Trending News in the Robotics Field for June 2023

What's happening in the robotics field for June 2023? Welcome to the 38th installment in our monthly series, What's Trending in Robotics Field! We cover all the breaking news, hot issues, trending stories, and cool stuff that's happening — or has happened — in the robotics industry.

There were plenty of amazing things happening in the robotics industry throughout June. Let's see what caught our attention this month with the trending news in robotics for June 2023.

Meet AMECA

“More human than human” was the tagline of the robotics corporation in Blade Runner; every month, it seems like we’re getting closer and closer to those levels. Meet AMECA, the “world’s most advanced humanoid robot,” with the ability to pen poems and boasting some eerily incredible facial expressions. This is covered (rather breathlessly) in the Daily Mail, Analytics Insight, on YouTube, and WIO News. The question, now, has to be how far is enough when it comes to the lifelike features of robots? Do we need to make them to the point where they’re completely indistinguishable to humans — or is there a point where we absolutely need to put on the brakes? It’s something we need to think about as these humanoid ‘bots get more and more advanced.

Gitai Gets a Boost

In the future, much of the labor needed in dangerous space environments may very well fall onto the shoulders of a robotic workforce. That’s what investors think, anyway, if the very large financial boost the Gitai startup (covered in Interesting Engineering, Zawya, and Yahoo) received is any indication. Gitai’s lunar robotic arms and rovers could help to really cut down on the expenses needed for ambitious missions to space — a critical element for any future space travel operations. Of special note here? The partnership between Gitai and NASA, an interesting development in the increasingly public-private space race. 

Let’s Get Small

Big news in little things: covered in Interesting Engineering, the University of Colorado news, and Inceptive Mind, scientists are making significant progress towards miniature robotics that can deliver drugs to your body. It’s not inconceivable that — within the next century — a little robot could cruise between ligaments and bone and muscle to deliver the medications you need to survive and thrive. Are you ready to grasp that sort of medical treatment during a future appointment? 

Quick Hits

How about some “Quick Hits” from the month of June?

• Meet Mori3, the origami robot, in this YouTube video. 
• TechXPlore profiles a diving robot for dangerous undersea operations (tragically timely, given the events of the last few weeks).
• The Robot Report has news of a big merger in the robotics world. 
• Tennis, anyone? Check out E.S.T.H.E.R, the tennis playing robot, on YouTube.

News From the Community

Finally, let’s take a look at one of the trending stories in the RobotShop community. We’ve heard of big wedding parties, but this is way out of conventional: the USA Today has the story of some nuptials featuring an entourage of robot groomsmen. What kind of gift do you think that band got? Hopefully something more than some branded playing cards or whiskey flasks. 

What's to Come?

There is a lot of news out there, but these stories caught our eye this month. If we could give one big theme for the month, it would be "fantastic voyage.” You might not be familiar with the classic 1960s science-fiction film; in case you’re not (it’s been endlessly parodied in different animated shows), it’s about a sub crew shrunk down to microscopic size in order to help fix a sick scientist’s brain. In the late 1960s, this was just high-concept science fiction; today, robotics are on the verge of making it scientific fact — putting together miniature robots that could one day travel through the body to deliver prescription drugs. Yet another example of creative dreams reaching reality through the advancements of robotics. 

The bottom line: robotics, as a whole, is on a roll. It applies to nearly every aspect of our lives and touches every element of our actions — from how we eat to where we will go as a species. Every month, it's a wonder to see where robotics has gone — and to imagine where the technology will go. 

One more thing, readers — if you know of anything we should add for the next edition, tell us about it! What caught your attention in the robotics world throughout June? Comment below, and we might feature it in our next issue!

To stay up-to-date with trending news in the robotics field, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and now Tik Tok or the community site.

Picture credit: 60 minutes / Gitai / Shields Lab / University of Colorado Boulder / EPFL RRL / ETH Zurich / Georgia Tech College