Engineering graduates are entering the toughest job market in years, with unemployment among new graduates hitting 5.8% in early 2025. The gap between academic knowledge and industry expectations has never been clearer.

Siemens’ Expedite – Skills for Industry is designed to close that gap, blending hands-on simulations with skills in product lifecycle management, AI tools, using the digital twin, and more.

Ready to navigate the real-world complexity of modern engineering from day one? More information here: https://wevlv.co/4nokXmg

This Robot Dog Can Talk and Think Now – Thanks to ChatGPT AI!

The PuppyPi robot has been enhanced with ChatGPT-based capabilities, enabling it to engage in natural voice interactions and perform basic reasoning tasks. With an AI voice interface and multimodal processing, the system serves as a demonstration of embodied AI—combining physical robotics with conversational intelligence.

Video source: Hiwonder

In this video, ARV-i monitors the environment inside the cage.

During a typical mission, ARV-i departs from its dock fully charged and uses its onboard processors to detect fish and nets in real time. This allows it to closely observe the fish while safely navigating around nets and other obstacles.

Throughout the dive, ARV-i employs its cameras and AI systems to collect and organize data on asset health, including fish biomass. Upon returning to the dock, it recharges via a pinless connection while simultaneously uploading collected data to the cloud.

Video source: Boxfish Robotics

This time-lapse video shows Machina Labs' portable RoboCraftsman undergoing calibration and acceptance testing—a critical phase in deploying each new AI-driven manufacturing platform.

While part of the standard testing process, the footage also illustrates the shift toward software-defined, flexible sheet metal forming—eliminating the need for traditional tooling and reducing production lead times.

Redwood AI’s latest Reinforcement Learning (RL) controller gives NEO Gamma a complete mobility toolkit—enabling natural walking in any direction, sitting, standing, kneeling and stair climbing using stereo vision. Unifying these capabilities in a single system marks a major milestone in realizing the full potential of humanoid robots.

Video source: 1X

Mosaic Manufacturing has created a step-by-step implementation guide to help engineers and business leaders integrate 3D printing solutions into existing manufacturing operations.

Get it here: https://wevlv.co/43qW0yf

Touch: A Critical Step Toward Human-Like Dexterity in Robots

At Sanctuary AI, the path to building general-purpose robots goes beyond vision—touch is essential. Many real-world tasks require tactile awareness, especially when visual input is limited or obstructed.

By integrating touch with vision, Sanctuary’s robots gain real-time feedback on pressure, texture, and contact—enabling more precise, adaptive, and confident physical interaction in dynamic environments.

Meet Treadward, a new robot from HEBI Robotics designed for rugged terrain, inspection tasks, and fieldwork.

It combines mobility and durability to operate in environments such as waterlogged infrastructure, disaster areas, and construction sites. With its compact size and treaded base, Treadward can move over debris, handle uneven ground, and transport significant payloads.

A miniature 6-axis robotic arm prototype was tested to evaluate its 6-DOF (Degrees of Freedom) performance. Colored markers attached to the end effector represent the X, Y, and Z axes of its reference frame, providing a clear visualization of the motion.

The arm demonstrated relatively smooth movement for an early-stage prototype, though some wobbling in the reference frame was observed during rotations. These variations are likely due to part tolerances and assembly imperfections.

Video credits: Oleksandr Stepanenko

Case Study Highlight: Sager Electronics & MEAN WELL redesigned a horticulture lighting system delivering 720 kW per room using rack-mounted modular power supplies. Major wins: simplified design, lower heat loads, better maintainability, and precise control without complex firmware.

Learn more: https://www.wevolver.com/article/building-a-720-kw-centralized-power-solution-for-horticulture-lighting-a-case-study-by-sager-and-mean-well

Higgs is an adaptive AI model developed for the Willow X robot, enabling task training without the need for coding. The system runs entirely on the robot, handling both training and execution locally to maintain privacy and ensure real-time performance.

