By Janakiram MSV
Publication Date: 2026-01-30 02:56:00
Robots that can follow spoken instructions while adjusting their grip based on what they feel represent the next frontier in enterprise automation. Microsoft Research announced Rho-alpha in late January 2026, positioning it as an early foundation model for bimanual robotic manipulation and inviting organizations to an Early Access Program, with broader availability via Microsoft Foundry planned later.
The model arrives as manufacturers and logistics operators seek robots capable of working in environments that lack the rigid structure of traditional assembly lines. Warehouses with variable layouts, healthcare facilities requiring adaptive assistance and factory floors where product specifications change frequently all present challenges that scripted automation cannot address efficiently. Rho-alpha targets this gap by combining vision processing and language understanding with a capability Microsoft is emphasizing more directly than many mainstream VLA demos, which is tactile…
