A new drone system detects voices and sounds from disaster victims through background noise, helping rescue teams locate them faster. The system combines microphone array technology, sound source localization, and automatic speech recognition.
Researchers from NTU Singapore and CMU have developed a technique to direct the growth of hydrogel to mimic plant or animal tissue structure and shapes. The team's findings suggest new applications in tissue engineering and soft robotics, where hydrogel is commonly used.
Researchers developed a wearable robotic system to improve balance and gait in Parkinson's disease patients. After a single training session, both groups showed improved response to perturbations and increased gait stability.
Scientists have created asymmetrical polymer structures that bind together in a spatially defined manner, similar to atoms coming together to make molecules. This breakthrough technique could lead to new materials for applications ranging from drug delivery to 'soft robotics',
Researchers have created a positioning system using cameras that can track the location of vehicles in underground tunnels with high accuracy. The technology increases efficiency and safety by allowing autonomous vehicles to operate without costly sensing or infrastructure modifications.
Researchers tracked bumblebee flight paths and found they refined routes to reduce travel distance, providing insights into route optimization in logistics and robotics. The study's large dataset offers a unique understanding of how animals solve spatial problems.
Researchers in material robotics envision a future where technology seamlessly integrates into daily life, enabling intelligent products that adapt to our needs. By merging materials science and robotics, the goal is to create robots with 'brains' in their bodies, making them ubiquitous and invisible.
Researchers created origami-inspired artificial muscles that add strength to soft robots, allowing them to lift objects up to 1,000 times their own weight. The muscles are programmable, compact, and can be made for less than $1, opening the door to numerous applications in robotics, medicine, and space exploration.
The lab aims to create bonds of trust and emotion between humans and robots, improving quality of life for older adults. A recent study found a significant drop in depression and increase in human-robot social engagement after three weeks of interactions with a robot using Shakespearean sonnets.
Researchers developed an electronic skin that glows when subjected to high-pressure, mimicking the Atolla jellyfish's bioluminescent response. This innovation improves prosthetics and robotics by detecting a wider range of pressures, addressing the limitations of current technologies.
A Brown University and Hasbro team is developing a smart robotic companion, ARIES, to assist older adults with simple but challenging tasks. The project aims to add artificial intelligence capabilities to the existing Joy for All Companion Pets.
Sandia engineers have designed a control system that doubles the power absorbed by wave energy converters, making electricity produced from wave energy less expensive. The team applied robotics and aerospace engineering design principles to refine how a wave energy converter moves and responds in the ocean.
The HydroCamel II autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) integrates state-of-the-art technologies for full autonomy and maneuverability. Developed by Ben-Gurion University, it will be commercially available for use in various sectors, including military, security and environmental applications.
WPI scientists creating autonomous snake-like robots to navigate rubble and confined spaces, sending images and information to search-and-rescue teams. The robots will use integrated deformation sensors to control motion and make decisions autonomously.
Researchers at University of Sussex and Swansea University have created a way to morph liquid metal into physical shapes, opening up new possibilities in soft robotics and shape-changing displays. The invention uses electrical charges to program the liquid metal, allowing it to dynamically change shape and form complex geometries.
A study published in Frontiers in Robotics and AI found that virtual interviewers combined anonymity with social rapport to help troops open up about mental health. Virtual interviews revealed significantly more PTSD symptoms compared to surveys, suggesting a new approach to diagnose and treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have created a new two-dimensional film that can direct non-mixing liquids into exotic architectures, offering potential for soft robotics, liquid circuitry and energy conversion. The 'bijel' substance is made of polymers and nanoparticles and has been simplified to be easier to produce.
Researchers from UC San Diego showcase self-folding robots, robotic endoscopes, and improved computer vision techniques to enhance human-robot collaboration. The conference focuses on developing friendly robots that can work effectively with humans in various domains.
Researchers from the University of Zurich have developed a new camera system that allows drones to capture images in high-speed motion and low light, enabling autonomous flight. This technology can assist search and rescue teams in disaster areas where conventional drones are unable to operate.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing a system that relays information from smartphones to smart traffic signals, allowing for real-time adjustments to accommodate users with visual or other disabilities. The system aims to provide extra time for pedestrians to cross streets and potentially help users catch buses.
