Articles tagged with Robots
Researchers have developed a technology that enables robots to navigate and forage for energy sources in their environment, eliminating the need for batteries or computers. The system uses oxidation reactions with surrounding air to power the robot, allowing it to sense and respond to changes in chemical concentrations.
Scientists from Lancaster and Manchester Universities have received a £1.49 million grant to research the use of robots for nuclear decontamination. The ALACANDRA project aims to improve the interpretation of robot-derived information from complex, cluttered spaces contaminated with dispersed radioactivity.
MIT researchers develop a deep-learning algorithm to optimize sensor placement on soft robots, allowing them to better interact with their environment and complete assigned tasks. The algorithm learns the most efficient sequence of movements and identifies the most important particles to improve performance.
Cornell University researchers developed micron-sized shape memory actuators that enable atomically thin materials to fold themselves into 3D configurations. These tiny machines can hold their shape even after voltage is removed, enabling potential applications in nano-robots and smart materials.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated a significant speed-up in robot learning time using quantum physics, enabling machines to learn faster and make better decisions. This breakthrough has promising implications for the development of autonomous systems.
Researchers found that robots can elicit involvement from even the most reluctant participants by redirecting their gaze towards less proficient players, suggesting a productive role for robots in educational settings.
The university will focus on breakthroughs in automated driving, robotics, and machine-assisted cognition with a total of $2.2M in funding over three years. Researchers will develop a standardized testbed and protocol for testing autonomous vehicles and create robots to assist older adults age in place.
The I-Seed project aims to develop intelligent, biodegradable soft robots that mimic plant seeds' behavior to monitor soil and climate parameters. These innovative robots will be used for detecting pollutants, humidity, CO2 levels, temperature, and water quality.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of control system that allows soft-bodied robots to turn rigid on demand. This advancement could enable robots to combine the strength and precision of rigid robots with the fluidity and safety of soft ones, leading to improved performance in various tasks such as caring for human patients.
Researchers at KIMM developed an all-round gripper technology that can handle objects of various shapes and sizes. The gripper's soft structure allows it to perfectly match the target object contour, providing a firm grip and preventing damage.
Scientists have developed a smart material that responds to environmental stimuli, such as mechanical pressure or stretching, and can be used to create autonomous grippers. The material's unique properties make it ideal for use in soft robots performing complex tasks or locomotion.
Purdue University scientists create ROUGHIE, a maneuverable underwater glider that can operate silently and efficiently in shallow seas. The glider's unique design allows it to follow complex paths and explore areas inaccessible to other underwater gliders.
The study reveals opportunities for improved green space monitoring and increased access to nature for citizens. However, advances in robotics and automation could generate new sources of waste and pollution, threatening urban nature.
Research from Arizona State University reveals that human-autonomy teams are less efficient than all-human teams due to interaction limitations. Effective synthetic teammates and enhanced HAT interactions are crucial for success in complex environments, as demonstrated by a study on UAV teams with AI pilots.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a low-cost method for soft robots to detect human touch without relying on physical contact. The ShadowSense technology uses a USB camera to capture shadow movements of hand gestures on the robot's skin, classifying them with machine-learning software.
Researchers developed low-cost artificial robotic skin with vision-guided sensing, enabling large-scale tactile sensing technology. The system can process tactile information and determine contact force and geometry.
Researchers discovered that sidewinders' bellies have tiny pits and few spikes, which enhances sidewinding but is not as efficient for forward undulation. The study provides insights into convergent evolution and could lead to improvements in human technology, such as snake robots for search-and-rescue missions.
Researchers have developed a system called robomorphic computing that generates a customized computer chip to minimize a robot's response time. This technology uses a robot's physical layout and intended applications to create an optimized hardware architecture, resulting in faster reaction times and improved performance.
Researchers at Delft University of Technology develop an optical flow-based learning process that enables small flying drones to estimate distances through the visual appearance of objects in view. This allows for better navigation skills, including smoother landings and improved obstacle detection.
Researchers have developed a Velcro-like fastener with a microscopic mushroom design that uses softer materials and still provides strong interlocking force. This design has potential for quiet operation and can be used in various applications such as diapers, soft robotics, and grippers for robots.
