Top 10 robotics stories of January 2022

On Feb 1, 2022

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The robotics industry started off the year with acquisitions, 2022 predictions and product announcements. Our editorial team had no problem staying busy while keeping up with all of the news.

Here are the Top 10 most popular robotics stories on The Robot Report in January 2022. Subscribe to The Robot Report Newsletter to stay updated on the robotics stories you need to know about.

10. Autonomous vehicle startup Optimus Ride acquired by Magna

Magna International, a Canadian developer of car mobility technology, acquired the technology, intellectual property, and other assets from Optimus Ride, a Boston-based company developing SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicles (AVs). Magna is adding more than 120 Optimus Ride employees to its team. The company plans to use their expertise to enhance its capabilities in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Read Story

9. Editor’s Picks: 9 favorite robots from CES 2022

CES 2022 wrapped up with over 40,000 in-person attendees. Our editorial team perused CES virtually this year and still found no shortage of new robots and technologies to cover. Here are nine of our favorite robots from the show. Read Story

8. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin acquiring Honeybee Robotics

Blue Origin, the sub-orbital spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos, is acquiring Honeybee Robotics for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close in mid-February, and Honeybee Robotics will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Origin. Read Story

7. December 2021 robotics investments and acquisitions

The Robot Report tracked 58 robotics investments in December 2021 that totaled at least $1.2 billion. There were five mergers and acquisitions that included two via special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Read Story

6. How realistic is China’s five-year plan for robotics?

The new five-year plan for the robotics industry is principally a good sign for China’s robotics industry. Whereas other parts of the Chinese technology sector have been hit by stricter regulatory measures in the past year, this plan highlights the ongoing political support for this field. Read Story

5. Teradyne’s robotics group makes $376M in 2021

Teradyne’s industrial automation group, which includes AutoGuide Mobile Robots, Energid, Mobile Industrial Robots and Universal Robots, generated $376 million in revenue in 2021. That marks a 34% increase from the $280 million generated in 2020. Read Story

4. The robots that helped build the James Webb Telescope

NASA’s engineers had to place each hexagonal piece on the James Webb Telescope with extreme precision. To do so, they used a robotic arm that can move in six directions. The arm was controlled by a custom hexapod created by PI USA. The hexapod was placed at the end of the robotic arm to ensure that each piece was placed in the correct spot. Read Story

3. 5 mistakes robotics startups should avoid

In its 2018 World Robotics Report, the International Federation of Robotics estimates the combined market value for 2019 through 2021 for non-manufacturing, professional-service robots to be $37 billion—almost tripling its previous value. These new opportunities are attracting more pioneers of new robotic applications. These are five pitfalls robotics startups need to avoid. Read Story

2. 2022 robotics predictions from industry experts

We already recapped the most popular, most important and most memorable stories of 2021. In fact, you can find all of The Robot Report‘s 2021 Year in Review coverage here. With 2022 just underway, we asked some of the robotics industry’s leading minds to look to the future. This is what they’ll be keeping an eye on in 2022. Read Story

1. Boston Dynamics delivering fleet of Stretch robots to DHL

Boston Dynamics landed the first customer for its Stretch case-handling robot. DHL Supply Chain is spending $15 million with Boston Dynamics to further automate warehouses in North America. Boston Dynamics will deliver a fleet of Stretch robots to multiple DHL warehouses throughout North America over the next three years. Read Story

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