Robotics company Intrinsic has announced it will be folding into Google as the company bets on the future of physical AI in manufacturing. The company focuses on software tools to make robots more affordable and easier to use, as well as using adaptive intelligence to help the robots perform real-world tasks.
Intrinsic was started in 2021 as an Alphabet "Other Bets" project, part of a portfolio of high-risk and potentially high-payoff startups, Waymo among them. The project will now run as a "distinct group" within Google where it will leverage Gemini and Google Cloud while working closely with the Google DeepMind team.
The company describes its platform as "the Android of robotics," offering a universal canvas where developers can build apps for different robots, cameras, sensors and more. Meta has expressed interest in pursuing a similar business model.
Also at the intersection of software and physical AI, the company aims to integrate adaptive intelligence into robots, helping them to perform real-world tasks. The goal is robots that can "perceive, reason and react to changes in processes and their environment."
The acquisition will complement Google's past work in robotics like Boston Dynamics, which it sold off in 2017. The Google DeepMind team has also developed Gemini-based models for robotics in the past.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-robotics-company-started-by-alphabet-is-joining-google-proper-144421411.html?src=rss
Step into a reality where science fiction blends effortlessly with everyday life. Human-like robots, or humanoids, are no longer distant fantasies as they are being designed to fit naturally into our routines. While their presence can feel intimidating at first, understanding their purpose shows a path toward enhanced comfort, support, and convenience. Like a thoughtfully designed home anticipating your every need, these robots are meant to enrich daily living rather than disrupt it.
Beyond novelty, these intelligent machines offer practical solutions for modern challenges. By mirroring human interaction and form, they become approachable helpers, assisting in homes, hospitals, and communities with tasks that require precision, care, and a human touch.
1. Bridging the Empathy Gap in Care
The growing global need for elder care and personal assistance is a challenge that demands innovative, heartfelt solutions. Imagine a robotic assistant in a nursing home—it’s not there to replace human interaction, but to supplement it, offering constant, tireless support. Its human-like form allows it to interact with tools and spaces designed for people, like opening a standard door or operating an elevator, making its help immediately practical.
This familiar, non-threatening design can foster a feeling of comfort and ease of use for the elderly and those with special needs. By handling repetitive or physically strenuous tasks, such as fetching items, monitoring vital signs, or providing simple, encouraging reminders, these humanoids free up human caregivers to focus on the essential, emotional elements of care. It’s about optimizing human effort, ensuring that every person receives the dignified attention they deserve.
Toyota’s Gantry robot is designed to assist the elderly by performing household chores, offering a solution for the rapidly growing population over 65, who often lack tailored technological support. Unlike industrial robots operating in controlled factory environments, the home presents unstructured and diverse challenges. Developed by the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the gantry robot is being tested in mock-up home settings in California and can handle tasks such as cleaning and loading the dishwasher. Inspired by Japanese home layouts, the robot is ceiling-mounted to overcome floor-space constraints, allowing it to operate efficiently while remaining unobtrusive.
The gantry robot is part of a broader initiative at TRI to create a fleet of household-assistive robots, including floor-based mobile units and “soft bubble gripper” robots capable of gently handling objects. Using virtual reality, researchers train these robots by recording human actions, programming movements into the machines. While still in prototype stages, this innovative approach could redefine elder care and independent living by integrating robots into home architecture.
2. Simplifying Practical Household Help
Daily chores and specialized tasks can quickly consume your time, but human-like robots are designed to fit naturally into our homes. With two hands and two legs, they can use standard tools and appliances like vacuums, counters, or dishwashers without requiring costly modifications. Their familiar form makes them instantly practical and easy to integrate into everyday life.
Beyond basic chores, these robots can learn and perform complex sequences, turning your routine tasks into streamlined operations. By handling repetitive or time-consuming work, they free you to focus on what truly matters, enhancing convenience, efficiency, and well-being.
Humanoid robots have long fascinated us, yet their adoption in homes has been limited by overly mechanical designs. Traditional robots with rigid shells, exposed joints, and industrial aesthetics feel out of place among domestic furnishings. As the demand for robotic assistants, particularly for elderly care, rises, machines must be approachable and seamlessly integrate into human environments rather than appear intimidating.
