Articles tagged with Robots
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.
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.
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.
Old Dominion University has launched a National Security Institute to accelerate research and technology solutions for pressing national security challenges. The institute will bring together researchers' strengths in AI, autonomy, and coastal systems to deliver innovative solutions.
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 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 at Duke University introduce Argus, a 20-eyed robot with no front or back, demonstrating dynamic symmetry and improving performance across various measures. The design surpasses the theoretical maximum of 0.6, enabling robustness, energy efficiency, and resilience to damage.
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 robotic hand developed at USC can hear a melody once and play it back after just two minutes of self-taught practice on a keyboard. The system, called the Musician Hand, mimics the way the brain and body coordinate fine motor skills through trial and error, offering a new model for machines — and medicine — to approach complex moveme...
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 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 at Aston University have created an AI-based training method that enables robots to adapt to real-world conditions without extensive data collection. This breakthrough could significantly accelerate innovation in sustainable manufacturing, recycling, and autonomous industrial systems.
Researchers emphasize the need for more thorough frameworks to ensure AI-enabled robots embody human values. The field should focus on three complementary lines of defense: rules that shape robot decisions, checks that monitor behavior, and safety reasoning.
The eDNA-bot revolutionizes biological monitoring by providing comprehensive results at lower cost than conventional surveying methods. It can detect elusive species and monitor wastewater for pathogens, streamlining environmental assessments in hydropower licensing.
Engineers at MIT and their collaborators create a new type of soft magnetic hydrogel that can be made into complex, magnetically activated three-dimensional structures. The new gel enables the creation of microscopic, magnetically responsive robots and materials with micron-scale precision.
Researchers create living biohybrid miniature robots that solve traditional engineering trade-offs between structural rigidity and environmental adaptability. These biological engines utilize embodied intelligence to navigate complex terrains and achieve performance metrics rivaling state-of-the-art synthetics.
The study, led by Lucy Liu and L. Mahadevan, shows that adding the right amount of noise to individual robot movements can ease gridlock and improve efficiency in crowded environments. The researchers used computer simulations and experiments with small robots to test their ideas.
Researchers at Binghamton University have created a talking robot guide dog system that determines ideal routes and guides visually impaired users safely to their destinations. The system offers real-time verbal feedback and provides situational awareness, significantly enhancing the user experience.
Researchers propose a foundational framework to help multi-agent, connected systems decide what information they can trust before acting. The 'cy-trust' concept assigns a numerical trust value between 0 and 1 to data from other agents based on sensing, context, network behavior, and past experience.
A new system can map soil moisture tree by tree, allowing growers to water specific trees if they're dry. Maintaining the right moisture level is crucial for plant health, as too little water can stress trees, while too much water can deprive roots of oxygen.
A study by Cornell University researchers found that MirrorBot, a mirror-equipped robot, can spur conversations and playful exchanges between strangers. The device facilitates eye contact, which is the first step in forming social connections.
A semi-autonomous robotic explorer equipped with compact instruments can significantly speed up resource prospecting and the search for biosignatures on planetary surfaces. The robot successfully identified diverse rock types relevant to planetary exploration, including gypsum, carbonates, basalts, dunite, and anorthosite.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute developed a palm-sized aerial robot that uses ultrasound sensors and AI to navigate through fog, smoke, and other difficult conditions. The drone achieved a success rate of 72% to 100% in navigating challenging courses during 180 tests.
Researchers at MIT have developed an ultrasound wristband that precisely tracks hand movements, allowing users to control a robotic hand or manipulate virtual objects. The device produces high-quality images of the wrist's muscles and tendons, which are then translated into specific hand positions, enabling precise movement control.
The Center for Scalable and Intelligent Automation in Poultry Processing will hold its first field day on April 9 to share research on developing new robotic technologies. Researchers will demonstrate tools for deboning, detecting foreign materials and pathogens, as well as using virtual reality to operate equipment remotely.
A novel AI-based framework, EDGCN, decodes dynamic variations in EEG patterns for better brain-computer interface technology. The model outperforms current state-of-the-art methods with high classification accuracies and decoding accuracy, enabling more seamless communication between the human brain and machines.
Researchers at Oxford University developed an ultra-low-cost technique for manufacturing soft robots, using common lab equipment. The new method enables rapid and affordable production of soft robotic actuators, with a material cost of less than $0.10 per unit, and demonstrated strong mechanical performance and durability.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed AI-designed robots called 'legged metamachines' that can combine and recombine in the wild, recover from injury and transform into new shapes. The robots can adapt to the environment, survive catastrophic damage and even recover from being chopped in half or cut into pieces.
Researchers have advanced humanoid robot control, motion planning, and perception using Valkyrie, a 10-year mission robot developed by NASA. The university will continue research with Talos, a 1.75-metre-tall robot, to study human-robot cooperation and adapt to changing environments.
Researchers developed photonic computing chips that enable fast, all-optical learning and decision making, overcoming key limitations for photonic spiking neural systems. The new chips could improve autonomous driving technologies and enable robotic systems that learn through real-world interactions.
The new dynamic shielding layer allows the sensor to focus on specific areas when needed, achieving a 104.56% increase in detection depth. The sensor can also detect approaching objects from over 90mm away, providing a vital split-second for robots to avoid collisions.
Researchers at King's College London develop SimTac platform to simulate biologically inspired robotics, creating artificial sensors with a human-like sense of touch. This approach reduces the design and training time of tactile robots from 18 months to just two weeks.
Researchers at Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a new fabrication method for printing robotic devices with long filaments featuring precisely placed hollow channels. This allows the device to bend and deform in predetermined ways, enabling the creation of soft robots with predictable s...
