humanoid robot promised to do our housework. For now it’s a $20,000 puppet

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Neo is 5’6″, weighs 30kg, is dressed in some kind of beige work overalls and moves slowly and clumsily. It is one of the most advanced humanoid robots in the world—so it seems in the official websiteof course—and it costs $20,000, but despite all this it has a big problem: it is not really autonomous, and is controlled by another human being, as if it were an ultra-modern puppet. There is a long way from saying to doing. We talked about Neo a year ago. The company that develops it, 1X, boasted of beginning to test it in the real world. The version they used then, Neo Beta, had an autonomy of up to four hours and had sensors that allowed it to boost its “embedded learning” system. Already then it was indicated that a teleoperator would connect to the robot to show it how to do something. Robot-puppet. In reality, the teleoperator is the key to everything, because this robot, like its current version, does not work autonomously, but is controlled remotely by a human operator. Said operator puts on mixed reality glasses and uses controls to perform this control. In The Wall Street Journal have had the opportunity to try it and to see how the future that robotics companies paint for us seems to be still very far away. a robot clumsy and slow. In the video that accompanies the article it is clearly seen how the robot’s movements are erratic and slow. It took him forever to open the refrigerator to get a bottle of water and he managed to put two (plastic) glasses in the dishwasher, but it also took him a long time to get it. Folding a sweater took him two minutes. All these operations show that the dexterity of these robots is still very far from equaling that of humans, especially when it comes to emulating our hands. And on top of that, privacy. During the tests it became clear that one of the problems of using this robot is that the user sacrifices part of his privacy, because he must give permission for the teleoperator to see through the robot’s cameras to complete his tasks. And that means “getting into our house.” 1X CEO Bernt Børnich explained in WSJ that Neo “is not for everyone. If you buy this product, it is because you agree with the social agreement. If we don’t have your data, we can’t improve the product.” Even so, those responsible say, “you will always have control” and for example you can establish prohibited areas or blur faces in the transmission. See to learn. They precisely need all that visual data: so that the Neo’s neural network system can learn from trying to complete those household tasks and, from there, solve them more accurately. It is something similar to what happens with Tesla’s fleet of cars, which also “learns” thanks to all those kilometers that the cars travel to perfect their autonomous driving system. “Probably safe”. Another key element of these robots is the security they offer in an environment as private as our home. It’s not particularly heavy, which helps minimize risks, and 1X says Neo is “probably safe.” In 2026 it will be much more autonomous. Børnich’s promise is that Neo will “do many of the household tasks autonomously,” although he admitted that the quality with which those tasks are completed will be somewhat poor initially. He compared the situation with that of the first images and videos generated by AI: now those images and videos are practically indistinguishable from reality, and something similar will happen according to him with Neo. The promise may never be fulfilled. Neo is the latest example of how the robotics segment is the other great seller of expectations (along with AI) for the future. The challenge here is just as enormous, but the fact that Neo is not truly autonomous is disappointing, as was what happened with Tesla’s Optimus or the recent news of the Japanese store robots. Yann LeCun, one of the top AI managers at Meta, indicated at a recent conference at MIT that these robots could end up going nowhere. According to him, the companies that are investing billions of dollars in humanoid robots “have no idea” how to make these machines “smart enough to be generally useful.” In Xataka | Amazon has calculated how much it costs to lay off 600,000 employees: 30 cents per item sold and many robots

