Happy Friday from RobotCafe, where the humanoids are trying to prove themselves on the factory floor rather than the demo stage, and the drones are climbing skyscrapers and flying into smoke. We've also got a five-finger hand, some deadline reminders for founders, and a timely question about how self-driving cars should actually talk to the people crossing in front of them.

In today’s roundup

• Video: Uncut footage shows humanoid robot doing factory work with claimed 60% autonomy — Interesting Engineering
  Uncut footage and a claimed 60% autonomy figure matter precisely because real factory work is the honest test that polished demos usually skip.
• Video: US firm shows off humanlike five-finger hand ahead of new humanoid robot launch — Interesting Engineering
  Clone Robotics teasing a human-controlled five-finger hand ahead of a November Torso launch signals dexterity is becoming the headline feature for new humanoids.
• Video Friday: Albatross Falls, Spins, Self-Rights, and Sails Away — IEEE Spectrum Robotics
  This week's bioinspired roundup features an albatross-style robot that falls, spins, self-rights and sails off, a reminder that nature still writes the best control algorithms.
• Calling robotics startups: Submissions for the 2026 Robotics Startup Radar close soon — The Robot Report
  Founders take note: submissions for the 2026 Robotics Startup Radar are closing soon, so it's worth getting your application in before the window shuts.
• Sherpa HighLine helps cleaning drones tackle 23-story buildings — DroneDJ
  Lucid Bots' rooftop system offloads the cleaning hose's weight, a clever bit of logistics that finally lets its Sherpa drone reach 23-story facades.
• Wildfire drones get sharper 3D vision for dangerous missions — DroneDJ
  Ouster lidar promises sharper 3D vision for wildfire drones, tackling the smoke and shifting terrain that make these missions so unforgiving for autonomy.
• Last 24 hours: Exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and reach 10,000+ tech leaders — TechCrunch Robotics
  It's the last day to book an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where October's Moscone West crowd of founders and investors awaits.
• How should automated vehicles interact with pedestrians? — TechXplore Robotics
  As driverless cars share more streets, researchers ask whether pedestrians actually feel safe around them, and whether knowing who's driving changes the encounter.

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The Daily Grind · RobotCafe · robotcafe.com