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Meet the Robot of the Year, Startup of the Year, Application of the Year, and Robots for Good winners.
We are passionate about the impact robotics can have on the world. That’s why for 14 years, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have honored the most innovative robotics companies, technologies, and applications from around the world.
This year we brought back three major awards: Robot of the Year, Application of the Year, and Startup of the Year. We added a fourth major honor: Robots for Good, which recognizes a robot making a meaningful impact on society.
The RBR50 Gala returns April 30 from 6-8 PM in Boston at the Robotics Summit & Expo. The Gala offers attendees a chance to network with the world’s leading robotics innovators. The Robotics Summit also has a dedicated section on the expo floor highlighting this year’s RBR50 winners. Tickets to the RBR50 Gala are limited and can be purchased online during Robotics Summit & Expo registration.
Complete profiles of all RBR50 winners can be read online at The Robot Report.
RBR50 INTRODUCTION
As of October 2024, Waymo robotaxis were providing more than 150,000 paid trips and driving over 1 million fully autonomous miles every week.
Waymo
Robot of the Year: Waymo robotaxi
Waymo is single-handedly keeping the promise of autonomous vehicles (AV) alive in the U.S. In 2024, it steadily scaled its robotaxi operations while others faltered. Waymo last October surpassed 150,000 paid trips per week across its fleets in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. This was after it exceeded 100,000 paid trips per week just two months earlier.
Waymo last year also announced plans to launch robotaxi services in Atlanta and Miami in 2025. It also said it’ll begin testing in Tokyo for its first international “road trip.”
The AV industry has long been plagued by companies that overpromised and underdelivered. After years of delays, technical setbacks, and high-profile failures, many people question whether AVs will ever become a widespread reality.
Waymo has proven to be the exception to this rule. It further solidified its position as the dominant player in the U.S. robotaxi market in 2024. And, more importantly, it’s showing that safe, autonomous ridehailing at scale is not just possible – it’s already here.
RBR50 INTRODUCTION
TEPCO wins Application of the Year Robots are perfect for tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous. And perhaps no job is more dangerous than the one performed by the Application of the Year Winner.
In October 2024, a remote-controlled robot named Telesco successfully retrieved a small piece of radioactive fuel from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. This marked a significant step in the decommissioning efforts of three reactors that lost their cooling systems during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, leaving behind an estimated 880 tons of radioactive fuel.
The robot is being used by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which manages the plant. The potential high levels of radiation in the damaged reactors have made it unsafe for humans. Scientists said the sample will provide critical data to refine decommissioning strategies.
A render of the robot used by the Tokyo Electric Power Company to safely remove nuclear waste from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in northern Japan. TEPCO
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RBR50 INTRODUCTION
Mytra’s system has already been deployed by major companies, including Albertsons, a leading American grocer.
Mytra
The sample returned was the size of a grain of rice. TEPCO said the sample was significantly less radioactive than it expected. It said more sampling missions are necessary to obtain more data.
The cleanup of nuclear waste is an enormous challenge. TEPCO’s use of robotics is key to ensuring worker safety and minimizing human exposure to radioactive environments.
Mytra named Startup of the Year
Mytra is helping its customers optimize warehouse space by automating traditionally manual pallet handling processes. Its 3D lattice storage system maximizes density and eliminates aisles while allowing flexibility in handling various payloads, from small items up to 3,000 lb. pallets.
Founded in 2022, Mytra’s system has already been deployed by major companies, including Albertsons, a leading North American grocery business. Albertson’s uses it in distribution centers to buffer and sequence inventory before
shipping to stores. The Mytra solution is also useful for cross-docking warehouses as it can statically stage and store full pallets, queuing them for the trailer loading process. Across its customer base, Mytra estimates that warehouses save up to 88% of labor hours.
Mytra was founded by Chris Walti and Ahmad Baitalmal, former leaders in robotics and manufacturing at Tesla and Rivian, respectively. Their domain knowledge of logistics and large-scale automation has helped Mytra design a product that directly addresses the inefficiencies they experienced firsthand in modern warehouses.
Hello Robot wins Robots for Good Award
Hello Robot’s Stretch 3 mobile manipulator has been recognized with the Robots for Good Award for advancing in-home assistive robotics. Built to support individuals with mobility challenges, Stretch 3 is compact, lightweight, and capable in cluttered environments.
Stretch 3 has already gained traction in research institutions across more than 20 countries and is gaining ground in real-world applications. Individuals with severe mobility impairments are using it to regain independence, engage in social interactions, and ease the burden on caregivers.
Henry Evans, a non-speaking adult with quadriplegia, has shared how Stretch allows him to contribute to household chores and connect with his granddaughter in a way that was previously impossible.
Beyond individual use, Stretch 3 is being tested in assistive applications such as an NIH-funded study exploring robotic support for older adults with early-stage dementia. Hello Robot has also partnered with the ALS Association to develop solutions tailored to that community’s needs.
With open-source software and continued development, Stretch 3 is accelerating the future of at-home assistive robots.
Other notable winners
We couldn’t create a list of the most innovative robotics developments without humanoids. Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid, last year’s Robot of the Year winner, returns after landing its first commercial gig.
GXO, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, deployed a “small fleet” of Digits at a Spanx facility in Georgia under a roboticsas-a-service model. The humanoids pick up totes from 6 River Systems‘ Chuck autonomous mobile robots and places them onto conveyors.
The other humanoid on the list is Boston Dynamics’ new, all-electric Atlas. The electric Atlas is inherently more sustainable and safer than the previous model, boasting new levels of mobility, strength, and dexterity. Its head and torso are capable of unlimited rotation, which increases efficiency, and many of the new Atlas’ joints are continuous.
The new Atlas is being tested with industry partners, starting with Hyundai, which acquired Boston Dynamics in 2020 for nearly $1 billion.
NASA won an award for the Ingenuity Helicopter, which retired after a three-year journey on Mars that defied all expectations. Ingenuity was the first-ever aircraft to fly on another planet, hitching a ride to Mars on the Perseverance Rover in February 2021.
Ingenuity then completed 72 flights, flew for over 128 minutes, traveled 11 miles (17.7 kilometers), and reached an altitude of 79 feet (24 meters), dealing with dead sensors, dust storms, emergency landings, frigid Mars temperatures, and more challenges along the way.
Ingenuity’s impact will be felt in many future NASA missions. The organization said it plans to send two more helicopters to aid in the Mars sample return campaign to bring soil samples back to Earth.
We hope you join us at the RBR50 Gala to celebrate this year’s winners and connect with the brightest minds in robotics.
SHA Rotary Actuator with Integrated Servo Drive
The SHA-IDT Series is a family of compact actuators that deliver high torque with exceptional accuracy and repeatability. These hollow shaft servo actuators feature Harmonic Drive® precision strain wave gears combined with a brushless servomotor, a brake, two magnetic absolute encoders and an integrated servo drive with CANopen® communication. This revolutionary product eliminates the need for an external drive and greatly simplifies cabling yet delivers high-positional accuracy and torsional stiffness in a compact housing.
ABB launches next-generation OmniCore robotics control platform
ABB made its new OmniCore controller platform available for most of its robots in mid-2024. The company previously launched five OmniCore controllers supporting only a limited range of robots.
OmniCore is the result of ABB’s $170 million investment in next-generation robotics, integrating AI, sensors, and cloud and edge computing for advanced automation. The challenge was creating a scalable controller for ABB’s entire robotics portfolio.
Now, OmniCore supports most of ABB’s 4- and 6-axis industrial robots, collaborative robots, SCARA robots, and delta robots. The Auburn Hills,
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: ABB Robotics U.S. abb.com 1974 500+ Technology
Mich.-based industrial automation provider said the new platform will be available for its autonomous mobile robots and mobile manipulators.
The single control architecture simplifies robot installation, programming, and operation while enhancing performance. It replaces the IRC5 controller, which will be phased out by June 2026, though ABB will continue supporting IRC5 users.
OmniCore benefits robot integrators and users by unifying motion, sensors, and applications for mixed-fleet programming. With more than 1,000 hardware and software features, users can design,
operate, and optimize operations. ABB said robots using the new controller operate 25% faster and consume 20% less energy than previous models.
The new OmniCore control architecture offers one platform and one language that integrates ABB’s complete range of hardware and software. This follows the growing trend of making robots easier to install, program, and operate than in the past, all with improved performance and a far greater range of features. OmniCore sets a new standard in robotics, making automation smarter, faster, and more efficient. RR
Digit is first humanoid deployed in a commercial application
Agility Robotics Inc. reached a key milestone in 2024 with the deployment of a small fleet of its Digit humanoid robots at a Spanx facility in Georgia. In partnership with GXO Logistics, Digit is performing totemoving tasks, marking what is widely regarded as the first commercial application of a humanoid robot.
Unlike many humanoids still in development, Digit is operating in a real-world production environment, moving totes between workstations to support warehouse operations. This deployment highlights the potential for humanoids to integrate into existing workflows and assist with repetitive, physically demanding tasks.
GXO, one of the world’s largest contract logistics providers, views humanoid robots as a potential solution to ongoing labor challenges and the demand for adaptable automation.
“Our R&D approach is to partner with developers worldwide to help them build and validate practical use cases that improve the working environment for our employees while optimizing operations for our customers,” said Adrian Stoch, chief automation officer at GXO Logistics. “Agility shares this philosophy, and Digit is the perfect addition to work alongside our people in our fulfillment center. We’re delighted to advance our partnership through this critical milestone.”
Agility Robotics’ progress with Digit has played a key role in sparking broader
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Agility Robotics U.S. agilityrobotics.com 2015 101-500 Application
interest in humanoid robots for logistics and manufacturing. Since this deployment, several companies have accelerated efforts to develop and commercialize humanoids for real-world tasks.
“There will be many firsts in the humanoid robot market in the years to come, but I’m extremely proud that
Agility is the first to have actual humanoid robots deployed at a customer site, generating revenue, and solving realworld business problems,” said Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, at the time of the Spanx deployment. RR
Amazon opens its most automated facility in Shreveport, La.
Amazon.com Inc. opened its most advanced robotic fulfillment center last fall in Shreveport, La. This next-generation facility spans five floors and more than 3 million sq. ft., making it one of the e-commerce company’s largest sites and the most automated warehouse in its history.
Amazon for the first time deployed robotics and AI into every key production area, transforming how its employees work. At the center is Sequoia, a multi-level inventory system that holds over 30 million items at this facility. Amazon said this is five times larger than its first deployment.
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Amazon Robotics U.S. amazon.jobs/en/teams/amazon-robotics 2003 500+ Application
In coordination with thousands of mobile robots and robotic arms like Sparrow, Cardinal, and Robin, the system streamlines storage, sorting, and packing with impressive speed and precision.
Sparrow, Amazon’s most advanced robotic arm, now handles over 200 million unique products using AI and computer vision. Proteus, Amazon’s first fully autonomous mobile robot, safely navigates among employees to move packages to outbound docks.
Amazon said these innovations have reduced fulfillment processing times by up to 25% at the Louisiana facility, increased shipping accuracy, and expanded same-
day and next-day delivery availability. With robotics handling more tasks, employees can focus on tasks higher-skilled roles. Amazon said this warehouse will employ 2,500 people once it’s fully ramped up.
Unlike past systems designed for new buildings, this new generation of robotics is built for integration across Amazon’s existing facilities, enabling network-wide modernization. Amazon’s Shreveport site is just the beginning of a new era of robotics and AI setting the pace for faster, safer, and more efficient fulfillment than ever before. RR
Senhance system brings minimally-invasive robotic surgery to pediatrics
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Asensus Surgical U.S. asensus.com 2006 101-500 Application
While robotic surgeries have been around for nearly 40 years now, pediatric surgeries still present a significant challenge for these systems. This tricky specialty includes operating on patients weighing anywhere from less than 1 lb. to over 250 lb.
The smaller the patient is, the more crucial it is to make small cuts, which can be a challenge when using the larger instruments that typically come with surgical robots.
Asensus Surgical Inc. is putting extra attention into aiding these procedures with its Senhance system. The company creates smaller surgical
instruments to ensure that younger patients have fewer complications.
In December 2024, Rev, a 16-yearold from Aurora, Colo., became the first patient to be operated on with a remotely controlled Senhance robot at HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s. After the removal of his gallbladder with the Asensus Surgical system, Rev was discharged that afternoon. Just two days later, the teenager was out of the hospital and dancing at his homecoming dance.