The NEO Gamma from 1X Technology exemplifies this shift. Its 3D-printed nylon fabric “skin” conceals machinery while allowing full mobility and quiet operation. Tendon-driven hands provide precise, gentle manipulation of household objects, and minimalist design elements, including custom shoes and illuminated ear rings, combine stability, intuitive communication, and visual appeal. NEO performs practical domestic tasks such as tidying, deep cleaning, and organizing, freeing household members to focus on meaningful activities. By blending functionality, dexterity, and approachable aesthetics, NEO demonstrates how humanoid robots can harmoniously coexist with humans and transform domestic assistance from novelty to necessity.
3. Enhancing Hotel Service with Robots
Many hotel tasks are repetitive, physically demanding, or time-consuming—like delivering luggage, restocking minibars, or cleaning rooms. Human staff performing these tasks constantly can experience fatigue, stress, and risk of injury. Service robots, designed with human-like form and capabilities, offer a reliable solution, performing these chores efficiently and safely.
By handling routine and labor-intensive duties, robots allow hotel employees to focus on personalized guest experiences, creative problem-solving, and management tasks. This integration boosts overall service quality, improves staff well-being, and ensures smoother, more efficient hotel operations, combining technology with hospitality for a smarter, safer environment.
Chinese robotics companies are rapidly advancing the development of humanoid and AI-powered robots with practical commercial applications. Among the latest innovations, Pudu Robotics’ FlashBot Arm stands out as a semi-humanoid service robot designed for dynamic environments such as offices, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. Building on the company’s FlashBot Max wheeled model, the bipedal FlashBot Arm features dual 7-degree-of-freedom arms, PUDU DH11 hands with 11 degrees of freedom, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and a spacious belly compartment for secure deliveries. These capabilities enable precise, human-like actions, including object handling, button operation, and interactive gestures, making it highly versatile for complex commercial tasks.
The robot integrates advanced AI and sensor technologies, including RGB depth cameras, panoramic lenses, LiDAR, and pressure-sensitive skin, managed through Pudu’s VSLAM system for real-time 3D mapping and obstacle navigation. Its AI-driven learning model allows autonomous adaptation to various tasks, while voice interaction and collaborative functionality enhance usability. Weighing 33 lb, the FlashBot Arm operates up to eight hours per charge and demonstrates a significant milestone in the commercialization of humanoid AI service robots.
4. Serving as Critical Tools in Hazardous Environments
In fields where human presence is risky or impossible, such as disaster zones or war-struck regions, humanoid robots provide vital operational support. These robots can navigate unstable terrain, assess structural damage, and perform rescue tasks, allowing rapid response without endangering human lives. By executing programmed maneuvers and adapting to real-time conditions, they turn complex strategies into actionable results, making them indispensable in search-and-rescue missions and emergency operations.
Beyond operational efficiency, these robots serve as dynamic tools for training and preparedness. Rescue personnel can simulate high-risk scenarios, program robot responses, and study outcomes, enhancing tactical learning and readiness. Their consistent performance and ability to operate under extreme conditions offer invaluable support, expanding the scope of humanitarian and emergency response while reducing exposure to danger for human teams.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) often operate in conflict zones such as Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Iran, typically for destructive purposes. In contrast, the jet-powered humanoid robot iRonCub3, developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), is designed for constructive applications, including search-and-rescue operations in disaster-struck or hazardous environments. Combining terrestrial mobility with aerial capabilities, iRonCub3 represents a major advancement in multimodal robotics. In its maiden flight, conducted in a controlled test area, the robot lifted 50 cm off the ground and remained stable, demonstrating the results of two years of research and multiple prototype tests.
Weighing around 70 kg with four jet engines—two on its arms and two on a back-mounted jetpack—the iRonCub3 can generate over 1,000 newtons of thrust and withstand exhaust temperatures of 800°C, due to its titanium spine and heat-resistant protective covers. AI-driven control systems and optimally positioned turbines allow stable flight in uncertain conditions. Future testing at open sites aims to expand its operational potential, with applications in disaster response, hazardous environment navigation, and other autonomous robotic platforms.
