Robotics

The UK Government has announced that it will invest more than £5 billion in drones and autonomous systems over the remainder of the current Parliament. This represents the UK's largest-ever investment in uncrewed warfare and reflects a wider shift in global defence procurement. Armed forces are placing greater emphasis on uncrewed platforms that can be deployed at scale, produced at relatively low cost, and updated rapidly.

Artificial intelligence having a physical body and fields being tended to from the sky are two phenomena that could be enabled by developments within the robotics sector. This article explores developments across humanoids and drones.

The world of computing is growing in line with increasing demands for problem solving and robotic integration across many major sectors. Quantum computing, semiconductor technologies, and the rise of humanoid robots are some examples of how diverse computing technologies can be.

Humanoid actuators are responsible for bringing humanoid robots to life with physical motion, allowing humanoids to walk, lift objects, handle tools, and interact with the environment. As the humanoid robot market grows, there are increasing opportunities for materials and component suppliers to enter the supply chain. This article from IDTechEx looks at the current state of humanoid actuators and highlights some of the directions and outlook for next generation of humanoid actuation.

IDTechEx analyst Dr Shababa Selim assesses the opportunities for materials and component suppliers for humanoid robots.

Automotives, medical, and defense are amongst the most common application sectors for 3D printing and injection molding, and the TCT and Interplas events hosted at the NEC during the first week of June showcased a number of startups and well-established players.

Robots take on a multitude of forms, each with technologies that make them best suited to their own specific environments, either working independently or in the company of humans. This article covers cobots, service robots, humanoids, drones, and in-vehicle AI assistants.

The humanoid robotics industry is transitioning from prototype development and demonstrations toward structured pilot deployments and early commercial adoption. Materials such as metal alloys, rare-earth permanent magnets, engineering plastics and composites underpin the critical components of humanoid robots, as found in the new IDTechEx market report "Materials for Humanoid Robots 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts".

From AI in-car assistants to drone delivery helpers, the future of transportation is versatile and varied, thanks to the latest developments in robotics, autonomy, electric vehicles, and hydrogen.