September 2026 robotics society, business, and culture roundup: Global industrial robot stock tops 5 million units, Toyota plans to invest 1 trillion yen, ETH Zurich achieves humanoid hand walking

The International Federation of Robotics' "World Robotics 2026" report shows that more than 5 million industrial robots are now in operation in factories worldwide; in 2025, more than 600,000 units were newly installed, up 11% year on year, with China accounting for 354,000 units, or 59% of the global total.