https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/robotics-news/ en-us The latest news on robotics, robots, robotics sciences and technology science. Their metallic frames covered in supple, lifelike skin, a posse of new Chinese robots meant for companionship can offer users AI-generated conversation or a hand to hold, complete with manicured nails. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-chinese-firm-hyper-real-loyal.html Robotics Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:16:57 EDT news702116192 The researchers teach the packaging machine what is up and down on a snack carrot. The program runs on a small, local PC—not on huge servers in some faraway cloud. The goal: to pack quickly, cheaply and attractively—so that consumers like us are tempted by locally sourced, healthy snacks. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-mini-ai-lines-carrots.html Robotics Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:40:10 EDT news701946172 Scientists from NTU Singapore and Waseda University have developed a flexible "diving suit" for cyborg cockroaches, enabling the insects to survive and move underwater and in low-oxygen environments for up to three hours. Published today in Nature Communications, the study could expand the use of cyborg insects in search-and-rescue missions, especially in disaster zones where flooded rubble, puddles or partially submerged spaces can block access for conventional robots. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-cyborg-cockroaches.html Robotics Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:40:07 EDT news701947321 A research team led by Prof. Seung Hwan Ko of Seoul National University College of Engineering's Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed an artificial skin technology that enables robots to sense temperature and pressure simultaneously, similar to human skin. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-artificial-skin-enables-robots-simultaneously.html Robotics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:00:05 EDT news701693522 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. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-sony-discontinues-japan-sales-robot.html Consumer & Gadgets Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:05:35 EDT news701665518 Robots that can see beyond human vision, build live 3D maps of unknown environments and identify what objects are made of are being developed by researchers at the University of Surrey, opening new possibilities for applications in nuclear inspection, rail and building safety, and search and rescue in combat zones. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-robots-materials-unknown-environments-aid.html Robotics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:20:05 EDT news701600762 Researchers at Adelaide University have developed a new type of robotic system inspired by bees and ants that could make mining safer, more efficient and more sustainable. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-swarm-robots-bees-ants-future.html Robotics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:20:07 EDT news701593561 Growing economic activity in the ocean space is increasing the need for more regular monitoring and inspection of underwater infrastructure and its surroundings. Autonomous underwater vehicles capable of monitoring and inspecting pipelines, cables and underwater installations are becoming increasingly important in an uncertain global security situation. In addition, we need more knowledge about the seabed and the ocean space. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-underwater-robots-pave-pipeline-cable.html Robotics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:00:04 EDT news701592841 Robots with increasingly precise dexterity are becoming essential in everyday life and industrial settings, from assembling tiny smartphone components to assisting doctors in surgery. However, teaching robots delicate human movements has traditionally required collecting vast amounts of data at extremely fine time intervals, resulting in significant costs and time burdens. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-rough-demos-precise-robot-actions.html Robotics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:40:09 EDT news701533861 An inchworm has provided the inspiration for a robot that can move without any rigid parts. The robot mimics a flexing muscle and can be used to inspect sewer pipes or as an explorer on the planet Mars, according to a thesis from the University of Gothenburg. The research is published on the arXiv preprint server. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-inchworm-robot-rigid-enable-remote.html Robotics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:40:05 EDT news701530141 More and more robots are assisting workers in factories. However, human-robot collaboration is still far from seamless. Researchers from Prof. Lorenzo Masia's team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now developed a solution that enables a factory worker wearing an exoskeleton to work closely and, above all, safely, with a robotic arm. This reduces the physical strain on workers and improves production processes. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-exoskeleton-robotic-arm-factory-strain.html Business Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:20:05 EDT news701524201 When 3-year-old Cameron arrived at the UC Davis MIND Institute for a recent medical appointment, she was in for a surprise: cuddly, social AI robots visiting from Japan were in the waiting room. "We both melted when we saw them," said Cameron's mom, Caroline Nguyen. "They're so adorable, and the little sounds they make—I mean, she took to them right away." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-friendly-social-robots-ease-child.html Robotics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:07 EDT news701516529 Autonomous drones could deliver packages, inspect bridges and skyscrapers, monitor emergencies like wildfires and, eventually, ferry people. But the airspace still lacks the testing and coordination infrastructure needed to prove drones can operate safely around people, buildings, aircraft and each other. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-smart-drones-safe-skies-student.html Robotics Tue, 23 Jun 2026 22:00:06 EDT news701439410 A new chip developed by MIT researchers could help tiny, low-power UAVs avoid obstacles as they zip around tight corners inside an industrial HVAC system to check for gas leaks. The chip allows small autonomous robots and other battery-limited devices to construct detailed 3D maps of their environments in real time using only about as much power as a single LED. A robot could use such a map to plan a collision-free path to reach its goal. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ultraefficient-chip-tiny-robots-traverse.html Hardware Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:03 EDT news701437741 Current flying objects face a trade-off: Drones with propellers, for instance, are very agile and able to hover; however, they use up a lot of energy. Airplanes, on the other hand, feature fixed wings that allow them to fly very efficiently. The downside: They can't remain suspended in the air like a kestrel on the lookout for prey. