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I have spent more than 40 years working at the intersection of robotics, manufacturing…
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Robert Little shared thisIROS was an eye opener. The humanoids were hard to miss, but they weren’t the biggest story. Here are the biggest lessons I took away from Pittsburgh. ♦️ Dexterous hands were everywhere, and most of the ones I saw were from China. The engineering on many was impressive. Miniaturized actuators, encoders, tactile sensing and force feedback. All developed in-house. That is the power of China! One hand company told me they have already sold about 20,000 hands, sales are growing, and more models are coming. And the price? Very low. ♦️ I got a good lesson from DexRobot on tendon-driven hands. Instead of putting an actuator at every finger joint, tendons can transmit the motion from actuators located elsewhere. Why? 1. Better heat management 2. Lower cost potential at scale 3. Less space and weight in the fingers 4. Mechanics that more closely resemble the human hand There are tradeoffs, but I came away understanding why so many companies are exploring tendon designs. ♦️ Touch is becoming a major robotics technology. There was an array of tactile and force sensors designed for hands, wrists and humanoids. Again, many were from China. Several force sensor companies told me ATI Industrial Automation’s force/torque sensors had been an inspiration for their products. Nice to hear. ♦️ Data collection was HUGE. Gloves. Head-mounted cameras. Teleoperation. Tactile data. Human demonstrations. One company told me it has a network of roughly 20,000 people collecting real-world data for companies developing physical AI. That’s one company. How many people around the world are already being paid to collect physical-AI training data? ♦️ U.S. manufacturing kept coming up. Several foreign robotics companies I spoke with are seriously considering U.S. offices and manufacturing. The recent FCC action on foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and tariffs were repeatedly mentioned as reasons. This will drive more robotics manufacturing investment in the U.S. ♦️ And yes, humanoids were everywhere. Again, many were Chinese. Then I turned a corner and found Hello Robot Inc. A very different American-made mobile manipulator. It looks a little unusual, but it makes a lot of sense as a research platform. Hello Robot told me the robot is manufactured in the U.S., with the LiDAR being the major foreign-sourced item they are working to replace with a U.S. source. My biggest takeaway? We are moving rapidly from researching physical ai to producing physical ai. Oh, and having IROS in Pittsburgh? Perfect! 👌 #robotics #PhysicalAI #humanoids #manufacturing
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Robert Little shared thisWe have seen the big investments from GM, Ford, Toyota and others but what about the Tier Suppliers? Well let's dive in. Here are five standouts from the 38 U.S. manufacturing projects with 2026 activity highlighted in the map: • Bosch | California | Up to $2B Its Roseville facility will manufacture silicon-carbide chips that help electric vehicles convert power with less energy lost as heat. That can mean longer driving range and more efficient charging, while adding a domestic source of these critical components. • Valeo | Texas | $225M The new McAllen plant will manufacture GM’s central computing units. These computers coordinate key vehicle functions and provide the hardware behind vehicles that can gain capabilities through software updates. • Astemo Ltd. | Kentucky | $112M+ first phase This Berea expansion focuses specifically on motors for hybrid vehicles, with 114 new jobs planned. It puts manufacturing capacity behind a technology that combines gasoline and electric propulsion. • Toyotetsu | Kentucky | Approximately $41M Automation, equipment and capacity upgrades at its Owensboro plant come with a commitment to retain 639 jobs. An example of modernizing an established manufacturing operation while preserving its workforce. • Anthro Energy | Kentucky | $40M+ The planned Louisville facility will produce electrolytes, the material that carries ions inside a battery. With planned capacity of 12,000 metric tons annually, it adds a domestic supply of an essential ingredient for automotive and other battery applications. Did I miss any supplier investments? As you can see, supplier investments are starting to increase, but many more are needed to further onshore, reshore and rebuild our U.S. supplier network. Congratulations to the 38 automotive suppliers that have invested recently into the U.S. and the many others that will. #manufacturing #automotive
