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The Bot Brief - The One and Only Robo Issue You Need to know what's happening!
Stay updated with all developments in the Robot World, every week
What's Up in AI
December 22, 2025
In partnership with
Hi there, Bot Spotter! 🤖
We know it’s been a long time but better late than never, right? On that note, welcome to another issue of the Bot Brief, where we tell you everything that happened in the Robotics & Humanoid world, so you’re updated and aware of what’s happening!
🤖 The wildest drops in the Robo World
🎥 Viral, weird, and can’t-miss bot moments
💡 Groundbreaking advances that are shaping the future
🔍 Everything else that you should and need to know
The bots are moving fast. Let’s get to catching up.
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🚀 The Bot in Spotlight
Singapore’s SharpaWave robotic hand, a human-scale dexterous hand with 22 degrees of freedom, has been making waves in robotics circles. It won a CES 2026 Innovation Award for its engineering prowess (like picking up a trash bag 😂).
Why it matters
Manipulation — the ability to touch, feel, adapt, and react — is one of the hardest challenges in robotics. SharpaWave’s breakthrough comes from its Dynamic Tactile Array (DTA): each fingertip houses over 1,000 tactile pixels and tiny cameras, giving it an ultra-high-resolution sense of touch that can detect even minuscule contact forces (as light as 0.005 N). That means it can recognize edges, adjust grips, avoid slipping, and handle unpredictable, deformable object like a trash bag.
Why it’s our top pick
Unlike most robotic grippers, which are either simple claws or trained in lab simulations, SharpaWave delivers realistic dexterity and sensory feedback that’s been demonstrated in complex, real-world tasks under teleoperation — a key step toward autonomous manipulation. Its combination of human-like movement range (22 DOF), tactile sensing, and robust actuation (over 20 N per fingertip and quick motion) makes it one of the most capable robotic hands on the market right now.
Future impact
If robots ever become truly helpful in homes, hospitals, factories, or shops, it’s because of hands like this. SharpaWave’s tactile intelligence and durability (engineered for over a million grip cycles) could unlock robots that safely and reliably perform everyday tasks. This hand is more than a prototype; it’s the gateway to robots that feel the world as humans do.
📱 More Robots in the Radar
🤖 Unitree Update:
Unitree just unveiled the world’s first humanoid robot app store, letting users control robots directly from their phones and adapt training data across machines. Founder Wang Xingxing says voice-commanded task completion could arrive as early as next year.
🩺 Dr. Drone:
Scientists are using drones to track a deadly virus spreading among dolphins and whales. By collecting exhaled droplets from surfacing whales, researchers can monitor marine health in real time — without stressing the animals or waiting for mass strandings.
🚕 Driverless Test Run:
Tesla shares jumped after Elon Musk confirmed the company is testing robotaxis without human safety monitors. Tesla plans to launch its Cybercab next year, but competition from Waymo is heating up fast.
🤖 End of an Era:
Roomba maker iRobot filed for Chapter 11 after 35 years, following a failed Amazon acquisition and pressure from cheaper Chinese rivals. Once valued at $3.56B, the company is now set to be acquired by its primary manufacturer.
🏨 Bot Bellhop:
Chinese startup Noetix unveiled Hobbs W1, a mobile robotic receptionist that can move around, hand over items, and handle light tasks in hotels and offices — a step beyond stationary “hello-only” robots.
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This week we cover: Construction & Infrastructure 🏗️🤖
Think construction is still all hard hats and heavy lifting?
Robots are quietly entering worksites — laying bricks, inspecting bridges, and building faster, safer, and smarter than ever before.
Here are some of the most impressive construction robots shaping our cities today:
🧱 Hadrian X – The Bricklaying Robot
Hadrian X can lay up to 1,000 bricks per hour with millimeter precision. It reads digital blueprints and builds walls directly from CAD files — no fatigue, no errors.
🚧 Boston Dynamics’ Spot (Construction Mode)
Spot patrols construction sites, capturing 3D scans and progress data. It spots safety risks, tracks delays, and helps managers monitor sites remotely.
🏗️ Autonomous Excavators
AI-powered excavators can dig, grade, and move earth without human drivers. They optimize fuel use and reduce accidents in hazardous zones.
🏠 3D-Printing Construction Robots
Entire houses are being printed layer by layer using robotic arms, cutting build time from months to days and dramatically reducing costs.
🌉 Swarm Robots for Repairs
Researchers are developing small robot swarms that can repair cracks in roads and bridges autonomously — extending infrastructure life with minimal disruption.
🎥 Watch the Bot in Action
Watch this video of robots fusing into the lives of people in US and China.
💬 Your Command
In construction, robots should… |
🚪 Wrapping Up
💬 Hit reply and tell us what you loved, what you’d like more of, or what we can do to make The Bot Brief even better.
Also, which area are you interested in learning about regarding how robots are making a difference? We’re genuinely curious.
Stay Curious! 🤖
Team What’s Up in AI