Robotics

Although soft-bodied robots can be simple devices, they typically require onboard electronics to control their locomotion. Such is not the case with a new bot, however, which utilizes a phenomenon of physics to automatically move its inflatable legs.

Quadruped "robot dogs" may move quite a bit like their canine counterparts on land, but they're not nearly as good at swimming (although some can walk underwater). Such is not the case with a new mini-dog-bot, however, which is an expert at doing the dog-paddle.

If you're releasing a robot into the aquatic environment with no intention of retrieving it, that bot had better be biodegradable. Swiss scientists have gone a step better, with a li'l robot that can be consumed by fish when its job is done.

Unitree has launched a modified version of its B2 quadruped aimed at putting out fires. Able to host various use-specific modules, the robodog hauls a powerful water cannon high-flow and can operate in extreme environments.

Adding new meaning to the term "fusion cuisine," robot science and gastronomy united to create an elaborate cake that features edible components and the world's first edible rechargeable battery. (Well, it's rechargeable until you eat it.)

Ground-going delivery robots are already streamlining operations in various industries, but they typically still have to be loaded and unloaded by humans. That's where the LEVA bot comes in, as it can autonomously lift and drop off cargo boxes.

No sick days, bathroom breaks, and no more curly hairs in your buns. Just cold, hard efficiency. More specifically, BurgerBot is a new fast-food joint where robots are doing all the work that humans aren't interested in, like burger assembly lines.

Cable cars are handy for transporting cargo up mountain slopes, but what if you want to do the same sort of thing on a smaller scale? Well, you could try using a tiny new light-powered robot, which is cable of carrying items up thin mid-air tracks.

We've seen the Lynx robodog from Deep Robotics perform some incredibly athletic feats since launching last year, such as bounding over extreme terrain and chilling in snow. Now the company has debuted a rugged version for industrial use.

Unless you're some boring, unimaginative schmuck, chances are you've sometimes wondered what the world looks like from a tiny creature's point of view. Well, the Goby robot will show you, as you remotely control it via a simple online dashboard.

Even if you've built one of the world's best insect-inspired micro air vehicles, it won't be that useful if it can't stick a landing. That's why Harvard scientists have now given their RoboBee a set of long, jointed legs like those of the crane fly.

Measuring tape is a neat material, in that it's rigid enough to hold its shape when extended, but flexible enough to give way under pressure. Scientists have taken advantage of that dual nature in a robo-gripper designed for handling fragile items.

Flying robots do have advantages over their ground-going counterparts, but they're not very energy-efficient. A new bot addresses that tradeoff by using a wing-assisted mechanism to hop instead of walking or flying in the traditional sense.

You wanna drive a Mars rover? Well sorry, but you can't. You could, however, buy and drive a li'l four-wheel-drive rover that can be controlled from anywhere in the world via 4G cellular networks. Appropriately enough, it's called the EarthRover.

While we've heard a lot about humanoid robots lately, the requirements for their bipedal walking gait will likely keep them quite expensive – and thus little-seen. By contrast, the FlashBot Arm is something you might actually encounter sometime soon.