News
Three creepy, yet useful robots for rescue missions and deep space travel
Whether or not you welcome humanity’s coming overlord robots, there’s something entertaining about watching them grow up. We’ve all seen Boston Dynamics release one video after the other displaying their robot dogs trotting around opening doors and their humanoid bots overcoming obstacle courses while being abused by their human creators (p.s. they won’t forget). However, they’re not the only company with some interesting, impressive, and somewhat creepy robotic developments. Here are three we thought should be on your radar:
Robugtix Z6 Spider-Bot
This little spider-like guy made some waves at the end of this month with its coordinated dance moves shown off in an 80s-style aerobics video. Its maker is Hong Kong-based robotics company Robugtix, and apparently they have a strong preference for arachnids in their designs. The Z6 has three other siblings in the family, all spider-like in their design as well, and all movie stars in their own right.
Described as “portable and foldable…for use in professional environments”, the Z6 boasts the ability to climb stairs, fold up into a compact/backpack size, roll over, right itself if upside down, and navigate in confined spaces and irregular terrain. A built-in camera provides video streaming and monitioring from its wireless joystick controller. At its smallest, the Z6 is 10 cm (L) x 23 cm (W) x 13.7 cm (H); default standing mode is 52 cm (L) x 49 (W) cm x 17 cm (H). Given the capabilities, some industrial applicability may be in the works, i.e., search and rescue assistance.
Looking for a price? You might not want to ask just yet, and you’ll have to if you want to know for sure. Its siblings range from around $1000 (T8X) to $40,000 (RoboNOBE Black Widow), so we can only guesstimate what this (-tiny-) compact dancer’s cash money trade value will be.
To see the Z6’s awesome dance moves, watch the video below:
Velox by Pliant Energy Systems
This robot actually evolved from research into renewable energy, specifically capturing wave and tidal energy. CEO Pietro Filardo of Pliant Energy Systems, the maker of Velox and based in New York, used his background in marine biology to design biomorphic devices that could not only capture energy from aquatic sources but also propel them. As seen by the ribbon-like attachments directing the bot’s motion, the final design involved a flexible fin moving in wave motions driven by internal actuators. With a few extra degrees of motion, Velox can also move across solid surfaces include sand, snow, pebbles, paving, and solid ice. To quote its makers, it can “swim like a ray, crawl like a millipede, jet like a squid, and slide like a snake.”
Pliant apparently has big plans for Velox’s eventual prodigy. The company’s website lists stealth characteristics and maneuverability useful for surf zone, amphibious beach, and polar ice missions – an obvious military appeal that’s not surprising considering the partial funding received from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, an organization within the Department of the Navy. Civilian uses are also suggested, if its proof-of-concept videos aren’t imagination-inspiring enough, such as personal propulsion for divers, propeller replacement for environmentally-sensitive waters like coral reefs, and search and rescue operations, specifically in the case of thin ice fall victims.
The company has been developing patented technologies since 2007 and its research has been sponsored by a variety of local and federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pliant’s novel fin system (“undulating”, i.e., smooth and wavy) is also being applied towards its original intention – water energy generation – for which its design is useful where dams are not practical or desirable. Velox itself is still in the proof-of-concept stage, but its capabilities are already on display for admiration.
Watch the below video to see Velox in action:
Robotic Skins by Yale University
Admittedly, these devices aren’t actually robots but rather make things into robots. Designed by Yale University as a NASA initiative, “robotic skins” are sheets of elastic material with robot components embedded inside, i.e., actuators and sensors. When wrapped around compatible objects, they provide movement and sensing functionality as needed to perform tasks.
Deep space traveling was the inspiration for their design – preparing for the unknown. If travelers can’t be sure what robotic functionality will be needed in a somewhat unpredictable environment, it would be useful to have the ability to create what’s needed on-demand. Demonstrations of the skins thus far have included a stuffed horse walking, a cylinder crawling like a worm, a claw for moving things, and a posture sensor that vibrates when a user is slouching. Perhaps implementing multiple skins could create a bot that both flipped pages in a spacecraft instruction manual and slapped the reader when they stopped paying attention. Hey, deep space might also be boring.
