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Video: Child-friendly Codey robot showcases embodied AGI future in education, healthcare

18 June 2026 at 18:14

A Seattle-based robotics company has developed a three-foot-tall humanoid robot designed for use in public attractions and venues.

The AI-powered robot named Codey can navigate autonomously, engage in conversations without remote human control, and make independent decisions.

While not yet capable of performing complex physical tasks such as fetching objects, Codey is being developed for future roles in healthcare, education, and hospitality.

The company says the robot is designed to interact naturally with people, particularly children, in public-facing environments.

Codey targets companionship

Codey is designed to serve as an interactive companion in public-facing environments. Standing about three feet tall, the robot features glowing hazel eyes, expressive facial animations, and a friendly appearance intended to engage users, particularly children.

Powered by AI, Codey can navigate autonomously, hold conversations, and make basic decisions without requiring a remote human operator. Unlike many robots that rely heavily on teleoperation, Codey is designed to function independently, enabling more natural and responsive interactions with people. The robot uses a combination of sensors, onboard computing, and AI software to understand its surroundings and communicate with users in real time.

Mind Children plans to conduct pilot studies this year in museums, hotels, and art galleries to gather data and refine Codey ahead of mass production. One of the company’s near-term objectives is to enable the robot to perform simple physical tasks, such as pressing buttons. A second-generation version of Codey is scheduled for release in 2027. To support development, Mind Children has launched a crowdfunding campaign and has raised more than $600,000 toward its $1 million funding target.

In the longer term, Codey is expected to be introduced into healthcare, education, and hospitality settings. Potential applications include assisting visitors with information, providing companionship, supporting learning activities, and helping organizations deliver more engaging customer experiences.

Embodied AGI advances

At the core of Mind Children’s robotics platform is Hyperon, the decentralized artificial general intelligence (AGI) framework developed by SingularityNET. The system is designed to give robots advanced cognitive capabilities that go beyond traditional rule-based automation, enabling them to reason, learn, adapt, and make decisions in dynamic real-world environments.

By integrating Hyperon into its humanoid robots, Mind Children aims to create machines capable of understanding context, processing complex information, and responding more naturally to human interactions. The framework incorporates knowledge representation, reasoning engines, and human-inspired motivation systems that help robots prioritize tasks, pursue goals, and adapt their behavior based on changing circumstances. This approach is intended to move robots closer to exhibiting flexible, human-like intelligence rather than performing only pre-programmed actions.

Unlike conventional AI systems that rely on centralized computing and data control, Hyperon operates within SingularityNET’s decentralized ecosystem. This architecture allows AI services, knowledge resources, and computational capabilities to be distributed across a network, promoting collaboration, scalability, and interoperability among different AI agents and robotic platforms.

The partnership between Mind Children and SingularityNET positions the company among the first developers pursuing embodied decentralized AGI—an emerging field that combines advanced artificial intelligence with physical robotic systems. The goal is to create autonomous robots capable of perceiving, reasoning, learning, and interacting with the physical world while continuously improving their capabilities through decentralized intelligence networks.

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Codey, a child-friendly AI humanoid robot, is set for public deployment as Mind Children expands its capabilities.

US firm unveils humanoid and robots with new ecosystem for embodied ‘intelligence’

18 June 2026 at 14:43

US robotics firm Faraday Future (FF) has unveiled its first-half embodied AI (EAI) robotics lineup, introducing a full-form Robot World that spans six major product series.

The company also launched what it describes as the world’s first Three-in-One EAI Robotics Education Ecosystem Strategy, aimed at connecting robotics education, industry, and consumer applications.

During an event at its new headquarters in El Segundo, California, Faraday Future debuted the Futurist humanoid robot and the FX Navi quadruped robot, with the latter priced at $1,990 and available for immediate sale and delivery.

The California-based firm also announced the FF Robotics Partner Program, designed to expand global collaboration across its robotics ecosystem.

Robotics ecosystem unveiled

FF has unveiled a broad EAI robotics ecosystem, introducing four new robots, an open developer platform, and what it describes as the world’s first Three-in-One EAI Robotics Education Ecosystem Strategy aimed at accelerating consumer and educational adoption of physical AI technologies.

Leading the launch is the All-New Futurist humanoid robot, positioned as FF’s flagship professional-grade platform. Standing about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 121 pounds (54 kilograms), the robot is 14 percent lighter than its predecessor and features a redesigned structure for greater stability and more natural movement. Equipped with 31 degrees of freedom and a knee-joint torque of up to 320 Nm, the humanoid can run at speeds approaching 11 mph (17.7 km/h).

According to the firm’s statement, it is powered by a dual-battery system that offers up to 6 hours of runtime. It is built on a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) architecture combined with a World Model for advanced perception, reasoning, and autonomous decision-making. The robot is designed for commercial reception, guided services, industrial handling, warehouse operations, and hazardous-environment tasks. Additional specifications and pricing will be announced at Automate 2026 in Chicago on June 22.