5. Driving Breakthroughs in Human Movement and Design
Designing robots that move, balance, and interact like humans pushes engineers to study human physiology and biomechanics in unprecedented detail. This focus on biomimicry, learning from nature, is yielding breakthroughs that benefit people directly. For instance, improvements in robotic gait are informing better prosthetic limbs and exoskeletons, enhancing mobility for those with physical challenges.
Building human-like machines uncovers the subtle efficiency of our bodies and drives advances in materials, actuation, and control systems. By striving for versatile, stable, and strong robots, we gain insights that improve human performance, safety, and rehabilitation, turning robotic innovation into practical, life-changing solutions.
Unitree’s A2 Stellar Explorer marks a decisive advance in the evolution of quadruped robotics, moving the category beyond laboratory experimentation to rugged, real-world deployment. Engineered for harsh environments, the robot dog weighs 81 lbs, carries up to 55 lbs on inclines, sustains 220 lbs when stationary, and performs agile manoeuvres such as flips and jumps. It delivers up to 12 km of load-bearing travel per charge, operates for five hours unloaded, and reaches a top speed of 11.2 mph. With 180 Nm torque, a hot-swappable 9,000 mAh battery, dual LiDAR, AI vision, and an Intel Core i7, it navigates obstacles, steep gradients, and complex terrain autonomously. Connectivity is ensured via Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and optional 4G/GPS.
More than a technical showcase, the A2 signals a shift toward field-ready autonomous machines. Its payload capacity, endurance, and perception systems position it for applications in inspection, logistics, disaster response, and environmental monitoring where human presence is risky or impractical.
The future with human-like robots isn’t about replacing us, but it is about enhancing life. Like thoughtful interior design brings harmony to a home, these machines offer care support, demanding work, and education. By focusing on practical, helpful applications, we create a safer, more efficient, and well-supported world. This evolution combines technology with purpose, improving daily life for everyone.
Most consumer drones look and feel intimidating to a child. They’re loud, angular, full of exposed propellers, and packed with complex controls adults barely understand. Kids want to see the world from above, but parents see spinning blades and fragile arms that cost too much to replace. The mix of fascination and fear turns what could be fun into something closer to borrowing a grown-up’s expensive, breakable toy.
Aeroleap is a kid-friendly drone concept that tries to lower that barrier. Designed for children aged six to twelve, it uses soft, organic form language and clear visual cues to communicate safety and balance. The design draws inspiration from a frog’s stance, so the drone feels stable and approachable rather than mechanical or aggressive, more like a small creature ready to hop than a tiny aircraft ready to crash.
A child in a backyard holds a controller that feels like a gamepad, watching a bright green drone lift off without exposed blades buzzing near fingers. The integrated propeller rings and rounded body make it clear where it’s safe to touch, and the frog-like stance on the ground helps it read as balanced and ready, not twitchy or fragile like hobby drones that need constant correction just to hover.
The frog metaphor shows up in the geometry. A central body sits low with four limbs ending in circular rings that fully enclose the propellers. Those rings add protection during low-height play, reducing injury risk and damage when the drone bumps into walls or trees. The rounded guards and soft transitions do the safety work without needing extra cages or add-on bumpers that make everything heavier.
The interaction layer stays simple. A controller holds a phone that shows a live camera view from the drone, focusing on essentials like battery and connection. The physical controls stay familiar and tactile, so kids get the thrill of seeing their surroundings from above while parents can glance at the same feed. Nobody has to decode a cockpit full of tiny icons just to enjoy a short flight.
The project is grounded in research with kids, parents, and tech educators, who all flagged fragile builds, complex controls, and unsafe-feeling devices as major turn-offs. Aeroleap responds by keeping functionality simple and robust, focusing on how the product is held and understood at first glance instead of layering on autonomous modes that might confuse more than they help when you’re nine years old.
Aeroleap explores how industrial design alone can shape a child’s confidence around new technology. By softening the form, enclosing the dangerous bits, and making the controller feel familiar, it invites kids to be curious about flight without scaring parents off. Sometimes the difference between intimidating and inviting isn’t a feature list but the way an object looks and moves the first time you meet it, and a drone shaped like a friendly frog feels like it’s already smiling before it leaves the ground.
