Robotics

Sea anemones are essentially soft-bodied tubes, that are capable of capturing a wide variety of prey items simply by engulfing them. Chinese scientists have now copied this concept in the form of what may be a "better" robotic grasper.

After a successful Kickstarter last year, Robosen Robotics has launched the T9, a robot that transforms into a vehicle through voice commands or via an app.

Sarcos revealed its Guardian XO robotic exoskeleton at CES 2019. At this year's CES, the robotics specialist and Delta Air Lines announced pilot trials, with Delta employees set to become among the first workers to suit up in the wearable robots.

There's a good chance that you're already familiar with Sony's aibo robotic dog, which was recently reissued. However, what if you're more of a cat person? Well, that's where the new MarsCat is designed to come in.

If your busy lifestyle leaves little time for housework, robot vacuum cleaners can help. If you want your robovac to clean upstairs, you'll have to carry it up and set it off. Peter Sripol wasn't happy with that situation so made his Roomba fly.

Visitors to this year's Consumer Electronics Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center will have the option of chowing down on robot-made pizzas courtesy of an automated food assembly system that can create up to 300 bespoke 12-inch pizzas an hour.

If swarms of tiny robots are ever going to be used for purposes such as exploring disaster sites, then they'd better be rugged. A bot created at the EPFL research institute seems to fit the bill, as it can withstand being squished by a fly swatter.

While some powered exoskeletons give able-bodied users "superstrength," others are designed simply to let physically-challenged people move about normally. A new version of the latter is said to be much lighter and more user-responsive than others on the market.

Keeping on top of weed growth can be an onerous task for farmers raising large-scale crops for harvest. A new robot could help them keep on top of things, however, by hunting down and killing unwanted plants with zaps of electricity.

World first tests of an autonomous baggage tractor in real airport service conditions are underway at Toulouse-Blagnac airport in France. Built by Charlatte Autonom, the sensor-laden robotic EV is designed to speed up moving baggage and improve safety.

When it comes to soft-bodied robotic devices, there are ones that are squishy like rubber, or that fold like origami. The latter could soon be much lighter, hardier and capable, thanks to an electrically-conductive folding metallic material.

Taking a little inspiration from the slimy world of slugs and snails and mixing it some modern-day robotics, scientists at the University of Bristol have built a small, stretchy machine that can shuffle across surfaces and be stuffed into a pocket.