TL;DR: Kuwait hosted its 2024 World Robot Olympiad qualifiers, empowering youth to compete in Türkiye. Uber and Avride launched autonomous delivery robots and robotaxis in Austin, with plans for Dallas and Jersey City. AV1 robots by No Isolation help sick children stay connected to classrooms remotely. Nvidia’s Spatial AI is transforming industries by training AI for real-world tasks through digital twins.

1. Kuwait helds 2024 World Robot Olympiad qualifying rounds

Kuwait recently hosted the 2024 World Robot Olympiad (WRO) qualifying rounds, with 24 teams from the 8-19 age group competing in Ahmadi Governorate. The winning teams will go on to represent Kuwait at the WRO finals in Türkiye this November. This event highlights the growing interest in robotics among youth and aims to foster creativity and technical skills through competition. The WRO serves as a platform for young innovators to showcase their robotic solutions to real-world problems

Major takeaway: The WRO encourages youth innovation and technical skill development through robotics competitions.

2. Uber partners with ex-Yandex self-driving group for robotaxis and robot delivery

Uber has partnered with Avride to introduce autonomous delivery robots and robotaxis. Starting with Uber Eats deliveries in Austin, Texas, the service will expand to cities like Dallas and Jersey City in 2024, with robotaxis launching in 2025. This marks a key step in Uber’s shift toward autonomous technology, enhancing efficiency in its delivery and mobility services.

Major takeaway: Uber’s partnership with Avride signals a significant shift toward autonomous delivery and ride-hailing, aiming to streamline operations and reduce reliance on human drivers.

3. This little robot is helping sick children attend school

The AV1 robot, developed by the Norwegian company No Isolation, is designed to help children who are too ill to attend school stay connected with their education and peers. Acting as the child’s eyes, ears, and voice, the robot sits in the classroom while being controlled remotely via an app on the child’s device. This telepresence robot allows sick children to not only participate in lessons but also engage socially with their classmates, helping to reduce the feelings of isolation that often accompany long-term illness.

The AV1 robot has gained traction in 17 countries, including the UK and Germany, where it's used by schools to support children battling serious conditions such as cancer. By allowing these children to raise their hands virtually, move the robot to view different parts of the room, and even express emotions using visual cues, AV1 provides a sense of normalcy during a challenging time. Its secure, privacy-focused design ensures that no data is stored, and the robot is easy to transport, allowing students to attend social activities like field trips remotely.

Major takeaway: AV1 robots offer an innovative solution to help sick children maintain social and academic engagement despite being unable to attend school physically.

4. For Nvidia, spatial AI and the ‘omniverse’ entering physical world may be the next big thing

Nvidia is advancing beyond traditional AI with Spatial AI, using its Omniverse platform to create "digital twins"—virtual replicas of real-world environments. These twins allow AI to learn tasks like autonomous driving and industrial automation by interacting with simulated physical spaces. This approach enables AI to perform complex tasks more safely and efficiently before being deployed in the real world. Nvidia sees this technology as transformative, with potential applications in manufacturing, logistics, and even smart cities

Major takeaway: Nvidia’s Spatial AI is poised to reshape industries by training AI to navigate real-world environments in a safer, virtual space first.

About Lucid Bots: 

Founded in 2018, Lucid Bots Inc. is an AI robotics company that is committed to uplifting humanity by building the world's most productive and responsible robots that can do dangerous and demanding tasks. Headquartered in Charlotte, the company engineers, manufactures, and supports its products domestically, which include the Sherpa, a cleaning drone, and the Lavo Bot, a pressure-washing robot. Lucid Bots' products are elevating safety and efficiency for a growing number of customers around the world. Lucid is a Y Combinator-backed company, with investments from Cubit Capital, Idea Fund Partners, Danu Ventures, and others. Lucid Bots was recently recognized as the 4th fastest growing manufacturing company in the United States.