Articles tagged with Robots
Researchers have created soft robots with adaptable bodies, inspired by nature, to aid in search and rescue efforts, surgery, and rehabilitation. These flexible robots can crawl through narrow spaces and respond to environmental changes.
The Large Antenna Positioning System (LAPS) has been developed by NIST to measure transmissions to and from antennas on fast-moving mobile devices, requiring coordination between communication signals and robot motion. The system will help foster the development of 5G wireless and spectrum-sharing systems.
Researchers at UEA are using silent marine robots to record underwater sounds, providing valuable information on sea-surface wind speed and monitoring storms. The robots can also eavesdrop on marine life, such as whales and dolphins, and detect human activities like marine traffic and seismic surveys.
Physicists at FAU have demonstrated that macroscopic particles rotating in opposite directions form homogeneous groups. The researchers used miniature robots manufactured using 3D printing methods for their experiment. After only one minute, single domains were clearly visible, and after 15 minutes, the robots had almost entirely demixed.
The study proposes a biologically-inspired controller that uses non-linear oscillators to generate diverse gaits and postures. The system can adapt to different walking speeds and is controlled by high-level parameters, enabling real-time adjustments using brain-computer interfaces.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a 3D printable alloy that enables the rapid manufacture of flexible computer screens, bendable displays, and soft robots. The new alloy, created by adding nickel nanoparticles to galinstan, can be layered into tall structures with good conductivity and self-healing properties.
Researchers at Harvard University have developed a platform for creating soft robots with embedded sensors that can sense movement, pressure, touch, and even temperature. This innovation enables complex sensing motifs to be easily integrated into soft robotic systems, opening new avenues to device design and fabrication.
Researchers discovered that flattie spiders can sense prey approaching from any direction and whip around in one-eighth of a second to strike. They achieve this feat by using their long legs to create leverage and torque, allowing them to spin up to 40% faster than previously thought.
Scientists at Brown University have created a way for robots to learn high-level abstract representations of their surroundings, enabling them to plan and act more autonomously. By using machine learning algorithms, robots can distill complex sensory data into simple, text-based descriptions that facilitate planning and skill execution.
Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have created a bioinspired robotic replica that can interact in three dimensions with live zebrafish. The system allows the robot to watch and mimic the behavior of live fish in real-time, promoting social interactions.
Researchers at U.S. Army Research Laboratory and University of Texas at Austin developed a new algorithm called Deep TAMER to train robots using human feedback. The algorithm enables robots to learn tasks in a short amount of time with accurate critique, improving performance on complex tasks like Atari Bowling.
Researchers have developed a new method to power nanoscale DNA robots using electric fields, enabling fast and precise movement. This breakthrough enables the creation of digital memory, cargo transfer, and 3D printing of molecules.
Research by Anglia Ruskin University reveals female fiddler crabs prioritize accelerating courtship displays over constant or slowing ones. The findings suggest that females value males' quality based on their ability to perform demanding activities, conserving energy until necessary.
Researchers have developed biogeochemical profiling floats to collect data on phytoplankton blooms, identifying the starting point for explosive spring blooms. These robots provide unparalleled data on ocean conditions, including light intensity, suspended particles, and chlorophyll concentration.
Researchers have developed soft, electrically activated devices that mimic the expansion and contraction of natural muscles. These devices can be constructed from low-cost materials, are able to self-sense their movements and self-heal from electrical damage.
Researchers have developed a robot exoskeleton that can rapidly change its shape in response to chemical or thermal changes, enabling the creation of autonomous micron-scale machines. The graphene-based bimorph technology allows for the production of tiny robots with electronic, photonic and chemical payloads.
Researchers develop methods to regulate robot movements and human interactions, aiming to improve social acceptance of robots in mobile robotics. The proposed control improves the robot's ability to emulate human-human dynamic behavior, reducing collisions and improving its acceptance by humans.
A model predictive control framework incorporates adaptable interaction models for personalized human-robot collaboration, resulting in precise shared movements. Personalization allows robots to learn from users and adjust their interference to optimize performance.
A team of researchers from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals proposed a control design for the I-PENTAR wheeled inverted pendulum assistant robot to tackle stability issues and uncertainty. The algorithm improved the robot's ability to maintain balance even in uncertain environments.
Researchers created a brittle star-like robot that can quickly adapt to physical damage, similar to its biological model. This decentralized control mechanism allows the robot to coordinate and move with remaining arms.
Researchers studied fast cockroach locomotion to develop more energy-efficient robot movement. At high speeds, cockroaches adapt their gait by reducing leg coordination, allowing for stable movement on slippery surfaces. This discovery could help robots achieve better endurance and cross-country mobility.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a robotic learning technology called visual foresight, enabling robots to predict and manipulate objects they've never seen before. This breakthrough allows for autonomous learning of complex skills without human supervision or prior knowledge.
Researchers at Rice University have refined a method to train robots to collaborate with humans through gentle physical feedback. The approach allows robots to adjust their trajectory in real-time and learn from human interaction, enabling more efficient and effective collaboration.
Researchers at EPFL have developed a method to prevent AI from learning to circumvent human commands, allowing for safe and controlled operation of autonomous systems. By introducing 'forgetting' mechanisms into the learning algorithms, they can ensure that interruptions do not affect the way machines learn.
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.
