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Team builds the first living robots

A team of scientists has created the first living robots, 'xenobots', by assembling frog embryo cells into new life forms. These biodegradable organisms can move, heal themselves, and even carry payloads, promising advances in drug delivery, toxic waste clean-up, and more.

Bioinspired sonar reflectors

Researchers have developed bioinspired shapes that serve as acoustically conspicuous guideposts for sonar-guided autonomous vehicles. These bioinspired sonar reflectors were tested in experiments and showed promising results, enabling robots to navigate through new environments with improved accuracy.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

AI system for Minecraft: MIPT team wins MineRL international contest

The MIPT team developed a new method for reinforcement learning with demonstrations, enabling rapid solution of hierarchical problems in Minecraft. This approach opens opportunities for applying reinforcement learning to real-world tasks like autonomous vehicle control and manipulator control.

Deployment of 5G technology in drones and robots

The 5G-DIVE project validates 5G technology for remote control of industrial robots and autonomous coordinated drone flight, requiring high bandwidth and low latency. The project aims to improve performance and corporate value through Fog Computing and intelligent design.

Making robots more perceptive

Nader Motee is investigating real-time perception and planning for networks of robots, aiming to improve efficiency and resiliency. His research also focuses on risk-aware planning and control to mitigate effects of local failures in nonlinear dynamical networks.

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.

Satellite broken? Smart satellites to the rescue

Researchers are developing robotic networks that can work independently but collaboratively to accomplish complex tasks. By using genetic fuzzy logic, they were able to get three robots and then five robots to move a token to a designated spot on a table.

NUS researchers create new metallic material for flexible soft robots

The NUS researchers developed a novel metal-based material using platinum and burnt paper, which is half as light as paper and can withstand temperatures up to 800°C. This material enables the creation of flexible and lightweight prosthetic limbs with real-time strain sensing capabilities.

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.

Scientists help soldiers figure out what robots know

A US Army Research Laboratory team developed new algorithms to integrate context into artificial intelligence, advancing robotics and AI processes in areas like natural language communication and world model development. The research supports the Next Generation Combat Vehicle by integrating context-driven AI within human-autonomy teams.

Soft skin-like robots you can put in your pocket

A new robotic skin called ElectroSkin has been created, which can crawl across surfaces using artificial muscles and electrical charges. This innovative technology could lead to the development of soft robots for environmental monitoring, robot grippers, and wearable technologies.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

New SLAS Technology auto-commentary released

The new SLAS Technology auto-commentary discusses the challenges of gathering analytical measurements and introduces realized-based measurement systems as potential replacements. These systems use robots as central system integrators, providing flexibility and enabling decentralized open systems.

Scientists should have sex and gender on the brain

Researchers argue that incorporating sex and gender into scientific studies can improve experiments, reduce bias, and lead to new discoveries. Examples include advancements in climate change research, facial recognition systems, and social robots. The goal is to increase transparency and promote inclusion in research.

Showing robots 'tough love' helps them succeed, finds new USC study

A new USC study found that training robots with a human adversary significantly improves their grasp of objects, leading to better performance in manipulation tasks. The researchers discovered that this approach helps robots learn more stable grasps and succeed more often in real-world environments.

Technique helps robots find the front door

Researchers create method that enables robots to use environmental clues to plan routes, reducing time spent exploring properties and eliminating the need for maps of specific residences. The approach leverages pre-existing algorithms to generate a new map of the environment as the robot moves around, represented as semantic clues.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Chameleon's tongue strike inspires fast-acting robots

Researchers at Purdue University have developed fast-acting robots capable of re-creating bioinspired high-powered and high-speed motions using stored elastic energy. These robots, similar to the chameleon's tongue strike, can catch live insects in just 120 milliseconds.

Enabling autonomous vehicles to see around corners

A new MIT system uses computer-vision techniques to detect and classify subtle changes in shadows on the ground, enabling autonomous vehicles to quickly avoid collisions with other objects. The system outperforms traditional LiDAR technology by more than half a second in real-world scenarios.

Swarm of tiny drones explores unknown environments

A joint research team has successfully designed a swarm of tiny drones to explore unknown environments autonomously. The drones use a novel bug algorithm that enables them to navigate back to a base station while avoiding obstacles and detecting victims, showcasing the potential for swarms in search-and-rescue scenarios.