Picture a humanoid robot, and you probably imagine something sleek, vaguely threatening, or at least a little cold. Maybe it’s built for a factory floor, towering and intimidating, or designed to look eerily human in a way that triggers that uncanny valley feeling. Either way, it’s not exactly something you’d want hanging around your living room.
That’s what makes Sprout so different. This portable humanoid from Fauna Robotics just launched out of stealth mode, and it’s taking a completely opposite approach to robot design. Instead of trying to look impressively human or industrial, Sprout leans into something that feels refreshingly approachable and, dare I say it, genuinely charming.
Standing just 3.5 feet tall and weighing about 50 pounds, Sprout is compact and lightweight in ways that most humanoid robots simply aren’t. But what really sets it apart are those antenna-like eyebrows perched on its wide, rectangular head. They move up and down like little windshield wipers, giving this robot an expressive quality that feels more Pixar character than sterile machine.
The eyebrows work alongside a 360-degree LED facial display that animates with different light patterns and colors, plus body language that includes walking, kneeling, crawling, and sitting. Together, these features create a communication style that doesn’t rely on mimicking human faces or voices alone. Instead, Sprout uses a whole vocabulary of movement and light to express what it’s doing or feeling, which somehow makes it feel less like a failed attempt at humanity and more like its own friendly creature.
The design philosophy here clearly draws inspiration from beloved fictional robots like Baymax from Big Hero 6 or Rosie from The Jetsons, characters designed to feel helpful rather than threatening. Fauna Robotics wrapped the whole thing in a soft, padded exterior that’s safe to touch, and the company emphasizes that Sprout is built to operate in shared human spaces, around adults, children, and even pets.
This isn’t just a cute toy, though. The Creator Edition that’s shipping now is aimed at developers, researchers, and institutions that want to experiment with embodied AI in real-world settings. Sprout comes with some serious tech under that friendly exterior, including an NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin processor with 64GB, stereoscopic vision, four time-of-flight sensors, a directional microphone array, and dual speakers.
Early customers are already putting Sprout to work. Disney, Boston Dynamics, UC San Diego, and NYU are all testing applications across retail, entertainment, home services, and research. The robot can navigate both indoor and outdoor environments without needing restricted zones, and its battery runs for about 3 to 3.5 hours before needing a swap. The price tag sits at $50,000 for the Creator Edition, which positions it as a serious development platform rather than a consumer product ready for mass adoption. But that’s kind of the point. Fauna Robotics is building the foundation for what humanoid robots could become once they leave the factory and start mingling with regular people in everyday spaces.
What strikes me most about Sprout is how it sidesteps the whole debate about whether robots should look human. By embracing a more abstract, expressive design, it avoids that creepy almost-human trap while still feeling relatable and engaging. Those eyebrows, as simple as they are, do more emotional heavy lifting than a thousand attempts at realistic facial expressions.
The broader question, of course, is whether we’re ready for robots like this in our lives. But maybe that’s the wrong question. Maybe the better question is whether robots are ready for us, designed in ways that make interaction feel natural rather than forced or unsettling. Sprout suggests that the path forward might not be about making robots that look like people, but rather creating robots that feel like they belong in the spaces where people actually live, work, and play.
With its soft exterior, expressive features, and human-scale design, Sprout represents a different vision of what personal robotics could look like. Whether it succeeds in changing minds about humanoid robots remains to be seen, but those articulated eyebrows are certainly making a compelling argument.
Picture this: four robotic arms working in perfect harmony, tracing circular patterns like some kind of futuristic dance performance. But instead of creating art, they’re printing the walls of an actual farm. Welcome to Itaca, a project that just wrapped up its construction in the hills of Northern Italy, and it’s changing how we think about building homes.
WASP, the Italian company behind this audacious venture, just finished printing the walls of what they’re calling the first certified 3D-printed construction in Italy. Located in their Shamballa open-air laboratory, Itaca isn’t just a quirky experiment. It’s a fully functional, self-sufficient farm designed to house a family of four while producing its own food and energy.
