Industry Potential

XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng reportedly revealed the investment plan during a parliamentary secession. On March 10, Chinese state media reported that while Xiaopeng acknowledged that while his company’s current investment remains conservative, XPeng is ready to beef it up substantially.

“XPeng has been working in the humanoid robot industry for five years, may continue to be in the business for another 20 years, invest additional 50 billion yuan and even 100 billion yuan,” Xiaopeng said.

The CEO did not disclose XPeng’s current investment in robots. The EV manufacturer entered the humanoid robots market back in 2020. The company launched the humanoid iron to rival Tesla’s Optimus bot in November the same year.

Earlier this month, XPeng reported growth in its EV deliveries for the month of February 2025 as some Chinese EV companies struggled to sell. The company shipped over 30,000 cars for the fourth straight as its mass-market brand gave it an edge in the now competitive market.

XPeng is one of the auto manufacturers that have ventured into humanoids. Chinese lawmakers have identified robotics as one of the industries that the country wants to achieve tech breakthroughs.

Growing Interest

Interest in humanoid robots has been growing among tech and automotive companies. XPeng’s participation in the humanoid robot market marks a significant step towards robotic innovation and development of emerging technologies at a lower cost. Ideally, having more players in the industry will most likely lead to a more efficient market and competitive product pricing.

But XPeng will have to invest heavily in research, development, and real-time testing of its robots in consumer and industrial environments. Another Chinese EV manufacturer that is eying robotics is Leapmotor. The company has already set up a robotics team. The CEO of the Stellantis NV supported company Zhu Jiangming said the company is currently at the pre-research stage.

The robots are to be used in industry settings to replace humans. Some areas where they would be useful include factory assemblies where they could help to improve work efficiency. According to Jiangming, auto manufacturers could invest between 1 and 2 billion yuan each year in developing applicable scenarios for humanoid robot deployment.

Robotics Race

As the global robotics race shapes up, the future of humanoid robots remains bright. EV manufacturers across the board are already planning for widespread robot deployment in their manufacturing plants. Early this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company is planning to make several thousands of Tesla Optimus humanoid robots for deployment in its factory. Last year, Musk had alluded to these plans on social media.

“Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026,” Musk posted on X in July 2024.

According to Musk, the internal deployment will inform the company’s next version of Optimus that will be launched in 2026. Much also said the new version will most likely be sold to Tesla rivals. This move points to emerging competition in the humanoid robot market.

American big techs Apple and Meta are also planning to enter the humanoid robot market. Reports indicate that Apple is looking into non-humanoid and humanoid robots to support the smart home ecosystem.

The iPhone maker will be focusing more on sensing technologies and user interaction, which indicates an emerging trend where big techs will integrate robotics into tech products. Meta has shown interest in AI-powered humanoid robots. The tech giant plans to invest heavily in this field.

The post XPeng Plans a $13.8 Billion Humanoid Robot Investment as the Robotic Race Shapes Up appeared first on Tech Research Online.

MIPS Chip Advancements

MIPS is a global leader in the supply of compute subsystems for autonomous vehicle platforms. The company has been manufacturing chips that have high processing speeds. For a long time, MIPS chips have been considered ideal for specialized apps like self-driving vehicles and networking gear.

On March 4, MIPS announced a shift in its strategy, saying it will now design its own chips. The company also said it will license its technology. MIPS’ strategy shift will see it focus more on three key aspects of robotics. MIPS next-gen robotics chips will be designed to support sensing as well as chips that can control robot actuators and motors. It will also design chips that can calculate actions that robots should take next.

The company, through its CEO Sameer Wasson said it expects these markets to grow as new areas of AI advancement applications like humanoid robots emerge. MIPS holds that to attract business, it’s better to showcase a working chip than a presentation- even when in pursuit of a licensing deal. At the initial stages, MIPS’ focus will be on the automotive industry.

