Future generation networks must provide high transmission speeds and flexible coverage. One way to do this is through networks of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. They operate in the millimeter wave range. But the use of a wide range of antennas and higher losses during signal propagation are disadvantages. All this requires energy, and drone batteries have limited capacity.
"Soft robots," medical devices and implants, and next-generation drug delivery methods could soon be guided with magnetism—thanks to a metal-free magnetic gel developed by researchers at the University of Michigan and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany.
Long the stuff of science fiction, autonomous weapons systems, known as "killer robots," are poised to become a reality, thanks to the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
The barista tipped the jug of smooth, foamy milk over the latte, pouring slowly at first, then lifting and tilting the jug like a choreographed dance to paint the petals of a tulip.
A loud whirring sound incites fear that a giant swarm of insects has overtaken Eureka Park, one of the venues for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But in fact, it's a group of "soccer drones" made in South Korea.
Researchers at The University of Queensland (UQ) are developing new 4D printing technology that produces shape-shifting liquid metals for soft robotics.
Researchers have developed a fluid switch using ionic polymer artificial muscles that operates at ultra-low power and produces a force 34 times greater than its weight. Fluid switches control fluid flow, causing the fluid to flow in a specific direction to invoke various movements.
With big, expressive eyes, elfin ears and adorable cooing, Miroka and Miroki could be an apparition from your favorite cartoon.
In recent years, engineers have developed a wide range of robotic systems that could soon assist humans with various everyday tasks. Rather than assisting with chores or other manual jobs, some of these robots could merely act as companions, helping older adults or individuals with different disabilities to practice skills that typically entail interacting with another human.
Your daily to-do list is likely pretty straightforward: wash the dishes, buy groceries, and other minutiae. It's unlikely you wrote out "pick up the first dirty dish," or "wash that plate with a sponge," because each of these miniature steps within the chore feels intuitive. While we can routinely complete each step without much thought, a robot requires a complex plan that involves more detailed outlines.
Researchers have developed a new soft robot design that engages in three simultaneous behaviors: rolling forward, spinning like a record, and following a path that orbits around a central point. The device, which operates without human or computer control, holds promise for developing soft robotic devices that can be used to navigate and map unknown environments.
A trio of robotics engineers at Stanford University, working with colleagues from Google's Deep Mind, has built on Google's ALOHA system to create a mobile robot capable of carrying out a wide variety of household chores—they have named it Mobile ALOHA.
For drones to save lives in search and rescue missions, or even reliably deliver our packages, they need to navigate dynamic environments without accident. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have had success steering through open spaces time and time again, but the unpredictability of moving obstacles has been a challenge, especially in indoor environments with no GPS signals. Kenji Shimada and his students leaned into this problem to develop new technology that enables autonomous flights in indoor dynamic environments.
Robotic systems inspired by nature can help to efficiently tackle a wide range of problems, ranging from navigating complex environments to seamlessly completing missions as a team. In recent years, roboticists have created a growing number of bio-inspired systems designed to replicate the body structure and movements of various animals, including snakes.
Imagine a flying dragon that doesn't spout fire, but instead extinguishes it with blasts of water. Thanks to a team of Japanese researchers, this new kind of beast may soon be recruited to firefighter teams around the world, to help put out fires that are too dangerous for their human teammates to approach.