Robot Videos: Disney’s Robotic Olaf, Robot T-Rex, More

Video Friday this is your weekly selection of amazing robotics videos collected by your friends on IEEE spectrum robotics. We're also posting a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events to turn on.

SOSV Robotics match: December 1–5, 2025, ONLINE

IKRA 2026: 1–5 June 2026, VIENNA

Enjoy today's videos!

Go behind the scenes with Walt Disney Imagine research and development and discover how Disney uses robotics, artificial intelligence, and immersive technologies to bring stories to life! See how magic meets innovation, from the all-new self-propelled Olaf in World of Frozen and BDX Droids to state-of-the-art attractions like Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run.

[ Disney Experiences ]

We have just released a new demo of Mentee V3. humanoid robots together we solve a real logistics problem. In a continuous 18-minute run, the robots autonomously move 32 boxes from eight stacks onto warehouse racks of varying heights. The video shows stable movement, deft manipulation and strong coordination throughout the task.

There is an uncut 18-minute version at the link.

[ MenteeBot ]

Thank you, Yovav!

This video contains graphic images of simulated injuries. Viewer caution is advised.In this exciting review based on DARPA Triage Challenge Program Manager, Retired Army Col. Jeremy K. Pamplin, M.D., you'll see teams of innovators, engineers and DARPA are redefining the future of combat casualty care. Be sure to look around! Learn about the competition, the behind-the-scenes moves required to participate in the DARPA competition, and a glimpse into the future of life-saving medical care.

Those couple of minutes starting at 6:50 when the human medic and the robot worked as a team were especially cool.

[ DARPA ]

You don't need to create a humanoid robot if you can just make existing humanoids much better.

I especially like 0:45 because guess what? Humanoids should spend more time sitting for a variety of reasons. And, of course, thank you for falling and getting back up again, albeit on the softest grass on the planet.

[ Flexion ]

“Gaussian spot “Man in a loop”” was recognized as the best article of the week.

[ Paper ] by using [ IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters in IEEE Xplore ]

Note that “Extremum's Quest for Controlled Rocking for Tactile Insertion” takes home the title of best article of the week.

[ University of Maryland PRG ]

Replacing the battery on this thing… failed.

[ LimX Dynamics ]

[ Carnegie Mellon University ]

This robot needs googly eyes more than any other robot I've ever seen.

[ Zarrouk Lab ]

DPR Construction deployed autonomous Field AI software on a four-legged robot at the company's Santa Clara, California construction site to significantly improve daily surveying and data collection processes. By automating what has traditionally been a very labor-intensive and time-consuming process, Field AI helps the DPR team work more efficiently and effectively while improving project quality.

[ FieldAI ]

In the second episode of the AI ​​in Motion program, our presenter: Weimo Artificial intelligence researcher Vincent Vanhoek talks to robotics startup founder Sergey Levinwho left a career in academic research to create better robots for the home and workplace.

[ Waymo ]