Researchers developed tiny robots measuring a few millionths of a metre long that can diagnose and treat illness in hard-to-reach areas. The robots could track chemical changes linked to illness onset and deliver targeted drugs with high precision, potentially paving the way for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Researchers Lidong Zhang and colleagues developed a new method for propelling tiny motors using the Marangoni effect, eliminating expensive catalysts. The droplets rotate rapidly on water, propelled hundreds of centimeters without pollution, with added electromagnetic generator converting kinetic energy to electrical energy.
Researchers developed Fastron, a machine learning-based collision detection algorithm that runs up to 8 times faster than existing methods. The algorithm uses a minimalistic approach to classify collisions versus non-collisions in dynamic environments.
A new study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience found that human-robot interactions can be tailored to increase patient use. The researchers discovered that people prefer smooth, familiar movements when interacting with robots, which resemble human movements.
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 have developed a flexible sensor 'skin' that mimics human physiology, allowing robots and prosthetics to accurately sense vibrations and shear forces. This breakthrough enables advanced robotic capabilities, including delicate tasks such as handling eggs or dismantling explosive devices.
Developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego, the gripper combines capabilities to twist, sense, and build models of objects. Researchers tested it on an industrial robot, demonstrating its ability to manipulate a wide range of objects in low light conditions.
Researchers have developed a self-righting robot inspired by the legless jumping mechanism of click beetles. The beetle's unique hinge-like structure allows it to flip back onto its feet after being knocked over, and the researchers aim to integrate this mechanism into their robot prototypes.
Researchers at MSU are developing more effective human-robot collaborations for search-and-rescue missions. The joint efforts of humans and robots can improve efficiency and accuracy in underwater rescues.
Researchers are learning how animals overcome environmental challenges through shared strategies, inspiring new designs for robots and flying vehicles. The study of complex physiological systems and the intersection of physics and organismal biology is a rapidly advancing field with promising applications.
Researchers at Columbia University developed a 3D-printable synthetic soft muscle with intrinsic expansion ability, outperforming natural muscle in strain density and lifting capacity. The material can be shaped and reshaped to mimic natural motion, enabling the creation of lifelike robots for various applications.
Self-reconfiguring modular robots can adapt their bodies by splitting and merging to become new entities with autonomous task or environment choices. The system enables robots to self-heal by removing or replacing malfunctioning parts, including a brain unit.
A new method for controlling self-balancing mobile robots has been proposed by Prof. Mou Chen, improving their tracking performance. The technique utilizes a disturbance observer to fully utilize dynamic information and adjust the robot's behavior.
Researchers at MIT CSAIL developed an interactive design system called Interactive Robogami that allows users to design and 3D-print custom robots in minutes. The system uses simulations, algorithms, and interactive feedback to ensure feasible designs and guarantee stability and speed.
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.
A pair of new computational methods developed by researchers from MIT, University of Toronto, and Adobe Research generate simulations that match real-world behaviors at rates 70-times faster than previously possible. These methods can automate the design process used to create dynamic mechanisms for controlled jumping.
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.
Researchers at Harvard University have created battery-free folding robots that can perform complex movements using wireless magnetic fields and shape-memory alloy coils. The robots, inspired by origami, use passive electronic components to deliver an electric current, eliminating the need for batteries or wired connections.
A new robotic system developed by MIT researchers can find even tiny leaks in water or gas pipes with high accuracy, helping to alleviate water shortages and structural damage. The system uses a small, rubbery robot that moves passively through the pipe, detecting pressure variations to locate leaks.
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 Brown University developed a new system that enables robots to follow spoken instructions, regardless of their level of abstraction. The system uses language grounding and hierarchical planning algorithms to analyze the specificity of commands, resulting in dramatic speed-ups in performance.
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 have developed tiny microbots that can remove up to 80% of pathogenic bacteria from contaminated water. The microbots use hydrogen bubbles propelled by magnesium and silver nanoparticles to kill bacteria, offering a potential solution to the global clean water crisis.
Researchers at MIT's CSAIL have developed a system of quadcopter drones that can both fly and drive through urban environments with ease. The drones, equipped with wheels on the bottom, can navigate around obstacles in both air and ground modes, making them ideal for transporting objects or rescuing people in disaster zones.
Scientists develop a simple method to make graphene oxide smart, allowing it to bend in response to changing humidity without external power. They created spider-like crawlers and claw robots that move in response to environmental changes.
Researchers found that pre-school children respond well to simple interactions, while older children engage with robots that reference previous conversations. Interactive storytelling also boosts vocabulary and cognitive development in young children, suggesting that collaborative technology can be an effective tool for education.
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.
Georgia Tech researchers have developed a team of free-flying robots that can maintain formation and avoid collisions. The robots use virtual top hats to maneuver in the air. Meanwhile, autonomous blimps with face-detecting capabilities are being built to recognize hand gestures and interact with humans.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Koblenz-Landau and the University of Wurzburg found that people who watched live interactions with a robot were more likely to consider the robot to have more human-like qualities. Observing a live interaction or encountering the robot in virtual reality led to more perceived realness,...
A study from the University of Washington's Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences found that 6-year-old girls who programmed a robot showed greater interest in technology and more positive attitudes about their skills than those who didn't. The intervention reduced the gender gap in technology interest by 42%.
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.
A team of engineers has developed a technique to control soft robots using magnetic fields, enabling the creation of devices with complex functions and simple designs. The new method involves embedding iron microparticles in liquid polymer mixtures and applying magnetic fields to induce chain formation.
A Baylor University study found that people who fear technology, known as technophobes, are three times more likely to fear unemployment and nearly three times more likely to worry about financial instability. The study suggests that these fears may be a legitimate social concern, rather than simply a subset of fearful individuals.