Today spans the practical and the playful: motion architecture wisdom, a new Epson cobot, and a humanoid learning to haul objects through clutter. There's also a marathon-running robot dog, a preview of IROS in Pittsburgh, and a Mouse Droid with a party button — plus a couple of TechCrunch Disrupt notes for the calendar-watchers.

In today’s roundup

• Why you should look beyond the spec sheet when choosing motion architecture — The Robot Report
  Kollmorgen argues that real-world system behavior matters more than datasheet numbers, a useful reminder for anyone speccing motion systems.
• Epson introduces AX6 cobot with compact design, no-code programming — The Robot Report
  Epson's new AX6 adds a lightweight, force- and power-limited six-axis arm with no-code programming, lowering the bar for smaller shops.
• Shield AI, Waabi, and General Motors on building AI when failure is not an option at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — TechCrunch Robotics
  Waabi, Shield AI, and GM will discuss building AI for safety-critical settings, where mistakes carry real-world consequences.
• 2 days left to save up to $200 on a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass — reason 4 of 5 to attend — TechCrunch Robotics
  A reminder that TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass discounts expire September 25, if you're planning to attend.
• Robot dog finishes 26-mile marathon on a single battery charge, beating human efficiency — Interesting Engineering
  A quadruped covered the full 42.195 kilometers on one charge, a striking benchmark for legged-robot endurance and energy efficiency.
• HOTICE: Whole-Body Humanoid Object Transportation in Cluttered Environments — arXiv cs.RO
  HOTICE tackles whole-body humanoid object transportation in cluttered spaces, addressing a gap where existing methods tend to break down.
• What’s coming up at #IROS2026? — Robohub
  A handy preview of IROS 2026 in Pittsburgh (September 27–October 1), covering plenaries, keynotes, and workshops for attendees.
• Star Wars Mouse Droid is a Rebel Rave Machine — Make: Robotics
  A Sabine Wren–inspired Imperial Mouse Droid build proves that even small droids deserve a dedicated party button.

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