Robotics

When the first production of Karel Čapek's play R.U.R. opened on January 25, 1921, it not only gave a name to the cybernetic machines that were just beginning to emerge, it shaped our perception of what a robot is and the potential dangers they pose.

Moley Robotics steps beyond robo-mixers and grocery-tracking refrigerators in developing a robo-kitchen built to provide a full cooking takeover. The automated kitchen system is ready to find its way into actual homes.

Milirem Robotics has rolled out its Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle for its first mobility tests. Unveiled in 2020, it's a medium-weight autonomous armored platform, designed to provide reconnaissance and fire support for mechanized units and convoys.

Rheinmetall has unveiled its latest armed battlefield robot designed for tactical intelligence gathering and combat support. The Mission Master – Armed Reconnaissance system is capable of carrying out recon missions and providing fire support.

Scientists at the City University of Hong Kong have developed a new type of spray-on coating they say can give regular objects the capabilities of magnetically controlled robots, with particular potential in biomedical applications.

When a stroke victim has lost the use of an arm, they typically have to perform rehabilitative exercises utilizing heavy, costly, clinic-based equipment. A compact new portable device, however, could be used by patients in their own homes.

Turns out Hyundai was actually pretty serious when it debuted the go-anywhere four-leg/wheel drive Elevate concept in 2019. This week, it announced that it has formed a new studio to work on "ultimate mobility vehicles" (UMVs), including the Elevate.

A Yale team has developed a new “robotic fabric” that can change its shape and stiffness on demand or by sensing its environment. The material could one day be used in high-tech clothing, tents that set themselves up, or robotic parachutes.

Space robotics startup GITAI and JAXA are teaming up to carry out the world's first robotics demonstration in space by a private company. The new agreement aims to demonstrate the potential for robots to perform specific tasks aboard the ISS.

As part of the US Navy's Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition, Lockheed Martin has been selected as the main contractor to study how to provide the Navy with large, autonomous ships that can operate for extended periods without a crew.

Robots are an increasingly common sight in stores, and now they’re getting a bit more hands-on. Japanese company Telexistence has begun trials in convenience stores of a robot shelf-stacker that can be controlled by a human via VR.

One day microscopic robots could be crawling through your body, clearing out disease or delivering drugs. And now we’re one step closer to that future, as scientists from Cornell University have created tiny robots powered by pulses of laser light.