April 2025 was full of big changes for the robotics industry, including shake-ups at large companies, new deployments, and the announcement of this year’s RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. In addition, the month closed with the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston.
Here are the 10 most popular articles on The Robot Report in the past month. Subscribe to The Robot Report Newsletter and listen to The Robot Report Podcast to stay up to date on the latest robotics developments.
10. H2 Clipper plans to deploy robotic swarms in aerospace manufacturing
H2 Clipper is one step closer to its goal of using autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic swarms in aircraft and aerospace manufacturing. Its latest patent brings the company to 15 awarded patents. The patent is a continuation of H2 Clipper’s (H2C) foundational robotics patent granted in December 2023. It extends the scope of H2C’s proprietary robotics claims to cover large-scale aviation and aerospace manufacturing. Read more.
9. Serve Robotics brings autonomous delivery robots to Dallas in April 2025
Serve Robotic launched its service in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The company said the strategic expansion, in continued partnership with Uber Eats, represents a major milestone in its plan to deploy AI-powered delivery robots across the U.S. by the end of this year. Read more.
8. New KUKA operating system includes a virtual robot controller
KUKA unveiled the iiQKA.OS2 operating system. which it said is scalable, customizable, and includes a complete virtual robot controller. The company claimed that its system is ready for artificial intelligence and the new ISO 10218:2025 industrial robot safety standard. It also said iiQKA.OS2 is “cyber-resilient,” making digital manufacturing future-proof. KUKA added that a robot controller with the operating system is easier to use and more accessible. Read more.
7. CMR Surgical raises $200M to expand Versius robot access across the U.S.
CMR Surgical Ltd. announced last month that it has closed a financing round of more than $200 million through a combination of equity and debt capital. The company said surgeons have already used its Versius Surgical Robotic System to complete more than 30,000 cases in over 30 countries. Read more.
6. Hugging Face bridges gap between AI and physical world with Pollen Robotics acquisition
Signaling its move into the physical world, artificial intelligence leader Hugging Face has acquired French robotics firm Pollen Robotics. The companies did not disclose the amount of the transaction. The acquisition underscores Hugging Face’s ambition to position robots as the next frontier for AI, advocating for an open, accessible, and customizable future. Read more.
5. Agility Robotics shows off latest advances for Digit humanoid in April 2025
At ProMat, Agility Robotics unveiled new capabilities for Digit that the company said expand the humanoid robot’s utility for its growing user base. “These upgrades allow Agility to expand Digit’s capabilities to meet our expanding commercial and customer needs,” stated Melonee Wise, chief product officer at Agility Robotics. “Together, they reinforce our commitment to cooperative safety, and demonstrate a path for Digit and human colleagues to one day work side by side.” Read more.
4. CNH acquires IP and assets of Advanced Farm
CNH Industrial has agreed to acquire the assets and intellectual property of Advanced Farm, a startup developing robotic apple pickers. Several growers in Washington state successfully piloted the apple-picking system during the 2024 harvest season, and it performed as expected. CNH was an early investor in Advanced Farms Technologies Inc., supporting the Davis, Calif.-based company‘s vision of developing a novel apple and strawberry-picking robot. Read more.
3. ABB plans to spin off its robotics division
One of world’s top industrial automation providers is becoming more independent. ABB Group announced during its earnings call in April 2025 that it plans to spin off its entire robotics division. The Zurich-based company said it intends for the business to start trading as a separately listed company in the second quarter of 2026. Read more.
2. 50 most innovative robotics companies
We are passionate about the impact robotics can have on the world. That’s why for 14 years, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have honored the most innovative robotics companies, technologies, and applications from around the world. This year, we brought back three major awards: Robot of the Year, Application of the Year, and Startup of the Year. We added a fourth major honor: Robots for Good, which recognizes a robot making a meaningful impact on society. Read more.
1. Hyundai to buy ‘tens of thousands’ of Boston Dynamics robots
Boston Dynamics and Hyundai Motor Group announced plans to deepen their partnership, which includes Hyundai purchasing “tens of thousands” of robots in the coming years. The automaker will also help Boston Dynamics grow by integrating its manufacturing capabilities with Boston Dynamics. Read more.
I wonder if it can be program for Security purposes e.g inside/outside of buildings, in the house, Schools.