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Bio-hybrid robots turn food waste into functional machines

Researchers at EPFL's CREATE Lab have developed bio-hybrid robots that use discarded crustacean shells to create a robotic manipulator, grippers, and a swimming robot. The devices combine the strength and flexibility of natural materials with synthetic components for sustainable design and reuse.

Fidget-controlled robots show the power of metastability

Researchers at Purdue University have developed fidget-controlled robots that utilize metastability to create soft robotic systems. These robots use bistable domes to perform tasks such as grasping and classifying objects, demonstrating the potential for physical systems to replace electronic components in challenging environments.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Listening skills bring human-like touch to robots

A new system dubbed SonicSense allows robots to interpret the world through acoustic vibrations, giving them a richer ability to 'feel' and understand objects. The system, featuring a robotic hand with contact microphones, can identify materials, shapes, and recognize objects in complex environments.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Designing the ideal soft gripper for diverse functionalities

Researchers at Singapore University of Technology and Design designed a vacuum-actuated hybrid soft gripper to handle delicate objects of varying sizes and shapes. The gripper features soft composite fingers and a palm, enabling wide grasping potential and adaptability to specific tasks.

Robots' sense of touch could be as fast as humans

Researchers at Uppsala University have developed an artificial tactile system that can detect pressure by touch in a similar way to the human nervous system. The technology has the potential to restore lost functionality to patients after a stroke, as well as enhance interactions between humans and robots.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Intelligent liquid

The new metafluid can transition between Newtonian and non-Newtonian states, allowing for programmable viscosity and compressibility. The researchers demonstrated the fluid's capabilities in a hydraulic robotic gripper, picking up objects of varying weights without crushing them.

Towards a natural prosthetic hand: A study published in Med has developed a temperature-sensitive prosthetic limb that improves amputee interactions and feelings of human connection

A temperature-sensitive prosthetic limb has been developed to improve amputee interactions and feelings of human connection. Researchers have created a device called MiniTouch that provides realistic and real-time thermal feedback, enabling amputees to discriminate between objects of different temperatures and materials.

This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects

Researchers developed a new 3D inkjet printing system that works with a wider range of materials, including slower-curing materials. The system utilizes computer vision to automatically scan the print surface and adjust the amount of resin deposited in real time.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Robotic grippers offer unprecedented combo of strength and delicacy

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a robotic gripping device that can handle ultrasoft, ultrathin, and heavy objects with excellent balance of strength, precision, and gentleness. The design uses kirigami and can be fabricated from biodegradable materials.

Robotic hand rotates objects using touch, not vision

Researchers at UC San Diego developed a robotic hand that can rotate objects solely through touch without relying on vision. The system uses low-cost, binary signals from multiple sensors to detect object contact and perform precise rotations.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Robotic hand can identify objects with just one grasp

Researchers developed a robotic finger with high-resolution sensors that capture data along the entire length of each finger. The three-fingered robotic hand can identify objects after just one grasp, with 85% accuracy, using tactile sensing and machine-learning algorithms.

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.

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...

Tentacle robot can gently grasp fragile objects

Researchers designed a soft, jellyfish-like gripper that uses entangled tentacles to grasp and hold heavy, oddly shaped objects. The gripper's strength comes from its ability to entangle itself with the object, increasing the hold with each contact.

Complex motions for simple actuators

Researchers at Harvard University have developed inflatable actuators that can bend, twist, and move in complex ways using origami-inspired designs. The actuator's bistable origami blocks allow it to perform up to eight different motions with a single pressure source.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

A helping hand for robotic manipulator design

MIT researchers develop an interactive design pipeline enabling users to create customized robotic hands with tactile sensors. The platform streamlines the process, allowing users to adjust palm and fingers and integrate tactile sensors, resulting in complex tasks like picking delicate items or using tools being performed flawlessly.

Novel wearable armband helps users of prosthetic hands to ‘get a grip’

Researchers developed a novel wearable soft robotic armband that conveys artificial sensations of touch to prosthetic hands, enabling users to control multiple grasp functions simultaneously. The study showed improved time efficiency and precision in transporting objects, with haptic feedback being crucial for tasks.

Robotic manipulators inspired by nature

Researchers developed soft manipulators based on pneu-nets, mimicking biological systems like elephant trunks and octopus tentacles. These structures can grasp and manipulate soft objects with increased flexibility.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

A robotic hand with a gecko-inspired grip

Researchers at Stanford University have created a robotic hand with a gecko-inspired grip that can handle both delicate and heavy objects. The 'farmHand' gripper uses gecko-adhesive pads and has a unique finger design to enable both dexterity and strength.

A helping hand for working robots

A partially-compliant robot hand using a Crossed Flexural Hinge (CFH) was developed to increase lifting power while minimizing damage in collisions. The CFH-jointed robot hand demonstrated 46.7% more shock absorption than a pin joint-oriented robotic hand and could hold objects weighing up to four kilograms.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Medical robotic hand? Rubbery semiconductor makes it possible

Researchers have designed a smart electronic skin and medical robotic hand that can assess vital diagnostic data using a newly invented rubbery semiconductor with high carrier mobility. The material is scalable for manufacturing and retains electrical performance even when stretched by 50%.

A robot with a firm yet gentle grasp

A new robot hand with a dynamic grip can adjust its stiffness to absorb shocks, keeping objects intact during collisions. This technology is valuable for industries like automotive and electronics packaging, enhancing worker safety and machine performance.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Electronic glove gives robots a sense of touch

Researchers at Stanford University have developed an electronic glove with sensors that can detect pressure intensity and direction, allowing a robotic hand to perform tasks like lifting eggs and handling delicate objects without crushing them. The technology has potential applications in robot-assisted surgery and other fields where p...

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Artificial 'skin' gives robotic hand a sense of touch

Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a new form of stretchable electronics that can serve as an artificial skin, allowing a robotic hand to sense temperature differences. The breakthrough enables the creation of biomedical devices such as health monitors and medical implants with improved functionality.

Lessons learned when commercialization of a new soft robot fails

A company's failed attempt to bring jamming-based robotic gripper technology to market provides valuable insights into the challenges of product development and commercialization. The authors share their research and product design efforts, highlighting key factors that influenced customer purchasing decisions.

Giving robots a more nimble grasp

Engineers at MIT have developed a model that predicts the force needed for robotic grippers to adjust their grasp on an object by interacting with the environment. This approach, called extrinsic dexterity, enables robots to perform more complex maneuvers without needing expensive and complex hand designs.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.