CHICAGO—Last year, robot sales in the United States hit a new peak of almost 38,000 units, setting a record for the eighth year in a row.

PITTSBURGH—Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, a research consortium, has selected four projects to develop next-generation automation. The four R&D projects will focus on robotic composites manufacturing, automotive assembly line robots, robotic sanding and finishing, and robotic wire harness assembly.

NEW YORK--Industrial robots could help counter aging demographics in German and Japanese factories.

LONDON—Global sales of robots are expected to total $20.2 billion by 2016, growing at an annual rate of almost 11 percent annually, according to a new study.