Today in Robotics — Friday, October 23, 2026
Happy Friday from RobotCafe, where humanoids are shedding weight, regulators are picking a color, and a quadruped is apparently better at Rubik's Cubes than most of us. Autonomy dominates today's slate, from cyan-lit robotaxis to drone-launching tanks, with a thoughtful detour into construction robotics along the way.
- 01 NEURA’s 20% lighter humanoid robot with touch and force sensing moves toward production
NEURA's 4NE1 Gen 4 trims 20% of its weight while adding touch and force sensing, signaling a serious push from prototype toward actual serial production.
Read at source ↗ - 02 Video Friday: Quadruped Robot Solves Giant Rubik’s Cube by Itself
This week's video roundup stars a quadruped solving a giant Rubik's Cube solo, proving legged robots can moonlight as puzzle-solvers when no one's watching.
Read at source ↗ - 03 Feds want robotaxis to signal ‘I’m driving’ with cyan-colored lights
After years of debate over how driverless cars should announce themselves, NHTSA has settled on cyan lights as the universal signal that no human is at the wheel.
Read at source ↗ - 04 Robot Talk Episode 167 – Automating construction, with Jan Petrš
EPFL's Jan Petrš brings an architect's eye to robotics, discussing novel machine designs built specifically for the messy realities of construction sites.
Read at source ↗ - 05 Four DJI FPV goggles just got firmware updates
Four DJI FPV goggle models get fresh firmware, a routine but worthwhile reminder to update your gear before the next flight.
Read at source ↗ - 06 Chuyka 4.5.0.
Named after Ukrainian military slang for 'all clear,' this release hints at drone software shaped directly by the demands of the battlefield.
Read at source ↗ - 07 Gov. Whitmer awards $1.7M to launch 12 Advanced Air Mobility projects statewide 12 pilot projects will demonstrate advanced air mobility technologies in real-world applications across Michigan
Michigan is backing 12 advanced air mobility pilots with $1.7M, pushing drone and aerial tech from concept into real-world demonstrations across the state.
Read at source ↗ - 08 US Abrams tank gains new kit to launch kamikaze drones at targets beyond 18 miles
General Dynamics' PERCH 2.0 kit lets Abrams tanks launch kamikaze drones beyond 18 miles, folding loitering munitions into armored warfare's toolkit.
Read at source ↗
The RobotCafe digest — five minutes, the whole field.