Dr. Steve Rothenberg, the surgeon who performed the procedure, has more than 20 years of experience working with surgical robots. In that time, he said he
struggled to find a system that can meet the unique demands of pediatrics. Until he started using the Senhance system.
Senhance comes with a range of tools that surgeons can use while they’re operating, said Durham, N.C.-based Asensus. For example, the system can track where the surgeon is looking and direct the camera to those areas.
The system is also designed to be easy to maneuver in case the surgeon needs to step in if something doesn’t go according to plan. Asensus Surgical is pushing the boundaries of robotic surgery by prioritizing pediatrics. RR
Beewise Heat Chamber kills 99% of honeybee
mites, chemical-free
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Beewise U.S. beewise.ag 2018 101-500 Application
Varroa and Tropilaelaps are deadly mites that are devastating honeybee populations around the world. Despite the impact of these pests, beekeepers have limited treatment options to address these mites and ensure the health of their hives. Last year, Beewise introduced the BeeHome 4, which is equipped with new features to tackle these insects.
These latest improvements show BeeHome’s ability to adapt to environmental changes and serve as a longterm solution for aiding bee populations, said the San Ramon, Calif.-based company.
The Beehome is a hive powered by artificial intelligence and robotics. The
device’s computer vision and robotic arm, all powered with solar energy, enable beekeepers to inspect and treat their bees remotely in real time. The system’s machine learning capabilities allow it to make assessments regarding hive health.
The BeeHome 4 includes a heat chamber designed to kill Varroa mites. The system works by first identifying when a frame of bees is at risk. The robotic arm then autonomously lifts that frame, shakes the bees off, and places the frame directly into the heat treatment chamber.
The AI-powered software applies heat at the precise temperature and duration to kill the mites without harming the
bees before the robotic arm returns the frame to its hive and repeats as needed. All of this is accomplished without human intervention or chemicals.
In the spring of 2024, Beewise completed research on the efficacy of the Beewise Heat Chamber for killing Varroa mites during honey production in North Dakota. The company tested 100 frames for Varroa survival under three different conditions, and 36 frames received Beewise Heat Chamber treatment. In this analysis, treatment with the Beewise Heat Chamber killed 99% of Varroa. RR
Electric version of Atlas humanoid demonstrates enhanced agility
Boston Dynamics Inc. has pioneered legged mobility with its Spot and Atlas robots. Last year, the Waltham, Mass.-based company set new benchmarks for robot agility with its fully electric Atlas humanoid. Previous models used hydraulics, which were bulkier and less energy-efficient.
Building on more than three decades of research and development, Boston Dynamics received recognition for the agility of the HD Atlas model in last year’s RBR50 awards.
The next-generation Atlas has already demonstrated more advanced mobility, strength, and dexterity than its predecessors, said the company. In popular YouTube videos, the robot has done pushups and sequenced automotive parts.
Boston Dynamics added that its latest humanoid can perform tasks that surpass human capabilities, such as lifting and transporting heavy, irregular objects.
It also claimed that the electric version of Atlas is more sustainable and safer than its predecessors. The robot is designed to help industry, benefit society, and operate in environments built for humans, “navigating with purpose and fluidity,” said Boston Dynamics.
In addition, the company said it expects to put Atlas in commercial trials with parent company Hyundai Motor and select partners in 2025.
“We’re beginning in their factory,” Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, told The Robot Report. “In addition to the target application of a lot of parts movement — a special kind of logistics in automotive production — I think that will evolve as the dexterity of the robots improves over time.”
Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, will present a keynote about redesigning Atlas and the future of humanoid robots at the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Boston Dynamics U.S. bostondynamics.com 1992 500+ Technology
AI-powered robots help food manufacturers increase production
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Chef Robotics U.S. chefrobotics.ai 2019 11-50 Application
Chef Robotics Inc. is applying advanced automation to food production. The San Francisco company’s innovation centers on AI-driven robotic systems capable of autonomously scooping and portioning food, adapting to the variability of presented ingredients.
Unlike traditional robotic systems, Chef Robotics can adaptively scoop diverse ingredients, including rice, potatoes, or vegetables, ensuring accurate and consistent portions every time. It uses reinforcement learning with advanced machine vision and sensors to adapt, ensuring consistent portioning, regardless of how food is distributed in source trays.
The company’s integrated perception technologies enable the robot to precisely assess the food's distribution and volume. This real-time analysis gives it the ability to extract the maximum amount of food from each source pan.
Furthermore, Chef Robotics’ modular gripper system allows for quick recipe changeovers. Operators simply select the meal configuration, and the system dictates the appropriate gripper, which is then verified upon installation. This streamlined process minimizes downtime and maximizes efficiency.
Crucially, Chef Robotics employs a continuous learning approach, using
every production scoop as training data. This iterative process refines the system's accuracy and capabilities over time. Leading food-kit and delivery services have rapidly adopted Chef Robotics’ innovation, with over 1 billion meals produced since its inception. RR
Husky A300 offers rugged, customizable mobile platform
As field robotics applications proliferate, mobile robotics is experiencing significant advancement. Clearpath Robotics Inc. has established itself as a foundational force in this sector, delivering rugged, versatile platforms for both academic research and practical solution development.
The Rockwell Automation unit released its Husky A300 mobile robotic platform in 2024. This latest iteration has evolved from its 2010 origins as a rugged, open-source system for academic research, progressing through the A200 to reach its current state.
Faster, stronger, and smarter than its predecessors, the Husky A300 boasts key performance upgrades and out-of-the-box autonomous navigation capabilities. With a top speed of 2 m/s (4.4 mph), a 100 kg (220.4 lb.) payload capacity, and up to 12 hours of runtime with a LiFePO4 battery, it excels in demanding environments and extended deployments.
The robot also includes double the number of motors inside its base. These enhancements are designed to empower developers across industries ranging from mining and agriculture to humanitarian de-mining and renewable energy.
The Husky A300 isn't solely about raw performance; it's about facilitating life-changing research and advancing industrial functions that can benefit the world. By consistently improving the Husky platform, Clearpath Robotics not only supports innovation within robotics, but it also delivers lasting value to its customers and partners.
The Kitchener, Ontario-based company said the Husky A300 represents the next step in its mission to advance autonomous systems and provide powerful tools for a more connected and brighter future. RR
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation Canada clearpathrobotics.com 2009 51-100 Technology
AI-powered robots help food manufacturers increase production
Cognibotics AB's HKM1800 introduces a novel approach to material handling automation with a kinematic design to enhance warehouse productivity. This system's long reach, speed, and range capabilities are designed to overcome the complexities in modern logistics.
Suitable for rapid pick-and-place operations, this robot is engineered to efficiently handle and sort smaller packages and bags at high speeds.
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Cognibotics Sweden cognibotics.com 2013 11-50 Technology
A key innovation lies in its extended reach and high-speed motion performance, enabling automated picking across larger workspaces and multiple positions. Lund, Sweden-based Cognibotics used lightweight materials and a low-inertia design, strategically putting 80% of the manipulator's weight in its stationary base. This results in rapid acceleration and minimal energy consumption, thereby achieving cycle times exceeding 2000 picks per hour.
Moreover, the patented robot arm provides a cylindrical workspace, which the company noted improves over traditional spherical designs, facilitating seamless integration with adjacent equipment. This robot looks like the offspring of a SCARA robot and Delta picking robot.
Finally, the integrated real-time active damping and motion feedback from the robot wrist's 3D accelerometer ensure precise, controlled movements. They effectively compensate for payload variations and deviations, eliminating vibrations and position errors.
In summary, the Cognibotics HKM1800's innovative kinematic architecture and sophisticated control mechanisms mark a significant leap forward in warehouse automation, achieving new levels of efficiency and performance. RR
Proxie mobile manipulator simplifies material handling
Collaborative Robotics Inc.'s Proxie is a mobile manipulator distinguished by its fusion of engineering, AI, and user-centered design. It has earned an RBR50 award for its precise solutions to real-world challenges and its adaptability for applications across sectors.
The drive base of Proxie features “swerve drive”, a kinematic solution for holonomic motion that (until now) is rarely used for autonomous mobile robots (AMR). Swerve drive is a more complex drive train than mecanum wheels, but it provides fluid, vibration-free motion for the AMR base. Proxie is able to maneuver into
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Collaborative Robotics (Cobot) U.S. co.bot 2022 51-100 Technology
and out of tight gaps to position itself to capture and move carts around the facility.
Following extensive beta testing with select customers, Collaborative Robotics launched Proxie in late 2024, emerging from years of secretive development.
CEO Brad Porter started with a blank sheet of paper for Proxie’s design after more than a decade leading the robotics engineering team at Amazon Robotics. He co-founded the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company in 2022.
The leadership team at Collaborative Robotics has experience in large-scale robot deployment and innovative business
approaches. However, customer feedback highlights Proxie's impact to warehouse, logistics, and healthcare organizations.
The initial market for Proxie is moving carts, but the company is already testing the use of articulated arms onboard the mobile base. With a mobile manipulator, Proxie will able to handle applications such as eaches picking, kitting, and sorting. The company plans to continue adding features to the robot as customer applications demand. RR
DriveMod enables autonomous navigation indoors and outdoors
Forklifts must be able to navigate complex environments, and Cyngn Inc. has developed the DriveMod system to provide autonomy to industrial vehicles. Last year, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company also completed its first paid deployment at a customer facility.
DriveMod can be added to existing tuggers and forklifts via a retrofit kit, or it can be incorporated into new ones on the production line. It has safety features such as 360° high-definition perception and Cyngn’s Virtual Bumper technology.
“The DriveMod Forklift represents the holy grail of automation,” stated Ben Landen, vice president of business development at Cyngn. “This is one of the few machines that can autonomously accomplish entire material moving flows, from A to Z, without requiring human intervention.”
The self-driving forklift uses artificial intelligence and proprietary computer vision to analyze stack and pocket dimensions in real time. This enables it to precisely handle loads over 10,000 lb. (4,545 kg) and elevate productivity, Cyngn said.
As of September 2024, the DriveMod Forklift can also operate both indoors and outdoors.
“One of the biggest pain points businesses face is the wasted time and resources involved in transporting materials between buildings,” said Sean Stetson, vice president of engineering at Cyngn. “This time-consuming task ties up equipment and pulls workers
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Cyngn U.S. cyngn.com 2013 101-500 Technology
away from where they’re most needed, resulting in expensive lost productivity. By automating these tasks, companies can eliminate these inefficiencies, shifting workers to other responsibilities.”
DriveMod is part of Cyngn’s Enterprise Autonomy Suite, which includes the Cyngn Insight tool that customers can use for vehicle monitoring, teleoperation, mission planning, and analytics. The suite also includes the Cyngn Evolve toolkit, which enables the company to use data from the field for AI, simulation, and modeling.
In 2023, Arauco, a building materials manufacturer, pre-ordered 100 DriveMod Forklfits. In October 2024, Cyngn said a customer has deployed DriveMod at a large facility, and it plans to integrate more units this year, marking a milestone in the system’s commercialization. The company is targeting autonomous applications in logistics, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and defense. RR
In 2024, Endiatx introduced its groundbreaking PillBot, a micro-robotic capsule poised to transform gastrointestinal (GI) diagnostics and treatment. This vitamin-sized robot offers a non-invasive, cost-effective alternative to traditional endoscopies, addressing the significant burden of unnecessary invasive procedures.
PillBot transmits live video as it navigates a waterfilled stomach, allowing remote physician control via a game controller. This technology eliminates the need for sedation and hospital visits, significantly reducing patient discomfort and healthcare costs.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Endiatx U.S. endiatx.com 2019 11-50 Technology
Clinical trials have demonstrated PillBot’s efficacy and safety, paving the way for anticipated FDA clearance in 2025 and a US commercial launch in early 2026. The Hayward, Calif.-based company is planning for global expansion.
The only current competitors to PillBot are magnetically controlled remote cameras that require the patient to remain still inside an MRI-like control machine during the examination. PillBot offers a more comfortable outpatient experience for the patient while delivering immediate feedback to the doctor.
The potential impact is profound, particularly in regions with limited access to GI care. Endiatx envisions integrating AI to enhance PillBot’s capabilities, enabling autonomous scanning, data analysis, and early disease detection, including stomach cancer. It said this approach promises to streamline diagnostics and improve patient outcomes.