The whole concept sounds like something from a sci-fi novel, but the execution is surprisingly grounded in ancient wisdom. The farm’s design takes inspiration from mandala geometry, with four robotic arms positioned at the vertices of a hexagonal structure. These machines use a lime-based printing material that allows the facades to regulate their temperature naturally, breathing like a living organism. No air conditioning required.
What makes Itaca genuinely fascinating is how it challenges our assumptions about both technology and sustainability. The walls aren’t just printed and left hollow. They’re packed with rice husks sourced from agricultural waste, creating natural insulation that keeps the interior comfortable year-round. The radiant heating systems and electrical installations are embedded directly during the printing process, which means less construction time and fewer workers needed on site.
But WASP didn’t stop at the structure itself. They’ve integrated 3D-printed vertical hydroponic systems that ensure fresh vegetables all year round using minimal water. The entire setup operates on a circular micro-economy model, where waste from one system becomes fuel for another. It’s the kind of closed-loop thinking that environmentalists have been advocating for decades, finally made tangible through advanced manufacturing.
Massimo Moretti, WASP’s founder, first unveiled Itaca at Italian Tech Week in Turin as part of the company’s broader vision to democratize sustainable housing. The real genius here is accessibility. The Crane WASP system used to build Itaca is designed to operate even in remote areas, making it possible to replicate this model worldwide. You don’t need massive infrastructure or armies of specialized construction workers. Just the machine, locally sourced materials, and the digital blueprints.
This approach to construction could be transformative for communities dealing with housing shortages or natural disasters. Traditional building methods require extensive supply chains, skilled labor, and months of work. With 3D printing, the timeline compresses dramatically, and the environmental footprint shrinks considerably. Using local materials means less transportation, fewer emissions, and buildings that are naturally suited to their climate. The ventilation system deserves special attention too. It’s designed to allow air to flow through the interior spaces continuously, transforming Itaca into what WASP calls a living house. This isn’t just clever branding. The structure literally responds to environmental conditions, adjusting naturally without mechanical systems that consume energy and break down over time.
What’s striking about Itaca is how it sidesteps the typical debate between high-tech solutions and traditional wisdom. It’s both. The robotic arms and digital design tools represent cutting-edge technology, while the materials and principles draw from centuries of vernacular architecture. Rice husks and lime have been used in construction for millennia because they work. WASP 3D Build, the startup within WASP dedicated to printed construction, executed the project using technology that’s already proven and available. This isn’t a prototype languishing in a research lab. It’s a real building that people will actually live in and farm around. That’s the difference between innovation theater and genuine progress.
The implications extend beyond individual homes. If this model scales, it could reshape how we approach rural development, affordable housing, and disaster relief. Instead of shipping prefabricated structures across continents, communities could print buildings on demand using materials from their own backyards. The rapid transmission of information through digital files means a successful design in Italy could be adapted and printed in Peru or Indonesia within weeks. Itaca represents something rare in architecture: a project that’s simultaneously visionary and practical, high-tech and humble. It proves that sustainability doesn’t require sacrifice or compromise. Sometimes it just requires thinking differently about the tools we have and the wisdom we’ve inherited.
Imagine a robotic hand that not only mimics human dexterity but completely reimagines what a hand can do. Researchers at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed something that looks like it crawled straight out of a sci-fi fever dream: a modular robotic hand that can detach from its arm, scuttle across surfaces spider-style, and grab multiple objects at once.
The human hand has long been considered the gold standard for dexterity. But here’s the thing about trying to replicate perfection: you often inherit its limitations, too. Our hands are fundamentally asymmetrical. We have one opposable thumb per hand, which means we’re constantly repositioning our wrists and contorting our bodies to reach awkwardly placed objects or grasp items from different angles. Try reaching behind your hand while keeping a firm grip on something, and you’ll quickly understand the problem.
Designer: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne’s (EPFL) school of engineering
The team at EPFL, led by Aude Billard from the Learning Algorithms and Systems Laboratory, decided to throw the rulebook out the window. Instead of copying human anatomy, they created something better: a symmetrical hand that features up to six identical fingers, each tipped with silicone for grip. The genius lies in the design, where any combination of fingers can form opposing pairs for pinching and grasping. No single designated thumb here.
