https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/robotics-news/ en-us The latest news on robotics, robots, robotics sciences and technology science. The human hand is a dexterous and versatile machine. Scientists have conventionally tried to replicate these traits in robots by copying the biological mechanics of the hand, resulting in complex and difficult-to-control structures. An alternative solution to these challenges was proposed in a new study published in Advanced Science: the BioflexBot, a novel robot that mimics and even exceeds core motions of the hand with a simple design. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-simple-robot-exceeds-human-core.html Robotics Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:10:01 EDT news705748981 Researchers at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research have developed tiny rolls that can be unrolled and rolled up in a controlled manner using a magnet. The model for this was the proboscis of butterflies. These smart materials enable the development of more efficient drive technologies for micro- and soft robotics, a field of research of great economic importance. The results have been published in the journal Advanced Materials. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-butterfly-ceramic-microscrolls-unroll-magnets.html Robotics Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:20:07 EDT news705751501 The Multimedia Laboratory (MMLab) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has spearheaded the development of "RoboDojo," a unified benchmarking platform designed to evaluate robotic manipulation across simulated and physical environments. Co-initiated by Professor Ping Luo, associate director (AI Research and Tech Transfer) of the HKU School of Computing and Data Science (CDS), and his Ph.D. student Tianxing Chen, the project was developed in collaboration with researchers from nearly 20 leading global universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University. The paper is posted to the arXiv preprint server. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-scientists-robodojo-platform-embodied-ai.html Robotics Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:40:02 EDT news705741631 Recent advances in miniaturized and portable electronics, particularly wearable and flexible devices, have increased the demand for self-powered sensing technologies. Among these, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have received considerable attention for developing highly sensitive tactile sensors. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-electronic-skin-enables-tunable-proximity.html Robotics Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:20:03 EDT news705580442 People become more suspicious of a humanoid robot that makes errors, especially when the robot is an expressive conversation partner. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-humanoid-robots-awkward-people-wary.html Consumer & Gadgets Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:40:01 EDT news704987469 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 be able to rapidly interpret human behaviors and commands, using their predictions to plan and precisely execute helpful actions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-human-aware-robots-partners-strain.html Robotics Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:02 EDT news705056917 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 capabilities, such as hovering like hummingbirds and independently controlling their wings like dragonflies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-advance-wing-robot-stability-disturbances.html Robotics Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:00:07 EDT news705067021 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 as well in dynamic and unpredictable real-world environments as they do during controlled laboratory tests. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-rl-framework-robots-refine-tasks.html Robotics Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:00:01 EDT news705055560 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 motion of wheeled robots, making it challenging to improve energy efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-porous-3d-feet-quadruped-robot.html Robotics Fri, 31 Jul 2026 11:40:05 EDT news704716201 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. With a massive surge in financial investment in the offing, a new study describes the technical advances that have made legged robots a reality and explores the critical ethical considerations, economic potential and policy implications of the "intelligent machines" that are increasingly walking among us. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-legged-robots-surveillance-job-battlefield.html Robotics Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:50:01 EDT news704633170 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 changes in muscles as they contract, allowing researchers to collect data in a way that's never been done before. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-muscle-radar-potential-future-robotic.html Robotics Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:20:01 EDT news704631961 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 the crumbs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-robot-snuff-wildfires-cryogenic-spray.html Robotics Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:40:06 EDT news704614982 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-humanoid-robots.html Business Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:10:01 EDT news704517888 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-future-aware-ai-robot-tasks.html Robotics Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:22:56 EDT news704463729 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-ai-underwater-robots-track-diver.html Robotics Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:40:02 EDT news704378282 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 delay could have serious or even fatal consequences. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-spider-robotic-boat-track-people.html Robotics Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:40:01 EDT news704029976 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 but also their contributions to environmental, social and economic sustainability. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-future-faster-robots-sustainable-robotics.html Robotics Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:40:10 EDT news704032381 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 the robot's tray disappeared faster. The study also suggests that the presence of robots may influence the way people behave in social situations. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-attitudes-autonomous-robots-real-life.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:40:01 EDT news703948261 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-redesigning-relationships-humans-intelligent-machines.html Robotics Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:20:09 EDT news703853282 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, conventional robotic hands often require multiple motors and complex control systems, presenting challenges in terms of weight, cost, failure risk and control difficulties. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-robotic-capable-multiple-grippers-motor.html Robotics Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:10 EDT news703500531 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 its gait on stairs, leaping over gaps and keeping its balance on forest trails. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-robot-animal.html Robotics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:50:02 EDT news703405349 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-fujitsu-japanese-robotics-companies-nvidia.html Robotics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:17:51 EDT news703394245 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 is data. Much like humans, robots learn best by experience. The challenge is that it's labor-intensive and time-consuming to physically teach these machines so many actions across different settings. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-ai-agents-virtual-playgrounds-robots.html Robotics Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:56:41 EDT news703241768 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-batter-bias-robot-umpires-curb.html Robotics Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:20:06 EDT news703162261 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 and react, most soft robots rely on separate electronic sensors, signal-processing circuits and powered actuators, all coordinated by computers. This chain of components adds weight, complexity and points of failure, particularly in wet, hot or high-pressure settings where electronics are highly susceptible to disruption. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-soft-sensor-robotic-action-electronics.html Robotics Sun, 12 Jul 2026 11:20:01 EDT news702822241 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. They are being developed for real work, such as carrying heavy boxes, pushing furniture, pulling heavy objects and wiping tables. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-humanoid-robots-real-world.html Robotics Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:01 EDT news702907927 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 developed an open-source software framework designed to eliminate much of that setup work, making it easier to deploy AI systems across different robots without rebuilding software from scratch. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-infrastructure-ai-robots.html Robotics Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:20:08 EDT news702889533 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 assemble themselves into larger structures on the water, break apart and reassemble into something new, all with minimal human direction. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-small-aquatic-robots-reconfigurable.html Robotics Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:00:01 EDT news702822101 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-birdlike-robot-underwater-flight.html Robotics Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:00:12 EDT news702794155 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 predictive control. This technique optimizes the robot's behavior but relies on accurate dynamics models, which are challenging to achieve in real-world settings and often require simplifying assumptions. The second is model-free reinforcement learning, which allows the robot to learn reliable but fixed behaviors, making them difficult to adapt after training. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-ai-powered-robots-legs.html Robotics Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:40:03 EDT news702638941