Endiatx co-founder Torrey Smith dramatically demonstrated the PillBot live on stage during his keynote speech at RoboBusiness 2024. Audience members were able to witness Smith swallow the PillBot and then see live images from it projected on large screens.
Endiatx asserted that it is dedicated to patient-centric solutions. PillBot demonstrates the power of microrobotics and AI to revolutionize GI care and establish a new standard for non-invasive diagnostics. RR
Hadrian X bricklaying robot builds first homes in demo program
According to an analysis from Zillow, the U.S. is short 4.5 million homes. This has resulted in skyrocketing housing prices and an increase in unhoused populations. FBR Ltd., or Fastbrick Robotics, has designed, developed, built, and operated dynamically stabilized construction robots to close this gap.
In 2024, the Perth, Australia-based company completed the first five homes in a demonstration program with CRH Ventures using its Hadrian X system. This marked its first builds in the U.S., showing the system’s versatility and adaptability across various home styles and sizes.
The Hadrian X system is a mobile robotic blocklaying machine. It can work outdoors in uncontrolled environments to build block structures from a 3D CAD model. It can build the wall of a house on site in just a day.
The system does this using unique optimization software that converts wall sketches into block positions. At the same time, it minimizes handling and waste of block products to improve efficiency.
Hadrian X uses FBR’s Dynamic Stabilization Technology (DST) to precisely place blocks. DST corrects for dynamic interference and vibration in the boom and layhead in real time.
The system also includes the Fastbrick Wall System, a combination of Hadrian-optimized blocks and adhesive, together with a cladding material like acrylic render. Hadrian X uses modularly designed blocks with aligned cores, enabling easy installation of cabling and services through the cavities.
The system doesn’t just quickly build homes; it also creates safer working environments, said FBR. It also places blocks with greater accuracy, helps move toward zero-waste construction, and is less expensive than traditional building methods. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: FBR Australia fbr.com.au 1994 101-500 Application
ForceN Development Kit makes force-torque feedback more accessible
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: ForceN Canada forcen.tech 2015 11-50 Technology
As robots move into unstructured environments, they need better sensing for navigation, safety, and manipulation. However, the integration of force-torque feedback into robotic applications has been difficult. In 2024, ForceN Inc. introduced its first Development Kit ecosystem, which it said makes force-torque sensing more adaptable, cost-effective, and scalable.
Conventional force-torque sensors typically rely on strain gauge-based load cells, which are manually adhered and soldered onto the transducer body, then hand-balanced with resistors. The sensor is calibrated to compensate for manual errors, according to the Toronto-based company.
For example, a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) system requires the assembly of 16 strain gauges, soldering of 32
wires, and balancing of four bridges. The accuracy and durability of the sensor, as well as edge computing for fault detection or grip detection, are all left to the customer, ForceN noted.
The Development Kit consists of multi-axis force-torque sensors, software, algorithms, and application programming interfaces (APIs). ForceN said its 1, 3, and 6 DoF systems are ready for integration and testing, allowing users to build with a simple core technology stack.
The Toronto-based company said it initially designed the modular technology for the medical robotics industry, where accuracy, reliability, robustness, compactness, and extended operating ranges are paramount.
The kit includes the ForceFilm transducer array, which can be wrapped and laminated around any structure,
eliminating the need for individual wires or additional soldering. ForceN’s DedicatedOverload unibody geometry is cut directly into the sensing structure for high-loading, unstructured applications.
In addition, the Development Kit includes the Synap digital signal processing and sensor engine for on-board calibration and cross-talk compensation. All this technology is packed into a unit smaller than a standard U.S. quarter.
Unlike conventional catalog-based force-torque options, ForceN said its fully integrated sensors are “made to measure” and eliminate the need for additional processing electronics, calibration cabling, or connectors. Its tech stack can help meet intensifying demand for enhanced, cost-effective hardware, actuators, multi-modal data, and sensors. RR
Unilever adopts Geek+ SkyCube to boost throughput at its largest facility
As retailers and grocers race to meet consumer expectations of rapid delivery, even established brands are turning to automation for help. London-based Unilever PLC wanted to expand its reach to 14 global markets. The company used autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Geekplus Technology Co. to turn its warehouse in Hefei, China, into its largest production facility in the world.
Unilever’s brands include household names in personal care, food and beverage, and ice cream. During peak sales periods, traditional manual picking operations were insufficient to meet the surge in demand for popular products.
Geek+, which has offices in Beijing and San Diego, has shipped more than 46,000 AMRs to about 770 customers worldwide. It worked with Unilever to deploy multiple systems in the 100,000+ sq. ft. Hefei warehouse.
The implementation included Geek+’s SkyCube automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), which was previously named Sky Storage Ground Pick and can store full pallets and cartons. The company integrated 24 X-series robots, 39 P800 robots, and nine lifting devices with its software to connect film-wrapping, inspection, and warehousing processes.
Within this setup, the SkyCube created five layers with more than 9,500 storage locations for ultra-high-density storage. It achieved a business-to-business (B2B) outbound efficiency of 100 pallets per hour and a business-to-consumer (B2C) outbound efficiency of 28 pallets per hour.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Geek+ U.S. geekplus.com/en 2015 101-500 Application
Geek+ added that its RoboShuttle handles small to midsize goods for B2C operations. It creates over 16,000 tote storage locations, facilitating high-density storage for broken-case goods. With 11 RS robots and 39 P40 robots, Unilever’s RoboShuttles have achieved a B2C outbound efficiency of 1,067 orders per hour.
Unilever and Geek+ reported that the AMRs also improved employee safety, reduced physical strain, and cut labor costs by 65%. This combination of the SkyCube pallet-to-person ASRS and the RoboShuttle tote-to-person AMRs in the same warehouse was the first of
its kind and offers flexible support for omnichannel operations, they said.
The smart system used algorithms to automatically organize inventory based on product popularity. This enhanced outbound efficiency to 100 pallets per hour, followed “first-in, first-out” principles, and optimized inventory structure.
In addition, the flexible configuration of the entire system helped Unilever manage peak and off-peak seasons. The company was able to process 20,000 parcels daily around China’s 11/11 festival. RR
Since 2020, GrayMatter Robotics has provided robotic systems that use artificial intelligence to sand objects of a variety of sizes and shapes. Last year, it applied its Scan&Sand technology to a new application: producing emergency vehicles.
Life Line Emergency Vehicles, a Sumner, Iowa-based manufacturer of ambulances, deployed GrayMatter’s technology to fill gaps in its production process.
The process of building an ambulance is very labor-intensive, and each of Life Line’s vehicles is one of a kind and built according to the customer’s needs and specifications.
Sanding is a particularly difficult part of the vehicle construction process. It involves going up and down ladders, dragging hoses around, and hauling heavy equipment. It’s also timeconsuming and pulls Life Line’s employees away from work that is better suited for humans.
Scan&Sand iscans an object and sands it with the push of a button. GrayMatter created the system for high-mix manufacturing, where there is great variety in the shape and size of pieces that need to be sanded. The system can handle complex geometries and sand for shape correction.
Life Line said that GrayMatter’s technology filled essential gaps in its production. The vehicle maker noted that this autonomous technology wouldn’t be replacing any workers, as there simply weren’t enough people to get everything done without the robots.
In addition to filling these gaps, GrayMatter also made production faster for Life Line. Its employees said it was able to shave 45 minutes off of sanding a single raw truck. For a primer truck, GrayMatter was able to knock 30 minutes to an hour off of the sanding time. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: GrayMatter Robotics U.S. graymatter-robotics.com 2020 50-100 Application
Inchworm-style robots offer a unique approach to mobility
HEBI Robotics has earned a 2025 RBR50 award for its pioneering inchworm robot family, a shift in mobile manipulation designed to conquer previously inaccessible and hazardous environments. This technology transcends the limitations of conventional robots, enabling navigation and operation in complex, obstacle-ridden workspaces.
The core innovation lies in HEBI’s inchworm design, featuring a segmented robotic arm with adaptable suction or magnetic feet that can traverse varied surfaces. The platform’s modularity empowers the integration of tool changers within the feet, facilitating versatile manipulation and complex task execution, said the Pittsburgh company.
The company’s robotics development platform allows for swift customization and deployment of inchworm robots tailored to specific operational needs. Kinematic designs and control code can be seamlessly transferred across HEBI X actuator sizes and configurations, ensuring optimal performance across diverse applications.
Furthermore, HEBI’s inchworm robots offer flexible tool and sensor integration. From centralized arm configurations to integrated footbased tools and sensors, the platform allows for tailored solutions to address specific operational requirements. This adaptability enables the robots to perform intricate tasks, including inspections, maintenance, and manipulation, in environments previously deemed unreachable.
HEBI Robotics’ inchworm technology represents a significant leap forward in robotic mobility, unlocking automation potential in challenging industrial, research, and even space applications, as demonstrated by its collaboration with NASA. This innovation empowers users to create robust, customized systems transforming how robots interact with complex environments. RR
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: HEBI Robotics U.S. hebirobotics.com 2014 11-50 Technology
Stretch 3 brings assistive robots into the home
Hello Robot is the inaugural winner of the 2025 RBR50 "Robots for Good" award for its Stretch 3 platform. The Martinez, Calif.-based company has committed to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities and their care partners.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Hello Robot U.S. hello-robot.com 2017 11-50 Robots for Good
At the heart of Stretch 3’s story are users like Henry Evans, a non-speaking adult with quadriplegia, and his wife and dedicated care partner, Jane. With support from a Hello Robot roboticist and occupational therapist, they have used Stretch in their home, transforming their daily lives in ways they never thought possible.
Henry, who is mostly dependent on Jane, now found himself able to contribute to household chores. "It felt great to help my wife in a meaningful way,” he said. “It made me feel useful again."
Beyond the Evans’ household, Stretch has been used in a wide variety of assistive applications, including an NIH-funded study exploring how robots can help older adults with early-stage dementia age in place by providing social participation, cognitive assistance, and health/safety management.
Recently, Hello Robot announced a new partnership and investment from the ALS Association to target research into the specific needs of this population.
Hello Robot is firmly committed to an opensource development strategy for its platform. The system’s relatively low cost makes it an affordable test bed for university research. It is enabling robotic students and researchers around the world to push the boundaries of AI control for robotics. The “network effect” of open source helps to accelerate the pace of innovation, the company said.
Research with Stretch today is helping to realize a more inclusive society that uses robots to help people engage with others and their surroundings. This is why, Hello Robot is the clear recipient of the "Robots for Good" award. RR
Caplex system improves prosthetic fitting with real-time emulation
Fitting prosthetic feet for patients with lower limb amputations is no easy task. Clinicians must navigate hundreds of foot models with nothing more than their own intuition and experimental knowledge. If they get the fit wrong, the impact on the patient can be profound. Individuals with prosthetic feet walk 65% slower than their peers and abandon their devices at a rate of 25%. In addition, revisions are costly and time-intensive, noted Human Motion Technologies LLC. This lack of precision in fitting not only impacts mobility and quality of life but also leads to long-term health issues, such as increased risks of falls, chronic pain, and reduced activity levels.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Humotech U.S. humotech.com 2015 1-10 Technology
Humotech is using robotics to standardize this practice. Its Caplex system enables patients to try different prosthetic feet before purchasing and fitting. While walking with a “prosthetic foot emulator system,” the patient can experience the mechanics of various foot options in real time, providing feedback to quickly identify the best option.
The Pittsburgh-based company uses robotics to provide realistic, real-world mechanical emulations of different foot options. By rapidly switching programming, patients can experience various feet in quick succession, orders of magnitude faster, and more economically than traditional methods, it said.
Invented at Carnegie Mellon University, the Caplex technology is exclusively licensed and protected by five issued patents, with more pending. By addressing the lack of standardized, data-driven methods, Caplex ensures that the right prosthetic foot is selected the first time. This reduces costs, minimizes revisions, and improves outcomes for patients, providers, and payers alike, said Humotech. RR
The iSort 3015/4020 Laser Automation & Material Handling System automates the loading, unloading, and part sorting processes for modern laser cutting machines. The Isochronic AG system addresses the critical need for enhanced efficiency and precision in contemporary manufacturing environments.
Key innovations in the iSort 3015/4020 include its payload capacity of 140 kg (308.6 lb.) per pick head, enabling seamless handling of large, heavy materials used in 3 and 4 m (9.8 and 13.1 ft.) fiber laser cutting. The system’s intuitive human-machine interface (HMI) simplifies complex programming, democratizing advanced automation for operators, said Isochronic.
