Articles tagged with Robotics
Rice University has received a nearly $20 million NSF award to lead an AI-powered materials laboratory that aims to accelerate the manufacturing of electronic and quantum materials. The project, READINESS, will integrate automated synthesis equipment, robotic systems, and digital twins to minimize trial-and-error experimentation and en...
The City University of New York has received an $18.1 million NSF award to create a cloud-programmable national laboratory that uses artificial intelligence and robotics to speed the discovery, design, and production of advanced bio-inspired materials. Researchers nationwide will have remote access to automated tools for developing sus...
A study found that people behave more curiously than cautiously around a service robot, noticing it more often and even grabbing multiple candies at once. However, some visitors felt slightly uncomfortable when the robot came close, highlighting the need for deeper user assessments.
A novel cross-modal fusion framework integrates low-altitude drone RSI with ground robot LiDAR-inertial measurement unit (IMU) odometry to create accurate digital models of orchards. The system achieved localization accuracy on the order of a few centimeters, demonstrating robustness to seasonal variations and long-term drift.
Researchers developed an AI that navigates ships using human-like decision-making, handling complex situations such as narrow channels and multiple vessels. The AI achieved compliance with maritime traffic rules and demonstrated unexpected behavior like local navigation customs.
Developed by researchers at Harbin Institute of Technology, the T-800 data glove captures rapid hand movements up to 100 Hz, surpassing conventional systems. The system's synchronization mechanism and spatial calibration framework enable accurate reconstruction of full-hand gestures.
The European Law Institute has approved its first comprehensive framework for dealing with digital assets and personal digital content after death. The rules provide a dual legal framework recognizing the need for protection, privacy, and dignity in digital inheritance.
Northwestern University engineers created a drone called Phantom Twist that harnesses motion blur to blend into its surroundings. The drone spins up to 25 times per second, making it difficult for humans to see clearly, and can potentially monitor wildlife or inspect infrastructure with less disruption.
KAIST develops robot that can autonomously choose gait strategy for its surroundings, switching between walking, running, jumping, and other locomotion skills. The team generated 15.5 hours of training data using computer simulations alone, enabling the robot to move quickly and stably in real outdoor environments.
A team of surgeons used robot-assisted stereotactic surgery to treat a patient with multiple deep brain abscesses, achieving complete resolution and rapid neurological recovery. The minimally invasive strategy reduced surgical trauma and accelerated healing.
The PRIME-6G project aims to bring next-generation 6G technologies into real industrial manufacturing environments. AURORA and SENTINEL use cases investigate deterministic 6G connectivity, AI-driven network management, and multi-sensor fusion for intelligent industrial systems.
Microrobots are designed for highly localized biomedical tasks, including targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive diagnosis, and cell- or tissue-level therapeutic intervention. Magnetic actuation is identified as a promising approach due to its ability to penetrate biological tissues and integrate with medical imaging technologies.
Researchers at Penn State have developed paint-on tattoos that can power sensors and track health data like heart rate and brain waves. The innovative conductive ink can be customized with various colors and designs, providing a comfortable and accurate wearable solution.
A mechanical soft force sensor eliminates electronic components, allowing soft robots to sense and respond without power or signal processing. The sensor detects multi-axis forces and converts them directly into fluidic actuation.
A new robot designed by MIT engineers can swim underwater and fly through the air, mimicking the abilities of diving birds. The robot's wing flapping frequency and tail angle were adjusted to enable a smooth transition from swimming to flying.
Researchers at UC San Diego successfully performed two surgeries using teleoperated humanoid robots, called Surgie, which have real potential for amplifying access to critical surgeries. The compact robots can be deployed in remote areas and are easier to use than specialized robotic systems.
Researchers from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya found that robot adoption increases productivity in Spanish SMEs, especially smaller firms with fewer workers and less innovation. However, introducing robots does not directly translate into increased international business activity, as regional specialization plays a key role.
Researchers developed EleTac, a soft robotic gripper with high-resolution tactile sensing, to handle delicate objects. The gripper's innovative design enables it to adapt to various shapes and provide gentle forces, making it suitable for applications such as handling fruit, lab samples, and medical supplies.
The HKU Robocon teams, consisting of 55 students from engineering and science backgrounds, showcased exceptional talent and innovation in the competition. They adopted complementary tactical approaches, with Team Sapientia deploying an offensive strategy and Team Virtus focusing on a defensive approach.
