Today in Robotics — Friday, September 11, 2026
Happy Video Friday, where a humanoid tackles monkey bars and reminds us that dexterity is still a hard-won trophy. Elsewhere, the geopolitics of autonomy dominate—captured underwater drones, nuclear-crew readiness drills, European drone contracts, and shifting rules for farm flyers—while the industrial side quietly sweats the details of precision motion and resilient warehouses.
- 01 Video Friday: Humanoid Robot Takes On Monkey Bars
This week's video roundup features a humanoid swinging across monkey bars, a fun stress-test of the whole-body coordination that legged machines still struggle to master.
Read at source ↗ - 02 How to select the right rack and pinion system for high-precision linear motion
GAM makes the case that pinion size deserves more attention in motion control, a reminder that high-precision linear systems live or die by unglamorous mechanical choices.
Read at source ↗ - 03 How drone developers are navigating changing regulatory landscapes to help farmers
Hylio outlines how FCC restrictions on foreign-made drones, and now robots, are reshaping the path for agricultural aerial systems and the farmers who rely on them.
Read at source ↗ - 04 Building and programming autonomous robots at the York Micromaze Hackathon
A three-day Micromaze hackathon at York had teams designing, building, and programming autonomous robots—the kind of hands-on grind that grows the next generation of roboticists.
Read at source ↗ - 05 US submarine captured in Iran, can conduct missions at 20,000-feet ocean depth
Iran claims it captured an American underwater drone capable of operating at 20,000-foot depths, a reminder that autonomous vehicles are now frontline geopolitical assets.
Read at source ↗ - 06 US Air Force challenges nuclear missile crews with unexpected drone threat
The US Air Force drilled its nuclear missile crews against a surprise drone threat, testing how quickly strategic forces can adapt to small aerial incursions.
Read at source ↗ - 07 Why warehouse automation needs to evolve for resiliency
The argument here is a mindset shift: designing warehouse systems around constant change rather than a fixed job definition, prioritizing resilience over rigid optimization.
Read at source ↗ - 08 Teledyne lands major deal as Europe ramps up drone production
Teledyne Energetics UK's $15.4 million contract signals Europe's continued drive to build more of its own drone capabilities on home soil.
Read at source ↗
The RobotCafe digest — five minutes, the whole field.