While gantry systems are not new, the iSort is a novel kinematic that enables the gantry axis to operate faster by moving out of a classic fixed right-angle orientation.
The iSort’s “smart” interchangeable robot gripping head can handle a wide range of part shapes, significantly expanding its applicability across various manufacturing sectors. Flexible sorting and stacking options optimize logistics, minimizing downtime and maximizing throughput, according to Isochronic.
The Denges, Switzerland-based company has engineered iSort for industrial robustness and reliability, enabling consistent performance in demanding production environments.
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Number of Employees: Award Category: Isochronic Switzerland isochronic.com 2020 11-50 Technology
Its modular design, with variable base axes, transfer beams, and pick heads, allows for tailored configurations, seamlessly integrating with existing laser cutters and material handling systems.
The iSort 3015/4020 represents a significant advancement in laser cutting
automation, delivering efficiency, precision, and adaptability. Isochronic added that its innovation can streamline production workflows, reduce operational costs, and empower manufacturers to attain new levels of productivity. RR
Researchers use imitation learning to train surgical robots
Robots are already making some surgical procedures faster and more uniform while improving patient outcomes. However, they haven’t reached their full potential, which is performing fully autonomous surgeries.
Currently, surgical robots must be programmed with each individual move required during a medical procedure. This is a timely process that could still leave the robot unprepared for unplanned circumstances.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University are hoping to change this. The team used imitation learning to train Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci robot to perform three fundamental tasks: manipulating a needle, lifting body tissue, and suturing. In each case, the robot trained on the team’s model performed the same surgical procedures as skillfully as human doctors.
The team’s model combines imitation learning with the same machine learning architecture that underpins ChatGPT. However, instead of working with words and text like ChatGPT does, this model works with kinematics.
The researchers fed their model hundreds of videos recorded from wrist cameras placed on the arms of da Vinci robots during surgical procedures. These videos, recorded by surgeons all over the world, are used for postoperative analysis and then archived.
Nearly 7,000 da Vinci robots are used worldwide, and more than
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Johns Hopkins University U.S. jhu.edu 1876 500+ Technology
50,000 surgeons are trained on the system, creating a large archive of data for robots to “imitate.”
The researchers said the key was training the model to perform relative movements rather than absolute actions, which are inaccurate.
The model could be used to quickly train surgical robots to perform any type of surgical procedure, the researchers said. The team is now using imitation learning to train a robot to perform not just small surgical tasks but a full operation. RR
Robots assist with larvae breeding on Danish insect farm
The Enorm Biofactory in Denmark is Scandinavia’s largest commercial insect farm. It is combining robotics and larvae farming to create a sustainable protein source. Using black soldier fly larvae and KUKA AG’s Hygienic Oil robots, the facility efficiently converts food waste into high-quality animal feed.
With the world’s population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, protein demand is rising. Black soldier fly larvae grow at an astounding rate: 25 kilos of eggs become 100 tons of larvae in just 12 days.
The fully automated facility had two challenges: extreme heat from larvae metabolism and handling heavy crates at high speed. Sealing System Group partnered with KUKA to integrate six KR Quantec PA HO robots to automate the process.
“Not even the fittest worker could lift these containers,” said Sealing System Group CTO Rolf Tange.
The robots work 20 hours a day, processing 500 crates per hour. The entire operation runs autonomously and requires just two employees to oversee the system, said Augsburg, Germanybased KUKA. The company’s Hygienic Oil robots, designed for food safety, use H1 lubricants that are harmless if they contact food.
"The larvae of the fly can feed on almost all organic matter," said Jane Lind Sam, chief operating officer of Enorm. “That's why we can feed them with waste products from the Danish food industry that would otherwise be disposed of elsewhere -- and turn them into high-quality feed protein for livestock farming.”
Insect production is a prime example of a sustainable circular economy with minimal impact on the environment and climate. With automation and a circular production model, the Enorm Biofactory is demonstrating how robotics and nature can work together for a greener future. RR
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: KUKA Germany kuka.com 1898 500+ Application
Dual-robot surgery successfully removes a human prostate
While surgical robotic procedures are becoming increasingly commonplace, they’re still often relegated to simple procedures. Levita Magnetics, with the help of Intuitive Surgical, is tackling more complicated procedures by having two robots work in tandem.
The procedure, a prostate-removal surgery, used Levita’s MARS (magneticassisted robotic surgery) platform to maneuver internal organs. Dr. Jeffrey Cadeddu at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center combined the proprietary magnetic positioning system with Intuitive Surgical‘s Da Vinci SP (single-port) robot.
During the prostate-removal procedure, the surgical team used the MARS platform to retract tissue within the patient precisely. This increases visualization, allowing the team to preserve nerves.
The neurovascular bundles responsible for erectile function and urinary continence are next to the prostate gland. Historically, surgeons have struggled to avoid these bundles during prostate removal.
The Da Vinci SP provided the capabilities required for this complex urological surgery. The Intuitive Surgical robot makes an incision so that surgeons can get inside the patient and perform a procedure. The MARS system allows the surgeons greater access and visualization once they’re inside the body, removing the limits that come with single-port surgery.
The MARS system is typically used for common procedures that are
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Levita Magnetics U.S. levita.com 2011 11-50 Application
performed everyday in high numbers, such as gallbladder, bariatric, and colorectal procedures. With this dualrobot approach, the company has demonstrated that MARS can be a tool for more complex procedures and improve outcomes for patients.
MARS isn’t just less invasive than other surgical methods; it’s also less expensive than the typical surgical robot, noted Mountain View, Calif.based Levita Magnetics. This means it’s more accessible on a global scale. RR
Skechers enhances warehouse efficiency with AirRob system
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Libiao Robotics China libiaorobot.com 2016 101-500 Application
Skechers deployed Libiao Robotics’
AirRob system at its Taicang Distribution Center, addressing key logistical challenges while significantly boosting efficiency. The facility, which supplies 400 retail stores and e-commerce customers across China, required automation that could handle high throughput despite structural limitations such as a low clearance height of 12 ft., 2 in. (3.7 m) and limited floor-load capacity.
AirRob’s lightweight design allowed Skechers to automate operations without costly renovations. Libiao’s system requires no special ground
treatment and integrates with existing racks. Its narrow aisle setup of just 850 mm (33.4 in.) wide maximizes floor space, increasing shelf quantity and storage capacity by over 30%.
By implementing AirRob, Skechers doubled inventory capacity while reducing labor costs by two-thirds. The automated system minimized manual handling and temporary storage space, leading to a 50% savings in storage space and an overall improvement in operational efficiency.
AirRob consists of racking with steel rails, transport totes, a picking robot that
moves vertically and horizontally, a floorbased carrier robot, and a workstation for order fulfillment. The system processes up to 20,000 totes per hour, keeping pace with Skechers’ fast-moving supply chain.
AirRob has been a game-changer for Skechers, proving that advanced automation can be implemented in existing warehouses with minimal structural modifications, said Hangzhou, China-based Libiao. The deployment highlights how robotics is transforming logistics, allowing businesses to scale operations while reducing costs and improving efficiency. RR
TRON 1 multi-modal biped offers a unique R&D platform
LimX Dynamics’ TRON 1 is a multi-modal biped robot designed as an advanced research and development platform. Its 3-in-1 modular design enables multi-modal algorithm development, Python support, and Sim2Real deployment to accelerate reinforcement learning research.
TRON 1 features three interchangeable limb configurations: feet for humanoid walking, wheels for speed on flat surfaces, and tips for balance control. Its modular design and automatic hardware detection allow transitions between locomotion modes.
LimX Dynamics has also developed extension connectors for accessories like radars, robotic arms, and cameras that make TRON 1 adaptable to diverse academic needs. It supports Python, features an open SDK, and integrates with simulation platforms like NVIDIA Isaac, Mujoco, and Gazebo.
In addition, TRON 1 supports algorithm validation, industrial applications, and engineering education. Its high-precision hardware enables access to key joint control algorithms, optimizing performance on complex tasks.
TRON 1 is a versatile platform for robotics advancement, said Shenzhen, China-based LimX Dynamics. Its robust, modular design facilitates various research efforts, from locomotion studies to complex manipulation tasks. Researchers can integrate custom sensors and actuators, enabling exploration of novel control algorithms and AI-driven behaviors.
TRON 1 is available for purchase starting at $15,000, making advanced robotics technology accessible to a wider audience of researchers, universities, and technology development centers. RR
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: LimX Dynamics China limxdynamics.com/en 2022 11-100 Technology
Locus Robotics logs 4B robot-assisted picks
While many autonomous mobile robot (AMR) providers have struggled with the post-pandemic dip in e-commerce, Locus Robotics Corp. has been a noteworthy exception. The Wilmington, Mass.-based company tracked its 4 billionth person-togoods pick in October 2024.
“We’re seeing 80 to 120 picks per second,” said CEO Rick Faulk during the grand opening of the company’s Locus Park headquarters. “It took us seven years to get to 1 billion picks, and 11 months to get to 2 billion.”
This milestone was only six months after its 3 billion-pick mark last April, and less than a year after the 2 billion picks that earned Locus a 2024 RBR50 award.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Locus Robotics U.S. locusrobotics.com 2016 101-500 Business
Locus said its Locus Origin and Vector robots collaborate with human workers to double or even triple piece handling, case-handling, and pallet-moving productivity. The company added that its AMRs and LocusOne orchestration software can easily integrate into new and existing warehouse infrastructures without disrupting workflows.
In addition, the AMRs remove the need for warehouse associates to push heavy carts or walk many miles every day, said Locus. The user interface can be customized for each worker’s preferred language and provides eachpicking guidance to reduce errors.
“Reaching 4 billion picks in such a compressed timeframe isn’t just a
milestone for Locus Robotics — it’s a clear indicator of how rapidly warehouse automation is becoming essential to modern supply chain operations,” stated Reuben Scriven, a research manager at Interact Analysis.
“What’s particularly noteworthy is how this achievement reflects the evolution of human-robot collaboration in warehouses, where technology enhances rather than replaces human capabilities,” he noted.
Locus Robotics has continued to deploy its systems through roboticsas-a-service (RaaS) model worldwide. Faulk told The Robot Report that the company is on track to surpass 5 billion picks around the time of the Robotics Summit & Expo in early May 2025. RR
Waterproof Honey Badger quadruped navigates land and water
MAB Robotics Sp. last year deployed the latest generation of its quadruped, the Honey Badger 4.0. This waterproof and rugged robot is engineered for operation in extreme environments such as sewer pipes. It has demonstrated mobility and ability across rough terrain, validated through rigorous real-world testing. Honey Badger 4.0 is also capable of operating completely underwater, as the company demonstrated in a popular YouTube video.
Notably, MAB Robotics has achieved a breakthrough in on-robot learning, as detailed in its publication "Gait in Eight: Efficient On-Robot Learning for Omnidirectional Quadruped Locomotion." This novel approach employs an offpolicy reinforcement learning algorithm,
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: MAB Robotics Poland mabrobotics.pl 2016 11-50 Technology
enabling rapid training of omnidirectional locomotion policies directly on the robot.
The Poznań, Poland-based company said Honey Badger can significantly improve sample efficiency and reduce computational overhead. This advancement in embodimentaware policies marks a major leap in autonomous robotics, facilitating faster adaptation and enhanced performance in dynamic settings.
Furthermore, MAB Robotics is pioneering the use of these robots for navigating and inspecting challenging underground environments, including dark, confined, and unstructured terrains, demonstrated by its 2024 deployment in a city’s rainwater sewer system.
The company successfully worked with municipal authorities and local water and sewage companies, highlighting the practical application and potential impact of its technology on infrastructure inspection and maintenance, with further applications in flooded environments.
The Honey Badger 4.0, coupled with its innovative on-robot learning capabilities and focus on real-world applications in challenging environments, promises to conduct safer and more efficient inspection operations in dangerous and difficult-to-reach locations. RR
MassRobotics member startups raise over $1B
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In a world where many startups struggle, MassRobotics has provided critical support to young businesses that are shaping the future of robotics and artificial intelligence. The Bostonbased organization announced in August 2024 that its resident and member startups have raised more than $1 billion since its founding in 2017.
“More than 290 investors have backed about 82 resident startups,” Tom Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, told The Robot Report. “We’re proud of all the companies, whether they’ve raised $2 million or $100 million.”