The race to put a humanoid robot in our house has begun. It’s an absurd race

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A robot that walks around the house picking up what we have left lying around, loads the dishwasher and even starts the washing machine. It is not a science fiction movie, it is the advertisement of the Figure 03 and it is not the only company interested in sell us the idea that soon we will all have a home robot. Detective Spooner doesn’t like this. Robots for everyone There are people convinced that in a few years Humanoid robots will be as common in homes as robot vacuum cleaners are now. One of those people is Elon Musk, who assured that In five or six years we will all be able to afford a personal robot. Peter Diamandis, well-known writer and “futurologist” predicts that the first humanoid robots will reach homes as early as 2026. It is not an obsession of the West, In China they are also obsessed with robotics, although from a different approach. The government wants robots to have transformed the industry by 2035, but it also contemplates creation of robots as accompaniment within the home. We do not know if this future will materialize or if humanoid robots will end up being an eccentricity for a few. Regardless of whether they succeed, These are the companies that want to make it possible. Figure AI Figure 03 Based in California, it is the company that has shown the most progress in creating a humanoid robot for the home. Its latest model, the Figure 03, is presented to us as a kind of robotic butler that does all the housework. Until now the previous models did not go much beyond the “wow” effect of the video, but this time it is different because Figure has a plan to mass produce them. The first year They hope to produce 12,000 robots a yearalmost nothing. Figure is the spearhead of robotics in the United States. Its valuation is 39,000 million dollars and among its investors are NVIDIA, Salesforce, Qualcomm, Intel, Microsoft and Jeff Bezos himself. At the moment it is not for sale nor do we know the price it will have. tesla Tesla Optimus Gen 2 No introduction needed. The first time we learned that Tesla wanted to make a humanoid robot it was in 2021. In 2022 they had a functional prototype and in 2023 they presented the Optimus Gen 2. Although we have not seen him doing household chores, they did show how he was capable of handling fragile objects like an egg. According to Musk, the Optimus will be cheaper than a car (between 20 and 30,000 dollars), but the reality is that we are in 2025 and The promise has not yet come true. Musk continues determined to build “an army of robots” and just showed your worry about who will control him. In Tesla’s latest earnings call, he stated that he wants to maintain strong influence over this hypothetical army. 1X Technologies Neo Gamma It is based in California, but it is a Norwegian company. 1x’s goal has been the home from the beginning and its goal is a robot that does cleaning, organizing and even running errands. A year ago they presented the Neo Beta robot and in February of this year they presented the Neo Gammaits most advanced model. It is capable of interacting with humans, can manipulate all types of objects, and is covered in soft materials. 1X’s plan is to start deploying its robots in homes this year, but in a pilot project. The company has been set as a goal manufacture 100,000 units in 2027 and “millions more in 2028”. We don’t know anything about how much it will cost, although 1X says it is “expected to be priced competitively within the home robotics market,” whatever that means. The company is valued at 10 billion dollars and between your most powerful investors There are OpenAI and EQT. Unitree Robotics Unitree H2 Based in Hangzhou, it is one of the companies that form the ‘Six Little Dragons’ and leader in robotics in China. We knew her for her quadruped robotsbut recently they have moved on to humanoid robots. Its most advanced model, the Unitree H2was announced just a few days ago and is capable of dancing and even doing kung-fu, but it is not as focused on the home as other proposals. In China, spectacular demonstrations of robots that dance or box have become very fashionable, but for the moment They are not showing practical applications for these humanoid robots. Of course, it is the only one that already has humanoid robots for sale and at very competitive prices. The Unitree G1 costs $16,000, but the Unitree H1 costs 131,000 euros. Deep Robotics DR02 It is also a Chinese company and part of the ‘Six Little Dragons’, which are the six most cutting-edge companies in the country in AI and robotics. Like Unitree, they also launched quadruped robots and recently switched to humanoids. Its focus is the creation of resilient models so that they can work in sectors such as industry, logistics or public services. Their latest model is the DR02, a robot resistant to water and dust and is designed to work outdoors. In the future the company also wants to expand to other areas such as the home. What is the point of a humanoid robot? There are other voices at the opposite end of these visionaries, such as that of Rodney Brooks, the co-founder of iRobot. Brooks believes that humanoid robots are a fantasy and they are a format that is anything but practical. Keeping such a robot standing requires a lot of energy and can be a huge risk if it falls. Furthermore, he states that Imitating the dexterity of a human hand is practically impossible. For Ehsan Saffari, robotics engineer, There is no point in making human-shaped robots. At least not if we want them to be efficient. To illustrate this, he gives a very good example: “Imagine that instead of building a … Read more

just announced its most capable robot. Now the only thing missing is that there is demand