Researchers are developing mobile telehealth robots to support remote exams, enable isolated people to interact with their communities, and protect healthcare workers from COVID-19. The robots will use advanced tactile sensing, manipulation, and haptics technologies to provide a sense of presence and touch.
Researchers assess opportunities to improve nature monitoring, increase access to green spaces, and reduce pollution with robotics. However, they also warn of potential negative impacts on the environment, including waste generation and social inequalities.
A new soft robotic gripper designed by researchers at the University of Georgia uses a unique twining motion to offer several advantages over existing robotic devices. The device has embedded sensors providing real-time feedback, enabling it to firmly grasp objects as small as 1 millimeter in diameter.
Computer simulation is crucial for developing human-interactive smart robots, enabling safer, faster, and more efficient design and control. By analyzing the biology of soft animal structures, researchers can construct virtual proving grounds to understand robot behavior and optimize performance.
A new study published by the University of Portsmouth has found that robotic animals, such as the MiRo-E robot, can be just as effective as real therapy dogs in providing calming interactions for children.
Researchers at Ritsumeikan University create soft robotic fingers with integrated sensing mechanisms using multimaterial 3D printing, enabling controlled grasping and manipulation of objects. The design features a self-powered sensor that requires no energy supply, expanding the possibilities for robots in human care and interaction.
The Smellicopter drone uses a live moth antenna to sense chemicals in the air and navigate towards sources of interest. It can also avoid obstacles using infrared sensors and doesn't require GPS, making it suitable for exploring indoor or underground spaces.
A Cornell University project aims to develop worm-like, soil-swimming robots to sense and record soil properties, water, and root growth. The goal is to improve breeding efforts and soil management to increase food productivity and security.
A magnetic spray can be used to turn objects into millirobots that can crawl, walk, or roll on different surfaces. The coated objects are biocompatible and can be disintegrated into powders when needed, demonstrating potential for biomedical applications like catheter navigation and drug delivery.
Researchers at Arizona State University developed curved origami structures that can adjust stiffness based on function, providing a new range of flexibility in robots. This technology enables robots to perform various movements by adjusting the creases used, and has implications for designing mechanical metamaterials.
Researchers created tiny building blocks called voxels that exhibit special properties and can be assembled into large, complex objects. Examples include cars, robots, and wind turbine blades that respond to environmental stimuli in predictable ways.
A new USC study reveals that AI models lack common sense to generate plausible sentences, despite advances in natural language processing. The research challenges the effectiveness of current benchmark tests and finds that even the strongest models can make silly mistakes.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have created AI software that gives robots speed and skill to grasp objects, making it feasible for them to assist humans in warehouses. The technology reduces computation time from 29 seconds to under one-tenth of a second.
Researchers developed machine learning frameworks that guarantee robots' performance in unfamiliar settings, with a guaranteed success rate of 88.4% in obstacle avoidance trials. The approach expands generalization theory to robotics, providing more broadly applicable guarantees on robot control policies.
A new paper argues that robots designed for older adults can provide essential human values like social interaction, emotional fulfillment, and bodily integrity. The author suggests that Western cultures' narrow view of sex as lust needs to be challenged, and that robots can enable people to experience physical affection and self-respect.
Designing and marketing sexbots for older adults with disabilities could promote emotional health and wellbeing, counter ageism and stereotyping. This is based on research showing that sexual desires are fundamental to human dignity and respect, even in older age.
Researchers at Michigan State University are developing softer materials for robots to navigate safely and build trust with humans. The team plans to test their 'Soft Mult-Arm Robot' prototype in apple orchards and operating rooms.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba found that praising participants with robots and virtual agents improved offline motor task performance. Two agents outperformed one agent in terms of skill consolidation.
Researchers discovered that squid jet propulsion can be more efficient when considering turbulent flow conditions, revealing clues about how squids maneuver within these environments. The study found symmetry-breaking instability of vortices around the jetter, which affects thrust production and efficiency.
Fish schools are highly dynamic, social systems. Researchers used biomimetic robots to show that fish can profit from the vortices generated by near neighbours without keeping fixed distances, and found that a specific time lag based on spatial position is key to energy efficiency.