“Many of them have moved on from our co-working space and continue to grow,” he added. “It’s not about being at MassRobotics; these companies add value to the entire ecosystem.”
MassRobotics offers resources ranging from flexible workspace and prototyping laboratories to strategic programming and connections. Its stated goal is to foster innovation and collaboration between entrepreneurs, academics, investors, and industry partners.
The startups in Massachusetts’ robotics ecosystem and beyond support a range of industries, including manufacturing, defense, and logistics, noted MassRobotics. They have developed technologies to address labor shortages and operational inefficiencies.
“MassRobotics has become more than just a hub; it has become an integral part of the global robotics innovation ecosystem,” said the organization.
Examples include Marlborough, Mass.-based American Robotics, which built commercial drones and was acquired by Ondas Holdings for $70.6 million in 2021. Activ Surgical Inc. has raised a total of more than $100 million, and Shanghai-based XYZ Robotics has raised over $103 million.
In May 2024, member startup Realtime Robotics raised Series B funding led by Mitsubishi Electric Corp., bringing its total to $71.5 million.
“It was apparent to us in 2017 that Silicon Valley was busy with autonomous vehicles, and competition for new graduates or moderately experienced people was vicious,” Peter Howard, CEO of Realtime, told The Robot Report.
“Pittsburgh didn’t have the infrastructure or scope of roboticists that Boston had. Here, there was already a thriving community, thanks to Amazon Robotics, iRobot, and good universities.” RR
maxon provides robot joints for high efficiency, precision
Robotics developers should not have to worry about the complexity of actuators, asserted maxon group. The company last April launched a new portfolio of 15 drive systems to provide high performance and reliability.
Robust hardware and scalable manufacturing are key requirements for robots, particularly systems such as quadrupeds or humanoid robots operating in unstructured environments, said maxon. It said it is “uniquely suited” to provide a low-cost, fully integrated, and highly compliant product family.
The High Efficiency Joint line incorporates everything that is needed for a self-contained robotic joint -- electronics, motor, gear, encoders, cross-roller bearings, sealings, and structural support, said maxon. It is also IP67-rated against dust and water and can be impedance-controlled.
“As far as we know, we're the first -- and currently only -- provider of such fully integrated and advanced actuators,” the company claimed. “They are also innovative in the sense that they are highly robust against impacts and over torques, while still achieving a high torque density and high dynamics. Uniquely, they are also based on planetary gears.”
The High Precision Joints are more configurable systems based on strain-wave gearboxes and highresolution output encoders. This line is targeted more at systems integrators than developers, said maxon.
The Sachsein, Switzerland-based company said it has already seen strong demand for these actuators, especially in legged robots. It is offering the two product lines and planning a smaller version with the same unified sensing platforms (USPs).
“This enables robotics companies to quickly develop a highly performant robot, with reliable and well-engineered actuators as a key building block,” maxon said.
In addition, the company offers customization options as part of its support of supply chains, integration, and testing. The actuators can be used in locomotion, propulsion, mobile manipulation, or gripping, and maxon is working with customers on simulation models for reinforcement learning.
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Mbody AI enables robots to learn skills via natural language
For all of the attention on the latest artificial intelligence models, relatively few companies are applying them to robotics. Mbodi AI said it enables robots to learn and adapt to new tasks instantly through natural language commands.
“We’re augmenting the industrial robotics experience through cuttingedge generative AI that fulfils evolving customer needs,” said Sebastian Peralta, a former Google engineer and co-founder and CEO of Mbodi.
The New York-based company uses transformers and an agentic infrastructure to help robots learn tasks in minutes through written and spoken interaction plus demonstration.
Mbodi’s core innovation is MbodiOS, a modern, cloud-to-edge operating system for real-time agent orchestration. The system uses a hybrid architecture that combines generative AI with classical robotics techniques like path planning and object detection, enabling continuous real-time adaptation and learning.
Robots can execute actions in under 0.5 sec., allowing real-time modifications to robot behavior without requiring complex programming or expensive training, said Mbodi. Instead of relying on predetermined scripts or offline model updates, the company said it delivers continuous, “on-the-fly” adaptability.
“We believe an agentic architecture will enable one application in a domain,” said Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics, which recognized Mbodi
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Mbodi AI U.S. mbodi.ai 2024 1-10 Technology
a winner of its 2024 ABB Robotics AI Startup Challenge. “For example, rather than train a neural network in electronics assembly, we want to enable the manufacturer to tell a robot to bend wires and put them on a specific object.”
“It’s also important to have vision plus tactile sensing for end-to-end training of robot skills with imitation,” he said. “Rather than build a robot that can do all the things to clean a hotel room, we’re looking at an atomic approach.”
Mbodi said that it expects vision language action models (VLAs) to eventually help robots generalize when used with existing technologies such as machine vision and cloud computing. RR
Mytra automates and simplifies full pallet storage and retrieval
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Award Category: Mytra U.S. mytra.ai 2022 51-100 Startup of the Year
Mytra has earned the title of RBR50 Startup of the Year with its full-pallet automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), directly addressing the fundamental challenge of bulk material flow in warehouses and factories. By simplifying storage and staging of bulk inventory, which accounts for 40% to 80% of a warehouse's workload, Mytra is delivering value to major clients like Albertsons, significantly boosting the productivity of their warehouses.
Beyond mere efficiency, Mytra's automation enhances worker safety by reducing physical strain, enabling human workers to transition to more fulfilling supervisory roles and drastically reducing warehouse turnover. This
software-defined approach abstracts the hardware layer and sets a new standard for cost-effective automation, surpassing previous fixed-infrastructure attempts.
The company said its solution simplifies the ingestion of full pallets. With an integral Z-axis lift mechanism, the MytraBots can easily burrow into the storage array to move and retrieve full pallets weighing up to 1,360 kg (3,000 lb.).
The Mytra logistics software can also rearrange the storage array to transport pallets and queue them for retrieval in a trailer loading sequencing process. This means that the pallets don’t need to be handled by wheeled fork trucks for transport across the facility,
improving worker safety, reducing errors, and optimizing workflow.
Mytra's success demonstrates the power of AI-driven logistics, accelerating growth in the robotics sector. In addition, its technology promises broader societal benefits, including improved supply chain reliability, faster deliveries, and reduced shipping costs. These key performance indicators (KPIs) and the speed of Mytra’s growth are why it was selected as Robotics Startup of the Year.
The company recently moved into a new, larger headquarters facility in South San Francisco to begin manufacturing its second generation of MytraBots to fulfill its growing backlog of orders. RR
NASA says goodbye to Ingenuity, the first aircraft to fly on another planet
In January 2024, the Ingenuity helicopter, the first-ever aircraft to fly on another planet ended its nearly three-year journey. After completing a total of 72 flights, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration received images showing that one or more of its rotor blades had sustained damage during landing.
Ingenuity started its journey on Mars strapped to the belly of the Perseverance rover. Back in 2021, NASA said it hoped that the helicopter would perform at least five experimental test flights over 30 days.
During its almost 1,000 sols (Martian days or 24 hours, 39 minutes, 35 seconds), NASA continued to upgrade Ingenuity to handle new challenges on the red planet. For example, Ingenuity was upgraded with the ability to autonomously choose landing sites in treacherous terrain.
It also dealt with dead sensors, cleaned itself after dust storms, operated from 48 different airfields, and performed three emergency landings.
The helicopter was only designed to survive during spring. To keep it running through the coldest parts of winter, Ingenuity powered its heaters throughout the night. However, this caused the flight computer to periodically freeze and reset. These power “brownouts,” as NASA called them, pushed the team to redesign Ingenuity’s winter operations to keep it up and running.
In the end, the helicopter dozens of more flights than expected, flew for over 128 minutes, traveled 11 mi. (17.7 km), and reached an altitude of 79 ft. (24 m). Ingenuity’s impact will likely be felt in many future NASA missions. Already, the organization plans to send two more helicopters to aid in the Mars sample return campaign. RR
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: NASA U.S. nasa.gov 1958 500+ Technology
Manta Ray underwater vehicle passes first military test
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Northrop Grumman U.S. northropgrumman.com 1939 500+ Technology
Northrop Grumman's Manta Ray project represents a significant leap forward in uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) technology, earning recognition for its potential to redefine undersea operations. Building upon 50 years of undersea expertise, Manta Ray delivers a new class of long-duration, long-range, payload-capable UUVs designed for persistent operations in dynamic maritime environments.
Northrop Grumman developed Manta Ray to directly address critical needs identified by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The vehicle is designed to be autonomous, eliminating the need for on-site human logistics and enabling missions in previously inaccessible ocean environments. It includes energy-saving techniques, including the ability to
anchor to the seafloor and hibernate in a low-power state, as well as advanced buoyancy-driven gliding for efficient movement. The West Falls Church, Va.based company said this demonstrates its focus on novel energy management and potential undersea energy harvesting.
Manta Ray’s modular design facilitates shipment in five standard shipping containers and in-field assembly, enabling rapid expeditionary deployment worldwide. Multiple payload bays of varying sizes and types support a wide range of naval mission sets, enhancing operational flexibility. Northrop Grumman completed full-scale, in-water testing off the coast of Southern California in February and March 2024.
Manta Ray incorporates innovations in low-power, high-efficiency undersea propulsion systems and low-power
underwater detection and classification of hazards. It also includes mission management for extended durations in dynamic environments, using maritime data for efficient navigation and communication. The UUV has features mitigating biofouling, corrosion, and material degradation for long-duration missions.
The project aligns with DARPA's mission of creating strategic superiority through groundbreaking technology, and it is being transitioned to the U.S. Navy. Manta Ray's long-range capabilities have the potential to transform naval operations, scientific research, and commercial applications, solidifying Northrop Grumman's position as a leader in undersea innovation. RR
NVIDIA Isaac Lab accelerates robot training in simulation
Robots operating in dynamic, real-world settings must be able to learn new skills quickly and react to their environments. However, a gap between perception and action plus the challenge of transferring skills across contexts can limit robot adaptability, said NVIDIA Corp. To address those limitations, the company has developed NVIDIA Isaac Lab.
Physical AI models enable robots to conduct complex tasks such as dexterous manipulation or locomotion across rough terrain. These would be difficult to program without massive amounts of data and simulation, according to NVIDIA.
“We wanted to enable the industry and developers who wanted to go beyond pre-programmed robots to build specialized robot policies for advanced robotic embodiment,” said NVIDIA. “With Isaac Lab's modular approach, lightweight framework, and perception-in-the-loop capabilities, one can teach robot new skills and train robot policies at scale in simulation for multiple robot instances in one go using NVIDIA tools and technologies.”
Isaac Lab supports both imitation learning and reinforcement learning (RL) to make it easier for developers to efficiently train robots. They can add or update skills depending on changing business needs.
Developers can design, test, and train autonomous
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: NVIDIA U.S. nvidia.com 1993 500+ Technology
machines in a virtual environment with NVIDIA Isaac Sim, a reference application built on NVIDIA Omniverse. Isaac Lab is an open-source robot learning framework built on Isaac Sim to simplify common workflows. It was announced along with Project GR00T in March 2024 and is the successor to NVIDIA Isaac Gym.
The framework includes accurate physics simulation using PhysX, tiled application programming interfaces (APIs) for vectorized rendering, domain randomization, and support for running in the cloud. It also includes “batteries included” support for prebuilt environments such as factories and warehouses, as well as digital twins of different types of robots, including quadrupeds, drones, and humanoids.
Isaac Lab incorporates features from Orbit, an open-source framework jointly developed by NVIDIA, the AI
Institute, ETH Zurich, and the University of Toronto. It supports different physics engines and can scale frames per second with multiple graphics processing units (GPUs) training on Linux using the PyTorch distributed framework.
NVIDIA said Isaac Lab can achieve higher performance levels for running thousands of parallel scenario. The cloud-native OSMO orchestration platform coordinates data generation, model training, and software/ hardware-in-the-loop workflows across distributed environments.
Isaac Lab 1.0, released in July 2024, added modular capabilities such as a large language model (LLM)-toreward function reference example for RL and flexible task-design workflows.
In November, NVIDIA announced general availability of Version 1.2.
Users of Isaac Lab include Field AI, Mentee Robots, ORBIT-Surgical, and Skild AI. Humanoid robot developers using Isaac Lab include 1X Technologies, Agility Robotics, Berkeley Humanoid, Boston Dynamics, Fourier Intelligence, Galbot, Unitree Robotics, and XPENG Robotics.
