This startup brought WALL-E to life and will also sell you WALL-E’s weird cousin
This startup brought WALL-E to life and will also sell you WALL-E’s weird cousin

An AI robotics startup called Zeroth is turning WALL-E into a real-life robot companion. Though the WALL-E version with the Disney-licensed design is currently only on sale in China, Zeroth is launching what looks like an off-brand version of the beloved bot in the US for $5,599. The bot, called the W1, doesn’t feature WALL-E’s […]

Humanoid robot teleoperator manages to kick himself where it hurts

Humanoid robots have come on leaps and bounds in recent times, and much is expected of the advanced machines in the coming year. The process of training humanoid robots can take various forms. Unitree’s G1 robot for example, is trained partly through t…

LG teases a new chore-completing home robot
LG teases a new chore-completing home robot

LG is getting ready to take the wraps off a new robot it claims is capable of performing a “wide range” of household chores. The robot, called LG CLOiD, will make its debut at CES next month, featuring two articulated arms and five individually actuated fingers on each hand. Though we only have a description […]

Humanoid robots are coming. Eventually?
Humanoid robots are coming. Eventually?

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on robotics and AI, follow Robert Hart. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. We’re taking a winter break! The Stepback will be back on January 11th, 2026. […]

Europol imagines robot crime waves in 2035
Europol imagines robot crime waves in 2035

Rapid advances in AI and robotics are set to become both powerful tools for police and potent weapons for criminals, a 48-page report from pan-European police agency Europol argues. Earlier this month, Europol’s Innovation Lab published “The Unmanned Future(s): The impact of robotics and unmanned systems on law enforcement.” The document is framed as more […]

iRobot’s bankruptcy isn’t the end — it’s a reboot, says CEO
iRobot’s bankruptcy isn’t the end — it’s a reboot, says CEO

The news that the maker of the Roomba robot vacuum, iRobot, filed for bankruptcy this week came as no surprise. Its CEO, Gary Cohen, had been warning investors all year that the company could run out of cash unless a buyer was found. When its last potential deal fell through, bankruptcy became inevitable. But Cohen […]