Tiny actuators. Accurate down to about 25 nanometers. Xeryon builds piezo actuators designed for positioning tasks where normal motors simply are not precise enough. • Repeatability around ±25 nm • Linear, rotary, and multi-DoF configurations • Used in metrology, semiconductor tooling, and laser systems At this scale, motion is no longer about speed or power. It is about staying exactly where you are supposed to be. —— Weekly robotics and AI insights. Subscribe free:

Linear actuators playing football! ⚽️ You can keep scrolling... The "Magic Field" is an impressive display of ball-handling skill, showcasing what fixed automation can achieve. There are no robots at all. Instead of robots, over 300 linear actuators precisely control the ball’s movement on the field, demonstrating incredible accuracy. The setup even includes an advanced kicking mechanism, similar to a SCARA robot, that uses two linear actuators and one rotary actuator to kick the ball into the net. 🥅 This fixed automation shows how powerful and precise automation can be without needing mobile robots on the field. ~~ ♻️ Join the weekly robotics newsletter, and never miss any news →

Cybercab uses individual actuators on each brake caliper. Zero brake lines or fluid. This probably makes the unboxed process possible/easier because there are no brake lines running throughout the length of the vehicle, super neat.

Hot take: putting real precision gearboxes and actuators into series production is the bottleneck. China is pumping out volume, yes. From what I hear, the high-precision things are mainly still not there. So now the question... do you think that’s where Europe’s hidden champions come in? Wrong answers only. (Video is mine. After all the Astra hype the last few days I just wanted to play around with it too. Not affiliated with Schaeffler or Bosch.)

UBS HUMANOID ROBOT SUPPLY CHAIN • Dexterous Hands (Sensing): $VPG • Actuators (Joints): $ADI, $MCHP, $TXN • OEM Makers (Robots): $TSLA, $CCXI, $XPEV, $TER • Perception (Head): $OUST, $SONY, $CGNX, $ON, $AMBA • Computing (Brain): $NVDA, $AMD, $QCOM, $INTC, $SITM, $MU

The KraneShares Actuator ETF $TORK invests in the companies that make actuators, the "muscles and joints" of humanoid robots Here is every stock currently in the KraneShares Actuator ETF $TORK: 🥇 Leader Harmonious Drive Systems 13.15% weighting 🥈 Harmonic Drive Systems 9.05% 🥉 Hyundai Mobis 8.18% 4. HL Mando 6.22% 5. Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls 5.93% 6. Renishaw 4.78% 7. THK 4.63% 8. Hiwin Technologies 4.50% 9. China Leadshine Technology 4.45% 10. Ningbo Zhongda Leader Intelligent Transmission 4.26% 11. Yaskawa Electric 4.22% 12. Zhejiang Shuanghuan Driveline 4.19% 13. Ningbo Tuopu Group 4.18% 14. Nabtesco 4.18% 15. Shenzhen Zhaowei Machinery & Electronics 4.13% 16. Schaeffler 4.04% 17. Robotis 3.57% 18. Shenzhen Inovance Technology 3.12% 19. Shanghai Moons' Electric 3.09%

Tesla’s alleged Optimus v3 — found inside the Tesla Android app APK 🤩 First thing that stands out: zero exposed actuators or messy wiring harnesses. Unlike Gen 2 or 2.5, every joint is sealed behind sleek, flexible shrouds—a huge deal for factory floor safety to eliminate pinch hazards, plus a massive upgrade for IP ratings against dust and grime. The torso shifts to a single, monolithic shell. This screams lightweight RIM composite rather than stamped metal, tightly packaging the 2.3 kWh battery pack and central compute stack without unnecessary seams or panel gaps. Check out the forearm bulk versus the slim wrists. Tesla clearly relocated the hand actuators up into the arm, relying on tendon-driven linkages to give the fingers higher degrees of freedom while drastically slashing inertia at the fingertips. Same story down low: tapered calves and minimal, boot-like feet. Slashing mass at the extremities cuts motor torque demands at the knees and hips, which should translate to a far smoother, more natural walking gait. Even factoring in the simplified geometry of an in-app 3D asset, the leap from an R&D test mule to a finished product is night and day. The two-tone styling and refined proportions signal Optimus is rapidly converging on its true production form factor.