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-robot-floaty-bird-staying-stable.html Robotics Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:40:14 EDT news701354331 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are now widely used for various purposes, ranging from filmmaking and aerial photography to industrial inspection, precision farming and reaching obstructed areas during emergency response missions. While many existing drones can move swiftly in their surroundings and circumvent large obstacles, most still struggle in cluttered environments. In addition, they are often unable to execute maneuvers that would allow them to safely pass through small gaps or reach secluded areas. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-drones-narrow-gaps-onboard-ai.html Robotics Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:40:04 EDT news701010015 If you ever need help in the kitchen cutting fish into appetizing bites, a new three-armed robot may be able to help. And that's no easy feat for robots. While they are generally good at picking up rigid objects, something slippery that can change shape when touched, such as a fish, poses a range of challenges. Then, if you add slicing into the mix, it becomes even more difficult because the robot has to cope with the fish changing shape as it is handled and cut. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-armed-sashimi-bot-slice-fish.html Robotics Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:20:03 EDT news701079417 Humanoid robots are no longer science fiction: They can take on tasks that challenge humans and have the potential to play an important role in industry, services or private households in the future. At Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), researchers are working on hardware and software for human-like robots. Dr. Sebastian Reitelshöfer from the FAU Chair of Manufacturing Automation and Production Systems explains in an interview how humanoid robots could support us in the future and why this future technology on two legs could be an opportunity for northern Bavarian industry. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-humanoid-robots-human-machines-daily.html Robotics Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:40:03 EDT news701010423 They can mix cocktails, run marathons and fold laundry. But humanoid robots are still a long way from doing lots of different jobs on command, whatever the marketing says. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-robots-cocktails-marathons-multitask.html Robotics Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:10:01 EDT news700976273 When factory workers treat industrial robots as co-workers—even attributing certain human qualities to them—productivity and well-being improve, according to new research out of the Alberta School of Business. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-humanizing-robots-factory-workers-productive.html Business Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:10 EDT news700916101 From facial recognition on smartphones to humanoid robots, computer vision technology, which serves as the eyes of artificial intelligence (AI), is widely used in daily life. A joint research team from KAIST and international institutions has developed a technology that allows AI to see the world more clearly with minimal memory, increasing GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) memory efficiency by up to 16 times. The achievement is seen as a core technology that could accelerate the era of humanoid robots and on-device AI. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-upsampling-method-sharpens-ai-vision.html Robotics Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:40:02 EDT news700914900 Many AI robots appear intelligent as long as they operate in controlled environments. Neuroscientist and robotics researcher Elisa Donati explains why robots with real-world readiness require more than just fast software. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-robots-everyday.html Robotics Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:20:07 EDT news700899183 An auto factory worker can remember the storage bin where she left a partly assembled component the night before and quickly return to that spot to pick it up. But robots that may work side by side with her would struggle to develop and access this same type of "spatiotemporal" memory. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-left-keys.html Robotics Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:20:05 EDT news700899362 An elephant's trunk is both strong and capable of extremely fine motor movements. With this muscular, boneless structure, an elephant can carry heavy logs—or deftly peel a banana. Lucia Beccai and colleagues studied the skin of the trunk, hoping to understand its properties and derive lessons for the next generation of advanced soft robotics. The authors obtained a trunk from a single adult Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) that died of natural causes at Zurich Zoo, Switzerland, in 2020. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-elephant-trunk-skin-reveals-reshape.html Robotics Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:00:03 EDT news700828802 A bird bursting from the ocean or a mobula ray launching skyward makes the transition from water to air look effortless. For unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, it's one of the hardest maneuvers to replicate. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-wing-smoother-air-drone.html Robotics Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:20:11 EDT news700758371 Controlling a robotic arm, a prosthetic hand or a rehabilitation device is harder than it looks. Picking up an egg, for example, requires just the right amount of force: too little and it falls, too much and it breaks. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-simple-cue-people-master-prosthetic.html Robotics Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:00:04 EDT news700736528 The Social Robotics Group of the Robotics Lab at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has developed an AI-based methodology that allows a pet-type assistive robot to recognize the people it interacts with. The prototype, named Mía, is being tested in Madrid City Council day centers for the personalized affective stimulation of elderly people with cognitive decline. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-robotic-rabbit-users-voices-enabling.html Robotics Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:20:04 EDT news700736940 A detection robot developed under the leadership of TU Graz can "sniff out" hazardous substances and support high-risk fire service operations as a remote-controlled advance guard. A recent study shows how fire services can bring the high-tech helper into the team. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-legged-robots-safe-firefighting.html Robotics Sun, 14 Jun 2026 20:30:02 EDT news700402152 A new type of gamma-ray sensor developed by NASA, called AstroPix, will take part in a robotic arm demonstration on the agency's upcoming Fly Foundational Robots mission, set to launch in late 2027. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-nasa-robotic-tech-advance-prototype.html Robotics Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:00:06 EDT news700415161 What's it like to play a physical game with or against a robot that both looks and behaves like a person? That's what NTNU researchers wanted to find out when they conducted a controlled laboratory experiment with Pepper, a social robot designed to interact with humans. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-pepper-robot-good-playmate.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:06 EDT news700397162