A prototype Google Glass app, Holli, recognizes conversational prompts and provides suitable responses, improving social skills for children with autism spectrum disorder. Children find it easy to use and enjoy interacting with the technology.
Researchers have developed a way to print electronics that can fold themselves into desired shapes, addressing limitations of traditional 3D printing. The new ink-based method uses residual stress to create self-folding devices without additional processing steps or stimulus.
A mathematical model of embodied consciousness predicts states of consciousness and behavior, analyzing free energy and projective geometry. The model, developed by an international team of experts, has potential industrial applications in robotics, AI, and healthcare.
Researchers found that humans take a stronger liking to faulty robots, which helps them understand and correct their own behavior. This finding has exciting implications for the field of social robotics, emphasizing the importance of embracing imperfections in robot design.
Researchers developed a technique that uses robotic arms to immerse objects in water, measuring volume displacement for volumetric shape representation. This method achieves more accurate 3D scanning than current methods, particularly for complex objects with hidden parts.
Researchers Thomas Arnold and Matthias Scheutz outline three general guidelines for developing soft robotic technology within the context of social human-robot interaction. The guidelines aim to address potential risks such as misplaced emotional attachments and personally destructive behavior by users.
Scientists create user-interactive electronic skin that changes color in response to subtle strain levels, enabling potential uses in robotics, prosthetics, and wearables. Graphene-based flexible electronics make the technology possible with a reduced level of mechanical strain.
Jessica Hodgins, a pioneer in character animation and robotics, has been recognized with the prestigious Steven Anson Coons Award for her outstanding contributions to computer graphics. Her work on physical simulation and control has advanced the development of realistic computer animations and human-robot interaction.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a framework that enables autonomous underwater vehicles to navigate strong currents with greater energy efficiency. This improvement allows AUVs to gather data for longer periods, revolutionizing oceanography research.
Researchers designed a multi-chambered soft pneumatic actuator that generates cyclical motion and exhibits several advantages. The actuator can be used in environments sensitive to electromagnetic fields or flammable liquids without risk of bursting.
Researchers developed Empowerment to help robots and humans work together safely and effectively. The concept enables robots to prioritize human safety while maintaining their own autonomy.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed a computer that can understand body poses and movements of multiple people in real-time, including finger poses, using a single camera and laptop. This enables new ways for people and machines to interact, such as more natural communication with computers by pointing at objects.
Researchers from Stanford University and NASA's JPL have designed a robotic gripper to grab and dispose of space debris, featuring gecko-inspired adhesives. The gripper can stick to flat objects and curved surfaces, and switch between relaxed and rigid states for precise manipulation.
Researchers at the University of Lincoln are exploring innovative approaches to stop Drosophila suzukii, a major agricultural pest affecting soft and stone fruit crops worldwide. The team will investigate using yeasts as bait and developing intelligent 'bio-inspired' robotics systems to mimic insect vision.
Soft robots can adapt to unstructured space environments, satisfy different tasks demands, and improve safety and reliability. Novel actuation methods and control schemes are proposed to address the challenges of soft robot configuration and manipulation.
The new tool enables users to build customized legged or wheeled robots using 3D-printed components and off-the-shelf actuators. It provides a physical simulation environment to test the robot before fabrication, allowing for iterative design adjustments.
A study published in Science Robotics reveals that patients modify their walking patterns only when the robotic exoskeleton interferes with gait stability. The brain prioritizes stability over other aspects of walking, such as step height or toe angle, requiring customized forces to challenge balance.
A team of MIT researchers created a system that allows directors to specify a shot's framing and generate control signals for a camera-equipped autonomous drone, preserving the framing as actors move. The system guarantees safe collision avoidance with obstacles.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft, four-legged robot that can walk on rough surfaces like sand and pebbles. The breakthrough was made possible by combining soft and rigid materials using 3D printing, enabling complex shapes for the robot's legs.
Researchers at MIT developed a new material inspired by the gelatinous jaw of a sea worm, which can adapt to changing environments. The material exhibits great mechanical resistance and consistency, making it suitable for soft robotics and sensor applications.
