We’re passionate concerning the influence robotics can have on the world. That’s why for 14 years, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards have honored probably the most revolutionary robotics firms, applied sciences, and purposes from around the globe.
This yr we introduced again three main awards: Robotic of the Yr, Utility of the Yr, and Startup of the Yr. We added a fourth main honor: Robots for Good, which acknowledges a robotic making a significant influence on society.
The RBR50 Gala returns April 30 from 6-8 PM in Boston on the Robotics Summit & Expo. The Gala presents attendees an opportunity to community with the world’s main robotics innovators. The Robotics Summit additionally has a devoted part on the expo flooring highlighting this yr’s RBR50 winners. Tickets to the RBR50 Gala are restricted and may be bought on-line throughout Robotics Summit & Expo registration.
Profiles of all RBR50 winners may be discovered on the backside of this web page.
Robotic of the Yr: Waymo robotaxi
Waymo is single-handedly maintaining the promise of autonomous automobiles (AV) alive within the U.S. In 2024, it steadily scaled its robotaxi operations whereas others faltered. Waymo final October surpassed 150,000 paid journeys per week throughout its fleets in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. This was after it exceeded 100,000 paid journeys per week simply two months earlier.
Waymo final yr additionally introduced plans to launch robotaxi companies in Atlanta and Miami in 2025. It additionally stated it’ll start testing in Tokyo for its first worldwide “highway journey.”
The AV business has lengthy been tormented by firms that overpromised and underdelivered. After years of delays, technical setbacks, and high-profile failures, many individuals query whether or not AVs will ever develop into a widespread actuality.
Waymo has confirmed to be the exception to this rule. It additional solidified its place because the dominant participant within the robotaxi market in 2024. And, extra importantly, it’s displaying that secure, autonomous ride-hailing at scale is not only attainable – it’s already right here.
TEPCO wins Utility of the Yr
Robots are good for duties which are dully, soiled, or harmful. And maybe no job is extra harmful than the one carried out by the Utility of the Yr Winner.
In October 2024, a remote-controlled robotic named Telesco efficiently retrieved a small piece of radioactive gas from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. This marked a big step within the decommissioning efforts of three reactors that misplaced their cooling methods throughout the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, abandoning an estimated 880 tons of radioactive gas.
The robotic is being utilized by the Tokyo Electrical Energy Firm (TEPCO), which manages the plant. The potential excessive ranges of radiation within the broken reactors have made it unsafe for people. Scientists stated the pattern will present essential information to refine decommissioning methods. The pattern returned was the dimensions of a grain of rice. TEPCO stated the pattern was considerably much less radioactive than it anticipated. It stated extra sampling missions are needed to acquire extra information.
The cleanup of nuclear waste is a gigantic problem. TEPCO’s use of robotics is vital to making sure employee security and minimizing human publicity to radioactive environments.
Mytra named Startup of the Yr
Mytra helps its prospects optimize warehouse house by automating historically handbook pallet dealing with processes. Its 3D lattice storage system maximizes density and eliminates aisles whereas permitting flexibility in dealing with varied payloads, from small objects as much as 3,000 lb. pallets.
Based in 2022, Mytra’s system has already been deployed by main firms, together with Albertsons, a number one American grocery enterprise. Albertson’s makes use of it in distribution facilities to buffer and sequence stock earlier than transport to shops. The Mytra answer can also be helpful for cross-docking warehouses as it may well statically stage and retailer full pallets, queuing them for the trailer loading course of. Throughout its buyer base, Mytra estimates that warehouses save as much as 88% of labor hours.
Mytra was based by Chris Walti and Ahmad Baitalmal, former leaders in robotics and manufacturing at Tesla and Rivian, respectively. Their area information of logistics and large-scale automation has helped Mytra design a product that instantly addresses the inefficiencies they skilled firsthand in trendy warehouses.
Howdy Robotic wins Robots for Good Award
Howdy Robotic’s Stretch 3 cell manipulator has been acknowledged with the Robots for Good Award for advancing in-home assistive robotics. Constructed to assist people with mobility challenges, Stretch 3 is compact, light-weight, and succesful in cluttered environments.
Stretch 3 has already gained traction in analysis establishments throughout greater than 20 international locations and is gaining floor in real-world purposes. People with extreme mobility impairments are utilizing it to regain independence, have interaction in social interactions, and ease the burden on caregivers. Henry Evans, a non-speaking grownup with quadriplegia, has shared how Stretch permits him to contribute to family chores and join together with his granddaughter in a manner that was beforehand unimaginable.