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Robert Little shared thisHow does a mining company, Mesabi Metallics, suddenly build America’s largest steel plant? That was my first question when I saw the $15 billion Iowa announcement. Mesabi Metallics emerged in 2017 from the bankruptcy reorganization of Essar Steel Minnesota. Today, in Nashwauk, Minnesota, Mesabi is completing what it calls America’s first new iron ore mine and pellet plant in approximately 50 years. The project represents about $2.5 billion of investment and will produce DR-grade iron ore pellets for modern steelmaking. Now comes a proposed $15 billion steel complex in Lee County, Iowa. That is quite a jump. So how does an iron ore company suddenly become one of America’s largest steel producers? Mesabi is part of India’s Essar Group. So Essar is the steel producer? Well… it was. Essar built and operated a major steel business in India, but Essar Steel India went through insolvency and was acquired by ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel in 2019. Confused? 😵💫 Here is where it gets interesting. Essar has been rebuilding its steel capabilities. Since 2023, it has been developing a $4.5 billion integrated steel complex in Saudi Arabia with DRI, steelmaking, hot rolling, cold rolling and finishing operations. That project has reached advanced development, but Essar still has not completed and operated it. Now comes Iowa, at an even larger scale. So the question I am digging into is: Where does the engineering talent, steelmaking knowledge and operating experience come from to successfully build and run a $15 billion steel complex? Essar has historical experience and considerable recent planning experience. But building, commissioning and operating something this large is another matter. So, let’s see what happens. #manufacturing #steel #Iowa #onshoring
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Robert Little shared thisI know what you’re thinking: Why is a South Korean company planning a munitions factory at the U.S. Army’s Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas? Hanwha Defense USA, Inc. plans to invest $2.2 billion in an advanced manufacturing campus there. WHY HANWHA? 🔹 Its own money. Hanwha plans to invest its own capital in building U.S. manufacturing capacity. It is bringing money as well as manufacturing expertise. 🔹 Experience. Hanwha has manufactured artillery charges for decades and supplies customers including Sweden. 🔹 Manufacturing capacity. The U.S. needs additional qualified producers. Aging facilities, limited capacity, and workforce skill gaps make expansion difficult. Experienced manufacturers bring processes and knowledge that take years to develop. 🔹 Advanced manufacturing. Hanwha plans to bring automated, integrated production capabilities based on its existing South Korean plants. 🔹 American jobs and supply. The project is expected to create close to 400 jobs over seven years and add a domestic source of critical ammunition components. WHY NOW? Ukraine has driven heavy demand for artillery ammunition. The war with Iran has also exposed shortages in other critical munitions, including missiles. Both reinforce the need for greater production capacity. WHAT WILL THEY MAKE? 🔹 155mm artillery propellant charges: The material that burns to generate the pressure needed to launch the projectile. 🔹 Base bleed units: Components at the rear of a projectile that release gas to reduce aerodynamic drag and extend its range. AND THE HOWITZER IN THE PHOTO? Hanwha also has a separate U.S. Army contract for six K9 Mobile Howitzer prototypes, with an option for 12 more. Its Opelika, Alabama, facility will initially handle U.S. integration and testing. The first vehicles will be built in South Korea. The opportunity is to bring experienced allied manufacturers, advanced processes, and new investment together to build lasting production capability here at home. That's why. Congrats Hanwha Defense USA and thank you for your help. #Manufacturing #Defense #HanwhaDefenseUSA
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Robert Little shared thisWe’re going to need more welders. A lot more welders. And more automation to help them meet the enormous production demand. The workload ahead is substantial. Quonset Point, Rhode Island, is assigned 18% of the Navy’s combined $76.6 billion submarine package, implying approximately $13.8 billion in work through 2038. General Dynamics Electric Boat has invested approximately $1 billion in Quonset Point’s facilities and infrastructure over the past several years, while adopting robotics and automation to help increase production. The Quonset Point operation employed approximately 8,000 workers as of July 2026. Training the next generation of shipbuilders is already underway. Electric Boat and New England Institute of Technology are expanding the school’s Warwick training space from 30,000 to 100,000 