The department has demonstrated outstanding clinical proficiency in robotic-assisted procedures and has been at the forefront of education and technical exchange. It plans to further expand training programs and integrate digital capabilities into clinical practice.
A new editorial highlights AI's role in scientific discovery, proposing a framework to evaluate AI-enabled scholarship. The authors emphasize the need for transparency, reproducibility, and real-world value in AI-driven research.
The iMETRO Dynamic Simulation is an open-source platform that enables researchers to develop and test robotic systems for future space missions. By leveraging a digital twin of the NASA iMETRO facility, scientists can remotely create and test new robotic software and validate its performance with various hardware configurations.
Researchers have discovered that advanced brain interfacing technology used for both touch and vision prostheses is almost identical, despite being developed separately. This breakthrough could lead to faster restoration of lost senses, including sight and motor function, with a unified technology that benefits both patient groups.
University of Jaume I students Pau Montagut and Mario García won first place at the ICRA 2026 robotics conference with an AI model that taught a Toyota HSR robot to perform household tasks. The team's achievement is notable given their undergraduate status, competing against teams of research personnel.
A bio-inspired robotic bird is helping researchers unravel the mysteries behind kestrels' exceptional hovering capabilities. By mimicking key movements, the team discovered unique techniques that could improve manoeuvrability of small aircraft and enhance their ability to cope with turbulence.
Researchers developed a bidirectional interface that uses muscle vibrations to restore natural sensations of movement in upper limb prosthetics. The system restored coordinated hand grasp movement patterns, or 'synergies,' similar to those felt by participants with different kinesthetic feedback systems.
A new robot mimics the movement of an inchworm using a soft muscle-like material, allowing it to navigate challenging environments. The robot can be used to inspect sewer pipes or explore the planet Mars without multiple actuators.
Researchers developed a robotic system inspired by social insects to optimize mining operations. The honeybee-inspired approach outperformed others in tests, reducing travel distance by up to 80% and completing ore delivery tasks 60% faster.
A self-driving chemistry lab called Flex-Cat has been developed to autonomously search for faster and more selective ways to make important industrial chemicals. The platform combines robotics, high-pressure reactors, and artificial intelligence to identify high-performing catalysts and those that can be programmed to produce different...
MIT researchers developed a new system-on-a-chip called Gleanmer, which generates highly accurate 3D maps of the robot's environment using Gaussians to represent obstacles. This approach reduces memory and power consumption by up to 99%, making it suitable for lightweight augmented reality headsets.
A modular nanorobot with a magnetic propulsion module and payload capsule has been developed by researchers at the University of Basel. The system can be adapted to different applications and has shown promise in delivering therapeutic agents to cancer cells, reducing viability by 16% within 72 hours.
Scientists created a shape-changing flying robot named Floaty that can fly efficiently while staying stable in the air. By adjusting its flaps to control air resistance, Floaty balances itself and recovers from disturbances.
A KAIST research team led by Professor Jee-Hwan Ryu has received the IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) Best Paper Award for the second consecutive year. The award-winning paper presents a novel assistive dressing technology that enables garments to autonomously unfold and move along the user's body using soft robotic principles.
A new soft gripper designed by WVU researcher Anand Mishra can accurately gauge the size, curvature, color, and ripeness of fruits like strawberries and avocados. The gripper's quick inspections and harvesting capabilities can reduce spoilage and lower supply chain costs.
Researchers found that humanoid robots like Pepper can make good playmates in cooperative modes with natural pace and order of play. However, competitive gameplay led to frustration due to robot's stiffness and overzealousness.
Researchers create programmable neuromorphic hardware platform that mimics biological neurons at extremely low temperatures. This technology enhances quantum error correction and real-time control, paving the way for complex data processing in space.
Researchers at Penn State developed photomemristors that adjust sensitivity based on light levels, like the human eye. These devices can process light data faster and more accurately than traditional systems in mixed lighting environments.
Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia developed an octopus-inspired soft robotic arm with integrated tactile sensors, enabling autonomous grasp and manipulation in aquatic environments. The system combines distributed tactile sensing and decentralized control to detect contact and adapt grip autonomously.
Researchers found that robots trained on consistent demonstrations achieved higher success rates than those trained on complex data. Consistent approaches emphasized steady progress toward a goal and reused predefined motions to reduce variability.