Researchers at UC3M develop a new methodology for autonomous arm movement using observational learning and intercommunication between limbs. The ADAM robot can perform daily tasks such as setting and clearing the table, ironing, or tidying up the kitchen with fluid efficiency and natural movement.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed HoloRadar, a system that enables robots to reconstruct hidden 3D spaces beyond their line of sight using radio waves processed by AI. This capability can improve safety and performance in driverless cars and cluttered indoor settings.
Researchers at Duke University have created a programmable Lego-like material that can change its stiffness and damping in response to temperature changes. The material, made from gallium and iron, can be programmed to mimic various commercially available soft materials.
The Data-driven Robotic Balance Assistant (DRBA) supports seniors with mobility issues, improving balance, daily activities, and reducing caregiver burden. Community trials successfully concluded at Lions Befrienders' Active Ageing Centres.
A team of researchers developed a multi-material, multi-module microrobot that can grab, carry and release microscopic objects. The microrobot features two parts: one reacts to pH changes to grip an object, while the other responds to magnetic fields for movement.
Researchers at Penn and UMich created microscopic swimming machines that can independently sense and respond to their surroundings, operate for months, and cost just a penny each. The robots are powered by light and can be programmed to move in complex patterns, sense local temperatures, and adjust their paths accordingly.
Developed by U-M and Penn, the robots can sense and respond to their surroundings, operate for months, and cost just a penny each. They have applications in monitoring cell health and aiding manufacturing.
A new robotic design uses vine-like structures to lift and grasp a variety of objects, including humans, with a gentler approach. The robot can snake around obstacles, squeeze through tight spaces, and even secure itself in a closed loop to create a sling.
Researchers at Stanford University have successfully used machine-learning-based control to operate a robot on the International Space Station, allowing for faster and more efficient navigation while maintaining safety. The system, which includes a warm start feature, enables robots like Astrobee to move through complex environments wi...
A new model developed by Osaka Metropolitan University Assistant Professor Takuya Fujinaga enables robots to accurately pick tomatoes, with an 81% success rate. The system evaluates the ease of harvesting for each tomato, taking into account factors such as fruit clustering and stem geometry.
A breakthrough AI system called OmniPredict can predict human pedestrian behaviors with unprecedented accuracy, revolutionizing self-driving cars and urban mobility. The model combines visual cues with contextual information to anticipate pedestrians' next moves, reducing the risk of accidents and improving traffic safety.
A team at the University of Maryland Baltimore County has extracted six fundamental units of motion called mudras from classical Indian dance to teach robots how to use their hands. The research could improve robot hand control and develop better tools for physical therapy.
The University of Leicester, in partnership with TWI Ltd, has secured £560k to develop a robot-mounted arc-welding system for in-space repair and manufacturing. The project aims to overcome the challenges of welding in space by developing a new, space-qualified robotic welding capability.
Researchers developed micro/nano-reconfigurable robots that harvest sunlight to capture CO2, promoting carbon metabolism control in confined spaces. The robots demonstrated a 54.61% increase in survival time in a sealed-mouse model, offering an energy-frugal solution for space exploration and emergency shelters.
MIT engineers developed artificial tendons made from hydrogel to connect lab-grown muscles with robotic skeletons. The tendons improved the robot's motion and force output by three times, enabling faster and more efficient biohybrid robots.
The University of Liverpool has announced an ambitious plan to establish the UK's flagship AI-driven materials discovery centre, AIM-HI. The centre will focus on areas such as catalysis, materials for net-zero, soft matter, and product formulation, driving innovation in sectors crucial to the UK economy.
Researchers develop system to test and optimise self-driving strategies for agricultural tractors in a virtual environment, creating realistic vineyard scenarios and evaluating control algorithms. The goal is to reduce human presence and improve agricultural automation solutions based on sensors and predictive algorithms.
A swarm of miniature magnetic soft robots, inspired by fish schools, can coordinate their movements to deliver targeted drug therapy to diseased tissue. The robots can navigate through narrow passages and adapt their shape to conform to the lesion's boundaries for optimal drug delivery coverage.
A survey of 4,890 participants found that people are open to using home-care robots as long as they view them beneficially. Collaboration between users and developers is crucial for adoption, with emphasis on ethical considerations. Robots may play a significant role in addressing Japan's aging population and social healthcare challenges.
Oxford researchers have developed soft robots that operate without electronics, motors, or computers, using only air pressure to generate complex, rhythmic movements. The robots can automatically synchronize their actions and perform tasks like sorting beads into containers without external control.
A novel multichamber magnetic capsule robot has been developed to selectively open specific chambers for targeted liquid sampling or drug release, revolutionizing digestive tract diagnosis and treatment. The robot's modular design allows for flexible adjustment of the number of chambers as demand requires.
A team of researchers has developed a tiny, spider-inspired robot that can navigate the digestive system with ease, delivering therapy precisely where it's needed. The soft robot overcomes challenges faced by traditional endoscopes, showcasing its adaptability in traversing complex environments.
Researchers develop novel dual-laser method to create adaptive, shape-locking devices. The material integrates a shape-memory polymer skeleton with magnetic microcapsules, allowing for 'writing' and 'bending' of instructions and shapes in situ.
Researchers at North Carolina State University created a class of robots called metabots that can change shape and adapt to different environments. The devices can execute various actions despite having no motor or being made of a single flat material.
A recent study reveals that the response to witnessing robot mistreatment depends on factors such as the robot's humanlike design and the observer's moral identity. Anthropomorphism influences empathy, encouraging customers to treat robots with dignity, while moral identity plays a crucial role in shaping behavioral contagion.
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.