The NVIDIA GR00T research team is also using NVIDIA Isaac Lab for robot foundation model training. The framework is an enabler for the next generation of humanoid robot capabilities. RR
Doctors perform first fully robotic double lung transplant
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Award Category: NYU Langone U.S. nyulangone.org 1841 500+ Application
Last year, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health performed a fully robotic double lung transplant using a da Vinci Xi robot from Intuitive Surgical. This breakthrough surgery represents a leap in the potential of robotic surgery.
Stephanie H. Chang, M.D., surgical director of the Lung Transplant Program at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, led the procedure. Her team transplanted both lungs into a 57-year-old woman, Cheryl Mehrkakr, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using the da Vinci Xi robotic system at each stage.
Just four days after Mehrkakr was added to the lung transplant list, she received the transplant.
Mehrkar, who inherited a genetic predisposition to lung disease, was diagnosed with COPD in 2010 at 43 years old. Her condition worsened after a bout with COVID-19 in 2022.
The team started the procedure by making small incisions between the ribs. They then used Intuitive Surgical’s robotic system to remove the lung, prepare the surgical site for implantation, and implant the new lung.
Dr. Chang was assisted by Travis C. Geraci, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Eugene A. Grossi, M.D., the Stephen B. Colvin, M.D., professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York University.
“This latest breakthrough in robotic surgery speaks to the culture of innovation we’ve built by bringing the most talented people in their fields together,” stated Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil.
“Our Transplant Institute team pushes the field forward to better serve our patients and deliver the lifesaving care they need with the best patient experience,” he said. Montgomery is also the H. Leon Pachter, MD, professor of surgery; chair of the Department of Surgery; and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. RR
European Space Agency tests Mind autonomy platform for future missions
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Opteran U.S. opteran.com 2020 11-50 Technology
Opteran delivers general-purpose autonomy through the application of natural intelligence, derived from reverseengineering insect and animal brains. In 2024, Opteran demonstrated the versatility and robustness of its Opteran Mind technology, notably with the Opteran Mind ROVA reference machine. This plug-and-play system allows mobile robot OEMs to use the simplicity and effectiveness of natural intelligence.
The London-based company said this showcases its ability to navigate complex, dynamic environments without the need for expensive hardware or rigid infrastructure.
Opteran has collaborated with Airbus Defence and Space, supported by the
European Space Agency and UK Space Agency. The partners are testing Opteran Mind in Airbus space rovers at the Mars Yard. This project demonstrates the technology's capacity for robust depth perception and navigation in the extreme conditions of off-world environments, a feat that traditional autonomy approaches like SLAM and AI struggle to achieve.
By delivering real-time visual navigation, perception, and mapping using ultra-low compute and simple 2D cameras, Opteran Mind enables Mars rovers to understand their surroundings in milliseconds, overcoming long-standing limitations in planetary exploration.
Opteran is also working beyond space exploration, as evidenced
by its partnership with SAFELOG. Integrating Opteran Mind into SAFELOG automated guided vehicles (AGVs) eliminates the need for lidar or magnetic tracks for localization. The AGVs instead rely on low-cost hardware for superior robustness and efficiency.
The company noted that its commercial traction underscores the potential of Opteran Mind in solving real-world challenges, particularly in dynamic warehouse environments where traditional autonomy systems falter.
Opteran Mind ROVA enables autonomous robots to address critical needs, from warehouse navigation to space exploration, paving the way for a future with general-purpose autonomy. RR
OTTO solves interoperability issues for automotive OEM
A top 10 automotive OEM needed a more efficient, cost-effective way to move fenders around its body-inwhite facility. Its existing automated guided vehicles (AGVs) were unable to navigate around dynamic material handling workflows, so it chose to add autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from OTTO by Rockwell Automation.
The truck and SUV manufacturer needed systems that could quickly drive long distances while independently managing interactions with other automation such as robotic cells and lineside conveyors. Traditionally, such interoperability relies on a master controller and a standardized protocol such as VDA 5050 for robot connectivity. However, this only provides a basic user interface (UI) and limited functionality across the mixed fleets of autonomous vehicles.
To address fragmented operations, the company needed a unified solution that could manage various types of mobile robots across multiple vendors. OTTO developed with Powerhouse with a central UI and middleware layer that connected the automation layers, from plant-floor programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to the in-house electronic-order system.
By integrating Powerhouse’s NEXIA middleware and Rockwell Automation’s supervisory platform, FactoryTalk Optix, OTTO said it provided traffic management and data visualization capabilities. The combination acts like
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: OTTO by Rockwell Automation Canada ottomotors.com 2009 101-500 Application
a traffic supervisor in the OEM’s facility, setting the “rules of the road” and managing robot traffic at intersections.
NEXIA coordinates job sequences and oversees change management to ensure that all systems operate harmoniously without disrupting production. OTTO added that FactoryTalk Optix provides a simple, consistent, and intuitive UI for oversight of the mixed vehicle fleet.
Rockwell Automation received a 2024 RBR50 award for its acquisition of Kitchener, Canada-based OTTO Motors.
In August 2024, OTTO deployed nine AMRs in just two days in the manufacturer’s mission-critical environment. The AMRs exchange material with multiple robot cells driving in the same space that nonOTTO AGV systems also use without any conflict or congestion, three shifts per day, six days per week.
The facility has seen major improvements in data management and productivity, and the manufacturer now plans to add 75 OTTO AMRs, 10 more robot cells, and another AGV provider by summer 2025. Moreover, the companies have already initiated projects
to deploy this unified system at several dozen other global facilities.
“When OTTO and Powerhouse first partnered with this manufacturer, our goal was not only to simplify complex material handling processes, but to revolutionize the way this facility—and others in the industry—operated,” said OTTO. “Before integration, data was dispersed across software systems and manual processes, making it difficult to gain an accurate view of operations and leading to coordination issues and inefficiencies.”
“Now, the plant has experienced a shift in operational efficiency, it said. “The manufacturer has access to a unified dashboard that consolidates data from various automation sources, enabling simplified coordination and code-free changes to logistics operations. This platform empowers the plant to expand operations and integrate new vendors quickly.” RR
Pickle Robot unloads more than
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Pickle Robot U.S. picklerobot.com 2018 51-100 Application
Pickle Robot Co. showed advancement in robotic container unloading technology, primarily through its demonstrated ability to handle unstructured piles of boxes from truck trailers.
Until the emergence of autonomous systems, container and truck unloading was a purely manual process. It is also a dull and dangerous job, as workers on the loading dock are exposed to the elements.
At MODEX 2024, Pickle Robot demonstrated its system’s ability to
pick freight from a random pile, a feat unmatched by any other robotic trailer/container unloading system at the time. This breakthrough extended Pickle's functionality beyond the typically structured environments of import containers to the inherently chaotic nature of floor-loaded freight. The innovation also effectively doubled the Cambridge, Mass.based company’s total addressable market and distinguished it from emerging competitors.
The Pickle robot’s enhanced speed, reliability, and versatility has led to accelerated adoption and the acquisition of new customers outside the traditional import freight segment. By automating the labor-intensive and error-prone process of unloading messy trailers, Pickle Robot's 2024 enhancements address critical logistics challenges, improving efficiency and reducing costs for an expanded customer base. RR
Project CETI uses robotics to track sperm whales
Vessel strikes are among the largest threats to whales today, with some researchers estimating that they kill or injure thousands of whales each year. However, keeping track of pods of whales, which can swim anywhere from 75 to 140 miles a day depending on the species, is no easy task.
Researchers at Project CETI, which stands for Cetacean Translation Initiative, are trying to make tracking sperm whales possible. At the same time, the team of people from around the world is gathering data that could help it begin to decode the whales’ vocalizing.
Two aspects of Project CETI’s recent work earned it 2025 RBR50 recognition. The first is the technology it used to create tags that would be able to gather information while humanely adhering to the whales. The second is the system of robots and AI models the team uses to place and retrieve these tags.
The CETI team doesn’t have any room for error when it comes to tagging these whales. The Dominica-based organization’s core philosophy is to never break the skin or draw blood. Instead, it uses bio-inspired suction cups modeled after other marine creatures to adhere to and release from the whale’s skin for eventual retrieval.
To retrieve these suction cups, the researchers use aerial drones with very high frequency (VHF) signal sensing capability that use signal phase along with the drone’s motion to emulate an “antenna array in the air” for estimating the direction of pings from CETI’s on-whale tags.
To better track the whales, the team developed the Autonomous Vehicles for Whale Tracking And Rendezvous by Remote Sensing, or AVATARS framework. AVATARS is the first co-development of VHF sensing and reinforcement learning decision-making for maximizing the rendezvous of robots and whales at sea. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Project CETI U.S. projectceti.org 2020 51-100 Application
Wheeled mobile manipulator uses teleoperation to multi-task
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Reflex Robotics U.S. reflexrobotics.com 2022 51-50 Technology
Reflex Robotics offers a compelling alternative to legged humanoids with its wheeled mobile manipulator. Reflex Robotics’ platform features a torso mounted onto a mobile base with two arms that move up and down. The robot offers a payload capacity of 50 lbs and is quite dexterous at picking items off shelves and boxes off the ground.
Its design enables it to navigate dynamic environments without the more challenging mechanical and software challenges that come with legged locomotion. This
potentially makes it a strong solution for materials handling tasks.
Reflex Robotics’ founding team previously shipped production hardware at Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Oculus, and ASML. At press time, the company had raised $7 million in funding led by Khosla Ventures, alongside the cofounders of Dropbox and Cruise.
The robot is currently teleoperated by humans, which allows it to handle complex and unpredictable tasks in real time. A key question moving forward is whether Reflex Robotics can develop the necessary AI
and decision-making capabilities to enable true autonomy. If successful, this shift would significantly expand its use cases, allowing it to function independently in warehouses, manufacturing floors, and other environments.
Early trials with GXO Logistics in its accelerator program have demonstrated the robot’s ability to assist in warehouse operations, particularly in material handling and repetitive tasks. These tests provide valuable real-world data and a pathway for Reflex Robotics to refine its system for larger-scale deployments. RR
Platform helps robotics developers streamline data analysis
Roboto launched its open-source signal search engine for robotics companies in November 2024. As an extension of the Roboto data platform, it enables users to search, transform, and analyze multimodal data, with native support for industry log formats like ROS and PX4.
This engine enhances time-series data analysis using advanced similarity search algorithms. Robotics developers can quickly detect patterns, such as hard landings in drone data or abnormal motor behavior, to identify issues that may affect a single robot or an entire fleet.
A key application is predictive maintenance, which allows development
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Award Category: Roboto AI U.S. roboto.ai 2022 1-10 Technology
teams to spot early signs of degradation like battery over-discharge or actuator wear before failures occur. For fleets scaling to hundreds or thousands of robots, this accelerates root-cause analysis, reducing downtime and safety risks.
Beyond debugging, the engine helps extract edge-case events and rare behaviors from massive datasets, improving the training and fine-tuning of robotics models for more reliable autonomy.
According to Roboto AI, only industry giants like Tesla, Waymo, and Amazon have historically had the resources to build such platforms. Smaller robotics
companies have relied on general storage tools that lack roboticsspecific capabilities. As fleets grow, they struggle to manage and extract insights from massive log volumes.
Roboto’s search engine levels the playing field, providing scalable, accessible tools to all robotics companies. As the industry tackles challenges like labor shortages and an aging population, Roboto ensures companies can scale safely and efficiently to help drive the future of robotics. RR
Carter Pro AMR takes human-robot interaction to the next level
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Robust AI U.S. robust.ai 2019 51-100 Technology
Robust.AI introduced its Carter Pro autonomous mobile robot (AMR) in October 2024 at RoboBusiness during cofounder Rodney Brooks’ opening keynote. The autonomous mobile robot takes human-robot interaction to the next level.
A key feature is Carter Pro’s sense of touch, which is powered by both active and passive force sensing. Workers can physically move the robot like any other object, adjusting its actions without complex programming.
To do so, a user can grab the robot’s force-sensitive handlebar to easily move the AMR with one hand. This ability to switch between full autonomy and
direct collaboration enhances usability, making Carter Pro a great solution for dynamic work environments.
Carter Pro also uses AI-driven action and data collection to create a continuous improvement engine. The robot’s physical AI processes real-world inputs to improve decision-making over time. By understanding its surroundings and adapting its navigation, Carter Pro can further improve workflows in warehouses, manufacturing, and logistics operations.