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois created a new take on deep reinforcement learning using the game Capture the Flag, helping robots evaluate their next move and adapt to unexpected situations. By breaking down tasks into sub-tasks, they improved adaptation and reduced complexity in updates.
Researchers at Princeton University developed a unique installation, LightVault, using robotic strength and precision to reduce resource use. The structure's doubly curved design improved its structural efficiency by reducing material requirements.
Researchers at NTU Singapore have developed a system that enables robots to recognize pain and self-repair with minimal wiring and circuits. The 'mini-brain' approach allows the robot to process information efficiently and adapt to its environment, making it more interactive with humans.
Scientists use a custom robot to survey how mutations in regulatory regions of the genome affect animal development, revealing that most mutations alter gene expression in some way. The study finds that regulatory regions encode valuable information densely and that single mutations can have several different effects.
A Purdue University team has created a mobile docking system for AUVs, enabling them to perform longer tasks without human intervention. The system uses algorithms to optimize trajectories, allowing robots to autonomously dock mid-mission to recharge and transfer data.
MoonRanger, a small robotic rover developed by Carnegie Mellon University, will search for signs of water at the moon's south pole. The rover is designed to explore at unprecedented speeds in both sunlit and dark conditions, and will use innovative technologies such as laser line stripes for night vision.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed soft robots that can be controlled by magnetic fields, allowing for faster and less invasive delivery of medications. The 'soft' component of the robot is crucial, as it eliminates the need for motors, controllers, and tethers.
Researchers found that attributing a mind to an android and then 'dehumanizing' it leads to the uncanny valley phenomenon. The study suggests that at first sight humans anthropomorphize an android, but within milliseconds they detect deviations and dehumanize it.
The new microscopic robots are controlled by flashing laser pulses and can walk thanks to a simple circuit made from silicon photovoltaics. The researchers explored ways to enhance the robots with more complicated electronics and onboard computation, potentially leading to swarms of tiny robots crawling through human tissue and blood.
A new study found that robotic support pets for older adults and people with dementia acquire bacteria over time, posing a risk of illness. However, a simple cleaning procedure involving anti-bacterial products and wipes can effectively reduce microbial loads to safe levels.
A new study reveals how remora suckerfish detach themselves from surfaces and explores the application of this mechanism in underwater robots. The research team developed a biomimetic flexible adhesive disc with controllable motion, which showed similar detachment motions to its biological counterpart.
Researchers have developed a new rechargeable zinc battery that integrates into the structure of a robot to provide much more energy. The battery uses a network of aramid nanofibers and a water-based polymer gel, making it environmentally friendly and efficient.
Experts say AI's portrayal as White removes people of color from the future, perpetuating racial biases in algorithms and workforce. Cultural depictions of AI as White risk creating a 'racially homogenous' technologist workforce.
University of Michigan engineers have created centimeter-sized robots capable of more than ever before, leveraging origami principles to enhance their speed, agility, and control. The microbots can form complex shapes, complete tasks, and reconfigure into new shapes up to 80 times per second.
Researchers at IIT and Harvard University identified the tricks used by the brain to discriminate and generalize odorous molecules. The study sheds light on how our brain processes information from the sense of smell, revealing a new mechanism for recognizing specific smells.
Researchers developed a single-camera machine vision algorithm allowing indoor robots to guide themselves by identifying reference points on a tiled floor. The technology has wide-ranging potential applications in warehouses, distribution centers, and industrial settings.
A Carnegie Mellon-developed navigation system, SemExp, uses machine learning to train robots to recognize objects and understand their locations in a home. This enables the system to think strategically about how to search for something, making it more efficient than classical robotic navigation systems.
The NUS team created a sensory integrated artificial brain system that mimics biological neural networks, combining artificial skin and vision sensors to enable accurate conclusions about objects in real-time. The system achieved over 92% accuracy in classifying Braille letters and outperformed traditional systems in grasping tasks.
Researchers create 3D Dynamic Scene Graphs, enabling robots to quickly generate maps of their surroundings and extract relevant information. The new model is modeled after human perception and allows robots to navigate and make decisions like humans.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed a system that enables robots to pick up transparent and reflective objects using a color camera and depth images. The system outperforms previous methods in grasping these challenging objects, with high success rates in both clean and cluttered environments.