EP.49 A ROBOT HELPING THE POLICE
A running robot, a fully robotised 3D printer, German humanoid maker gets a new investment & much more...
Smoothly running humanoid robot! 🏃🏻♂️
Unitree Robotics has announced an exciting upgrade to its humanoid robot, the G1, claiming it is now the smoothest walking and running robot yet. Thanks to its advanced AI system, UnifoLM (Unitree Robot Unified Large Model), the G1 can navigate around large obstacles with ease.
Standing at 4 feet 3 inches (ca. 1,3 m) tall and weighing 77.2 pounds (35 kg), the G1 is designed for impressive mobility. It can run for up to two hours on a single charge, using 3D LiDAR and a depth camera to map and understand its surroundings in real-time.
For longer tasks, the G1 features a quick-release battery system, allowing users to swap batteries quickly and keep the robot running without long charging delays.
With these upgrades, Unitree aims to push the boundaries of humanoid robotics, making the G1 more efficient and practical for real-world applications.
3D printing a building with a robot! 🧱
3D printing is making waves in the construction industry, and the German Red Cross (DRK) is leading the way with its new headquarters in Warendorf Beckum, North Rhine-Westphalia. This project marks the first time 3D printing technology is being used for a non-residential building in Germany.
At the core of the construction is an ABB IRB 6700 six-axis robot, which applies building materials with precision and speed. The advanced technology not only accelerates the construction process but also enhances sustainability—key goals for the DRK as they expand their space to accommodate modern training rooms, offices, and community areas.
Project leader Georgios Staikos, known for Germany’s first 3D-printed residential building, sees this initiative as a major step forward for the industry. He highlights the ABB robot's flexibility compared to traditional gantry printers, allowing for more efficient production of interior walls and facades.
With this project, the DRK and its partners are setting new standards for sustainable and automated construction, showcasing the future potential of 3D printing in the building sector.
Learn more here about how to build in 3D with a robot!
🦾 Feature sponsorship with ABB Robotics
Over $120 million in funding goes to NEURA Robotics 🦿
NEURA Robotics has secured $123 million in Series B funding to further its development of cognitive robots. The Germany-based company aims to lead the European robotics market by integrating AI, sensor technology, and robotics into commercially viable solutions.
Their product lineup includes collaborative robot arms, autonomous mobile robots, and its humanoid robot, 4NE-1, designed to work alongside humans in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and even healthcare.
With production relocated to Germany and partnerships with companies like Omron and Kawasaki Robotics, NEURA is focused on expanding its ecosystem. The company plans to use the new funding to enhance its Neuraverse platform, which will serve as an operating system and marketplace for robotic applications.
The iOS System for robots? That would be huge!
Innok Robotics secures €3M for outdoor robots 🪨
Innok Robotics, a leading developer of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for multi-terrain outdoor operations, has successfully raised €2.9 million through its crowd-investing campaign on Companisto, surpassing its initial €2 million target.
In 2024, Innok secured major customers, including ZF, Volvo, Kubota, and Bosch, highlighting its growing market presence. To support further expansion, the company launched a funding round in August via Companisto, one of Europe’s largest crowd-investing platforms with over 150,000 private investors.
The financing round was reopened in December due to high demand and will close on January 21, 2025, at midnight. So far, 1,400 investors have contributed, with individual investments ranging from €250 to €25,000. The funds will be used to accelerate international growth, with additional branches expected to be established in 2025.
This is the last opportunity for private investors to join before a larger Series A funding round of €10 million, which will primarily involve corporate and financial venture capital firms. The current funding provides a solid financial runway of over four years, with a planned target return of 5–10x by 2027/28 through an IPO or acquisition.
Meme of the week 🤖
I owe an apology to anyone I have bored with stories about robots. And to you, too!
Autonomous Robot Manipulation Challenge 🕹️
The Autonomous Robot Manipulation Challenge is a competition designed for students and young researchers to tackle real-world challenges in robot manipulation.
Participants will create algorithms using MATLAB and Simulink to control a robotic arm that sorts recyclable items like bottles and cans into bins.
The competition kicks off in January 2025 with new objects and environments, offering exciting challenges for participants.
Finalists will get the chance to test their skills on real robots at RoboCup 2025, and pre-registration is open for those interested in learning more without any commitment.
Sereact raises €25M to make picking robots smarter 🧠
German company Sereact has secured €25 million in Series A funding to further develop its AI-powered picking robots. Founded in 2021 and based in Stuttgart, Sereact provides robots with advanced visual and manipulation capabilities, enabling them to adapt to dynamic environments.
Sereact's AI software allows robots to perform tasks without prior training using a unique zero-shot visual reasoning system combined with natural language instructions. This feature, called PickGPT, enables non-technical users to deploy and operate robots within a single day, offering immediate cost savings and flexibility.
The company's technology is already in use by major customers, including BMW, Daimler Truck, and Bol. By learning from real-world deployments, Sereact’s systems continually improve their performance beyond traditional AI models trained on synthetic data.
The funding round was led by Creandum, with participation from existing investors Point Nine and Air Street Capital, alongside notable angel investors, including former Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg.
Sereact plans to use the investment to expand its US presence, enhance R&D efforts, and support additional robot hardware platforms, such as mobile robots and humanoids.
