Robotics

Robots promise to transform our lives in myriad ways. Having already revolutionized the production line, robots are getting smarter, smaller and more capable, and they're walking, rolling and flying out of labs and into homes and businesses at an astonishing rate. With the ability to perform tasks that are considered too menial or impossible for humans, robots are destined to make many aspects of our lives easier. Will they ultimately supplant us? We'll just have to wait and see.

Robotics

Multipurpose robotic skins bring stuffed animals to life

Michael Irving September 19, 2018

In an effort to make robots that are more adaptable, Yale researchers have developed “robotic skins” that can be fitted over a range of everyday objects, like soft toys or pieces of foam, to turn them into robots programmed for different tasks.

Robotics

Soft wearable exosuit automatically tunes its assistance levels on the fly

Nick Lavars September 18, 2018

A team of scientists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute has just presented its latest creation in the field of robotic exoskeletons, a fully wearable soft exosuit that automatically tweaks its level of assistance on the fly.

The Wyss Institute team team imagines a raft of uses for its adaptive exosuit

Robotics

Artsy robot reproduces images by winding thread

Ben Coxworth September 11, 2018

You've no doubt seen string art before – it consists of images created by running thread between pins on a board. Well, scientists at Austria's Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) have recently created an algorithm that allows a robot to recreate existing images in string-art form.

Robotics

Demo shows workings of Mesmer animatronics in action

James Holloway September 11, 2018

A system combining robotics and animation software to create lifelike humanoid characters has been demonstrated in a new video by Engineered Arts. Dubbed Mesmer, the technology promises cheaper results by pulling disparate technologies into a single package.

The underlying components can be accessed without damaging the artificial skin

Robotics

Bolt is Sphero's smartest, most capable robo-ball yet

David Nield September 10, 2018

Having entertained Star Wars fans with a series of movie tie-ins, Sphero's newest mini robot swaps the movie theater for the classroom. The Sphero Bolt is a programmable rolling droid with a bright LED matrix display, accessible coding apps, and new ways to automate the bot's actions.

The Bolt adds an LED display, infrared sensors, and an ambient light sensor on top of ...

Robotics

MIT's DON the robot is a master of dexterity

James Holloway September 10, 2018

What if a robot could look at any item, and decide how best to pick it up, and perform tasks with it, all by itself? That's the aim of DON – a new neural network and robotic hand at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

Once DON figures out how to pick up one shoe by the tongue, it can do ...

Robotics Audio available

Bat-inspired robot uses ultrasound to navigate unfamiliar environments

Nick Lavars September 6, 2018

Scientists at Tel Aviv University have used the impressive echolocation abilities of bats as inspiration for a new robot, which is able to use ultrasound to autonomously navigate through an environment.

The Robat relies an ultrasonic speaker and a pair of ultrasonic microphones to mimic the echolocation ...

Robotics

$1,500 tēmi personal robot goes on sale October 1

James Holloway August 30, 2018

The personal robot Temi put in an appearance at IFA today, alongside the news that it will go on sale worldwide October 1 for the confirmed price of US$1,500. Its makers call it the first truly-useful personal robot.

Temi will go on sale worldwide October 1 for the confirmed price of US $1,500

Robotics

US Army developing software to get military robots upright again

David Szondy August 28, 2018

Scientists at the US Army Research Laboratory are working on software to help fallen military robots right themselves. The purpose of this is not only to make such battlefield bots more efficient, but also less dependent on their soldier partners for support.

Dr Chad Kessens, a roboticist with the US Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, comes ...

Robotics

Brexit prompts push for robotic strawberry pickers

David Szondy August 28, 2018

Britain is facing a strawberry labor shortage that only threatens to only get worse as Brexit approaches, so roboticists at the University of Essex are working in conjunction with jam makers Wilkin & Sons of Tiptree to develop robots to take up the slack.

The new robot is designed to ease labor shortages on British strawberry farms