Researchers have developed a double-sided adhesive that can stick and unstick to surfaces in wet conditions, inspired by geckos' ability to attach and release their feet. This material could enable underwater robotics, sensors, and other bionic devices with improved friction and adhesion levels.
Lydia Kavraki, a renowned computer scientist at Rice University, has received the Association for Computing Machinery's (ACM) Athena Lecturer Award. She is recognized for inventing randomized motion-planning algorithms in robotics and developing robotics-inspired methods for bioinformatics and biomedicine.
A new interface designed by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers enables more efficient and faster robot operation, particularly for non-expert users. The point-and-click method resulted in significantly fewer errors and allowed participants to perform tasks quicker and reliably than the traditional ring-and-arrow technique.
Seeds from plants like Pelargonium self-burrow into soil using a helically coiled awn that responds to humidity. The team developed mathematical models to understand the mechanism, which has direct applications to current and next-generation robotics.
The National Science Foundation has awarded 156 early career engineers with a total of $78 million in grants, covering fields like smart materials, advanced robotics, and secure communications. These awardees will conduct five-year research projects and are expected to make significant advances in their respective areas.
In this study, researchers created physically embodied robots to examine the interaction between genetic and epigenetic factors in robot evolution. The results show that robot populations with an epigenetic factor evolved differently than those without, highlighting the importance of including epigenetic factors in robot evolution.
A new method developed by Deva Ramanan and Peiyun Hu reduces error rates for detecting tiny faces in images by a factor of two, resulting in 81% accuracy. The approach leverages context, including body shapes and crowd compositions, to improve object detection.
A robotic system is being used to study corn's root growth during drought conditions, a crucial step towards developing drought-tolerant crops. The system, called Vinobot, collects data on individual plants and helps researchers create 3D images of root growth in the laboratory.
A £5m project by the University of Manchester aims to reduce offshore wind farm maintenance costs using AI, robotics, and advanced sensors. The initiative will enable predictive diagnostics, allowing for early issue detection and minimal human intervention in hazardous environments.
Researchers at Brown University created an algorithm that enables robots to ask for clarification when unsure about object requests. The system uses a combination of speech commands and human gestures to improve interpretation accuracy and efficiency.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has announced a major funding boost to develop robotics and artificial intelligence technologies for healthcare and hazardous environments. The £17.3 million investment will support research projects in surgical micro-robotics, autonomous systems, and extreme environments.
The supplement highlights emerging topics such as osteobiologics, robotics, and neuromodulation, aiming to minimize bias and provide varied perspectives. A unique study establishes the cost-benefit relationship for spine procedures.
Researchers developed an adaptive control approach based on online learning to correct dynamics errors in real-time, improving robustness of motion systems. The DOOMED algorithm updates a correction model until correct acceleration is achieved, minimizing error between desired and actual accelerations.
Digital fabrication in architecture promises substantial contributions to sustainability and productivity, enabling new forms of architectural expression. Researchers are developing interdisciplinary research connections to form a digital building culture, leveraging domain-specific robotic technology and advanced materials.
Researchers at Michigan State University have created a stretchable integrated circuit made entirely using an inkjet printer, enabling the potential for inexpensive mass production of smart fabric. The material can be produced on a standard printer and has applications in wearable electronics and soft robotics.
Carnegie Mellon researchers develop 'thubber,' a stretchable, thermal conductive material with metal-like properties. The material enables rapid heat dissipation in applications like wearable computing and soft robotics.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed new mechanical metamaterials that can easily transmit motion in one direction while blocking it in another. These nonreciprocal materials have potential applications in soft robotics, prosthetics, and energy harvesting.
Maja Matarić will present her research on socially assistive robots designed to support stroke patients, children with autism, and people with Alzheimer's disease. These robots use AI to decipher emotions, body language, and social cues to provide personalized interactions.
A new KIT Motion-Language Dataset has been created to support the development of robot activities based on natural language input. The dataset, which includes over 4,000 motions and 6,200 annotations in natural language, aims to unify and standardize research linking human motion and natural language.
Scientists developed a bioinspired adhesive material that can be controlled remotely by UV light, transporting micro-objects with high precision. The material consists of mushroom-shaped adhesive microstructures and elastic porous material, allowing for reversible control and detachment.