AMRs have existed for more than a decade, but collaboration often refers to simply avoiding collisions. The Carter Pro goes beyond this, offering a smarter, safer,
and more adaptable approach to robotics.
The launch of Carter Pro coincides with Robust AI’s ongoing collaboration with DHL Supply Chain across facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. Sally Miller, global CIO at DHL Supply Chain, said the ability of Carter Pro to adapt to dynamic environments is key to addressing the evolving demands of logistics.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Robust.AI and introduce Carter Pro, which brings new levels of efficiency and adaptability to our supply chain operations,” Miller said. RR
Voyager maintenance drones map unexplored areas of the Gulf of Maine
While the ocean covers nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface, 95% has gone unexplored, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The difficult conditions and inhospitable environments found in the unexplored ocean make mapping it a perfect job for robotics.
Saildrone Inc. is creating robots for just this task. Its Voyager uncrewed surface vehicles, or USVs, can costeffectively gather data for science, fisheries, weather forecasting, and more. The Alameda, Calif.-based company uses USVs to deliver observations and insights about activity above and below the ocean surface.
Voyager is powered by renewable wind and solar energy. It can continuously feed data in real time to drive more informed decision-making across maritime security, trade, and sustainability.
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Saildrone U.S. saildrone.com 2015 101-500 Application
Last year, Saildrone put the Voyager to the test, surveying 1,500 square nautical miles (5,144.8 sq. km) in a northcentral area of the Gulf of Maine. The marine robots mapped areas that had never been mapped in high resolution.
The Gulf of Maine, which is bordered by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, as well as the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, is home to a diverse array of economically important fisheries, including Atlantic cod, herring, lobster, and scallops. Additionally, it houses unique underwater habitats, including kelp forests, eelgrass beds, and deepsea coral. All of these may provide shelter and breeding grounds for many marine organisms.
Saildrone’s mission primarily focused on the Jordan and Georges Basins, at depths of up to 300 m (984.2 ft.). The data it collected in the Gulf will inform new speciesdistribution models, which were previously not possible due to the lack of high-resolution seafloor information. These new maps will also help update nautical charts and aid navigation, filling important gaps in bathymetric coverage. RR
DEX-EE hand helps Google DeepMind advance robotic manipulation
Shadow Robot’s DEX-EE hand redefines robotic manipulation by breaking conventions in design and functionality. Unlike traditional robotic hands, DEX-EE was built to be reliable and robust from the ground up.
The hand has non-human kinematics that the company said provides greater range of movement while ensuring durability. Unlike fragile robotic hands, DEX-EE’s tendons can withstand harsh impacts, even if multiple tendons are stressed simultaneously. Its modular design allows for quick replacement of fingers or parts, ensuring minimal downtime.
The hand’s stereo camera array in each fingertip enables high-resolution force sensing, from as little as 0.01N up to 18N. Two EtherCAT nodes at the base of each finger capture fine-grained tactile data, further enhanced by magnet-based Hall Effect sensors on the middle and proximal phalanges. These provide precise feedback during grasping and manipulation, making the hand exceptionally responsive.
DEX-EE also features an unconventional five-motor, four-joint design that eliminates backlash and prevents tendon slippage to provide a consistent performance. The deliberate three-finger setup allows for realistic object handling, enabling the hand to collide naturally with objects before adjusting its grip.
Shadow Robot originally developed the hand for Google DeepMind. With 12 degrees of freedom (DOF) at two-thirds the cost of its predecessor, DEX-EE is poised to bring advanced robotic manipulation to a wider market while pushing the limits of what’s possible in robotic hands. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Shadow Robot U.K. shadowrobot.com 1987 11-50 Technology
SKA Robotics developed a custom robot for Siemens Energy's generator maintenance team in just four months. Throughout the project, SKA provided weekly updates and addressed all questions, delivering a fully operational system with comprehensive documentation.
The robot is designed to tighten fasteners inside 1-gigawatt utility-scale generators while navigating the air gap between the rotor and stator. This eliminates the need to disassemble the generator, allowing Siemens Energy to service 1,500 to 2,500 fasteners with minimal downtime.
By reducing maintenance time by three days per deployment, the system increases uptime and delivers an estimated $1.73 million in savings per deployment.
“To disassemble the generator for an inspection is a very costly evolution,” SKA Robotics said. “It's time involved, it's heavy weight and it takes several shifts of work during the maintenance cycle. If you can avoid that and do the same inspection with a robot, now you've added value to the customer. They can get back online [quicker] and have the same insurances about the condition of their machine.
“It's like you're buying an option: if I can inspect first if I have a problem, then I'll disassemble and take care of it. But if there isn’t a problem, now I've gained three days on my schedule and I'm back up and running.”
This rapid development showcases SKA Robotics’ expertise in agile robotics development, delivering a deployable, highimpact system on an accelerated timeline. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: SKA Robotics U.S. skarobotics.com 2015 11-50 Application
Symbotic BreakPack drastically reduces each picking costs
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Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Symbotic U.S. symbotic.com 2007 500+ Application
One of the most complex and expensive tasks in distribution is handling less-thancase quantities, also called breakpack or each picking. The number of touches and steps or travel performed by workers affects the speed and accuracy of e-commerce, omnichannel, microfulfillment, and just-in-time inventory replenishment. Symbotic Inc. has reduced the travel and touches associated with each handling with its BreakPack offering.
BreakPack uses machine vision, artificial intelligence, sensors, and routing and totemaximization algorithms to orchestrate a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Symbotic has also introduced a proprietary, vision-enabled MiniBot to work alongside its core SymBot AMR.
The four cameras onboard each MiniBot are designed to enhance safety,
enable collision avoidance, validate item picks, and flag exceptions as it executes tasks with more than 99.9% accuracy, said the company. The MiniBots are designed for maximum uptime, with docking stations that swap onboard batteries in under 30 seconds.
The SymBots transport full cases from storage to ergonomic BreakPack workstations. Workers process lessthan-case quantity orders to waiting MiniBots. They travel at speeds up to 4 mph to deliver products to up to 3,000 waiting outbound totes at once.
The BreakPack system can batch orders for greater efficiency than other automated or manual picking methods, which typically pick to less than 24 totes at a time, explained Wilmington, Mass.based Symbotic. The MiniBot can target
placement of its payload within the tote to maximize tote volume utilization and minimize the number of totes shipped.
Each BreakPack tote is designated for a specific location and filled with products from the same category, department, or aisle for each store layout to reduce the need for sorting downstream. This presorting reduces associated costs, enables faster replenishment, and reduces stock-outs, said Symbotic.
The BreakPack system interface is designed for ease of use, reducing training requirements. Symbotic reported that its customers typically achieve a 60% to 80% reduction in picking costs in comparison with traditional or manual picking.
Both new and existing warehouses can implement BreakPack and extend the life of existing assets. RR
Partner robot ball machine a glimpse into future of sports training
Tennibot Partner is an AI-powered training robot designed for tennis, padel, and pickleball. Unlike traditional ball machines, it autonomously moves across a court using computer vision to detect the player's position, court lines, net, and ball trajectory. This allows it to deliver gamelike shots, mirroring a live practice partner and enhancing training effectiveness.
One of its standout features is “Match My Level” mode, which analyzes player performance in real time and adjusts shot speed, trajectory, and difficulty accordingly. This helps ensure a dynamic training experience that fosters continuous improvement for players of all skill levels.
Tennibot Partner is designed with safety in mind. It features safety sensors to detect and avoid obstacles and automatically stop the machine to prevent accidents. With a 4-5 hour battery life, it supports extended practice sessions.
It is capable of launching balls at up to 70 MPH and holding 140 balls, making it an ideal practice partner for rigorous training.
With advanced robotics and AI, the Tennibot Partner is setting a new standard for training technology while democratizing access to high-level coaching. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Tennibot U.S. tennibot.com 2020 1-10 Application
Robot removes radioactive material from Fukushima nuclear reactor
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Award Category: Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Japan tepco.co.jp/en 1951 500+
Application of the Year
Robots excel in tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous. And few jobs are more hazardous than the one undertaken by the RBR50 Application of the Year Winner.
Telesco, a remote-controlled robot, successfully retrieved a tiny fragment of radioactive fuel in October 2024 from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. This milestone marked a crucial step in the ongoing decommissioning of three reactors, which suffered catastrophic cooling failures following the 2011
earthquake and tsunami, leaving behind an estimated 880 tons of radioactive fuel.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which operates the plant, deployed Telesco due to the extreme radiation levels inside the damaged reactors, which make human intervention unsafe. Scientists believe the retrieved sample will provide vital data to refine decommissioning strategies.
Although the sample was only the size of a grain of rice, TEPCO
noted that it was significantly less radioactive than expected. Additional sampling missions will be required to gather more comprehensive data.
Dealing with nuclear waste is a formidable challenge, and TEPCO’s reliance on robotic technology plays a critical role in safeguarding workers and minimizing human exposure to hazardous environments. RR
MC600 mobile manipulator extends reach to heavy objects
Practical mobile manipulation has long been a goal of robotics developers, and Teradyne Inc. has combined the products of two of its companies. The MC600 combines a MiR600 autonomous mobile robot (AMR) from Mobile Industrial Robots ApS with a UR30 collaborative robot from Universal Robots A/S.
“By integrating the ‘legs’ of a mobile robot with the ‘arms’ of a cobot, the MC600 addresses multiple automation workflow challenges such as palletizing and machine tending with one system,” stated Jean-Pierre Hathout, president of Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR).
“While some companies have explored robots or one-off custom mobile cobot solutions for such tasks, they remain far from widespread industrial use,” he said. “The MC600 is ready today to safely handle these complex automation challenges.”
Teradyne worked with MiR Go partner Enabled Robotics, which developed the middle module to connect the UR cobot to MiR’s AMR. Enabled Robotics’ unified software platform coordinates the parts, simplifies integration into existing workflows, and ensures smooth operation.
The MiR MC600 builds on the success of the smaller MC250 and can automate tasks such as palletizing and box handling that were previously inaccessible to smaller cobots. It can handle payloads up to 600 kg (1,322 lb.).
The MC600 can improve productivity by operating with little downtime, serving multiple machines, and performing continuous material-handling tasks, according to MiR. This enables businesses to redeploy human workers to higher-value assignments.
In addition, by taking over the movement of heavy goods, the MC600 can improve ergonomics, reducing physical strain on workers and enhancing workplace safety. RR
Organization: Country: Website:
Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Teradyne U.S. teradyne.com/robotics 1960 500+ Technology
Waymo robotaxis surpass 150,000 paid rides per week
Some years, our robot of the year award will go to a brand new robot that completely shook up the industry. For other years, it’s about recognizing an autonomous technology that has weathered economic headwinds, technical challenges, and a tricky regulatory landscape and still found success. This year, that is Waymo LLC’s robotaxis.
Last year, Waymo provided more than 4 million autonomous rides across its deployments. It averaged 150,000 rides per week. This is a massive achievement for an industry that seemed to be growing stagnant just a few years ago.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company worked to expand its robotaxi services throughout the year. It launched its first service in Los Angeles and expanded services in San Francisco and Phoenix.
In addition to expanding its services, Waymo also released an upgraded version of its robotaxi and brought in billions of dollars of additional funding. Its sixthgeneration robotaxi has a new sensor suite optimized for greater performance at a significantly reduced cost.
The sensors give the Waymo Driver with overlapping fields of view, all around the vehicle, up to 500 m (1,640.4 ft.) away, day and night, and in a range of weather conditions.
While Waymo has been aggressively expanding its robotaxi services, the company has also kept safety as a priority. In a study it carried out with Swiss Re,
Organization: Country: Website: Year Founded: Number of Employees: Award Category: Waymo U.S. waymo.com 2009 500+ Robot of the Year
Waymo demonstrated that as it has scaled operations across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, the Waymo Driver has significantly outperformed both the overall driving population and the latest generation of human-driven vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
Waymo has emerged as a clear leader in the robotaxi market, and it has no plans to slow its expansion anytime soon. RR
2012
ABB Robotics
Adept Technology
AeroVironment Inc.
Aethon Inc.
Aldebaran Robotics SA
Barrett Technology, Inc.
Bluefin Robotics
Boeing
Boston Dynamics
Boston Engineering
CoroWare Inc.
Denso
Energid Technologies Corp.
Epson Robotics
Evolution Robotics
FANUC
Gostai
Hansen Medical Inc.