But wait, it gets wilder. The hand is completely reversible, meaning the palm and back are interchangeable. Flip it over, and it works just as effectively from either side. This eliminates the need for awkward repositioning and opens up grasping possibilities that humans simply can’t achieve. The device can perform 33 different types of human grasping motions, and thanks to its modular design, it can hold multiple objects simultaneously with fewer fingers than we’d need.
The most mind-bending feature? This hand can literally walk away from its job. Using a magnetic attachment and motor-driven bolt system, it detaches from its robotic arm and crawls independently to retrieve objects beyond the arm’s reach. Picture a warehouse robot that needs to grab something just out of range. Instead of the entire system repositioning, the hand simply walks over, grabs what it needs, and returns like a loyal (if slightly creepy) pet.
The practical applications are staggering. In industrial settings, this kind of “loco-manipulation” (locomotion plus manipulation) could revolutionize how robots interact with their environments. Service robots could navigate complex spaces and handle multiple tasks without constant human intervention. In exploratory robotics, think Mars rovers or deep-sea vehicles, a detachable hand could investigate tight spaces or retrieve samples from areas the main body can’t access.
The research team’s work, published in Nature, demonstrates that symmetrical design provides measurably better performance, with 5 to 10 percent improvements in crawling distance compared to traditional asymmetric configurations. The hand’s 160mm diameter palm houses motors that mimic the natural forward movement of human finger joints, but without being constrained by human limitations.
What makes this project so compelling isn’t just the technical achievement. It’s the philosophical shift it represents. For years, robotics has been obsessed with replicating human form and function. But by questioning whether human design is actually optimal for all tasks, the EPFL team has created something that surpasses our biological blueprint. It’s a reminder that innovation often requires abandoning our assumptions about how things should work.
This robotic hand represents more than just another engineering marvel. It’s a glimpse into a future where machines aren’t limited by human constraints, where form follows function in unexpected ways, and where a hand doesn’t need to stay attached to be incredibly handy. Whether it’s retrieving your dropped phone from under the couch or assembling complex machinery in factories, this crawling, grasping, reversible wonder proves that sometimes the best way forward is to let go of convention entirely.
There’s something quietly revolutionary happening in the world of workplace maintenance, and it comes in a surprisingly sleek package. Meet Pulito, a cleaning system designed by Yilmaz Salman that’s challenging everything we thought we knew about keeping shared spaces spotless.
Most cleaning robots feel like expensive toys that promise the moon and deliver, well, a slightly cleaner floor. Pulito takes a completely different approach. Instead of being just another gadget you buy and forget about, it’s designed as a subscription-based service that actually makes sense for how modern workplaces function. Think of it less as a product and more as a cleaning partner that shows up ready to work.
Designer: Yilmaz Salman
What makes Pulito different is its three-pronged strategy for tackling workplace hygiene. The main unit houses a continuous air filtration system that quietly works away at improving indoor air quality while everything else happens around it. This isn’t just about appearances. We spend so much time indoors now, and air quality has become one of those invisible factors that affects how we feel and work without us even realizing it.
Then there’s the autonomous floor cleaning component, a detachable unit that handles the vacuuming and wiping without anyone needing to babysit it. It’s the kind of set-it-and-forget-it functionality that actually lives up to the promise. The robot navigates work areas independently, freeing up cleaning staff to focus on tasks that genuinely need a human touch.
And that’s where the third element comes in. Pulito includes an integrated storage drawer filled with specialized window cleaning tools designed for staff to use. Rather than trying to automate absolutely everything (because let’s be real, robot window washers still have a ways to go), it embraces a hybrid model where technology and human expertise work together. It’s a refreshingly honest approach to design that acknowledges the limitations of automation while maximizing its strengths.
The business model behind Pulito is just as thoughtful as the design itself. The rental service approach taps into the growing circular economy movement, where ownership matters less than access and sustainability. Recent projections suggest the service robot sector could hit $175 billion by 2030, and rental models are proving to increase operational convenience by 83% and sustainability by 76%. Those aren’t just impressive numbers. They represent a fundamental shift in how businesses think about equipment and resources.
