Robotics news
Consumer & Gadgets
When expressive humanoid robots are awkward, people become wary
People become more suspicious of a humanoid robot that makes errors, especially when the robot is an expressive conversation partner.
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Robotics
Human-aware robots adapt to partners, reducing back strain during team lifting
When people work in pairs or teams, they can often solve a wider range of problems, completing some tasks faster and more efficiently than they would alone. To assist users similarly to how other humans would, robots should ...
Aug 5, 2026
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RL-100 framework helps robots refine learned tasks amid real-world disruptions
Robots are gradually making their way into a variety of settings, ranging from households to public spaces, offices, factories and health care facilities. Despite their potential, however, many existing robots do not perform ...
Control advance improves flapping-wing robot stability amid wind-like disturbances
Flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FW-MAVs) are small, lightweight robots inspired by the flight mechanisms of birds and insects. By using rapidly moving wings instead of propellers, these robots can achieve unique flight ...
Aug 4, 2026
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Porous 3D-printed feet cut quadruped robot power use
Quadruped robots, which walk on four legs, are increasingly used for tasks such as inspection, transportation and search-and-rescue operations. However, their repeated leg movements consume far more energy than the rolling ...
Jul 31, 2026
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Robotics
Muscle radar unlocks potential for future robotic limbs
University of Queensland researchers have developed new noninvasive sensors that measure muscle forces, unlocking new possibilities for wearable robotic mobility devices. Ultra-wideband radar sensors measure electromagnetic ...
Jul 30, 2026
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Robotics
Legged robots raise surveillance, job and battlefield accountability concerns
Legged robots have recently transitioned from science fiction to engineering fact, with modern humanoid and quadrupedal machines now capable of delivering packages to front doors and taking on dangerous military missions. ...
Jul 30, 2026
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Robotics
This robot can snuff out wildfires with a cryogenic spray
About 20 years ago, Yiannis Levendis, a professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern University, was working on an experiment to find an alternative to coal—grinding up old car and truck tires and burning ...
Jul 30, 2026
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Business
US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is banning imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks, in a move that targets China. Beijing quickly accused the U.S. of protectionism.
Jul 29, 2026
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Robotics
Future-aware AI doubles robot speed in pick-and-place tasks
A new method developed by MIT researchers makes robots better at thinking ahead while they are acting, leading to smoother motions and quicker reactions. The research is published on the arXiv preprint server.
Jul 28, 2026
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Robotics
AI underwater robots can now track diver stress via exhaled bubbles
University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind AI system that allows underwater companion robots to monitor a diver's health in real time simply by "watching" their exhaled bubbles.
Jul 27, 2026
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Robotics
A spider-inspired robotic boat could track and rescue people in water
Rescue teams in coastal cities and towns often need to rescue people who are at risk of drowning. These operations often require emergency teams to locate and reach people in distress as quickly as possible, as even a short ...
Robotics
A better future rather than faster robots: 'Sustainable Robotics' as a new academic field
Professor Sukho Song of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGIST has proposed "Sustainability Robotics," a new academic field that evaluates robots not only in terms of their technical performance ...
Jul 23, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Attitudes toward autonomous service robots at real-life events reveal social behaviors
When a robot offers you candy, it is hard not to be curious. In an experiment conducted by ethologists at ELTE, visitors at public events noticed an autonomous service robot more often than a human server, and the candy on ...
Jul 22, 2026
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Robotics
Trusting me, trusting you: How researchers are redesigning relationships between humans and intelligent machines
From the Ferranti Mark I to empathetic AI, Manchester researchers are exploring how intelligent machines can understand human behavior, respond to social cues and earn trust in our workplaces, hospitals and homes.
Jul 21, 2026
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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, ...
Jul 17, 2026
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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 ...
Jul 16, 2026
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Robotics
Fujitsu and leading Japanese robotics companies to use Nvidia technology in 'physical AI'
Japanese communications company Fujitsu is leading a major push in artificial intelligence using Nvidia's technology, bringing together what it said was the best in Japan's manufacturing prowess in robotics with AI.
Jul 16, 2026
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Robotics
AI agents create virtual playgrounds to help robots get crucial training data
Robots walking down the street, surrounded by astounded onlookers, are an increasingly common sight. But these machines aren't yet the do-it-all assistants you'd want working in a kitchen or factory, and a major bottleneck ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Robotics
Batter up, bias down: Robot umpires curb favoritism for star hitters
When South Korea's professional baseball league introduced "robot umpire" ball-and-strike calls in 2024, famous batters appeared to lose an edge—but star pitchers did not.
Jul 13, 2026
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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 ...
Jul 12, 2026
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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
Researchers build missing infrastructure to move AI between robots
Robotics researchers often spend weeks, or even months, simply getting a new robot up and running before they can begin testing new behaviors. Researchers in the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science have ...
Jul 10, 2026
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Robotics
Birdlike robot swims underwater, then flaps into flight without paddling
Loons, gulls, puffins and petrels are some of the 100 species of birds that can both fly and swim. These diving birds can plunge into water to swim after prey, and leap back into the air to fly away.
Jul 9, 2026
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Robotics
Small aquatic robots that assemble into reconfigurable structures on the water
Most people think of the waterfront as the edge of the city. A team of MIT researchers sees it as a dynamic, Lego-like construction site. Their new system, called "FloatForm," is a swarm of small square robotic boats that ...
Jul 9, 2026
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