square feet. The Shipbuilding Advanced Institute for Learning, known as SAIL, is designed to prepare approximately 3,000 new Electric Boat employees annually, alongside continuing training and recertification for experienced workers. The expansion is backed by $25 million from Electric Boat and $20 million from the Navy. Training covers welding, shipfitting, pipefitting, machining, sheet metal, painting and electrical work. On the production floor, automation is helping skilled workers increase output. During a 2025 visit, Defense One reported cobots cutting, beveling and welding steel at Quonset. An outfitting director described one Columbia-class outfitting process dropping from 180 days to 65 days after adopting cobots. Raymond Gabriel, Electric Boat’s vice president of strategic operations, said: "The young welders love it because they can program the cobots and go. Plus, using them is safer and can save hundreds of labor hours." Congratulations to General Dynamics Electric Boat on the award and its continued investment in Rhode Island’s people, facilities and manufacturing capabilities. #manufacturing #shipbuilding #robotics #RhodeIsland
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Robert Little shared thisAbout 50 miles east of Pittsburgh, the former Homer City coal plant site is being transformed into a 3,200-acre energy and data-center campus, with a planned 4.4 GW natural-gas power plant. GE Vernova is supplying seven gas turbines for the project. Getting the equipment there is a major undertaking! Mega Mover details: 🔹 Pictured: Heat-recovery steam-generator equipment, which captures gas-turbine exhaust heat to help generate additional electricity. 🔹 First loaded transport: 205 feet long, 17 feet wide and weighing approximately 381 tons, including the hauling equipment. 🔹 Planned travel speed: approximately 10–25 mph, slowing further for turns, bridges and overhead clearances. 🔹 A reported 53 superload deliveries are planned through January. Pennsylvania’s manufacturing investment extends beyond the plant. GE Vernova is investing $138 million in its Charleroi facility, which makes high-voltage circuit breakers, switchgear and instrument transformers. The expansion is expected to create approximately 275 new jobs through 2028. The intended outcome at Homer City is power for large AI and high-performance-computing data centers, with additional electricity available to the local grid. The developer projects approximately 1,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs across the completed campus. Congrats to Homer City, Pennsylvania, and the skilled workers making it happen! #Manufacturing #PowerPlant #Pennsylvania
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Robert Little shared this“We’re exploring a range of robot designs and form factors, including wheels.” — Jonathan Hurst Chief Robot Officer, Agility Robotics Source: The Robot Report · September 25, 2026 A wheeled robot appeared in Agility’s Digit 5 launch video. Hurst confirmed the company is exploring the idea, with a few key points: ♦️ More environments, sooner. Alternative designs could help Agility serve additional customer needs while legged robots continue to advance. ♦️ Different tools for different jobs. Wheels offer simpler mechanics and lower energy consumption on flat, predictable floors. Legs remain valuable for stairs, obstacles, and uneven terrain. ♦️ Exploration is still early. There’s no decision on whether this would be a wheeled Digit or an entirely new robot and no announced launch timeline. My take: Why not offer a wheeled option? It makes sense. For the right application, a wheeled design could be safer than legs. And why stop there? Why should one model cover every job? What Agility Robotics is considering seems like common sense. When I spoke with Apptronik at IMTS, they described both wheeled and legged options. Different environments, different requirements, different designs. Use what works best. Now, when will Tesla consider a wheeled option? #robotics #humanoid #AgilityRobotics
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Robert Little shared thisBeyond a new U.S. assembly plant, Honda has bigger U.S. manufacturing plans. Honda is reportedly considering investing up to $2.5 billion to build a new assembly plant in Ohio, with production targeted around 2030. Honda says a final decision has not yet been made. But Automotive News is all over this! But the potential new plant is only one piece of a much broader manufacturing strategy. Honda plans to: ♦️ Reallocate excess capacity at its Ohio auto plants to gasoline and hybrid vehicle production ♦️ Make all of its North American auto plants capable of producing hybrids ♦️ Convert part of its Ohio battery operation with LG Energy Solution from EV batteries to hybrid batteries ♦️ Increase the local content of assemblies and component parts for motors and inverters by more than 4X (very important move) ♦️ Launch 15 next-generation hybrid models globally by 2030, primarily focused on North America (more investments coming) And the orange end-effector in the image? That is an ATI Industrial Automation robotic tool changer to give Honda the ability to exchange tools automatically. Why is a great company like Honda using ATI? Well, ATI is the best engineered robotic tool changer, and some say end-effector, on the market. Extremely reliable, safe and easy to use. Oh, and made in America. 👍 Congratulations Honda (assuming this assembly plant goes through)! #manufacturing #Honda #Ohio #automotive
