Robotics news

Robotics

A new robotic hand capable of switching between multiple grippers using a single motor

For robots to be used in various settings, such as factories, logistics, service industries and households, they must be able to stably handle a diverse range of objects differing in shape, size, weight and rigidity. However, ...

Robotics

Engineers develop robot that judges its surroundings and walks, runs, and jumps like an animal

An era in which robots decide "how to walk" on their own has arrived. A four-legged robot has been developed that, much like a person or an animal, autonomously chooses the appropriate gait strategy for its surroundings—changing ...

Robotics

New soft sensor can turn touch into robotic action without electronics

Built from flexible, compliant materials, soft robots are gaining relevance for tasks ranging from minimally invasive surgery to deep-sea exploration but remain held back by a fundamental constraint. To sense their surroundings ...

Robotics

New test measures how well humanoid robots handle real-world forces

As technology advances, more is expected from humanoid robots. What were once seen as gimmicks that could walk, if not like us, then close to it, are now pulling their weight and doing more work in places like factories. ...

Robotics

An AI-powered control system for robots with legs

Walking robots, such as quadruped robotic dogs, must be able to move safely through rough, often changing environments. Today, there are two main ways to program these walking, or legged, robots. The first is called model ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Sony discontinues Japan sales of robot puppy 'aibo'

Sony is halting sales of its robotic puppy "aibo" in Japan, the company said, eight years after the latest model of its interactive android pet became an instant hit.

Robotics

Picotaur—the unrivaled microrobot

Picture this: hundreds of ant-sized robots climb over rubble, under rocks and between debris to inspect the damage of a fallen building before human rescuers explore on-site.

Robotics

Beetle-inspired robots show improved flight capabilities

An analysis of how rhinoceros beetles deploy and retract their hindwings shows that the process is passive, requiring no muscular activity. The findings, reported in Nature, could help improve the design of flying micromachines.

Robotics

Dutch turn to birds and bees to inspire drone swarm research

Dutch scientists have unveiled the country's first laboratory to research how autonomous miniature drones can mimic insects to accomplish tasks ranging from finding gas leaks in factories to search-and-rescue missions.