Computer-aided design (CAD) systems are tried-and-true tools used to design many of the physical objects we use each day. But CAD software requires extensive expertise to master, and many tools incorporate such a high level of detail they don't lend themselves to brainstorming or rapid prototyping.
Robots small enough to travel autonomously through the human body to repair damaged sites may seem the stuff of science fiction dreams. But this vision of surgery on a microscale is a step closer to reality, with news that researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan have built a robot smaller than a millimeter that has an onboard computer and sensors.
Robots have long been seen as a bad bet for Silicon Valley investors—too complicated, capital-intensive and "boring, honestly," says venture capitalist Modar Alaoui.
Biological muscles act as flexible actuators, generating force naturally and with an impressive range of motion. Unsurprisingly, scientists and engineers have been striving to build artificial muscles that mimic these abilities. A new review study, published in Nature, takes a deep dive into recent developments surrounding fiber-type artificial muscles, one of the most life-like types of artificial muscles developed so far.
In the horticultural world, some vines are especially grabby. As they grow, the woody tendrils can wrap around obstacles with enough force to pull down entire fences and trees.
Robots now see the world with an ease that once belonged only to science fiction. They can recognize objects, navigate cluttered spaces and sort thousands of parcels an hour. But ask a robot to touch something gently, safely or meaningfully, and the limits appear instantly.
A new study published in Nature Communications details a hybrid robot that combines the wind-driven mobility of tumbleweeds with active quadcopter control, offering a new paradigm for energy-efficient terrestrial exploration.
Meet the robotic dog with a memory like an elephant and the instincts of a seasoned first responder.
Whether you're reaching for a mug, a pencil or someone's hand, you don't need to consciously instruct each of your fingers on where they need to go to get a proper grip.
Over the past decades, roboticists have introduced a wide range of advanced systems that can move around in their surroundings and complete various tasks. Most of these robots can effectively collect images and other data in their surroundings, using computer vision algorithms to interpret it and plan their future actions.
Generative AI and robotics are moving us ever closer to the day when we can ask for an object and have it created within a few minutes. In fact, MIT researchers have developed a speech-to-reality system, an AI-driven workflow that allows them to provide input to a robotic arm and "speak objects into existence," creating things like furniture in as little as five minutes.
Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have extracted the building blocks of precise hand gestures used in the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam—and found a richer "alphabet" of movement compared to natural grasps. The work could improve how we teach hand movements to robots and offer humans better tools for physical therapy.
Underwater octopuses change their body color and texture in the blink of an eye to blend perfectly into their surroundings when evading predators or capturing prey. They transform their bodies to match the colors of nearby corals or seaweed, turning blue or red, and move by softly curling their arms or snatching prey.
EPFL scientists have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications.
In the future, tiny flying robots could be deployed to aid in the search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble after a devastating earthquake. Like real insects, these robots could flit through tight spaces larger robots can't reach, while simultaneously dodging stationary obstacles and pieces of falling rubble.