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A new type of valve that makes soft robots more resilient to damage, has been developed by engineers at the University of Sheffield.

Self-amputation may seem like a drastic move, but it's a survival tactic that's proved particularly handy for numerous creatures. Yale roboticists have drawn inspiration from lizards, crabs, and other animals who shed parts of themselves without looking back, all for the purpose of moving forward.

Self-driving cars occasionally crash because their visual systems can't always process static or slow-moving objects in 3D space. In that regard, they're like the monocular vision of many insects, whose compound eyes provide great motion-tracking and a wide field of view but poor depth perception.

Using a newly-devised complex algorithm, the researchers have created a perfectly choreographed "dance" using two robotic arms, continuously retaining a clear space between them—where a patient's body would fit—as well as ensuring a consistent magnetic field.

Carnegie Mellon University researchers at the Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group (B.O.R.G.) led by Victoria Webster-Wood, in collaboration with researchers at Case Western Reserve University, are studying the sea slug feeding structure to learn more about how the brain, muscular system and nervous system interact. Their research is being used both in robots and in simulations as part of a multinational research collaboration studying neuromuscular systems.

Humans are interacting more than ever with artificial intelligence (AI)—from the development of the first "social robots" (a robot with a physical body programmed to interact and engage with humans) like Kismet in the 1990s to smart speakers such as Amazon's Alexa.

Most robotic systems developed to date can either tackle a specific task with high precision or complete a range of simpler tasks with low precision. For instance, some industrial robots can complete specific manufacturing tasks very well but cannot easily adapt to new tasks. On the other hand, flexible robots designed to handle a variety of objects often lack the accuracy necessary to be deployed in practical settings.

Can a robot mimicking a climbing and walking lizard give new insights into the evolution and advantages of different movements in humans and other animals?

Researchers are calling for regulation to guide the responsible and ethical development of bio-hybrid robotics—a pioneering science which fuses artificial components with living tissue and cells.

The UK's new Labor government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes during its first term in office. To achieve this, it promises planning reform and the reintroduction of local housing targets. Yet little attention has been given to the role of new technologies.

A team of engineers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology has found that ferrofluidic drops in a tank of water can be forced to rise in desired ways using light. The study is published in the journal Science Advances.

To be successfully deployed in real-world settings, robots should be capable of reliably completing various everyday tasks, ranging from household chores to industrial processes. Some of the tasks they could complete entail manipulating fabrics, for instance when folding clothes to put them in a wardrobe or helping older adults with mobility impairments to knot their ties before a social event.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), have developed an innovative wearable fabric that is flexible but can stiffen on demand.

A team of engineers at Beihang University, working with a colleague from Center of Advanced Aero-Engine, both in China, has developed a micro-aerial vehicle that flies using direct sunlight. They reported their results in the journal Nature.

Have you ever wondered how insects are able to go so far beyond their home and still find their way? The answer to this question is not only relevant to biology but also to making the AI for tiny, autonomous robots.