Robotics news

Robotics

Simple motor networks mimic human muscle behavior under increasing load

Scientists have developed a network of mechanical motors that mimic the molecular machinery underpinning human muscle contraction. The University of Bristol-led findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface ...

Robotics

How Chicago robot tutors are teaching SEL effectively, without pretending to be human

In a crowded fourth-grade classroom in Chicago, a new kind of tutor is shaping how children learn about empathy, conflict, and problem-solving. These robots aren't programmed to act like friendly classmates with invented ...

Robotics

Swimming robot propelled by lab-grown muscle hits record speed

NUS researchers have developed a platform that lets lab-grown muscle tissues train themselves to record-breaking strength, with no external stimulation required. By mechanically coupling two muscle tissues so they continuously ...

Robotics

Wind-powered robot could enable long-term exploration of hostile environments

Researchers at Cranfield University have created WANDER-bot, a low-cost, 3D-printed robot that is powered by wind energy. Designed to spend long durations in hostile, windy environments such as certain deserts, polar regions ...

Robotics

Sheepdogs reveal a better way to guide robot swarms

Sheepdogs, bred to control large groups of sheep in open fields, have demonstrated their skills in competitions dating back to the 1870s. In these contests, a handler directs a trained dog with whistle signals to guide a ...

Robotics

Swapping batteries for hydrogen gives drones a whole new range

Researchers have built a drone that runs on hydrogen, to replace battery-powered drones that are too heavy and have too short a range. This technology could help fix power outages faster and replace dangerous helicopter missions ...

Robotics

Hybrid AI planner turns images into robot action plans

MIT researchers have developed a generative artificial intelligence-driven approach for planning long-term visual tasks, like robot navigation, that is about twice as effective as some existing techniques. Their method uses ...

Robotics

Robot hands so sensitive they can grab a potato chip

A new type of robotic hand developed at The University of Texas at Austin demonstrates such sensitive touch that it can grasp objects as fragile as a potato chip or a raspberry without crushing them. The technology, called ...

Robotics

Poultry processing robotics advances with ChicGrasp

What started out as a response to labor shortages in poultry processing plants during the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a robotics system that can learn by imitating human movements to handle chickens. Using an advanced ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Humanoid robots in the home? Not so fast, says expert

It's been a goal for as long as humanoids have been a subject of popular imagination—a general-purpose robot that can do rote tasks like fold laundry or sort recycling simply by being asked.

Robotics

Fidget-controlled robots show the power of metastability

Fidget poppers are an example of "bistability," as the popped circles rest in one of two stable states. Purdue University researchers have taken this idea to its extreme, building robots that can be preprogrammed and controlled ...

Robotics

Next-generation humanoid robot can do the moonwalk

KAIST research team's independently developed humanoid robot boasts world-class driving performance, reaching speeds of 12km/h, along with excellent stability, maintaining balance even with its eyes closed or on rough terrain. ...

Robotics

Creating robots that adapt to your emotion

Robots might be getting smarter, but to truly support people in daily life, they also need to become more empathetic. That means recognizing and responding to human emotions in real time.