A robot searching for workers trapped in a partially collapsed mine shaft must rapidly generate a map of the scene and identify its location within that scene as it navigates the treacherous terrain.

Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed advanced robotic technologies to support the assembly and maintenance of future fusion reactors.

A team led by the University of Oxford has developed a new class of soft robots that operate without electronics, motors, or computers—using only air pressure. The study, published in Advanced Materials, shows that these "fluidic robots" can generate complex, rhythmic movements and even automatically synchronize their actions.