“It doesn’t mean MIPS is going to overnight turn into a silicon company. I don’t see that. But I think we’ve got to give the ecosystem confidence that this can be done. I expect this technology to be in a car towards the end of ’27 and start to hit volume in the ’28 timeframe,” Wasson said.

Physical AI at the Edge

The company also unveiled the MIPS Atlas portfolio, a new product that will allow industrial, automotive, and embedded tech companies to roll out efficient, safe, and secure physical AI at the edge.

By merging high-performing real-time computing with edge deployment of generative AI models and functional safety, MIPS chip product suite will facilitate the development of next-gen autonomous platforms.

“The need for efficient autonomous platforms to advance next-generation driverless vehicles, factory automation, and many other applications is directly aligned with the MIPS Atlas portfolio. Our core competencies of safety, efficient data processing and experience in autonomy have enabled us to expand our portfolio with real-time intelligence that is the essential tech stack for Physical AI platforms. MIPS customers can take our compute subsystems with software stacks as a turnkey solution to build physical AI platforms,” Wasson said.

MIPS has designed its Atlas portfolio around three computing categories that constitute physical AI. These are Sense, Think, and Act. Robots use a wide range of sensors to interpret their surroundings. They generate data that is transferred, integrated, and processed quickly and in real time. The AI engine on the Physical AI platforms processes the data to facilitate quick decision-making for precise action.

“By integrating safety, efficiency and cutting-edge intelligence, MIPS is well-positioned to accelerate innovation across the rapidly expanding $1 trillion Physical AI market,” HyperFRAME Research CEO Steven Dickens said.

A Long History

MIPS has had a long history in computing innovation and safety processing. The company was co-founded by Stanford University Professor John Hennessey in the mid-1980s to commercialize computing architecture by innovating agile ways to perform computing tasks.

Since then, the tech company has traded through different owners before it licensed use of some of its technologies in China and became bankrupt. In 2021, the company emerged from bankruptcy and said it would use a computing infrastructure called RISC-V.

The computing company now serves autonomous driving companies like Mobileye. MIPS has sold intellectual property rights to other companies that have used them to develop full-fledged chips.

The post MIPS Makes Strategic Shift in Robotics, Focuses on Chips that Support Sensing and Control appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Consumers Electronic Show (CES) is one of the major tech exhibitions that happens in Las Vegas every year. CES 2025 was the epitome of the tech extravaganza that happened from 7th January 2025 to 11th January 2025. Showcased for the first time this year, the innovations were actually windows into the future, innovations that are helping change lives, addressing global challenges, and redefining industries. Here are the top inventions from this year’s event – categorized for clarity – and the brands behind them.

Smart Home and IoT Innovations

Smart Home Appliances are the latest trends in technology. You can manage these appliances with the help of the Internet of Things. Here are a few major innovations presented by various tech giants:

• AI-Driven Smart Hub by Samsung SmartThings
  Since devices in homes are getting smarter, sometimes monitoring them can be daunting at times. Samsung’s updated SmartThings Hub makes it easier with artificial intelligence-based home energy monitoring, security boosts, and voice command automation.
• Zoltux Instant Solar Kit
  Zoltux presented its innovative Solar Kit at CES 2025. The company claims this 800-watt Instant Solar Pod, which includes mounts, solar panels, inverter, and wiring can be installed within 5 minutes and is priced at $1,199 which is exclusive of the 30% tax credit.
• SwitchBot Lock Ultra
  A renter-friendly smart lock that integrates seamlessly with most door locks, providing multiple unlocking options. It comes with 16 unlocking methods with the ability to store up to 100 fingerprints. It also has a six-layer protection system to keep it safe from getting hacked.