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The Chinese company Unitree Robotics just presented the H2its most advanced humanoid robot to date. At 180 centimeters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, this model is getting closer and closer to that preconceived idea we have about robots that we have seen so much in fiction. Perhaps the most striking thing about his announcement is his presentation video, where we see him dancing, dressed and even with a humanized face. A robot that dances and does kung-fu. Demo images show the H2 performing complex dance and martial arts sequences with surprising fluidity. The robot maintains balance naturally, makes smooth transitions between movements and demonstrates remarkably organic limb articulation. Although Unitree has not revealed all the technical specifications, previous leaks They pointed out that the H2 would have 31 degrees of freedom, compared to the 23 of its predecessor. The legacy of the H1. Unitree’s previous model, the H1, achieved widespread fame after appearing at the 2024 Spring Festival Gala in China, where its Yangko dancing performance went viral both inside and outside the country. With that robot, China had achieved its first full-size model capable of running, setting a world record reaching 3.3 meters per second, even with peaks with the potential to exceed 5 m/s. Equipped with 3D LiDAR and depth cameras that provided 360° spatial perception, the H1 weighed just 47 kilograms and was powered by a swappable 864 Wh battery. From the workshop to the living room. The H2 represents a new level with respect to industrial robotics that China already dominates. The Asian country installed nearly 300,000 industrial robots in 2024more than the rest of the world combined, according to the International Federation of Robotics. However, humanoid robots like the H2 remain a bet for the future with sales still marginal. The Chinese startup ecosystem focused on humanoid robotsdriven largely by state policy, seeks to continue evolving in this field so that the country also scores the same in this sector. A two-speed strategy. Unitree is committed to covering the entire spectrum of the market. While the H2 represents its high-end offering aimed at advanced industrial and commercial applications, the company also recently launched the R1, a 1.2-meter robot designed for developers and researchers at a somewhat more accessible price. In fact, the R1 was recognized by Time magazine as one of the best inventions of 2025. They are two models that reflect Unitree’s efforts to become known in the world of robotics, at the level of large American manufacturers such as Boston Dynamics. And now what. The real challenge is not only technical, but commercial. China has demonstrated its ability to develop increasingly sophisticated humanoid robots, but the real test will come when practical large-scale applications have to be found that justify the investment. Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing confirmed at the beginning of the year at the Hangzhou World Digital Commerce Exhibition that this model was planned for the second half of 2025. The schedule has been met. Now it’s time to see how the market reacts. Cover image | Unitree In Xataka | With AI, Microsoft has once again insisted that we talk to our computer: experience says that we don’t feel like it

Dyson goes for Roborock with a robot that aspires, fiega and uses AI to remove difficult stains

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Dyson has made his appliances become objects of desire. Your hand vacuners are your flagship, but there is a category in which Chinese brands advanced them on the right: that of the vacuum robots. Dyson wants to change the narrative with the NEW SPOT+SCRUB AI. Let’s see what it offers. A little history Dyson marked a trend with his hand vacuners. It has also become strong in other categories such as air purifiers or hair care. However, as far as vacuuming robots, it is enough to make a brief review of its history to see that They were not among their priorities. In 2014 they presented the Dyson 360 Eye And it was not until 2020 that they launched their successor, the Dyson 360 Heurist. Finally, last year, the Dyson 360 Vis Christmas. Although with differences between them, in essence, the three proposals that Dyson has presented us so far are vacuum robots quite traditional. They have no deposit at the base and only aspire. Meanwhile, competition has been adding functionalities and today we have the most complete robots. The bases that self -life and autolimpian are already the norm, But it is also the most crazy proposals as the robotic arm of the Roborock Saros either east of dreame capable of climbing stairs. Dyson Spot+Scrub AI: aspires, fiery and eliminates spots thanks to AI The base has a clean water tank, another for dirty water and another to collect the dirt that it aspires. The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI is the first vacuum robot that has a base that makes us forget to empty or recharge the water. We talked about an advantage that the competition has already offered for years, specifically since 2018 when Irobot presented the Roba i7+. Of course, Dyson’s proposal has something interesting: The dust deposit does not need a bag, It simply opens and throws all the content, very in the style of its hand vacuners. It is also the first Dyson robot with scrubber function. Instead of having a mop system as usual, in this case it is A roller that is self -limpia while fiery Thanks to its 12 -point hydration system. Again, scrubbing is a function that He arrived at the vacuum robots a long time agoAt first it was quite rudimentary, but it has currently improved a lot and there are already robots to which we can delegate that task without fear of leaving the ground worse. Dyson’s most prominent argument to sell us his new robot is artificial intelligence. Has an AI system that Identify the type of spot and thus decide how many past do it to eliminate it completely. Dyson presumes that he can give up to 15 passes and check the ground to make sure there are no remains. If you have used a robot with scrubbing function, you probably have proven that difficult spots are not exactly their strong; For that, it better resorts to the lifetime or an electric. If Dyson achieves a good result in dirty soils that makes us forget about the mop, his robot You can get a hole in the competitive robot showcase. However, although on paper it is its most complete proposal to date, it is still something that its competitors already offer. Another factor is the price. At the moment Dyson has not confirmed it, but knowing his career, he does not look like it will be precisely economic. It will be Available at the end of the year. Images | Dyson In Xataka | The latest Roborock does not aspire to the ground. It is a 1,500 euros washing machine and the confirmation that China goes for appliances

