Robotics
Having already revolutionized the production line, robots promise to transform our lives in myriad ways. Here you'll find the news and opinion on the latest advances in robotics and where they are taking us.
Latest News
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Soft-bodied robot copies a caterpillar to squeeze through gaps
March 24, 2023If you're making a small robot that can explore tight spaces, it would be good if that device could also shimmy its way through narrow gaps. An experimental new robot can do just that, by emulating a caterpillar. -
Clever MIT modular robotics system could give astronauts WORMS
March 15, 2023No single robot can perform all tasks, yet bringing a bunch of different robots along on Moon missions would be quite inefficient. The WORMS setup offers an alternative, in the form of components that can be mixed and matched to make whatever robot is needed. -
Self-healing conductive gel could make "soft robots" truly soft
March 13, 2023In order to reach their full potential, soft robotic devices can't just consist of rigid electronic components encased in squishy rubber. A new material could help in that regard, as it's soft, self-healing and electrically conductive. -
Robotic system checks on corn plants by measuring leaf angles
March 06, 2023In order to see how well a corn plant is performing photosynthesis, you need to check the angle of its leaves relative to its stem. And while scientists ordinarily have to do so with a protractor, a new robotic system can now do the job much quicker. -
Musk expects Tesla Bot to be a much bigger business than its cars
March 02, 2023As part of its 2023 Investor Day, Tesla has given the world a glimpse of where progress is at with its latest-gen Optimus humanoid robot. Nineteen months since it was first announced, the Tesla Bot is now walking, picking things up and doing basic tasks. -
Earthworm-inspired robot moves by doing the wave
March 01, 2023Earthworms move through the soil not just by wriggling around, but by sending peristaltic waves down their bodies. A new robot, which employs that same strategy, could one day be used in underground exploration or even search-and-rescue missions. -
Classroom robot helps keep kids with learning disabilities on track
February 22, 2023Students with learning disabilities struggle often require additional, individualized support to fill educational gaps. A team of researchers and experts have found that a cute little robot may help children with learning disabilities stay focused. -
Efficient amphibious robot channels its inner snake and centipede
February 21, 2023Robots that move across both land and water are potentially very useful, but they also tend to be complex and rather slow. A new bio-inspired amphibious bot, however, utilizes a relatively simple mechanism to undulate at a good clip. -
Multi-segment shapeshifter drones: The precursors to flying squid-bots
February 19, 2023A remarkable group of drone prototypes from a team at the University of Tokyo takes multirotor complexity to the next level. These hypnotic flying robots are able to change their structural shape mid-air, creating some unprecedented capabilities. -
Super-sensitive bionic finger renders 3D images of what lies beneath
February 15, 2023From MRIs to x-rays and sonograms, the medical community has a lot of ways to see beneath our skin. Now, researchers have created a robotic finger that may offer another way to analyze our human form – by poking and prodding it. -
Sea-creature-inspired linked robots could explore alien oceans
February 10, 2023If you're designing robots for the exploration of oceans on other planets, you want something that's tough, versatile and easy to store in a spacecraft. It turns out that soft-bodied robots inspired by a marine organism may be the perfect choice. -
Modular voxel tech could bring swimming robots into the mainstream
February 08, 2023Bioinspired underwater robots that swim by undulating their bodies may be more energy-efficient than their rigid counterparts, but they're also quite difficult to build. That could soon change however, thanks to a new modular robotics system. -
XGO 2 mini quadruped robot is armed – but not dangerous
February 01, 2023There was a time when quadruped robots were only available to deep-pocketed corporate clients, but we're now seeing less-pricey miniature models hitting the market. One of the latest, the XGO 2, is the first such mini-bot to sport a robotic arm. -
Tiny robots copy the click beetle to jump over obstacles
January 25, 2023If a robot is going to be tiny, then it better have a way of getting around the many obstacles that will block its way. A new type of robot takes a unique approach to doing so, by jumping like a click beetle. -
Tiny eBiobots use LEDs and muscle tissue for real-time remote control
January 24, 2023Back in 2012, we heard about tiny biped "biobot" robots that used actual muscle tissue to walk. Well, the descendants of those bots are now equipped with LEDs, which allow them to be remotely steered in a practical fashion.
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