AI and Robotics

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics are the future tomorrow. All the major advancements in the world would be incomplete without them. Not only do they make our lives easy but also increase efficiency. CES 2025 saw a lot of innovations done with the help of AI. Listed below are a few of them:

• NVIDIA Cosmos
  According to CNET, the Best of CES 2025 award went to Nvidia’s Cosmos. It is a generative AI that has the potential to change the future. It could be used in smart glasses and even in cars to alert the driver about uneven landscapes or overcrowded roads.
• Apollo Apptronik Robot
  Apollo presented Apptronik Robot which is a humanoid robot for industrial application. This robot has a friendly design and is built for advanced functions in a factory setting.

Health and Wellness Technologies

People are getting more inclined towards their health. They are investing more in wearable technology which can provide them with continuous updates on their health like sleep cycles, heartbeat, and other important metrics. Here are some of the innovations in the health and wellness technology presented at CES 2025

• Garmin Instinct 3 Smartwatch
  With solar power options and AMOLED displays, this smartwatch offers health tracking and rugged durability. It comes with a long battery life and can last up to 24 days on a single charge. Additionally, it also has an inbuilt flashlight which can be accessed with a double tap on a button.
• Circular Ring 2
  There is a new smart ring in CES 2025, called Circular Ring 2. It is unlike the Oura Ring and Samsung Galaxy ring. It has features like ECG Sensors which are approved by the FDA for AFib detection. Along with that it is also subscription-free and can pair well with all smartphones.
• Halliday Smart Glasses
  We have already seen a lot of smart glasses in the form of AR or VR, but these claim to be different. These Halliday Smart Glasses look like real spectacles and provide information on the mall screen in your field of view.

Sustainability and Green Tech

All companies and individuals are moving towards sustainable technology either via better waste management, or electronic vehicles. But it’s not just limited to that, at CES 2025, various companies showcased their innovations in sustainable technology.

• Airfarm
  It is the CES Innovation Award Honoree for the second time in a row. The Airfarm is an inflatable, aeroponic indoor farm which comes in 10ft and 20ft. The smaller one is used for research purposes and in the blogger, you can grow crops for selling. It comes in a deflated shape with a pump through which you can inflate it.
• Urban Ponics
  A father and son from the Netherlands decided to mimic a rainforest canopy. Urban Ponics is a semi-controlled aeroponic environment. But the company says it goes beyond that into mist-ponics. The minerals are sourced from the Great Salt Lake after removing Sodium Chloride to create nutrient-rich mist throughout the environment for better crop growth.

Mobility and Automotive Advances

The mobility and the transportation industry have been advancing at a very high speed. With the coming of Electronic Vehicle and Cyber Trucks, technology has now become an integral part of daily transport. Here are some vehicles presented at CES 2025 that take it a step further:

• Honda 0 Series
  One of the biggest car manufacturers, Honda presented the closer to the final version of its new EVs. The cars will go into production in the year 2026 as they still have some edginess to them. The Honda 0 series EV looks like what a car from the future would look like and will be running on Asimo OS.
• BMW Neue Classe
  BMW partnered with Amazon to give users a new in car user interface. BMW said Alexa’s custom technology will be available in all the vehicles. First, it will debut in the “Neue Classe” sedan which will be coming out later this year.

CES 2025: Keynotes by Tech leaders

CES 2025 had great keynote speakers who enunciated ways and means of looking at the future of technology and innovation. The highlight of the keynote speech was made by Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, who gave a 90-minute speech talking about the new products to advance gaming, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and agentic AI. At CES 2025 event he addressed an audience of 6000 people. Huang said, “ It started with perception AI — understanding images, words, and sounds. Then generative AI — creating text, images and sound. Now, we’re entering the era of “physical AI, AI that can proceed, reason, plan and act.”

One of the other key speakers at the CES event was Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association. He addressed the crowd saying, “AI will become more personalized and help to make lives better. The chip companies are talking about what you can do with AI. We’ll see the companies themselves, the PC companies, also focusing on personalization, new products that will really give a push for the PC marketplace and laptop marketplace.”

