Robotics

When most of us think of freshly poured concrete, we picture a material that should be left to dry as smooth as possible. A new robot drives right over the stuff, however, gouging its surface to make structures stronger yet also cheaper to build.

When disaster strikes, drones and robots can be sent into danger zones to scout for survivors. The RoBoa from a student team at ETH Zurich is designed to snake its way through debris that would stop other solutions in their tracks.

Various groups are now growing baby corals for transplantation into the world's disappearing reefs, but they need a hand. A new robotic hand has been created to help, by carefully transferring the li'l corals between tanks as they grow up.

China's DEEP Robotics is about to add a new quadruped to its kennel called the Lynx. But rather than go for walkies on pads, the mid-sized pup rolls on four wheels and is built for all-terrain shenanigans – as you can see in the pre-launch promo.

Today's AI technology could help robots get the hang of conducting complex surgeries. Researchers have taught a robot surgical system to expertly perform a bunch of surgical tasks as capably as human doctors, simply by training it on videos.

From washing urinals to tidying up the beach, we can already see a future where our robot servants help keep our world a little cleaner. Now, a robotic arm has mastered the surprisingly complex task of sink washing, showing off its ability to learn.

The Harmonic Drive is a key part of countless robotic applications. Incredibly simple yet quite odd to watch, this gear system is extremely precise with an impressive torque-to-weight ratio, even if it does wobble. So how does it work?

Emerging startup Physical Intelligence has no interest in building robots. Instead, the team is powering the hardware with a foundational model AI 'brain', that enables existing machines to learn and dextrously perform many tasks – including housework.

Exoskeletons have been helping paraplegic patients to walk for years, but the latest development from KAIST is a little different. The WalkON Suit F1 can amble over to a patient seated in a wheelchair, install itself, and get the user up and walking.

The spraying of orchards and vineyards certainly isn't an eco-friendly process, with tractors spewing exhaust as they douse crops in herbicides and pesticides. That's one of the main reasons the electric, autonomous Prospr robot was created.

From fire-breathers to sprinters, climbers and gymnasts, we've seen more than our fair share of impressive quadruped robots. Now the fourth-generation Honey Badger has added underwater walkies to the list of robodog capabilities.

How would you like to have your own AT-ST walker from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi? Well, the just-announced Tron 1 biped robot is the next-best thing. It's just a wee bit smaller than a walker, plus you can't ride inside of it.

The ANYmal quadruped robot not only walks on four legs, it can also roll on four wheels, stand up, throw boxes, and make its way up and down stairs. As if all that wasn't enough, the thing can now also climb ladders.

Researchers have developed an ultrasensitive, human-like robotic ‘finger’ capable of safely performing routine physical examinations like a medical doctor would. They say the ‘robodoctor’ could be seen in medical clinics soon.

Pangolins already dig in the dirt, so why not get them planting trees while they're at it? Well, training them would be pretty hard, which is why a California high school student named Dorothy designed a pangolin-inspired robot to do the planting.