The Xlean TR1 changes robot hand vacuum cleaner in a second. The most interesting thing is that he learns from you

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A robot that learns from you, who observes how you clean and then replicates your movements to do the job on your own. This is how the TR1 is presented, Xlean’s first modela startup formed by experiencers with experience in DJI and Roborock. This device combines two functions in a single body: it is an autonomous vacuum and hand vacuum cleaner, capable of becoming a second. According to Yanko DesignThe company wants TR1 to be much more than another appliance: it raises it as a step towards domestic robots capable of adapting to each home. The launch of the TR1 arrives at a time of effervescence for domestic robotics. In the IFA 2025 fair we have seen bets like the DREAME CYBER X.which incorporates Quadtrack technology to climb stairs, or LG’s “invisible” robotdesigned to hide under the sink and always keep the mop. Faced with these proposals, Xlean seeks to differentiate himself. The startup, founded in 2022 and backed by the Robotics Institute of Hong Kong UniversityHe wants to open a new chapter in the sector with a more ambitious idea. UU device that mixes instant transformation and adaptive intelligence The TR1 key is in its ability to move from autonomous robot to hand vacuum cleaner in the blink of an eye. This change is made through an electrical blocking system that Release the main module with a single gesturedesigned to act instantly in front of any unforeseen. The startup says that this design is not only practical, it also serves as a gateway to the learning system. In manual mode, the device collects data on how the user cleans and transforms those records into patterns that applies later when it works autonomously. The manual TR1 mode is the basis of what Xlean calls “self -evolve intelligence.” Thanks to an RGB-D camera, a green laser sensor and motor encoders, the device records in detail how the user addresses cleaning tasks. The company states that these data are anonymized before being sent to the cloud and that its collection is always carried out with explicit consent, although that protection remains a promise that will have to be checked. Unlike what it might seem, learning is not immediate or limited to each team. According to Xleanthe information obtained is used to train artificial intelligence models that, in theory, benefit the entire user base. The advances would be incorporated into new versions of the software distributed by OTA updates, so it is not clear when or how real improvements will be perceived in each home. To reassure users concerned about their privacy, the device integrates a physical shutter that blocks the camera and offers a visual confirmation that it is not recording. For its proposal to work, the TR1 needs real cleaning power, especially in manual mode, when the user faces the worst spills. Xlean has developed a system called Dual-Motor Directsuction, which combines a high pressure suction with 800 rpm rollers to aspire solids and liquids at the same time. The company ensures that this design prevents the remains from spreading, thanks to Vortexmatrix technology, perfected after three years of tests and 40 prototypes. Yanko Design points out that these figures are ambitious, although it still remains to verify its effectiveness outside the laboratory. The TR1 also bets strong in navigation. Its square design allows you to clean corners with an accuracy of up to 6 mm, a weak point of traditional circular robots. According to the company, the device is able to map a 150 -square -meter house in just three minutes and Recognize more than 400 types of obstacles Thanks to a combination of vision and identification by Lidar. Xlean ensures that this performance is the result of millions of simulated scenarios and that its reinforcement learning software is prepared to move without being trapped. These promises must be validated in real evidence, but point to a remarkable advance. Xlean has also designed the Omni Station as a key complement to the TR1. The base includes an emptying system that manages liquid and solid waste, something rare in the market. The company states that the station performs a complete cleaning with hot water at 60 ° C and an automatic drying to keep the equipment ready. It also offers the possibility of direct connection to the water network and the drain, which would eliminate manual deposits. In addition, the ecosystem is committed to integration with Matter and Homekit, and a modular design that will allow future extensions. As we say, the TR1 has been presented in IFA 2025, but its future is far from assured. Xlean states that he will soon launch a Kickstarter campaign To bring it to the global market, a habitual strategy between startups that seek financing and validation before producing on a large scale. Promises are ambitious, however, there are important unknowns, from their real autonomy to the cost of consumables and the reliability of updates. Everything will depend on how the public responds to this first test of interest. At the moment, the company has not revealed the price of the device. Images | Xlean In Xataka | One in two vacuum robots is Chinese. It is the cleanest invasion in history

