Design News

Are humanoid robots the future of the factory floor, or just hype? 🤖 The reality is all about "physical AI." Humanoids aren't replacing traditional industrial tech—they're filling the gaps by operating in spaces built for people. A3 President Jeff Burnstein breaks down what manufacturers should actually watch for in this article: bit.ly/4aFau22 #Sponsored

AI brings intelligence to vision. AI is the star of the Automate trade show for 2026. Keynote speaker Matt Moschner, CEO of vision company Cognex, shows off new technology that delivers sophisticated skills to new workers.

Rexroth at Automate, showing the infrastructure supporting robotics. Bill LeAnna, product manager at Rexroth explains the company’s tech backbone.

Remember the infamous 2010 "Jabulani" World Cup ball? Its smooth surface caused an unpredictable "drag crisis" mid-flight, leaving goalkeepers diving too early and guessing wildly. For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Adidas engineers took a completely different approach with the new Trionda ball—and the wind tunnel test results are officially in. In a new article for Design News, Senior Editor Dan Carney breaks down how physics and cutting-edge tech are changing the game this year. bit.ly/4xMsMrS

Spot is heading to the World Cup. 🐾⚽ For the FIFA World Cup 2026, Hyundai is officially deploying customized Boston Dynamics Spot robots to support high-density security operations in Dallas and the NY/NJ area. This rollout highlights a major shift toward layered security architectures—combining mobile robotics, fixed assets, and human verification to seamlessly protect millions of fans. bit.ly/3SX95O6

Master TDD for embedded systems! Join our 5-day course to learn how to structure testable firmware, write tests with CppUTest, and simulate hardware with Renode—no physical boards required. 📅 June 22–26, 2026 ➡️ Register now! bit.ly/4fl0dev #TDD #EmbeddedSystems #Firmware #TestDrivenDevelopment #Digikey2026

Not all prospective van owners need a costly, full-featured van. Contractors and delivery people often only need a stripped van, which they can then retrofit with shelves and storage provisions to carry goods, tools, and materials. This Ram Promaster van, seen at the NY International Auto Show, may just do the trick. bit.ly/4dOBsGq

Technology is helping unskilled workers run smart automation. Craig Lamarque, VP Head of Digital Products at Wirtgen America, explains how smart automation solves the shortage of skilled operators.

Waiting until the end of the development cycle to gather compliance evidence? Most embedded teams find out the hidden cost too late. By integrating certified toolchains into CI/CD workflows, teams are cutting defect costs by 25% and accelerating code analysis by 3.5x. Stop treating functional safety as a final gate. Move it into the daily workflow. Read more about modernizing your workflow here: bit.ly/4fxYS3W #EmbeddedSystems #FunctionalSafety #Sponsored

China makes a gigantic bet on robotics. bit.ly/4wdxiPu For its 15th Five-Year Plan, China put robots and AI at the center. The country will focus on both industrial and humanoid robots. #China #IFR

Chevy's Bolt was one of the earliest EVs, launching back in late 2016. The automaker dropped the Bolt in 2023 in favor of more modern EVs. But Chevy is bringing back the Bolt as a 2027 model and displayed the vehicle at the recent NY Auto Show. Read more: bit.ly/4da1aDx

Design News congratulates the 2026 DINO Award winners in additive manufacturing! The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) honored those who have contributed significantly to AMUG and additive manufacturing. Read our full write-up below. bit.ly/4vQoEq5

Korean carmaker Kia showcased its PV5 electric taxi concept at the recent New York International Auto Show, attracting a crowd of potential taxi fleet owners and drivers. Read the full analysis here: bit.ly/4vZqsx6

A new system may make micro-precision additive manufacturing more accessible to a wider range of users. At #RapidTCT, John Kawola showed us the microArch S150 series printer from Boston Micro Fabrication. Listen to John explain the system & then read more: bit.ly/4cRxNpE

Fred Fischer was excited to share some of the latest additive manufacturing solutions from Stratasys for specialist applications at #RapidTCT #3Dprinting

Want to see the Chevy Corvette ZR1X sports car up close? Senior Editor Spencer Chin does a walk-around of the vehicle at the NY International Auto Show. bit.ly/4cQ03do

Maximize the full potential of your PLM investment! Himanshu Zalavadiya, CEO and Founder of SteepGraph, shares how his team acts as a strategic integrator—helping organizations optimize, streamline, and maximize the impact of their PLM systems.

In a new @DesignNews feature, Magna’s DHD REX hybrid drive shows how flexibility can support range‑extended EVs and PHEVs. Read more: bit.ly/4cJRZLc

🎥 Live from the Aras User Conference! Design News Senior Editor Rob Spiegel talked with Kash Khetia, Product Manager at Envision, to hear how their platform is transforming the way companies integrate work instructions. Curious how it all works? Watch this short video.

AI isn’t replacing factory workers, it’s amplifying them. In manufacturing, the real power of AI is helping people work smarter, solve problems faster, and keep production running smoothly. 👥 Learn more in @DesignNews: designnews.com/automation/del…