NVIDIA, Tesla, and Serve Robotics highlight AI-powered robotics in self-driving, humanoids, and last-mile delivery innovations.
Sectors & Industries
September 26, 2025
Table of Contents
Robotics is no longer a niche or futuristic technology. It’s now a foundational component of modern business across nearly every industry — from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare, defense, and retail. Autonomous machines and AI-powered robotics are changing how goods are made, services are delivered, and operations are optimized.
In this article, we explore how leading companies are deploying robotics to improve productivity, reduce costs, and gain competitive advantages — and what it means for the future of business.
Rockwell Automation plays a critical role behind the scenes in manufacturing. Its Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are the silent conductors of robotic production lines, directing motors, arms, and conveyors in real time with split-second precision.
The company’s FactoryTalk suite acts as a digital command center, helping manufacturers visualize, analyze, and optimize every step of production. Innovations like the Kinetix 5100 Servo Drive, which operates without a separate controller, are helping smaller manufacturers adopt robotics more affordably.
With its Unified Robot Control technology, Rockwell enables entire fleets of robots to be orchestrated from a single controller — streamlining processes across automotive, electronics, and food packaging industries, where even a few minutes of downtime can cost millions.
While Teradyne is widely known for semiconductor testing, it has become a leader in industrial robotics through its Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) divisions.
Universal Robots develops collaborative robots, or cobots, that work safely alongside humans without cages. Popular models like the UR5, UR10, and UR16 are used in machine tending, welding, and electronics assembly. The UR+ platform offers hundreds of certified add-ons, expanding flexibility.
Through MiR, Teradyne also offers autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that move materials across warehouses. Using real-time sensors and mapping software, these AMRs reduce manual labor and increase logistics efficiency.
Together, Teradyne provides a full robotic automation solution for clients ranging from mid-sized factories to global automotive giants.
Zebra Technologies, known for RFID and barcode systems, expanded into robotics by acquiring Fetch Robotics. This brought autonomous mobile robots into its portfolio — capable of navigating warehouses and transporting materials without human intervention.
When paired with Zebra’s vision scanners and RFID tracking, these robots offer end-to-end visibility into warehouse operations. Managers can monitor not just where goods are, but how fast they move — optimizing throughput and reducing labor costs.
Zebra’s AI-driven fleet optimization tools allow robots to self-balance their tasks and avoid congestion in real time, making it a vital player in modern supply chain automation.
In the healthcare sector, Intuitive Surgical pioneered robotic-assisted surgery with its da Vinci Surgical System. These systems replicate a surgeon’s hand movements with robotic arms, enabling smaller incisions and faster recovery.
The latest model, da Vinci 5, features improved ergonomics and enhanced 3D imaging for more precise procedures in urology, gynecology, and cardiac care.
Intuitive also developed the Ion robotic bronchoscopy system, which uses shape-sensing catheters to access and biopsy small lung nodules previously unreachable — advancing early lung cancer detection.
Hospitals around the world depend on Intuitive’s systems to perform complex procedures more safely and efficiently.
Stryker is redefining orthopedic surgery with its Mako SmartRobotics platform. Using 3D CT scans and haptic feedback, Mako helps surgeons place implants with greater precision in knee and hip replacements.
This technology has led to improved patient outcomes, reduced post-operative complications, and faster recovery times.
Recently, Stryker expanded Mako into spine surgery, marking a major milestone for robotic-assisted orthopedics. The company is also investing in AI-driven analytics to further personalize and improve surgical outcomes using its growing database of procedures.
At the heart of many modern robots is NVIDIA’s Jetson platform — compact modules that deliver supercomputer-level AI processing to drones, AMRs, and robotic arms.
Its Isaac Sim platform allows engineers to create virtual replicas of robots and train them in simulation before deploying them in the real world. This “sim-to-real” workflow dramatically reduces development time and cost.
The newer Jetson Orin Nano brings generative AI capabilities to the edge, helping robots adapt to complex and unpredictable environments — from smart factories to delivery bots.
Tesla now calls itself not just a car company, but an AI and robotics company. Its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system uses neural networks and camera-based vision to create autonomous vehicles capable of navigating urban and highway environments.
Tesla’s latest frontier is Optimus, a humanoid robot prototype built to handle repetitive tasks in factories — with the long-term vision of broader deployment in homes and businesses.
Though still under development, the Optimus project highlights Tesla’s goal of bringing general-purpose robotics into everyday life.
Serve Robotics, a spinoff from Uber, focuses on autonomous sidewalk delivery. Its compact four-wheeled bots use lidar, cameras, and AI to safely navigate city streets and deliver goods directly to doorsteps.
With up to 48 miles of range and 14 hours of battery life, the latest Gen-3 bots can carry larger payloads and handle variable weather conditions.
Serve is currently rolling out its fleet in partnership with Uber Eats, operating in Los Angeles and Atlanta, with expansion plans underway. It’s also exploring hybrid drone-ground delivery with partners like Wing.
ABB is a powerhouse in industrial automation, with a versatile lineup of robots:
ABB supports global manufacturers across automotive, electronics, food, and logistics industries. Its new tools include AI-based vision guidance and digital twin simulations, allowing customers to test and optimize robotic workflows virtually before going live.
With a global installed base and an expanding software suite, ABB is a foundational player in the smart factory movement.
In the defense sector, AeroVironment supplies the U.S. military and allied forces with unmanned aerial systems like the Raven and Puma for reconnaissance, and Switchblade 300 and 600 loitering munitions for combat operations.
Its drones played a significant role in Ukraine, demonstrating how compact, portable systems can alter battlefield dynamics.
In 2025, the Pentagon selected AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 for the Replicator program, a national effort to deploy thousands of autonomous combat systems. With rising global demand for tactical drones, AeroVironment is at the forefront of defense robotics.
iRobot brought robotics into households with its Roomba vacuums and Braava mops. These smart devices now include:
Despite facing fierce competition and financial hurdles, iRobot continues to innovate, releasing smarter, more durable robots that cater to global consumers seeking convenience and automation in home maintenance.
From precision surgeries and self-navigating drones to smart warehouses and AI-powered delivery bots, robots are no longer futuristic concepts — they’re core infrastructure for business today.
Industries are transforming in real time, driven by AI, automation, and the relentless demand for efficiency. As robotics becomes more intelligent and accessible, the companies deploying these systems are gaining real-world advantages in cost, performance, and scalability.
If you’re an investor, business leader, or tech builder, the question is no longer if robotics will change the world — but how fast it will reshape your industry.
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