Thomas Unise
The robotics industry maintained momentum through December 2025, with significant developments ranging from microscopic robots to humanoid deployments, alongside major corporate restructuring and leadership changes.
Key Industry Developments
One of the most notable stories involved iRobot, the pioneering robotic vacuum company, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is set to be acquired by Chinese creditors. This development marked a continued decline for one of the few household names in consumer robotics, with Shenzhen Picea Robotics Co. and Santrum Hong Kong Co. planning to acquire the company through court-supervised bankruptcy proceedings.
In more positive news, Serve Robotics achieved a significant milestone by deploying over 2,000 sidewalk delivery robots across the United States, expanding its fleet twentyfold in 2025 alone. Meanwhile, Mercado Libre, Latin America’s leading commerce ecosystem, integrated Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid into its Texas warehouse, signaling broader adoption of humanoid robots in logistics operations.
Innovation Highlights
Several groundbreaking innovations emerged in December. Humanoid, a London-based developer, unveiled its HMND 01 Alpha Bipedal robot, which can reportedly begin walking just 48 hours after assembly. The company managed to go from initial design to working prototype in only five months.
Perhaps even more impressive, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan created what they claim are the world’s smallest fully programmable robots – microscopic swimming machines that can independently sense and respond to their surroundings. These penny-priced robots can operate for months autonomously.
MIT researchers demonstrated another leap forward with their “speech-to-reality” system that allows robots to build furniture simply through verbal commands. This AI-driven workflow enables a robotic arm to “speak objects into existence” in as little as five minutes.
Corporate Shifts
The robotics industry also saw significant leadership and corporate changes. Robotics veteran Melonee Wise, who previously worked at Fetch Robotics, Zebra Technologies, and Agility Robotics, took a new position as chief product officer for KUKA’s new software and artificial intelligence group in Silicon Valley.
In a strategic retreat from warehouse automation, Zebra Technologies announced it would wind down its autonomous mobile robot division, which was built around its $290 million acquisition of Fetch Robotics in 2021.
The International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2025) in Tokyo set new attendance records with 673 exhibitors and over 156,000 visitors, indicating strong industry interest despite market fluctuations. The event showcased a shift from programmed to perceptive robots, with market orders recovering after two years of decline.
Conclusion
December 2025 demonstrated the robotics industry’s resilience and continued innovation despite economic challenges. While established players like iRobot faced significant difficulties, new developments in humanoid robotics, microscopic robots, and AI-driven systems point to an evolving landscape where robots are becoming more accessible, versatile, and integrated into various sectors. The contrast between corporate struggles and technological breakthroughs highlights the dynamic nature of this rapidly evolving field.
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