META TESTS ROBOTS THAT SWAP CABLES AND RESET SERVERS INSIDE ITS DATA CENTERS

Summary from the TLDR Hardware newsletter

Meta is piloting robots from Watney Robotics, Kinova, and ABB to handle physical data center work, evaluating whether a Kinova Gen3 robotic arm can power-cycle servers, testing a separate robot for swapping networking cables, and running ABB units mounted on wheeled platforms to reseat components at its newer Prometheus campus in New Albany, Ohio. It builds on simpler automation already in place, including self-driving tugger robots that move heavy server racks and wheeled inventory robots that scan equipment. One Meta worker estimates a successful cable-swapping robot alone could replace up to 80% of that specific role's workload.