Cornell researchers in physics and engineering have created the smallest walking robot yet. Its mission: to be tiny enough to interact with waves of visible light and still move independently, so that it can maneuver to specific locations—in a tissue sample, for instance—to take images and measure forces at the scale of some of the body's smallest structures.
A QUT research team has taken inspiration from the brains of insects and animals for more energy-efficient robotic navigation.
One of the most promising approaches to teaching robots how to complete manual tasks such as cleaning dishes or preparing food is known as imitation learning. End-to-end imitation learning typically entails training a deep learning algorithm on raw videos, images and/or motion capture data of humans completing manual tasks.
Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are omnipresent and have grown in popularity due to their wide potential use in many civilian sectors. Equipped with sophisticated sensors and communication devices, drones can potentially form a multi-UAV system, also called a swarm.
To assist humans with household chores and other everyday manual tasks, robots should be able to effectively manipulate objects that vary in composition, shape and size. The manipulation skills of robots have improved significantly over the past few years, in part due to the development of increasingly sophisticated cameras and tactile sensors.
Amazon has introduced a handful of robots in its warehouses that the e-commerce giant says will improve efficiency and reduce employee injuries.
A pair of engineers at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has designed, built and tested a feathered, hawk-inspired drone capable of carrying out banking maneuvers without using its wings.
A team of roboticists and engineers affiliated with several institutions in South Korea, working with the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, has developed a tiny soft robot that is capable of manipulating multiple types of hard and soft objects. Their results are published in the journal Science Advances.
It seems simple: The robot ZRob, a small machine easily placed on a table, holds a drumstick and beats a drum. In reality, it is anything but simple. ZRob's arm has a flexible grip, just like the human wrist. It also has an artificial intelligence (AI) that helps it optimize its movements.
Say hello to the robot called Bifrost. With the help of AI technology, it uses its tactile capabilities to manipulate soft and pliable objects to order.
A musical robot that can play the piano alongside a human, creating a harmonic accompaniment in real time, has won an award at the Center for Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence (CHIA) Conference 2024.
Orthotropic steel bridge decks (OSDs) are fundamental to long-span bridge designs, prized for their high load-carrying efficiency and lightweight characteristics. However, their intricate structure makes them vulnerable to fatigue cracking, particularly at key connection points, posing serious safety risks.
Have you ever wondered why an airplane has a vertical tailfin? The plane needs it to stabilize its flight. Since flying without a vertical tail is much more energy-efficient, the aviation industry has worked hard to accomplish this—so far without much success. However, birds don't need a vertical fin, which raises the question: how do they do it?
Trust between humans and robots is improved when the movement between both is harmonized, researchers have discovered.
In a review paper published recently in Science Robotics a cognitive roboticist, cognitive psychologist and a psychiatrist discuss the concept of "sense of self" in humans, and they explore how robots can be used to better understand the phenomenon.