Watch the below video for more on how these “robotic skins” work:
Lifestyle
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.
The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.
The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.
California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law
For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.
Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.
The Tesla Semi is entering a new Pilot Program with Paper Transport, LLC (PTI), a Wisconsin-based transportation provider. The company will test the Semi’s Long Range configuration through “dedicated operations within the Chicago market.”
Chicago presents an interesting challenge for the Semi, as it will be a colder-weather climate that will test the Semi’s ability to operate in lower temperatures and in potentially large accumulations of snow. This is something Tesla has been testing with the Semi in Alaska and even in Northern California during the colder months, but Chicago will present a truly tough midwestern winter.
Tesla Semi spotted on journey home after winter performance testing
PTI says it is using the Semi to evaluate its strategy of reducing transportation emissions while maintaining performance, reliability, and cost efficiency. These are major arguments for the Semi being introduced into new fleets.
CEO of PTI Tyler Ellison said:
“PTI has been a leader in sustainable transportation solutions for over 15 years. We take a consultative approach to helping customers identify and implement the right transportation solution for their network. Our partnership with Tesla expands our portfolio alongside renewable natural gas and intermodal, giving customers more ways to reduce Scope 3 emissions without compromising service or economics.”
PTI is far from the first company to adopt the Semi within a fleet, as Tesla entered strategic agreements with PepsiCo. and its subsidiary Frito-Lay for a Pilot Program that extended throughout the California region.
Tesla has let companies like those utilize the Semi to determine whether it would be suitable for their operations. Additionally, Tesla gets valuable information regarding the Semi’s performance, knowing what to improve and what is ideal for companies that will utilize the all-electric truck for regional and nationwide logistics.
PTI plans to utilize the Long Range configuration, which is priced at $290,000 and features a range of approximately 500 miles, a three-motor powertrain, up to 800 kW of drive power, and consumption of just 1.7 kWh per mile.
Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
VP of Maintenance at PTI, Bryan Ellen, added:
“We are excited to partner with Tesla, leveraging their ever-evolving technology. We are bullish in our estimation of the parallels available between our dedicated model and the efficiency of their fully electric Class 8 tractor. We anticipate a growing synergy between our businesses as we work to facilitate this sustainable solution for our customers.”
PTI has logged more than 87 million miles using sources like compressed and renewable gas, but now is looking to take it a step further with fully electric operations.
Tesla revealed on Monday that it is building a new autonomous vehicle at Gigafactory Texas, its plant just outside of the City of Austin. This particular vehicle will be geared toward those who are in need of a wheelchair-accessible car that would require no human driver for operation.
According to a new report from Wired, Tesla’s Senior Policy Advisor, India Herdman, told members of the Washington D.C. City Council on Monday:
“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas.”
This builds upon what CEO Elon Musk said last year on X, which confirmed the company was working on accessible rides within its Robotaxi platform, which currently is confined to the Model Y.
Absolutely
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 19, 2025
Tesla is also developing the Cybercab, which started employee rides last week. However, this vehicle is not necessarily geared toward wheelchair accessibility.
That leaves a major gap in the autonomous ride-sharing program that Tesla is attempting to build; the company has been pretty clear that it does not want to complicate its manufacturing lines by bringing in a wide array of body styles.
However, it seems necessary to have something larger that could help transport people to appointments when they cannot drive. For wheelchair accessibility, the Robovan, which was unveiled at the “We, Robot” event in October 2024, seems to be the most ideal solution:
Herdman did not indicate whether she was referring to the Robovan or if Tesla is building yet another body style that is geared toward full autonomy but also caters to the handicapped.
Tesla might need to develop something specifically for the handicapped in order to align with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prevents discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services. Uber was hit with a lawsuit late last year for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.”
Tesla would obviously like to avoid this.
It will be interesting to see what Tesla will do with this project, and whether it will introduce something new to the market or just continue with the Robovan.
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
Tesla Semi enters new Pilot Program with interesting challenge
