u/HenryGCase

Deaf users can now sign into their phones instead of typing. This feels like one of those quiet but huge accessibility + AI milestones.

The model reads simultaneous hand, body, and facial movements and turns them into English text in real time.

In the blog post linked below they explain how they made it work for practical situations too, like one-handed signing while holding the phone. Pose tracking happens on-device for privacy, and the actual translation runs on the server. DeepMind says it’s state-of-the-art on academic benchmarks and was developed with heavy input from the Deaf community.

They’re planning to expand it to more languages next.

Source: https://deepmind.google/blog/putting-sign-language-ai-into-users-hands/

Robot dogs affixed with AI-integrated cameras are becoming the latest dystopian fixation of the security industry, especially in the US, where they’re being deployed to patrol data centers, safeguard cash crops, and police sports stadiums.

Though expensive, they’re gradually becoming a more attractive option over human security guards. At least, that’s according to new reporting by Business Insider, which notes that the cost to cover one 24/7 guard shift is anywhere from $80,000 to $130,000 cheaper per year when contracting robot dogs over human security officers.

That’s bad news for the nation’s security guards, an essential role providing low-barrier employment for uneducated workers. Often deployed to help property owners reduce insurance premiums, the role of security guard is an important source of income for some 1.3 million people.
https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/robot-dogs-labor-security-guards-automation

In a market drowning in humanoids, this goat-headed monstrosity might just be the most honest robot we’ve seen yet.

“Humanlike torso and arms allow for natural teleoperation and interfacing with designed-for-human tools and environments,” Satyress says on its website. Human upper bodies are useful. But the legs are a liability. As Satyress puts it, “quadruped body with friction braked joints allows for a stable platform with no latent power consumption when not in motion, and increased stability and failsafes over a biped in both normal operation and in the event of loss of motor control.”

The Unitree As2-W is a compact, hybrid wheeled-leg robot built for extreme off-road mobility and heavy-duty tasks. By combining articulated legs with motorized wheels, the machine seamlessly transitions between rolling efficiently across flat surfaces and stepping over rugged, uneven terrain.
Despite a lightweight footprint, the robot demonstrates remarkable structural endurance. It supports an extreme static standing load of up to 180 kg and is officially rated to carry a continuous walking payload of 16 kg, making it highly effective for transporting gear in the field.
Driven by reinforcement learning and an 8-core high-performance processor, the As2-W features dynamic balance and intelligent terrain adaptation. It can navigate obstacles up to 80 cm high, climb steep inclines up to 45°, and utilize the ISS 3.0 system for centimeter-level tracking as an autonomous companion.
https://www.unitree.com/mobile/As2-W

'Sally' will have a Western New York accent and will teach 11th and 12th-grade students at Salamanca High School.

Sally costs less than the average teacher's salary in New York, with a price tag of $57,000.

The robot has brown hair, and can move its arms and legs, but will not be able to walk around the classroom.

Students will be able to log in so the humanoid can recognize students and their previous interactions.

The humanoid will be helping teach coding, robotics, and AI classes.

The school district promises that robots will "never" replace human teachers.

‘Sally’ is made by Realbotix, which also produces "companion" robots.

I cannot wait for the next inflection point in AI. Living life is very exciting right now.

Full video: YouTube: JLaservideo: I Built My Dad Bionic Legs!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyHrKD3SE-M

It's an Unitree B2: https://shop.unitree.com/products/unitree-b2

Some inventions are meant to push the boundaries of technology, while others are built to break the barriers people face every day. This remarkable all-terrain robotic mobility chair belongs to the latter category. Designed by YouTuber Jake Laser for his father, who has lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years, the project is a powerful reminder that engineering can be an act of love as much as innovation.

https://www.yankodesign.com/2026/07/09/son-transforms-a-unitree-robot-dog-into-an-all-terrain-mobility-chair-for-his-disabled-father/

Ukrainian roboticists have made major strides in that direction over the past four years. Remotely controlled ground vehicles fitted with machine guns and grenade launchers now patrol the no-man’s land straddling the front, part of a robotic legion that has stymied Russia’s territorial ambitions so far this year.