For facility managers and business owners, the subscription model solves one of the biggest headaches with commercial cleaning equipment: the massive upfront cost and the inevitable maintenance nightmares. With Pulito, you’re essentially renting a service that includes the hardware, updates, and support. When something breaks or needs upgrading, it’s not your problem to solve. That’s a game changer for smaller businesses or startups that need professional-grade cleaning solutions without the capital investment.
The portability factor deserves attention too. Pulito’s main body features an ergonomic strap system that lets cleaning personnel carry it like a high-tech backpack between different zones. Look at those product shots of someone wearing it while navigating between buildings. It’s almost futuristic, transforming cleaning staff into something that feels more like tech-equipped professionals than traditional janitorial workers. There’s dignity in that design choice.
Aesthetically, Pulito doesn’t look like your typical cleaning equipment. The textured grey finish with those lime green accents feels contemporary without trying too hard. The perforated details on the air filtration unit give it an industrial-chic vibe that wouldn’t look out of place in a design-forward coworking space or a tech startup’s headquarters. It’s the kind of object you wouldn’t feel embarrassed to have sitting in your office lobby.
What Salman has created with Pulito is bigger than just another cleaning robot. It’s a complete rethinking of workplace hygiene infrastructure for the modern era. By combining autonomous technology, human collaboration, accessible pricing through subscriptions, and genuinely thoughtful industrial design, Pulito represents where facility management might actually be headed. Not a future where robots do everything, but one where smart design makes both human workers and automated systems more effective together.
Lego unveiled its Smart Play system at CES 2026 earlier this month, with a selection of sets designed for the engaging feature. Now, the toy company has announced five new compatible sets — all Stars Wars themed — available now for pre-order. Anthony Daniels, the original C-3PO, shared the news during the Nuremberg Toy Fair.
The Smart Play system, Lego's newest venture, involves a Smart Brick, Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures. Each Smart Brick has proximity sensors, an accelerometer, a speaker and more. The Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures relay what's happening to the Brick. For example, if you whoosh a spaceship through the air, the Smart Brick should make a sound that imitates that. Vader, of course, also makes his deep breathing sound. Plus, it requires no screens or apps, so the fun remains in its true, tactical form.
The five new Smart Play sets span the Star Wars universe:
These sets join three initially announced Star Wars Smart Play ones: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter ($70), Luke's Red Five X-Wing ($90) and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing ($150). However, these three are "all-in-one" sets, meaning they come with the Smart Bricks. The newly announced options don't come with a Smart Brick, requiring an extra purchase, but will have the Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures that will know what to do.
All of the Smart Play Star Wars sets are available to pre-order as of today. They should be available starting March 1.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lego-has-a-new-round-of-star-wars-sets-that-work-with-the-smart-brick-131210482.html?src=rss
Elon Musk just took the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and announced that Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot will be sold to the public by the end of next year. Musk is the master of unrealistic timetables, but this may be the nuttiest one yet. These are humanoid robots that are supposed to be able to do just about any task a human can do.
Musk, as usual, gave himself an out if the robots don't start rolling off the assembly line in 2027, saying that they'll only be released when Tesla is "confident that it’s very high reliability, very high safety and the range of functionality is also very high."
He stated that the robots have already begun doing simple tasks in the Tesla factory, but there's no proof of this other than his word. In the real world, Optimus robots have continuously failed to live up to the marketing hype.
If there was any question that Optimus uses teleop for their robots. Here one clearly has a guy take the headset off and it falls over.
There have been plenty of reports suggesting that previous demos of the robots in action were actually smoke and mirrors, as they were being remotely piloted by human operators.
Tesla's stock jumped over three percent upon this announcement because company investors live in a world of magical rainbows, unicorns and robots mixing drinks at home in the year 2027. Musk also recently stated that the robots would be ready for commercial deployment in 2026. That's this year. It's worth noting that the program head for the project, Milan Kovac, recently left the company.
Again, these are autonomous robots that are supposed to be able to perform complex tasks across a wide variety of categories. That'll likely happen someday, but not by 2027. I'm just gonna go ahead and throw Musk's timeline in with "two years to AGI" and "five years until the singularity."
