To effectively tackle a variety of real-world tasks, robots should be able to reliably grasp objects of different shapes, textures and sizes, without dropping them in undesired locations. Conventional approaches to enhancing the ability of robots to grasp objects work by tightening the grip of a robotic hand to prevent objects from slipping.
Modern robotic systems—in drones or autonomous vehicles, for example—use a variety of sensors, ranging from cameras and accelerometers to GPS modules. To date, their correct integration has required expert knowledge and time-consuming calibration.
Animals like bats, whales and insects have long used acoustic signals for communication and navigation. Now, an international team of scientists has taken a page from nature's playbook to model micro-sized robots that use sound waves to coordinate into large swarms that exhibit intelligent-like behavior.
Watch Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot doing training routines, or the latest humanoids from Figure loading a washing machine, and it's easy to believe the robot revolution is here. From the outside, it seems the only remaining challenge is perfecting the AI (artificial intelligence) software to enable these machines to handle real-life environments.
Give robots a specific job—say, placing a can on a conveyor belt in a factory—and they can be extremely efficient. But in less-structured environments with varied tasks, even seemingly simple things like unscrewing a light bulb or turning a door handle, things get a lot trickier.
From a seed-inspired design to a 26-minute flight time on a single rotor, a new monocopter developed by SUTD researchers marks a 10-year journey towards redefining how efficient small flying robots can be.
Humanoid robots, robots with a human-like body structure, have so far been primarily tested on manual tasks that entail supporting humans in their daily activities, such as carrying objects, collecting samples in hazardous environments, supporting older adults or acting as physical therapy assistants. In contrast, their potential for completing expressive physical tasks rooted in creative disciplines, such as playing an instrument or participating in performance arts, remains largely unexplored.
Mechanical engineering researchers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have designed a mattress that helps prevent bedsores by alternating pressure across the body and, at times, increasing peak pressure rather than reducing it to restore blood flow.
A straight wall is not necessarily a climate-optimized wall. Depending on the wall's exposure to sun and shade, there is an ideal angle for individual bricks. The calculations come from a digital design configurator—and in the future, a robot will help craftsmen to position the bricks precisely. In a workshop with apprentice bricklayers, this human-machine cooperation in construction has been tested under real-world conditions by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Munich-Ebersberg Construction Guild.
A high-tech district in the Chinese capital is opening an all-service robot store on Friday to push a national drive to develop humanoid robots.
A flexible robotic sheet that can grasp objects and move across surfaces has been created by a team of researchers led by Jung Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
A POSTECH research team has developed a thin, flexible robotic actuator inspired by human muscle proteins. As thin as paper, yet capable of generating strong forces, this robot can maneuver through tight spaces and manipulate objects, making it suitable for a wide range of applications—from surgical robots to industrial equipment. The study has been published in Nature Communications.
Robots excel at many things, but having a good sense of touch is not among them. Whether dropping items or pinching them too tightly, which crushes the object, many robots struggle with these basic skills that humans have mastered.
A Los Angeles-area startup is using artificial intelligence and robotics in an unlikely way: making sashimi and other fish dishes taste better, last longer and be more humane.
For the millions of Americans who live with a mobility issue, making a pizza can be a lot more challenging than just choosing between pepperoni or sausage. Now Virginia Tech researchers have developed a robotic arm with novel assistive grippers that can help those with disabilities accomplish complex everyday tasks, including building a pizza.