Some of the trends facing the industry characterized by Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X Corp. (formerly Twitter), Who introduced “Trend Genius,” an AI-driven tool designed to enhance ad campaigns. Other insightful presentations were also made by Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture, who discussed the transformative impact of AI and data on industries

Furthermore, Martin Lundstedt, the CEO of Volvo Group, talked about sustainable mobility, and Tekedra N. Mawakana, Co-CEO of Waymo, focused on autonomy on the road.

Conclusion

CES 2025 showcased a dazzling array of innovations, with each invention promising to redefine its respective industry. From Tesla’s self-driving cars to NVIDIA’s mixed-reality platform, the technologies unveiled this year are set to transform the way we live, work, and interact. These products exemplify how brands are pushing the boundaries of innovation, offering solutions for modern challenges and opportunities for a better tomorrow.

As these technologies transition from prototypes to real-world applications, they hold the potential to revolutionize everyday life. Which invention excites you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post CES 2025: Top Tech Inventions and the Keynotes by Tech Leaders appeared first on Tech Research Online.

The Thursday, October 10, 2024 event saw Tesla CEO, Elon Musk unveil the long-waited Robotaxi, Cybercab, and Cybertruck, a Robovan prototype.

The CyberCab features two gull-wing doors and does not have pedals or steering wheel. The Robovan is a driverless vehicle designed to move people around high density areas. The van can carry a maximum of 20 people at a time as well as goods.

Vision for A Glorious Future

On Thursday night, Elon Musk termed the future as glorious as the company unveiled Tesla’s first CyberCab. The Robotaxi rolled up the stage for close to an hour during the Tesla We Robot Event. Musk mentioned that Tesla had already developed 21 CyberCabs and a total of 50 driverless vehicles on-location.

Musk said Cybercab production will commence in 2026. He said that Tesla Cybercab will be priced at below $30,000 and will cost about 20 cents per mile to operate. Tesla plans to have the robotaxis in the market before 2027.

The autonomous vehicle maker plans to run a fleet of Tesla Robotaxi self-driving cars that users can hail via an app. People who own Tesla electric vehicles will also be able to earn money by listing their cars as robotaxis on the app.

“The vast majority of the time, cars are just doing nothing. But if they’re autonomous, they could be used five times more, maybe 10 times more,” Musk said.

Tesla expects to have its unsupervised full self-driving (FSD) software up and running in California and Texas in 2025. A supervised version of the premium driver assistance software is currently available on Tesla electric vehicles. The company says FSD will be running its Model 3 and Model Y electric cars.

Tesla’s Futuristic Robovan

TechCrunch reported Tesla’s futuristic vehicle, the Robovan, as We Remote’s biggest surprise.

“We’re going to make this, and it’s going to look like that,” Musk said as the Cybertruck rolled to the center stage.

Tesla’s Robovan features a retro-futuristic look and comes with doors that slide out from the center, tinted windows, and silver metallic sides with stripes and black details. The van is autonomous and does not have a steering wheel.

“One of the things we want to do, and we’ve done this with the Cybertruck – is we want to change the look of the roads. The future should look like the future,” Musk said.

The Cybertruck’s look is very similar to that of autonomous taxis designed by Cruise and Zoox only than its much bigger in size. But Tesla’s Robovan unveiling 2024 came with little commitment on when the Cybertruck will be ready. Musk did not reveal how Tesla will produce the Robovan, how much it will cost, or when it will hit the market.

Missed Opportunity

Even with the reveal of Tesla’s Robotaxi and Robovan, analysts say the We Remote event failed to showcase near-term opportunities for the EV manufacturer. Instead, the reveal prioritized Musk’s vision for future self-driving cars.

“As expected, like prior Tesla product unveils, the event was light on the details and instead emphasized the vision underpinning Tesla’s growth endeavors in AI autonomous vehicles. Yet there were no updates indicating near-term opportunities. Tesla didn’t show its low-cost model planned for 1H′25 production. We also didn’t get any near-term updates on FSD progress, or data reflecting improvement in the system,” Barclays’ U.S. Autos and Mobility said.