Researchers developed piezoelectric patch sensors that track finger movements to play rock-paper-scissors, promoting self-motivated healthcare and entertainment. The sensors provide quantifiable data and objective feedback, improving patient outcomes through accessibility, independence, and motivation.
Researchers developed a 'walking fish' robot that mimics modern fish's ability to walk on land, and computer models showed similar modes of locomotion across several unrelated species. This undulating tripod gait is one of life's most ancient solutions to escaping predators or moving habitats.
Researchers propose embedding AI foundation models into control software to enable robot swarms to achieve new levels of autonomy and adaptability. This enables robots to switch between tasks in real-time and interact more naturally with humans.
Researchers at ETH Zurich developed biohybrid microrobots that combine living neural progenitor cells with magnetoelectric nanoparticles to guide stem cells to injury sites and stimulate repair. The microrobots demonstrate promising results in animal experiments, including improved nerve cell regeneration and recovery of motor function.
A University of Michigan research team is exploring the development of knee exoskeletons to reduce joint contact forces and relieve osteoarthritis pain. Preliminary testing suggests that these orthotic brace-based exos and drone-style motors could provide significant relief.
A team of researchers developed a method for creating realistic virtual tomato farms that automatically generate data for training agricultural AI systems. The approach uses advanced reconstruction methods and Unreal Engine 5 software to reproduce lighting, textures, and geometry, resulting in highly accurate object detection models.
Researchers at Texas A&M University are designing how humans will build and survive on the moon, focusing on sustainable construction using lunar regolith. The institution's efforts aim to reduce costs associated with shipping materials to the moon, making it possible to produce rocket propellant locally.
A robot that catches itself when it falls has been developed using reinforcement learning and artificial intelligence. The system achieved an average success rate of 69.4 percent in arresting the robot's fall and returning it to a stable position.
Researchers from Kyushu University and DENSO IT Laboratory propose a new method to improve the accuracy of indirect Time-of-Flight (I-ToF) cameras by considering real-world sensor characteristics. The technology produces two tailored coding schemes that outperform conventional methods in terms of depth precision and stability, making i...
A clinical trial is underway at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine to develop advanced neuroprosthetics for individuals with paralysis. The team is working on decoding cortical neural signals to control robotic assistive devices, enabling people with tetraplegia to eat and drink independently.
Researchers developed an Insect Synergy Circuit that integrates body movement and internal physiological information to guide insect navigation. The system achieved high accuracy in classifying environmental conditions, enabling gentle control over the insect's movements.
The FutuRaM project mapped Europe's 'urban mine', revealing a vast reservoir of metals and minerals essential for clean energy, digital technologies, and modern industry. By 2050, recovery systems could enable the EU to recover between 4.1 and 5.7 million tonnes of critical raw materials annually.
Researchers at NC State University developed a morpho-interlocking protective module (MIPM) that responds to external threats and curls into a protective ball. The structure, inspired by armadillos' natural defense mechanisms, consists of multiple layers and can be tuned to respond to various levels of strain.
A national analysis found that robotic-assisted cholecystectomy remained linked to increased bile duct injury risks despite growing use. The study suggests small differences in overall complication rates between approaches.
The NTU Singapore team developed a tiny seed-sized robot that can perform five surgical functions wirelessly, including cutting and releasing drugs. The robot is controlled by weak magnetic fields and takes under a second to switch between functions. It has the potential to make surgeries more precise and safer.
A new approach enables computers and machines to capture images at higher resolution and faster speed, making it impervious to reflective surfaces. The technology uses a virtual screen created by repurposing the surroundings of specular objects.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a robotic collective that exhibits coordinated motion and adaptability without centralized control. The Cross-Link Collective consists of small robots that can entangle and move collectively, self-organizing into shifting configurations.
A new open-source trajectory-planning system, MIGHTY, has been developed by researchers at MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. The system enables robots to generate smooth flight paths while reacting to obstacles in real-time, making it suitable for applications such as search-and-rescue, last-mile delivery, and industrial inspection.
Researchers have developed centimeter-scale reconfigurable piezoelectric robots with a built-in-ceramic actuation unit, enabling fast response, simple structure, and no transmission mechanisms. The robots achieve high speeds and carry heavy loads, making them suitable for environmental exploration and confined-space detection.