FF also launched the FX Navi, a quadruped robot designed for home and classroom use. Marketed as the first foundational EAI learning quadruped robot in the United States, Navi combines robotics hardware with a dedicated STEM education ecosystem. The robot features 12 motorized joints, weighs 8 kilograms, and can navigate everyday indoor environments. A smartphone inserted into the head module serves as its computing platform, supporting both iOS and Android devices.

Users can customize the robot through downloadable and printable 3D head designs, while over-the-air updates will continuously add new capabilities such as autonomous following, multimodal perception, and natural interaction. Navi starts at $1,990, with optional development and curriculum packages available for students, educators, and developers.

One brain strategy

The company also previewed two upcoming humanoid robots. Master Mini, approximately one meter tall, is designed for education and robotic sports competitions, while Nova, standing about 50 centimeters tall, is intended as an entry-level educational and companion robot for children.

FF said its robotics strategy is built around a “one brain, multiple forms” approach designed to power a wide range of embodied AI robots from a shared intelligence platform. At the core of the strategy is FF’s evolving EAI Brain, based on a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) architecture and World Model, supported by an open-source developer ecosystem. The company says the platform is designed to operate across different environments, perform tasks autonomously, and adapt to new applications through its Skills and Agent system.

Rather than focusing on a single humanoid robot, FF is developing multiple robot form factors under its EAI Robot World concept, allowing a common AI brain to be deployed across different devices and use cases. The ecosystem is further supported by an EAI Data Factory that gathers real-world operational data and a global industry network aimed at improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs. Together, these elements form an expanding ecosystem designed to support large-scale deployment of embodied AI technologies.

FF additionally launched its open developer platform, featuring tools such as Brain Blocks visual programming, natural-language coding, robot personality customization, motion-generation software, and SDKs for professional developers. Through its new Agent Skill Store and Developer Ecosystem Program, FF aims to encourage contributions from students, educators, researchers, and software developers while expanding robotics adoption across homes, schools, and industry.

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Faraday Future launches humanoid and quadruped robots, unveiling a new embodied AI ecosystem and education strategy.

Europe builds robotic arm that can see, feel and handle samples for Moon missions

18 June 2026 at 01:07

European Space Agency (ESA) engineers are assembling one of Europe’s most advanced robotic arms, a system designed to handle samples and perform complex tasks during future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Known as the Sample Transfer Arm (STA), the robot can extend up to 2.4 meters and move with seven degrees of freedom, giving it a range of motion similar to a human arm. The system is equipped with cameras, sensors, and onboard electronics that allow it to perceive its surroundings and perform tasks with a high level of autonomy.

The robotic arm was originally developed as part of the joint NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign. Its role was to transfer Martian samples collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover for eventual return to Earth.

Although the future of Mars Sample Return remains uncertain, the technology is now being positioned for a wider range of applications, including future lunar exploration missions.

Human-like space helper

The arm features a shoulder, elbow, and wrist configuration similar to a human arm. At its tip is a gripper capable of handling objects with millimeter-level precision.

The system also includes a sophisticated force and torque sensor that acts as a sense of touch. The sensor measures how an object is being pushed, pulled, or twisted in three-dimensional space, allowing the arm to manipulate items with greater accuracy.

Position sensors embedded throughout the joints continuously calculate the location of the arm’s tip, helping maintain precise control during operations.

Engineers say this level of precision could prove useful for a variety of activities in space, including collecting geological samples, transferring equipment, and supporting astronauts during surface missions.

The robotic arm also contains its own electronics unit, which acts as the system’s control center. Cameras mounted on the arm provide visual awareness, enabling the robot to detect and interact with objects in its environment.

Ready for testing

Teams at Italian aerospace company Leonardo are currently completing the integration of the system at the company’s facility in Nerviano, near Milan.

In the coming weeks, engineers will begin testing the arm in simulated space environments to evaluate its performance before any future deployment.

The project brings together companies and suppliers from across Europe. The industrial consortium is led by Leonardo and includes GMV and AVS from Spain, Maxon from Switzerland, 3DPlus from France, and COMOTI from Romania, along with suppliers from Denmark, Greece, and Germany.

The arm incorporates several specialized systems designed for spaceflight. These include a flexible wrist mechanism that allows softer contact with objects, a flat electrical harness that carries hundreds of signals throughout the arm, and structural mechanisms that help withstand the forces experienced during launch and landing.

European space agencies view advanced robotics as a key capability for future exploration missions, particularly as crews prepare for longer stays on the Moon and eventual missions to Mars.

With its ability to see, feel, and autonomously manipulate objects, the Sample Transfer Arm could become an important tool for handling samples and supporting scientific operations beyond Earth.

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