Morgan Stanley felt Musk failed to position Tesla as an AI company during the event. Analysts from the bank said he did not provide information on Tesla’s FSD system improvements nor did he discuss the rumors about Tesla-xAI partnership.

The We Robot event “overall disappointed expectations in a number of areas – a lack of data regarding rate-of-change on FSD/tech, ride-share economics, and go-to-market strategy. We were overall disappointed with the substance and detail of the presentation. As such, we anticipate TSLA to be under pressure following the event” Morgan Stanley Analysts wrote.

Companies like Waymo have already launched robotaxis. But with regulators raising safety concerns, it will take several years before Robotaxis becomes a reality on public roads.

The post Tesla’s Robovan and Robotaxi Reveal Fails to Impress Investors appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Understanding the
rise of China's OEMs: Key players,
global ties, and future potential

In this new report, automotive industry analyst, Felipe Munoz, analyses the rapidly evolving landscape within China, alongside an overview of the main players emerging from China’s burgeoning automotive industry.

Learn about the key players, global ties, and future potential of Chinese car brands, and access the latest market data and intelligence.

The post Understanding the rise of China’s OEMs: Key players, global ties, and future potential appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Speed Automotive Software Delivery with Arm64 Development and Microsoft SDV Toolchain

Theresa Nguyen

Equinix Business Development Director
Platform Alliances | Microsoft

Filipe Prezado

Microsoft Principal Program Manager
Microsoft SDV & Mobility

Joe Speed

Ampere Head of Edge
Vehicles, Robots, IoT, 5G, and Space

About Equinix

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company. We interconnect industry-leading organizations such as finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare and education across a digital-first world. Business leaders harness our trusted global platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success—sustainably and securely.   

The post Speed Automotive Software Delivery with Arm64 Development and Microsoft SDV Toolchain  appeared first on Tech Research Online.

The post Speed Automotive Software Development with arm64 & Microsoft SDV Toolchain appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Speed Automotive Software Delivery with Arm64 Development and Microsoft SDV Toolchain

Theresa Nguyen

Equinix Business Development Director
Platform Alliances | Microsoft

Filipe Prezado

Microsoft Principal Program Manager
Microsoft SDV & Mobility

Joe Speed

Ampere Head of Edge
Vehicles, Robots, IoT, 5G, and Space

About Equinix

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company. We interconnect industry-leading organizations such as finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare and education across a digital-first world. Business leaders harness our trusted global platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success—sustainably and securely. 

The post Speed Automotive Software Delivery with Arm64 Development and Microsoft SDV Toolchain  appeared first on Tech Research Online.

CNBC reported that at the event, Chinese companies displayed humanlike robots grabbing sodas and playing the zither while Tesla showed off its Optimus next to its cars.

The Robotics Rush

The events at the Beijing Robot Conference show how tech companies are rushing to invest in humanoid robots. In the same way that China rushed into electric vehicles several years ago, funds are now flowing into humanoid robots.

Over the last decade, China’s robotics industry investment has surpassed the $14.01 billion mark according to Lanchi Ventures Partner, Wei Cao. Lanchi Ventures expects the next milestone in humanoid robot manufacturing to focus on commercial viability where robots move and prioritize tasks. According to Cao, this could happen in the next one or two years.

In the US, Elon Musk has announced plans to roll out tests for Tesla humanoid robots in Tesla plants next year. Musk has claimed that Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot can fold laundry and will one day clean, cook, and teach kids. According to him, this technology could generate upwards of $25 trillion for Tesla.

Humanoid Startups

The Chinese humanoid robot Beijing conference attracted different robotic startups. Agibot, a Shanghai-based startup which is backed by Lanchi Ventures unveiled five new robots just days before the conference. Some of the robots can be preordered.