Using a demonstration-based interface, users can train the robot by showing and recording tasks. The model processes camera inputs at runtime and generates corresponding motor controls, allowing Willow X to adapt to a wide range of applications.

Video source: EEVE

Parking lots present challenges such as narrow spaces, blind corners, and unexpected pedestrian movement.

In this demonstration, the Nuro Driver system evaluates the environment and selects a safer, more accessible parking spot.

MULTIFLEX L 700 | Pastries, Coiled Products, and Specialty Breads

The FRITSCH MULTIFLEX L 700 is designed for flexibility in dough processing, capable of producing a broad range of baked goods. With optional specialized components, the system can be configured to support diverse products and adapt to different production needs.

Video source: FRITSCH Bakery Technologies

Applying Viscous Coatings in Food Production

Spraying Systems Co. has developed equipment for applying thick coatings such as oils, glazes, and syrups. The systems are designed to maintain consistency and efficiency in production lines.

Manufacturing today faces constant volatility—from material shortages to shifting trade policies and sudden demand changes. Static supply chains and long-term forecasts aren’t enough anymore.

This article explores how engineering and sourcing teams can adapt, the evolving role of engineers, key strategies for continuity, and how Conrad supports manufacturers with a flexible, high-service sourcing platform.

Learn more: https://wevlv.co/3VCHHmK

Hero RGD™ (Rugged) Robotic Hand

The Hero RGD™ is constructed with Nylon PA12 and titanium components, designed to handle demanding tasks with a load capacity of up to 77 lbs. Its durability allows it to operate effectively in varied conditions, including impact and weather exposure.

The device features a shock-absorbing TPU palm, spring-loaded fingers, and brushless motors that provide a strong, stable grip. These capabilities support tasks such as lifting, fastening, hitching, and tool handling with precision and reliability.

Video source: Open Bionics

Unzipping a Bag with Reach X Manipulators

The Reach X manipulators are designed to deliver human-like dexterity in underwater operations where it may be too risky to send a diver. Tasks such as unzipping a bag and retrieving objects in strong currents highlight the system’s ability to apply precise force and maintain intuitive control, even in challenging environments.

Video source: Reach Robotics

AutoFlight V2000CG CarryAll eVTOL – Island Flight Test

AutoFlight’s V2000CG CarryAll eVTOL recently completed a flight test in Pingtan, China—one of the world’s windiest regions, with more than 300 days of severe wind conditions each year. During testing, the aircraft flew in winds exceeding 16 m/s, demonstrating resilience against ocean salt, heat, and humidity.

The test highlights the potential of eVTOL technology for reliable transportation in challenging coastal and island environments, supporting future applications in logistics and regional connectivity.

Autonomous Human-Robot Interaction via Operator Imitation

Researchers at DisneyResearchHub are developing methods for autonomous interactive robots by training models to imitate human operators. Using a dataset of human-robot interactions—where expert operators varied commands and robot moods while both human and robot poses were recorded—the system learns to generate interactions through a unified transformer architecture. Continuous commands are modeled with diffusion, while discrete commands are handled with classification.

The approach was evaluated in simulation and through user studies, showing interactions comparable to those of expert operators. Users were able to recognize distinct robot moods, and the trained model demonstrated zero-shot transfer to a different robotic platform with the same operator interface.

Video source: Disney Research

Researchers: Sammy Christen, David Muller, Agon Serifi, Ruben Grandia, Georg Wiedebach, Michael A. Hopkins, Espen Knoop, Moritz Bacher

Lithium-ion batteries power electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and portable devices due to their high energy density and long life—but they pose safety risks from thermal runaway, which can cause fires or explosions. Traditional monitoring often detects issues too late. Honeywell’s Battery Safety Electrolyte Detector (BES LITE) addresses this by detecting electrolyte vapors during early cell venting, 5–15 minutes before thermal runaway.

Learn more: https://wevlv.co/4mLa6SU