RoverTech, which manufactures the Zmyi, one of Ukraine’s most successful ground robots. Zmyi, Ukrainian for snake, is an 800-kilogram (1,700-pound) rover, 2.15 by 1.5 meters in size, with 75-centimeter diameter wheels. The Zmyi comes in various configurations—for demining, logistics, fighting fires, firing a machine gun, or launching grenades.

The Zmyi is engineered to be nearly noiseless and emit as little heat as possible, helping it to elude Russia’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones. As a result, a Zmyi rover completes on average 57 missions across the kill zone before being destroyed.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/ukraine-ground-drones

The BMW Group said it gained important experience with humanoid robots at Plant Spartanburg in 2025. Figure 02 supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles. In the body shop, the robot inserted sheet-metal parts for the welding process, a task that demands high speed and accuracy and that can be physically demanding.

“Our 11-month deployment of Figure 02 proved that humanoids are no longer lab experiments — they can be a valuable asset in establishing a flexible, reliable manufacturing workforce,” stated Brett Adcock, founder and CEO of Figure AI. “We are excited to continue our work in Spartanburg as Figure tackles the complexity of the assembly and logistics hall.”

https://youtu.be/Eu5mYMavctM?is=kDPp80bhnOhexGFR

The automaker last week announced that, following its successful deployment with Figure 02 at its plant in Spartanburg, S.C., it will deploy the company’s latest Figure 03 robot.

“The robot introduces several new features for expanded applications. These include soft components designed for enhanced safety, wireless charging designed for higher availability, and audio functions for speech-to-speech communication, along with improved hands with tactile sensors and palm cameras designed to increase precision and dexterity."

https://www.therobotreport.com/bmw-group-deploys-figure-03-humanoid-after-tests-previous-version/

A 44-room “full scenario robot-serviced” hotel is being build on the West Artificial Island of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in China. A limited trial is supposed to start late this year, with full public opening coming in 2027.

Robots will handle reception, check-in, luggage, deliveries, room service, cleaning, food service, guest support, security and even guest interaction and companionship.

Pudu Robotics and Shenzhen Culture & Tourism Industry Development have officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop the world's first full-scenario robot-serviced hotel.

To showcase the vision behind the project, Pudu Robotics transformed the signing ceremony into a live demonstration of future hotel operations, presenting a comprehensive portfolio of robotic solutions operating together in a hospitality setting.

The PUDU T300 demonstrated heavy-duty luggage transportation and autonomous elevator interaction, highlighting its 300-kilogram payload capability. Meanwhile, the PUDU CC1 Pro and PUDU MT1 cleaning robots performed real-time cleaning operations throughout the venue, demonstrating AI-native waste detection and autonomous floor maintenance. BellaBot Pro served freshly brewed coffee to guests while interacting through voice and lighting effects, while KettyBot Pro continuously delivered refreshments and snacks throughout the event while displaying event information on its advertising screen.
 
The showcase concluded with interactive performances from PUDU D5, offering attendees a glimpse of how robotics can create engaging and memorable guest experiences beyond operational efficiency.

https://youtu.be/nDwZ8Wq\_YXw?is=B9VFHrADSJz3D2N-

Footage likely features a Unitree G1 humanoid robot, which has gained attention for its advanced stability and combat-related routines.

Across Ukraine's front line, soldiers are staying behind while machines go forward. Ground robots are hauling ammunition, evacuating wounded troops, laying mines, and increasingly carrying weapons into combat as Ukraine tries to replace as many frontline tasks as possible with machines.

The effort is accelerating rapidly. In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the military to field at least 50,000 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in 2026, calling them "the next big step" in saving soldiers’ lives.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkirichenko/2026/06/30/ukraine-wants-robots-to-fight-its-ground-war/

A phone strapped to her head, Sriramyachandra films herself doing household works to train AI robots. Photo: AFP

Sriramyachandra, who lives in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, earns a little over two dollars for every hour of footage she records. While the work may appear simple, the data she generates is considered highly valuable by global technology companies seeking to teach robots how humans move and interact with real-world environments.

Meet the Indians teaching robots real-world skills https://www.indianweekender.co.nz/news/meet-the-indians-teaching-robots-real-world-skills