China's AgiBot has launched the '擎天租' (Qingtian Rent) robot rental platform, supporting scenarios like weddings and exhibitions. The flagship Yuanzheng A2 humanoid robot rents for $1,380 per day, while lower-cost models like the Unitree Go2 robotic dog rent for $138 per day. The robot rental market in China reached $140 million in 2025 and is projected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2026. Startup TARS showcased a humanoid robot achieving bilateral needle threading and embroidery for the first time, with sub-millimeter precision, breaking through automation challenges in precision manufacturing.

UBTECH's Walker S2 humanoid robot has secured a contract for deployment along the China-Vietnam border, valued at $37 million. It will be used for guiding passengers and vehicles, patrols, and cargo inspection. This deployment responds to China's 2023 policy aiming to 'establish a national humanoid robot innovation system by 2025,' marking a significant large-scale implementation of humanoid robots in real-world scenarios.

Norway's No Isolation has introduced the 12-inch AV1 robot to help students in the UK with chronic illnesses participate in classrooms remotely. Its 360-degree rotating camera and encrypted live streaming have increased student attendance by 21%. A research team at the University of York utilized robotics to automatically synthesize and screen over 700 metal compounds, discovering a novel iridium-based antibiotic candidate in just 7 days, significantly accelerating drug development.

A city-wide power outage in San Francisco caused Waymo's Robotaxis to collectively stall on the road. The company will upgrade its autonomous driving software to improve robustness. Concurrently, Waymo is testing Gemini as an in-car AI assistant, enabling conversation with passengers and control of vehicle functions. Chinese researchers have warned that a single voice command can hijack a networked humanoid robot and enable 'worm-like' propagation, exposing new cybersecurity risks in robotics.

LG will unveil the CLOiD home robot at CES 2026. It integrates AI and multiple sensors to learn and personalize household task management. Syncere AI has introduced the Lume morphing lamp robot, combining home aesthetics with practicality, aiming to address privacy and safety concerns of traditional humanoid robots. It is expected to launch in 2026.

Uber and Lyft announced they will jointly test Baidu's Apollo Go Robotaxi in London in 2026, accelerating the commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles in major global cities. Waymo continues to expand its Robotaxi service and is exploring deeper integration with AI assistants like Gemini.

A Chinese research team discovered security vulnerabilities in networked humanoid robots. An attacker can hijack one robot using a single voice command and propagate malicious commands to other robots via wireless networks, forming a 'worm-like' attack, highlighting urgent challenges in robot cybersecurity.

Syncere AI's Lume morphing lamp robot offers both home decoration and assistive functions, emphasizing privacy and safety. Humanoid's HMND 01 robot recreated classic movie scenes in a festive short film, showcasing diverse applications of robots in service and entertainment.