Agibot plans to commence deliveries in mid-October. Ads show that its robots can act as gallery guides, sales people, and factory part pickers. Stardust Intelligence also showed off its Astribot S1 humanoid robot featured in a promo video in April.

The company also displayed other humanoid robots performing intricate martial arts moves, writing Chinese brush calligraphy, and playing the zither. Other companies that showcased humanoids were Turui and Galbot. Their robots placed products in baskets or moved soda cans from a shelf to the table.

The number and type of demonstrations at the Chinese humanoid robot Beijing conference increased significantly. Some robots were slow and stiff and it was not clear whether their actions were autonomous or controlled remotely.

US Robotics

Tesla did not showcase its Optimus humanoid robot in action during the conference. However, promotional videos show the robot has high capabilities. According to Cao, robotic technology from Tesla and other US-based companies are about one or two years ahead of China.

But when it comes to humanoid supply chains, China has 95% or more self-sufficiency. US Association for Advancing Automation president, Jeff Burnstein presented virtual demonstrations of humanoids from startups like Agility.

“These are demos, but they as well as others are now in pilot programs, and some companies we believe actually started using them more than just a pilot,” he said.

The association will hold a humanoid conference in the US on October 7.

Emerging Trends

One of the trends that emerged from the humanoid competition Beijing robot conference is specialized humanoids. Rather than replicate the entire human being at a go, robotic companies tend to develop specific parts first before moving to others.

Startups showcased an array of robot hands, gears, and other parts. It is expected that a single robot will be able to perform simple nursing care, tasks, medical treatment, and household tasks.

The post Chinese Humanoids Take On Tesla’s Optimus at Beijing Conference appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to CNBC, the new technology has already been integrated into Waymo’s Geely Zeekr electric vehicles.

Market Entry

Waymo introduced its commercial robotaxi service to the US market back in 2018. Previously, the EV maker has integrated its driverless technology into the electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivans.

The company says that its generation 6 technology will hit the EV market sooner than its prior technologies due to its advanced semiconductor performance and machine learning technology.

“We are confident we can bring this generation to market much faster than the prior generation,” Waymo’s VP for Engineering, Satish Jeyachandran said.

Scaling Waymo One

As its executives share details about the forthcoming generation 6 technology, the company continues to scale its current Waymo One technology across cities like Austin, Los Angeles, Texas, San Francisco, and Phoenix.

Since its inception, Alphabet owned Waymo robotaxis have successfully completed over 2 million trips. Currently, Waymo offers about 50,000 paid autonomous trips each week in Phoenix and San Francisco. Two months ago, the EV maker announced that it was making driverless rides available to any user in San Francisco.

Alphabet announced last month that it would invest an additional $5 billion in Waymo.

According to Jeyachandran, the new investment will enable the EV maker to scale its operations. This includes increasing its fleet once it completes the testing and validation of Generation 6 robotaxi Waymo technology.

New Features

The EV maker anticipates that Geely Zeekr and the Waymo Jaguar I-PACE will coexist. It is expected that the new Waymo Zeekr will have similar footprints as the current Waymo I-Pace SUVs.

The only difference is that the Zeekr comes with a more accessible interior that features more legroom, a high ceiling, and a low step. Waymo has been developing custom software and sensors including radar and lidar that give the Zeekr a 360 view of the obstacles it needs to identify and avoid. The improved sensors come with wipers for clearing precipitation and dirt.

The Zeekr is set to become Waymo’s less expensive tech robotaxi. In an effort to reduce the cost of running each robotaxi, Waymo has reduced the number of cameras in the car from 29 to 13. The Zeekr comes with four lidar sensors.

Little Competition

Waymo is already testing the Generation 6 robotaxi on public roads with drivers on board. Testing and validation work is currently underway in New York, Detroit, and Buffalo. These diverse environments will help Waymo understand how the robotaxis will perform in varying weather and traffic settings.