Dreame wants to end the last excuse not to use an aspiring robot: the stairs

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What is better than a vacuum robot? An aspiring robot with legs and climbs stairs. The surprising proposal seems almost a product of a science fiction film, but it is just what is proposed DREAME WITH CYBER Xa conceptual design that raises a unique revolution In this segment. What happened. DREAME IS TODAY The third most important vacuum robot manufacturer in the worldand has not achieved something like that by chance. At the IFA Fair that is celebrated these days in Berlin, it has presented an avalanche of new models to renew its catalog of robots vacuum cleaners and robots, but has also raised a next potential that has baptized as Cyber ​​X. The stairs will no longer be an obstacle. This vacuum robot stands out especially for having a technology called Quadtrack that allows to overcome an obstacle that never – well, With some crazy ideas, yes– I had overcome these robots: the stairs. There was already previous approaches in This sensebut this is especially promising. Is it a tank? Is it a robot? This system causes the robot to have some legs that fold and deploy, but also each of them has a kind of caterpillar, Like combat carsand thanks to that combination it is able to move on both flat surfaces and climb stairs. How it works. When Cyber ​​X needs to move from one floor to another, the robot displays its legs and places them so that the caterpillar chains act as an elevator tape. The “transport” system to the next level of the house or office, and then automatically releases it to start the cleaning task. Slow but sure. In Dreame they promise that the Quadtrack system is able to climb stairs with steps up to 25 cm high and the speed at which it reaches 0.2 m/s. Not only that: he is able to dynamically adapt to different widths and steps of steps, making the ascent soft and safe. Cyber ​​X with folded legs can move without problems such as a conventional vacuum robot. And brakes in case something fails. Another of the elements that have devised the engineers of Dreame consists of a system with three independent braking layers that add up to the resistant rubber wheels with which the maximum is guaranteed adhesion and stability in wooden soils, tiles and carpets. A robot that sees everything. To recognize the terrain, Cyber ​​X makes use of an intelligent vision system called 3dadapt. Combine a laser beam with a camera that maps the stairs in real time by calculating depth, angle and height to be able to overcome each step without problems. And autonomy, what? In order to guarantee prolonged operation, Dreame Cyberx with Quadtrack technology is designed to integrate a 6,400 mAh battery with which according to the manufacturer could be covered no less than five floors for each session. No price or estimated date. Dreame’s idea is really promising, but for now it is only a conceptual design. In fact, the manufacturer has not confirmed that it will take it to the market and neither a potential date of availability nor the price in which this device could be placed has been spoken. Aspiring robots are coming out arms and legs. This proposal for Dreame adds to other ideas that we have seen lately in a market that does not stop innovating. He Roborock Saros Z70 It boasts a robotic arm that collects objects scattered on the ground, for example, and Dreame itself already raised with its X50 ultra a system called proleap consisting of “legs” that allow you to overcome obstacles up to 6 cm high. In Xataka | The other silent conquest of China is that of vacuum robots: more than half come from four Chinese manufacturers

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