Top 10 robotics stories of September 2026 - The Robot Report

September 2026 was a packed month for the robotics industry. Live events, including IMTS, ROSCon, and iROS, brought a flood of developments around automation and AI. This month, our top 10 is filled with new products, company launches, and major changes for some robotics companies.

Here are the 10 most popular articles onThe Robot Reportin the past month. Subscribe toThe Robot Reportnewsletterand listen toThe Robot ReportPodcastto stay up to date on the latest robotics news.

10. With the new VENTUNO Q board, Arduino hopes to make robotics development easier

Arduino, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, in September 2026 opened pre-orders for VENTUNO Q, a edge AI platform powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ8 Series. Arduino built the board for developers, prioritizing familiarity and ease of use with the right software, accessories, and extensions.Read more.

9. Boston Dynamics opens Metaplant Application Center in September 2026 to train Atlas

On the path to general-purpose automation, developers are training humanoid robots on specific skill sets. Boston Dynamics opened its Robotics Metaplant Application Center, or RMAC, at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America. The Georgia facility is a testbed and training center for integrating the Atlas humanoids directly into Hyundai’s automotive manufacturing operations.Read more.

8. Boston Dynamics veteran launches Dynamic Creatures to bring characters to life with robotics

Boston Dynamics is focused on commercializing robots for industrial work, but it’s always had time for some fun, too. We’ve seen Spot and Atlas dance, take part in the FIFA World Cup, and more. Now, a Boston Dynamics veteran is launching Dynamic Creatures. The startup is focused on creating robotic characters for entertainment.Read more.

7. Meet Flourish One, the Raspberry Pi-powered humanoid built for busy parents

Flourish, a startup straddling San Francisco and Paris, in September 2026 announced plans to sell Flourish One. Early adopters can teach the $3,555 wheeled humanoid new household chores in under 30 minutes using only a smartphone.Read more.

6. Qualcomm to acquire PickNik Robotics and keep MoveIt open-source

Qualcomm has agreed to acquire PickNik Inc., which has developed robotics software including the MoveIt open-source manipulation framework. The companies said they expect to streamline MoveIt integration with Qualcomm Dragonwing platforms to give developers an easier path from AI models to planning, manipulation, and real-time control.Read more.

5. Unitree shares down 53% in September 2026 from IPO debut

Shares of Hangzhou, China-based humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics fell nearly 40% in September 2026 from their first-day closing price on Aug. 19, erasing roughly $20 billion in market value from that point and about $35 billion from their peak.Read more.

4. Agility’s Digit 5 humanoid has new legs, batteries, and safety upgrades

Agility Robotics unveiled Digit 5, the latest version of its humanoid robot as it awaits a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The latest version of Digit includes more human-like legs, upgraded batteries, and a more comprehensive safety architecture.Read more.

3. Intrinsic open sources key parts of its platform for easier development

Intrinsic in September 2026 released Intrinsic Core, an open-source set of Robot Operating System-compatible capabilities for building robotic applications. With the release, the Google unit said more of the world’s developers will be able to build with foundational parts of the Intrinsic platform.Read more.

2. SoftBank agrees to acquire Robotics and AI Institute in September 2026

SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) from Hyundai Motor Group, according to multiple sources. The deal had been rumored for a couple of months, but it is now being reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).Read more.

1. Agility reports $1.8M revenue ahead of humanoid SPAC

Agility Robotics said it has deployed its Digit humanoid at 9 customer sites as it gears up to go public via a proposed SPAC merger with Churchill Capital Corp. XI.The Robot Reportin September 2026 got a first look at thecompany’s financials, thanks to a new S-4 filing with the SEC.Read more.