Harvest Automation
Health Robotics
Honda Robotics
Intellibot Robotics LLC
InTouch Health
Intuitive Surgical Inc.
iRobot Corporation
John Deere
Kiva Systems
KUKA Robotics
Liquid Robotics
Mako Surgical Corp.
Microsoft Robotics
Motoman Robotics
Panasonic Corporation
Precise Path Robotics
QinetiQ North America
ReconRobotics Inc.
RedZone Robotics
Restoration Robotics Inc.
Robai
RoboDynamics
Robosoft SA
Seegrid
Sony Corporation
Stäubli Corporation
TORC Robotics
Toyota Robotics
Universal Robotics
Vecna Technologies
VEX Robotics
Willow Garage 2013
ABB
Adept Technology
AeroVironment
Aethon
Aldebaran Robotics
Astrobotic Technology
Barrett Technology
Bluefin Robotics
Bossa Nova Robotics
Boston Dynamics
Clearpath Robotics
Cyberdyne
DENSO Robotics
Ekso Bionics
Energid Technologies
EPSON Robots
FANUC Robotics
FESTO Robotics
FMC Schilling Robotics
Hansen Medical
Honeybee Robotics
Hyundai Heavy Industries
Innovation Associates
InTouch Health
Intuitive Surgical
iRobot Corporation
John Deere
Kiva Systems
Komatsu
KUKA Robotics
Lely
Liquid Robotics
MAKO Surgical
Medrobotics
Meka Robotics
Microsoft Robotics
Northrop Grumman
RedZone Robotics
Rethink Robotics
Robosoft
Robotiq
Schunk
Seegrid
Staubli
Swisslog
Universal Robots
Vecna Technologies
VGo Communications
Willow Garage
Yaskawa Motoman Robotics
2014
3D Robotics
ABB
Adept Technology
AeroVironment
Amazon
Anki
Autonomous Solutions Inc
Boeing
Boston Engineering
RBR50 PAST WINNERS
Caterpillar inc
CyPhy Works
DENSO
DYSON
Ecovacs
Ekso Bionics
Elbit Systems
Energid
FANUC America
Femto Tools
FoxConn Technologies Corp
Google
Honda
IMRIS inc.
InTouch Health
Intuitive Surgical
iRobot
Kinova Robotics
KUKA Laboratories
Liquid Robotics
Lockheed Martin
Mako
Marel
Neato Robotics
Northrop Grumman
Neurala, Inc.
Panasonic
Parrot (Sensefly)
Rethink Robotics
RoboCV
Siemens
Suitable Technologies
Swisslog
TerrAvion
ULC Robotics
Unbounded Robotics
Universal Robots
Vgo Communications
Wowee Robotics
Wynright
YASKAWA
2015
3D Robotics
ABB Robotics
Aethon
Amazon
Autonomous Solutions
Boeing
Bosch Group
Brain Corporation
Caterpillar, Inc.
Clearpath
Dyson
Ekso Bionics
Energid Technologies
FANUC Robotics
Festo
Future Robot
Gomtec GmbH
Google
Hocoma
Hon Hai (Foxconn Technology)
Honda Robotics
Honeybee Robotics
Intuitive Surgical
iRobot
Kawada Industries
Kinova Robotics
Komatsu
KUKA Robotics
Liquid Robotics
Lockheed Martin
Nissan
Northrop Grumman
Open Bionics
Otto Bock
Panasonic
Parrot SA
Rethink Robotics
Robotiq
Schaefer Logistics
Schunk
Seiko Epson Corp.
Siemens
Softbank
Swisslog
SynTouch LLC
Teun
Touch Bionics
Universal Robots
Vecna Technologies
Yaskawa Motoman
2016
3D Robotics
ABB Robotics
Aethon
Alphabet (Google)
Amazon
Autonomous Solutions
Canvas Technology
Carbon Robotics
Clearpath
Cyberdyne
Delphi
DJI
Ekso Bionics
Energid Technologies
Epson Robots
FANUC Robotics
Fetch Robotics
Foxconn Technology Group (Hon Hai)
GreyOrange
IAM Robotics
Intuitive Surgical
iRobot
Jibo
Kawasaki Robotics
Knightscope
KUKA Robotics
Lockheed Martin
Locus Robotics
Omron Adept Technologies
Open Bionics
Rethink Robotics
ReWalk Robotics
Robotiq
Samsung Robotics
Savioke
Schunk
Seegrid
Siasun Robots & Automation
SoftBank/Aldebaran
Soil Machine Dynamics
Swisslog
Titan Medical
Toyota
ULC Robotics
Universal Robots
Vecna Technologies
Verb Surgical
Vex Robotics
Yamaha
Yaskawa Motoman
2017
ABB
Aethon
Alphabet (Google)
Amazon Robotics (also Kiva Systems Inc.)
Anki
Autonomous Solutions Inc.
Bosch Group
Boston Dynamics
Clearpath Robotics
DJI (Shenzhen Dajiang Innovations Co.)
Epson Robots
FANUC Corp.
Fetch Robotics
Greyorange
Honda Motor Corp.
IAM Robotics
IBM (Watson)
Intel Corp.
Intuitive Surgical Inc.
iRobot Corp.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
KUKA AG
Lego A/S (The Lego Group)
Lockheed Martin Corp.
Locus Robotics
Maxon Precision Motors Inc.
Micromo Electronics Inc. (Faulhaber Group)
Nvidia Corp.
Omron Adept Technologies Inc.
OpenBionics
Rethink Robotics
Robotiq Inc.
Savioke
Schunk GmbH
Seegrid
Siasun Robot & Automation Co.
Simbe Robotics, Inc.
Soft Robotics Inc.
SoftBank Robotics Corp.
Starship Technologies
Tesla
Toyota Motor Corp.
Uber
ULC Robotics, Inc.
Universal Robots S/A
Vecna Technologies Inc.
Waymo
WowWee
Yamaha Robotics
Yaskawa Motoman Corp.
2018
ABB
Aethon Inc. (ST Engineering)
Alphabet (Google, Waymo)
Amazon Robotics
Bosch (Robert Bosch GmbH)
Brain Corp.
C2RO Robotics
Canvas Technology
Clearpath
DJI (Shenzhen Dajiang Innovations Co.)
Elmo Motion Control
Energid Technologies
Epson Robots
FANUC
Fellow Robots
Fetch Robotics
GreyOrange
Harmonic Drive LLC
IAM Robotics
IBM (Watson)
Intel Corp.
Kollmorgen
KUKA
Locus Robotics
Maxon Precision Motors Inc.
Micromo
micropsi industries GmbH
nuTonomy (Delphi)
RBR50 PAST WINNERS
NVIDIA
Omron Adept Technologies Inc.
OPEX Corp.
OTTO Motors
Rethink Robotics Inc.
Robotiq
Schunk
Seegrid Corp.
Soft Robotics Inc.
SoftBank Robotics Corp.
Starship Technologies
Staubli
Swisslog Holding
Tesla Inc.
Toyota
Uber
ULC Robotics Inc.
Universal Logic
Universal Robots A/S (Teradyne)
Vecna Robotics
Waypoint Robotics Inc.
Yaskawa Motomon
2019
6 River Systems
ABB
Advanced Motion Controls
Auris Health
Bossa Nova Robotics
Brain Corp
Cobalt Robotics
Corindus Vascular Robots
DJI
Ekso Bionics
Elmo Motion Control
Energid (Teradyne)
Epson Robots
FANUC
Fetch Robotics
Geekplus
Genesis Robotics
GreyOrange
Harmonic Drive
Humatics
IAM Robotics
Intuitive Surgical
inVia Robotics
Kindred
Kinova
Kollmorgen
KUKA
Locus Robotics
Maxon precision motors
Micromo
Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR)
Omron Automation
OnRobot
OPEX Corp
Osaro
PrecisionHawk
RightHand Robotics
Robotiq
Sarcos
Schunk
Seegrid
SICK
SImbe Robotics
Soft Robotics
SoftBank Robotics
Starship Technologies
Staubli
Swisslog
ULC Robotics
Universal Robots (Teradyne)
Vecna Robotics
Veo Robotics
Waypoint Robotics
Yaskawa
2020 6 River Systems
ABB Robotics
ACIENNA Inc.
Advanced Motion Controls
Agility Robotics
AMP Robotics
Apex.AI Inc.
ARM Institute
AutoGuide Mobile Robots
Blue Ocean Robotics ApS
Bossa Nova Robotics
Boston Dynamics
Built Robotics
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Cruise LLC
Diligent Robotics Inc.
Energy Robotics & ExRobotics BV
Exyn Technologies Inc.
Faulhaber Micromo LLC
Fetch Robotics Inc.
Formant Inc.
Gatik
Geekplus Technology Co.
Harmonic Drive LLC
Intel Corp.
iRobot Corp.
Kinova Inc.
Locus Robotics
MassRobotics
maxon motors
Microsoft Corp.
New Scale Robotics
Nuro
NVIDIA Corp.
OnRobot A/S
Robotics Plus Ltd.
Sarcos Corp.
Schunk
Sense Photonics Inc.
Sevensense Robotics AG
SICK
Silicon Valley Robotics
Soft Robotics Inc.
Universal Robots A/S
Vecna Robotics Inc.
Veo Robotics Inc.
Waymo LLC
Waypoint Robotics
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yaskawa Motoman
2021
Accerion
Ambi Robotics
American Robotics
AutoStore
AutoX
BMW/IDEALworks
Boston Dynamics
Canvas
DreamVu
Embodied
FarmWise
FedEx/PlusOne
Ford/University of Michigan
GreyOrange
Hello Robot
InVia Robotics
Material Handling Systems
ModalAI
Monarch Tractor
Motus Labs
NASA JPL
Oculii
Open Robotics
Opteran Technologies Ltd.
Orica
Ottonomy
Photoneo s.r.o.
Plus
Prophesee
QLayers
Qualcomm Technologies
RE2 Robotics
READY Robotics
rideOS
Rocos
ROEQ
SBG Systems
Schunk
Seoul Robotics
SICK
Siemens Digital Industries Software
SLAMcore
Smith & Nephew
Tevel Aerobotics Technologies
ULC Technologies
Universal Robots
Vention
Verizon New Business Incubation
Waymo
WiBotic
2022 3M
Acienna
Aeva
Apellix
ARM Institute
Avular
Berkshire Grey
Boston Dynamics
cellumation
Cleo Robotics
Corvus Robotics
CRG Automation
Cruise
Dorabot
FlexQube
ForwardX Robotics
Foxglove
GrayMatter Robotics
GreyOrange/Tompkins Robotics
GUSS Automation
Hai Robotics
ifm efector
Indoor Robotics
Indy Autonomous Challenge
InsightTRAC
InvenSense
John Deere
Labrador Systems
Libiao Robotics
MassRobotics
ModalAI
NASA JPL
NVIDIA
OnRobot
Outsight
Pharm Robotics
R-Go Robotics
Ready Robotics
Savioke / Relay
Seoul Robotics
Smith+Nephew
Swiss-Mile
Tangram Vision
RBR50 PAST WINNERS
TDK InvenSense
TerraClear
Toposens
ULC Technologies
Verizon Robotics Business Technology
Virginia Tech
Vissavi.tech
2023
ABB
Agility Robotics
Alert Innovation
Amazon
AMD
American Robotics
Australian Droid + Robot
Boston Dynamics
Brain Corp
Cionic
Clearpath Robotics
Coalition Against Weaponization of General Purpose Robots
Deepmind
Foxglove
GelSight
HEBI Robotics
Inbolt
Intrinsic
Inuitive
James Webb Space Telescope
Johns Hopkins University
Locus Robotics
Machina Labs
Main Street Autonomy
MassRobotics
Meijer
NASA JPL
Nauticus Robotics
NVIDIA
OnRobot
Open-Source Leg Project
Ottonomy
Photoneo
PickNik Robotics
Rapid Robotics
RoboTire
Skyline Robotics
Spacee
SparkAI
Stratom
Tatum Robotics
Telexistence
Teradyne
Tuskrobots
UC Berkeley
Universal Robots
Viam Robotics
Waymo
WHILL
WiBotic
2024
ABB Robotics
Advanced Construction Robotics
Agility Robotics
Amazon
Ambi Robotics
Apptronik
Boston Dynamics
Brightpick
Capra Robotics
Dexterity
Disney
Doosan
Electric Sheep
Exotec
Fanuc
Figure
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics