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Robert Little shared thisAmazon adds another robotics facility. Why? Amazon will invest more than $100 million to purchase and equip a 585,000 sq. ft. facility in Greenwood, Indiana, just outside Indianapolis. This comes just one month after Amazon announced its new robotics manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas. Based on my research, I believe Indiana will likely be more about building robotic systems, not just robots. Amazon combines its own technology with robots from companies including FANUC America Corporation and Universal Robots to create systems such as Sparrow and Vulcan. And Greenwood will have: ♦️ CNC fabrication ♦️ Robotic welding ♦️ Automated powder coating ♦️ Assembly ♦️ Controls engineering Those capabilities look well suited for manufacturing the structures and equipment that go into Amazon’s larger robotic systems. What Amazon is doing in robotics is impressive, but today it is all for internal use. I wonder if Amazon is eventually considering offering its robots and robotic systems to other manufacturers and logistics companies? Just a thought. #manufacturing #robotics #automation #Amazon #Indiana
Robert Little commented on a post
1h
Walden Robotics coming out of Toyota Research Institute and having venture capital from Toyota gives them insights into the production world. A must have for success.
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3h
I just walked the exhibits at IROS Pittsburgh and met several hand companies. Mostly from China. The engineering on many of these were excellent. Mostly actuator based but one tendon based hand company spoke highly of the benefits when scaling. Even some of the actuator based companies stated they have a tendon design in the works. Still, I can see both sides of the benefits between the technologies.
https://lnkd.in/p/gbaD3Myp
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisA robot that works 90% of the time is completely useless in a factory. Adrien Gaidon from Walden Robotics had a really good session at CoreWeave's Fully Connected today on what happens when you stop optimizing robotics for demos and start optimizing for deployment. One thing he kept coming back to was this: you have to earn the right to be on the factory floor. Customers don't care that your model looked great in the lab. They already have a process that works, people doing the job, quality targets, cycle times and some pretty scary spreadsheets with numbers like 99.5%. Your robot has to work on THEIR terms. And that's where Walden's approach gets interesting. They don't assume the AI has to be perfect before deployment. But they also don't ask a factory to tolerate a useless robot for a year while it collects data. Instead, the robot works autonomously and can call for remote assistance when it gets into a situation it doesn't know how to handle. That intervention does two things. The job still gets done. And the correction becomes some of the most valuable data you can give the system. Adrien called these on-policy corrections. The stuff you only get once the robot is actually out there doing the work. His line on this was probably my favorite: “There’s no amount of scratching your head in a lab that will tell you the things we learned.” That's also why Walden is so focused on deployment data. You can collect huge amounts of demonstrations, video and synthetic data. Eventually you still put the robot into a real factory and discover everything your researchers didn't think about. And then there was the hardware... Walden's first robot is on wheels. Which is funny because their CEO Russ Tedrake has spent more than a decade working on legged robots. But Adrien's explanation was basically: we're deploying in factories. Very few people are doing backflips in factories. 🤣 Wheels give them more stability, more battery, more compute on the robot and, importantly, the ability to stop safely at pretty much any point. That's probably what I liked most about the whole talk. Very advanced AI... very little interest in making the robot look impressive for the sake of it.