Although Waymo has been grappling with driverless taxi crashes, it currently faces little competition in the US. Locally, GM’s Cruise faced challenges that forced it to temporarily pull its driverless cars off the road while Tesla recently pushed plans to launch its dedicated autonomous vehicles to October.

The post Waymo Unveils New Driverless Technology for Robotaxis appeared first on Tech Research Online.

In a post shared on his X account, Musk said, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.”

Reuters reported that in April, Musk had said its humanoid robot, Tesla Optimus would perform tasks in the company by the end of 2023 and could be available in the market by the end of next year. In 2023, Tesla unveiled a new generation of humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2.

Rich Background

For several years now, leading companies in Japan have developed humanoid robots. These companies include Hyundai and Honda Motors. Businesses are increasingly betting on internal humanoid robots to bridge labor shortages and perform tedious dangerous tasks or repetitive in nature. Such tasks include warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing.

Tesla launched Optimus in September 2022. At the time, it was named Bumblebee. This year, the electric vehicle maker shared a video of its humanoid robot, Tesla Optimus Gen 2 bipedal robot performing a task – folding a T-shirt within Tesla’s facility.

In recent months, Musk has pivoted Tesla’s focus on autonomous driving software, artificial intelligence, robotaxis, and humanoid robots amidst dropping demand for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles contribute over 80% of Tesla’s revenue.

Unfulfilled Promises

Even as Musk says Tesla will have humanoid robots for internal use in 2025, the announcement comes in the backdrop of unfulfilled investor promises. In 2019, the EV manufacturer CEO told investors that his company will be operating autonomous cars by 2020.

This didn’t happen. Earlier this year, Musk said Tesla would launch robotaxis in August. Last week, Musk said this will take longer following critical design changes that he has requested to the front part of the design.
Tesla is set to release its quarter two earnings today. It’s earning will help investors to understand what Musk and EV company are doing to restore growth following reporting the biggest revenue drop since 2012 in quarter one of this year.

Investor Focus

Institutional investors are more focused on the health of Tesla’s motor vehicle margins. Their attention is also on Tesla’s operating costs after the EV maker implemented layoffs, price cuts, and other incentives to boost EV sales.

Retail investors expect Musk to explain Tesla’s progress in self-driving technology and provide answers to the delayed unveiling of its dedicated robotaxi, CyberCab. Investors will want to know more about Tesla’s outlook of the battery energy storage business and its near-term priorities. They also expect to get an update of the status of the new factory that the EV company promised to set up in Monterrey, Mexico.

On Monday, Tesla shares were up 1%. Analysts expect Tesla to announce a 62 cent per share earnings adjustment on its $24.77 billion revenue for the period ended June 30.

The post Inside Tesla’s New Plan to Have Humanoid Robots in 2025 appeared first on Tech Research Online.

What is Educational Robotics?

Educational robotics is a discipline that introduces students to the world of programming and robotics at a young age. Robotics in EdTech emphasizes practice rather than theory. Integrating robots in primary education means that students are provided with everything they need to build and program robots that can perform different tasks. In higher levels of education, advanced robots are used.

This education model is used to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in schools.

Role of Robotics in Education

Robots are not just theories, they are already performing tasks in different industries. Robotics in education empowers students with requisite skills that are needed in a technological world. Besides helping in different industries, robots are innovative tools that help kids learn new concepts and acquire valuable skills through exciting recreational activities.

Since robotics is futuristic, robots stimulate curiosity. This encourages logical thinking and builds concentration in students. These skills prepare students for the world of work where automation and robotics are increasingly becoming prevalent.

What Types of Robots are Used in Education?

Robotics in education utilizes robots that are designed specifically for educational settings. Robots come in varying forms. Some are big and can interact socially with students. Others are small and programmable, students can code them. Robots that have been equipped with artificial intelligence are also used in the EdTech industry. AI allows such robots to respond to students in real-time and adapt to the learning environment.