On a related note, the Tesla CEO also said that the long-awaited Cybercab will enter production in April, with a goal of two million vehicles manufactured each year. This isn't quite as far-fetched as the Optimus promise, but that two million number seems highly suspect. Just how many consumers does he think want a car without a steering wheel that only holds two people?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/elon-musk-just-told-davos-that-tesla-will-sell-humanoid-robots-next-year-really-he-swears-192515568.html?src=rss
Walking machines are hard. Really hard. Which is why most LEGO motorized builds stick to wheels or treads, and the ones that do attempt legs usually end up with something that shuffles more than it strides. But every so often someone figures out the mechanical magic trick that makes it work, and this six-legged walker currently on LEGO Ideas is one of those builds that actually delivers on the promise. The creator has managed to build something that moves with genuine fluidity, the kind where you can see the weight transfer from leg to leg.
The secret is in the gearing system. Rather than trying to program each leg’s movement independently, the build uses variable-speed gears that automatically adjust leg velocity based on where it is in the stride cycle. Slow and deliberate when the foot is planted, quick when it swings through the air. Combined with a vertical stabilization mechanism and shock-absorbing feet, you get something that can handle real terrain rather than just demonstration videos on smooth surfaces. It’s styled as a space exploration rover complete with a crew cabin and solar panels, leaning into that AT-AT aesthetic without directly copying it.
Designer: Alexis_MOCs_FR
Here’s the thing about making LEGO walk. You can throw servos at the problem and program every joint independently, which is how Boston Dynamics does it and why their robots cost more than a house. Or you can do what Theo Jansen did with his Strandbeest sculptures and let the mechanism itself figure out the gait. Jansen’s beach creatures run on wind power and pure geometry, converting constant rotation into this weirdly organic walking motion that makes you forget you’re watching PVC pipe and zip ties. That’s the approach Alexis_MOCs_FR took here, using two L motors and a gear train that does all the thinking mechanically. No Arduino, no sensor feedback loops, just smart engineering that exploits the physics of rotating linkages.
The look is peak 1970s futurism. White body panels, black structural framework, blue solar arrays, elevated cockpit with room for two astronaut minifigs. There’s a satellite dish up top because of course there is. The whole thing sits maybe 12 to 16 inches tall based on minifig scale, and all that gearing is completely visible. Some builds try to hide the mechanism under cosmetic panels, but here the exposed gear trains are the entire point. Watching the motion transfer from motors down through the variable-speed system and into the legs is genuinely mesmerizing, like those transparent mechanical watch movements that cost absurd money because people will pay to see the machinery work.
The vertical stabilization bit is where you can tell someone really understood the assignment. When your upper leg is swinging through a 60 or 70 degree arc, keeping the foot flat on the ground becomes this annoying trigonometry problem. Most people either accept some wobble or add complexity with extra actuators. This build has a sliding element in the lower leg that compensates for the angle automatically. Upper leg tilts, slider adjusts, foot stays vertical. It’s passive, it’s reliable, and it’s the kind of solution that only works because someone actually prototyped this thing instead of just CAD modeling it and calling it a day.
High-stepping gaits hit hard. You’re lifting legs way off the ground and slamming them back down at whatever speed your motors can manage. Without damping, every impact rattles through the structure and either knocks gears out of alignment or turns the whole thing into a vibrating mess. Custom shock absorbers at each foot solve this, which is why the creator can apparently run it over rumpled blankets and piles of Kapla blocks without it face-planting. The build is allegedly both lightweight and robust, which sounds like marketing speak until you consider that you need enough mass for stability but not so much that momentum tears the gear teeth apart during direction changes.
The project is currently in its very early stages, with 424 more days to gather votes and hit the next milestone. If it gets to the coveted 10,000 mark, LEGO actually reviews it for production. The Technic lineup has been pretty safe lately, lots of supercars and construction equipment but not much that pushes mechanical boundaries. This thing demonstrates actual engineering innovation, the kind where someone solved hard problems with clever solutions instead of just adding more motors. If you want to see it become a real set, go cast your vote on the LEGO Ideas website!