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisSomebody stop feeding those Chinese robots! They seem to be growing at the same rate as their funding rounds! A lot of China's robotics money is flowing into a part you might not have thought of: a sense of touch. Last month I visited tactile market leader PaXini in Shenzhen (thanks to Christine!), and yesterday I came across an interesting article about the 'tactile war' on 36氪, which connected the dots: - Cameras can show a robot where an object (let's say an egg) is, but only tactile feedback knows how hard to squeeze. - Prices have collapsed. Ten years ago a fingertip sensor came in at 10,000 euro, now they sell for 25 euro. - Touch data can't be scraped from the internet. (I was shown a demo where the fingertip could sense what type of fabric the robot was holding) - There's a race to become China's first listed tactile company. PaXini (backed by BYD and Samsung) has started its IPO process. Its key competitor Tashan (NVIDIAs tactile simulation partner) is close behind. The first to list sets the valuation benchmark. - Valuations are through the roof (literally), with PaXini and Tashan both valued well over 1bln euro, while the global tactile sensor market is only doing less than 800mln euro in sales. TL;DR: Investors are pricing a future where a single humanoid carries thousands of touch points (and have "feelings" after all). Beep beep 🤖
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisThere's a cool project coming together on the floor over at building 2. As soon as the horizontal 7th axis gets here I'll try to shoot some video for you. #robotintegration #conveyorintegration #endofline
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked this4NE1 just made its big-screen debut 🤖 Where should robots take over, and where should they stay out of our lives? This question drives "Frau Winkler verlässt das Haus", the new film by Doris Dörrie, in German cinemas from today. It is also the question we work on every day at NEURA Robotics. One of the film's leading roles is a robot modeled on our humanoid 4NE1, which also appears in several scenes itself, and our team advised the production on the technology. We wanted to be part of this project because the film puts questions on the table that society has to answer about Physical AI, and it has to answer them now: How should humans and machines live and work together? Where can robots take the load off us? What should they do, and what should they never do? We are convinced that the earlier we have this conversation as a society, the more precisely Physical AI can create real value. Robots can help absorb the skilled labor shortage without pushing people to the sidelines. Part of our vision are robots that can take over any physical task people don't want to do themselves. Getting there responsibly means asking the hard questions today so we have good answers tomorrow. This week, 4NE1 and 4NE1 Mini joined the premiere in Munich, chatting with guests, posing for photos and taking their seats in the cast row. 🎥
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisA robot hand just learned to spin a pen. 🖊️🤖 WUJI Hand 2 is demonstrating dexterous manipulation by taking a motion learned in simulation and executing it on real hardware. The system combines motion-reference tracking with reinforcement learning for sim-to-real deployment. WUJI Hand 2 features 20 active degrees of freedom and is designed for dexterous manipulation research. And yes… it’s actually spinning the pen. 👀 Is this the kind of skill robots need before they can truly handle everyday objects? 🏢 Company: WUJI , Yutong Hou , Ronia Ren , Hanya Huang ⚠️ This content is shared for informational purposes only. CTO Robotics Media is a media platform and does not own or develop the technology shown. Credit belongs to the original creators. #Robotics #WujiHand #DexterousRobotics #PhysicalAI #ReinforcementLearning #RobotHand #AI #RoboticsTechnology #SimToReal
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisHumanoid production at Tesla has ramped roughly tenfold in recent months. The company produced several hundred Optimus robots per week in August, according to The Information, as its Fremont line begins scaling. Production is still being constrained by the robot’s hands, supplier capacity and its ability to generalize across tasks. https://lnkd.in/ez5JPb4C
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Robert Little liked thisRobert Little liked thisAnother FAT: passed. Our cell is welding a structural base frame. Big, heavy part, long welds, imperfect fit-up, and Path Robotics vision adapts to all of it with no teach pendant. We’re bringing a cell like this to FABTECH 2026 in Las Vegas, Oct. 21–23. Come see it at Booth #S40037
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