There are four types of educational robots that are currently being used in classrooms today. Each comes with unique capabilities and features to support learning for varying age groups as follows:

Humanoid Robots

These are designed to mimic humans and are capable of performing different tasks. Humanoid robots help to teach robotic concepts like locomotion, balance, and motion.

Pre-built Robots

Unlike humanoid robots, pre-built robots are quite basic. They are fully programmed and easy-to-use robots designed for young children. Pre-built robots can be used to teach kids simple tasks like avoiding obstacles and following lines. They introduce children to foundational programming concepts.

Modular Robots

These are used to teach complex robotic concepts like dynamics, kinematics, and mechanical engineering. They utilize multiple modules that students can assemble into varying configurations.

Programmable Robots

These are used to teach students coding and robotic concepts like motors, sensors, and controllers. They have actuators and sensors to enable them to perform complex tasks. Students assemble and program them during learning.

How Robotics is Changing the EdTech Industry and Improving Learning

Robotics in EdTech is transforming how teachers teach and how students learn. Below are five ways this discipline is improving learning:

1. Supporting Interactive Learning

Educational robotics leverages interactive learning. Students work on robot projects together. This builds their communication, teamwork, and collaboration skills while helping them to appreciate individual strengths.

2. Making Education Accessible

Robots can be programmed to meet the individual needs of a child. This makes provision of special education accessible and easier. Through robotics children with special needs like autism, attention disorder, and other developmental challenges can focus and develop social and communication skills.

3. Generating Interest in STEM Subjects

The use of robots in the classroom builds student interest in STEM subjects and helps them see how those subjects apply in the real world.

4. Non-Judgmental Learning

The use of educational robotics in the classroom reduces judgment and embarrassment for students because, unlike humans, robots don’t judge or feel. Although their ability to act with intention or form opinions is low, robots have emotion recognition capabilities.

This enables them to provide non-judgmental outlets for emotional expression. This way, they can support children when they experience homesickness or cultural adjustment challenges.

5. Personalizing Learning

Robots help students and teachers overcome the one-size-fits-approach challenge. Since they are capable of adapting different teaching methods, they can be programmed to support students to learn or practice more depending on their learning styles and abilities. This personalized mode of learning allows students to get instructed in ways that resonate with their needs and preferences.

6. Higher Knowledge Retention

Educational robotics focuses more on practice than theory. It gives students global perspectives through virtual interactions, field trips, and exposure to issues in different parts of the world. These experiences help students to retain more knowledge than they would in conventional learning approaches.

What are the Benefits of Educational Robots?

Robotics in education offers numerous benefits for students, here are 3 major ones:

1. Promotes Hands-On Learning

Robotics allows students to learn by doing. Students are introduced to tech and science concepts in a practical way, empowering them with mechanical, electronic, and coding skills. This hands-on learning helps them understand theoretical concepts better.

2. Builds In-Demand Skills

Educational robots enable students to build skills like problem-solving, programming, and coding that are in demand in the job market in an engaging, fun way. Developing these skills early will help them succeed in their careers in future.

3. Prepares Students for the Workplace

Technology has become an integral part of the workplace. Robotics is already driving transformation in every sector. In the EdTech industry, robots give students a solid computational thinking and programming foundation that will enhance their understanding of emerging technologies in future.

Wrapping Up

Robotics in EdTech is changing the way students learn and retain knowledge rapidly. In the modern-day digital world, this approach can build STEM skills in students and adequately prepare them for future jobs. It can also expand opportunities for children with special needs and make education accessible to them based on their learning needs and styles.

In addition to providing technical skills, robotics in education also helps students develop a range of transferable skills like problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, and logical thinking. These skills are what they need to succeed in life and the workplace.

The post How is Robotics Changing the EdTech Industry and Improving Learning? appeared first on Tech Research Online.