Past particular person use, Stretch 3 is being examined in assistive purposes reminiscent of an NIH-funded research exploring robotic assist for older adults with early-stage dementia. Howdy Robotic has additionally partnered with the ALS Affiliation to develop options tailor-made to that group’s wants. With open-source software program and continued improvement, Stretch 3 is accelerating the way forward for at-home assistive robots.
To be taught extra concerning the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2025, peruse the winner profiles under. We hope you be a part of us on the RBR50 Gala to have a good time this yr’s winners and join with the brightest minds in robotics.
RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2025
| Firm | Innovation |
|---|---|
| ABB Robotics | Launches next-generation OmniCore robotics management platform |
| Agility Robotics | Digit is the primary humanoid deployed in a business software |
| Amazon Robotics | Amazon opens its most automated facility ever |
| Asensus Surgical | Senhance brings minimally-invasive robotic surgical procedure to children |
| Beewise | Warmth Chamber kills 99% of honeybee mites, chemical-free |
| Boston Dynamics | Electrical model of Atlas a game-changer for humanoids |
| Chef Robotics | Robots assist meals producers enhance manufacturing |
| Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation | Husky A300 presents rugged cell robotics platform |
| Cognibotics | HKM1800 selecting robotic enhances productiveness of warehouses |
| Collaborative Robotics | Proxie cell manipulator simplifies materials dealing with |
| cyngn | DriveMod allows autonomy throughout indoor and out of doors areas |
| Endiatx | Swallowable robotic presents real-time abdomen diagnostics |
| FBR | Hadrian X blocklaying robotic builds first 5 properties |
| ForceN | Redefines force-torque sensing with plug-and-play strategy |
| Geek+ | Robots assist create Unilever’s largest manufacturing facility |
| GrayMatter Robotics | Scan&Sand automates labor-intensive ambulance manufacturing |
| HEBI Robotics | Inchworm-style robots provide a novel strategy to mobility |
| Howdy Robotic | Stretch 3 brings in-home assistive robots to life |
| Humotech | Caplex improves prosthetic becoming with real-time emulation |
| Isochronic | Simultaneous pick-and-place tech will increase throughput |
| Johns Hopkins College | Researchers use imitation studying to coach surgical robots |
| KUKA | Robots help with larvae breeding on Danish insect farm |
| Levita Magnetics | Twin-robot surgical procedure efficiently removes human prostate |
| Libiao Robotics | Skechers enhances warehouse effectivity with AirRob system |
| LimX Dynamics | TRON 1 multi-modal biped presents a novel R&D platform |
| Locus Robotics | Cell robots surpass 4 billion picks worldwide |
| MAB Robotics | Waterproof Honey Badger quadruped navigates land and water |
| MassRobotics | MassRobotics startups elevate greater than $1 billion |
| maxon | Excessive Effectivity Joints set a brand new normal for robotic actuators |
| Mbodi AI | Hybrid AI structure helps robots be taught through pure language |
| Mytra | Automated storage simplifies case and pallet dealing with |
| NASA | Ingenuity Helicopter ends three-year historic run on Mars |
| Northrop Grumman | Manta Ray underwater drone passes first army check |
| NVIDIA | Open-source Isaac Lab accelerates robotic studying |
| NYU Langone | Medical doctors carry out world’s first totally robotic double lung transplant |
| Opteran | European Area Company exams Thoughts autonomy platform |
| OTTO by Rockwell Automation | OTTO solves interoperability points for big automotive OEM |
| Pickle Robotic | Helps unload greater than 1.5 million lbs. of Randa attire |
| Challenge CETI | Researchers use robotics to raised perceive sperm whales |
| Reflex Robotics | Wheeled cell manipulator makes use of teleoperation to multi-task |
| Roboto AI | Platform helps robotics builders streamline information evaluation |
| Sturdy.AI | Carter Professional AMR takes human-robot interplay to the following degree |
| Saildrone | Maritime drones map unexplored areas of the Gulf of Maine |
| Shadow Robotic | DEX-EE hand helps advance robotic manipulation |
| SKA Robotics | Robotic tightens fasteners inside 1GW utility-scale turbines |
| Symbotic | BreakPack answer drastically reduces every selecting prices |
| Tennibot | Accomplice robotic ball machine a glimpse into way forward for sports activities coaching |
| Tokyo Electrical Energy Firm | Robotic removes radioactive materials at Fukushima nuclear reactor |
| Teradyne | MC600 cell manipulator handles heavy objects |
| Waymo | Robotaxis surpass 150,000 paid rides per week |