Three Robots Walk Into a Job Site... One Ends Up in Space

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Hey friends,

This week in the world of robotics, we’ve got a lot going on. One robot is gearing up to fix stuff in space. Another one just landed on U.S. construction sites. And a third is hopping like a cricket to rescue people from the tiniest disaster zones. Robots aren’t just factory machines anymore. They’re becoming explorers, helpers and problem-solvers in places we once thought were too risky or too small. Let’s take a look.

TITAN: A Polish Robot Arm Heading to Orbit

A Polish company called PIAP Space has developed a robotic arm named TITAN that’s designed for missions in outer space. It’s not just some cool prototype. TITAN is built to do actual work — inspecting, repairing and even upgrading satellites without needing a human astronaut to float around and do it manually.

This thing can attach to a service spacecraft and carry out operations like removing broken satellite parts or installing new ones. It works in zero gravity, handles objects with precision, and doesn’t complain about how cold it is up there. It’s like a mechanic you can send 36,000 kilometers into orbit and forget about.

And here’s why it matters. Our skies are packed with satellites and junk. Every year, it gets busier. Having something like TITAN up there to fix problems before they snowball is huge. We’ve entered the age of space logistics. And Poland? They're leading part of that charge. Love it.

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EG7 by Okibo: The Robot That Just Wants to Paint

Over in New Jersey, construction sites are about to get a new team member. Okibo, a startup from Israel, has set up its U.S. headquarters and brought along its EG7 robot. This machine doesn’t walk, talk, or make coffee. But it can plaster and paint walls like a total pro.

EG7 is designed to work right next to humans. It scans the wall, adjusts its painting path in real time, and keeps working without breaks or complaints. Basically, it handles the repetitive stuff so human workers can focus on tasks that actually need their brains and skills.

This couldn’t come at a better time. Construction is facing serious labor shortages. Projects are falling behind. Safety regulations are stricter than ever. Robots like EG7 help pick up the slack without replacing people. They’re more like coworkers who never get tired.

Okibo entering the U.S. market is a smart move. It shows that robotic automation isn’t just for high-tech factories anymore. It’s also coming to dusty, noisy job sites. And that’s a win for anyone who’s ever held a roller brush for eight hours straight.

MIT’s Tiny Jumping Robot Might Save Lives One Day

This one’s straight from MIT. A research team has created a tiny hopping robot that weighs less than a paperclip and is smaller than your thumb. But don’t let the size fool you. This thing is a beast when it comes to agility.

It’s built to jump like a cricket, leaping up to 20 centimeters into the air. That’s about four times its height. And thanks to its springy leg and four mini propellers, it can stay balanced and land like a pro, even on sloped or uneven ground.

Why is this important? Because there are places where regular robots just can’t go. Think collapsed buildings, tight corners, or rubble-filled areas after a natural disaster. This tiny hopper could sneak in, scan for survivors, and report back — without wasting tons of energy like flying drones do.

It’s lightweight, super energy efficient and can carry a payload ten times heavier than itself. That’s like you carrying a fridge on your back. MIT may have just built the next-gen rescue scout. Tiny but tough. The kind of bot you’d want to send into danger zones when every second counts.

So this week, we met a robot that paints, one that jumps like a grasshopper, and one that’s ready to fix satellites in space. Different shapes, different goals, but one thing in common — all of them are stepping in to help us, not replace us. They’re handling the boring, dangerous and dirty work. That’s what makes them so exciting.

Robots used to be something we imagined in sci-fi. Now they’re crawling, leaping and orbiting through our everyday lives. The future is no longer coming. It’s already here.

Catch you next time.
Jacek