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Grasshopping robots made possible with new, improved latch control

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a latch control system that enables grasshopping robots to perform efficiently on soft substrates. The team discovered that the latch can not only regulate energy output but also mediate energy transfer between the robot and its environment, leading to improved jump performance.

SourceCollege of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateMar 2, 2023

A new bioinspired earthworm robot for future underground explorations

Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia have created a soft robot inspired by earthworms, able to crawl using soft actuators that elongate or squeeze. The prototype demonstrates improved locomotion with a speed of 1.35mm/s and has potential applications in underground exploration, excavation, search and rescue operations.

SourceIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia - IIT·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2023
GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Ben-Gurion University engineers develop one of the fastest and most efficient amphibious robots

The researchers designed the robot to mimic the movement of flippers in water and centipedes on land, resulting in impressive speeds of 1.5 body lengths per second on land and 0.74 body lengths per second in water. The amphibious robot has potential applications in search and rescue, marine agriculture, and fish feeding.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalBioinspiration & Biomimetics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2023

Click beetle-inspired robots jump using elastic energy

Researchers have developed insect-sized jumping robots capable of navigating tight spaces, with a new study demonstrating two configurations that can successfully jump without manual intervention. The robots use a dynamic buckling cascade process to store and release elastic energy, allowing them to propel themselves upward.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2023

Microrobot assembly line

A team of researchers developed a new method for 3D-printing microrobots with multiple component modules inside the same microfluidic chip. The 'assembly line' approach allowed for the combination of various modules, such as joints and grippers, into a single device. This innovation may help realize the vision of microsurgery performed...

SourceOsaka University·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 16, 2022

Tiny robotic crab is smallest-ever remote-controlled walking robot

Northwestern University engineers created a tiny, remote-controlled walking robot resembling a peekytoe crab. The robot is smaller than a flea and can bend, twist, crawl, walk, turn, and jump due to its shape-memory alloy material and elastic resilience.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 25, 2022
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Self-propelled, endlessly programmable artificial cilia

Researchers from Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a single-material, single-stimuli microstructure that can outmaneuver even living cilia. These programmable structures could be used for soft robotics, biocompatible medical devices, and dynamic information encryption.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNature·DateMay 5, 2022

Taste of the future: Robot chef learns to ‘taste as you go’

Researchers trained a robot chef to taste food at various stages of the chewing process, mimicking human flavor perception. The 'taste as you go' approach significantly improved the robot's ability to assess saltiness, producing better-tasting dishes.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalFrontiers in Robotics and AI·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 4, 2022

How animal swarms respond to threats

Researchers used microrobots to demonstrate how a swarm of animals can complete an optimum flight response even if individual animals do not notice the threat or they react incorrectly. The study suggests that missing information from individual members can be compensated by other members, which may explain why animals organize themsel...

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateMar 8, 2022

Self-healing materials for robotics made from ‘jelly’ and salt

Developed by University of Cambridge researchers, these materials can sense strain, temperature and humidity, and partially repair themselves at room temperature. The low-cost materials have potential applications in robotics, tactile interfaces and wearable devices.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNPG Asia Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 18, 2022
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

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Robot mimics the powerful punch of the mantis shrimp

Scientists develop robotic model of mantis shrimp strike, revealing geometric latching process behind ultra-fast movements. The device accelerates to 26 meters per second, equivalent to a car reaching 58 mph in four milliseconds.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 25, 2021

A robotic fish tail and an elegant math ratio could inform the design of next- generation underwater drones

University of Virginia researchers design a simple way to implement a tunable stiffness strategy in robots, enabling efficient swimming at varying speeds. The approach, inspired by the natural adaptability of fish, uses a programmable artificial tendon to adjust tail stiffness in real-time.

SourceUniversity of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 11, 2021

Robotic construction crew needs no foreman

A team of researchers created an autonomous robotic construction crew that builds complex structures without a central command, using collective intelligence and stigmergy. The TERMES system consists of simple robots that cooperate to modify their environment, achieving impressive results in building towers, castles, and pyramids.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalScience·DateFeb 13, 2014
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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Realistic robots wriggle off the drawing board

Gavin Miller's robotic snakes replicate slithering and sidewinding motions, paving the way for advanced robotics. The designs' potential applications extend beyond toys to include planetary exploration and handling diverse terrains.

SourceNew Scientist·JournalThe New Scientist·DateNov 30, 1999