Pushy robots learn the fundamentals of object manipulation

Researchers at MIT have compiled a comprehensive dataset of robotic pushing dynamics, capturing the behavior of hundreds of different objects. This dataset, called Omnipush, enables robots to learn fundamental object manipulation tasks, such as reorienting and inspecting objects, by training on a diverse range of pushing scenarios.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Giving robots a faster grasp

Researchers at MIT have created an algorithm that significantly speeds up the planning process required for robots to adjust their grasp on objects. The new approach uses motion cones to efficiently calculate feasible pushes and reposition objects in less than a second, compared to traditional algorithms that take over 500 seconds.

Assembler robots make large structures from little pieces

Researchers have developed a new kind of robotics that can assemble large structures from identical subunits using simple robotic systems. The system works by having the robot work together with the structure, adjusting its position as it adds each piece, allowing for efficient and precise assembly.

Do we trust artificial intelligence agents to mediate conflict? Not entirely

A new study examines the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in mediating conflict among team members. Researchers found that while humans initially engaged with a virtual agent during mission planning, their engagement decreased as conflicts arose, suggesting a limit to trust in AI-mediated conflict resolution.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

These new soft actuators could make soft robots less bulky

Researchers at UC San Diego developed soft actuators that can be controlled electrically, making them compatible with small electronic devices and batteries. These actuators enabled the creation of compact, portable and multifunctional soft robots with various applications.

5G wireless to connect robots on the ground to AI in the cloud

The research team aims to design algorithms that optimally distribute computation between robots and the cloud for guaranteed safe robotic operation. 5G systems offer higher data rates but pose challenges due to limited bandwidth and high latency, requiring new control algorithms that can exploit high-rate links when available.

Deep3DFly: the deep-learning way to design fly-like robots

Deep3DFly uses computer science and neuroscience to model fly movements and poses, enabling robots to climb challenging terrain. The system can automatically predict and correct errors in calculations, opening up new possibilities for robotics and medicine.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Mosquito eye inspires artificial compound lens (video)

Compound lenses developed by researchers are inspired by mosquito eyes, providing a wide field of view with rapid imaging capabilities. The new design has antifogging properties, similar to those found in mosquito eyes, making it suitable for applications in drones, robots and medical devices.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Look out, invasive species: The robots are coming

Researchers develop robotic fish predators that induce fear responses in mosquitofish, triggering avoidance behaviors and physiological changes associated with energy reserve loss. Brief exposure to a robotic largemouth bass replica provokes meaningful stress responses in mosquitofish.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Nerve-like 'optical lace' gives robots a human touch

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a stretchable optical lace material that enables soft robots to sense their environment through mechanosensors. The material allows robots to detect changes in stress and strain, enabling them to adjust their actions accordingly.

Do as I say: Translating language into movement

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a computer model that can translate text describing physical movements into simple computer-generated animations. The Joint Language-to-Pose model enables sentences and physical motions to be jointly embedded, learning how language is related to action, gestures, and movement.

Realistic robots get under Galápagos lizards' skin

Researchers found that immediate robot responses stimulated wild Galápagos lizards to react more quickly and often than delayed responses. This may help lizards assess their competitors' aggression levels and avoid injury. The study used realistic robots to simulate displays, providing new insights into lizard communication.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Scurrying roaches help researchers steady staggering robots

Biomechanics researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology used cockroaches' sprints to develop a method for assessing and improving robot locomotion. The new approach focuses on phase-coupling oscillations, allowing it to work with both insect and robotic systems.

How ergonomic is your warehouse job? Soon, an app might be able to tell you

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed an algorithm that can monitor factory and warehouse workers' behavior in real-time, providing risk scores and suggestions for improving ergonomics. The app will alert workers to high-risk actions and provide feedback on how to modify their behaviors.

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.

Robots need a new philosophy to get a grip

Researchers argue that robots must understand the reason behind their actions to work alongside people safely and effectively. This shift in thinking is necessary as automation increases and human-robot interaction grows.

Employees less upset at being replaced by robots than by other people

A study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that people are more upset about losing their jobs to robots than to other workers. The researchers discovered that this preference reverses when it comes to one's own job, with most individuals finding robot replacement less threatening to their self-worth.

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.

Researchers to study physics of underwater walking

The project aims to determine the forces that dictate underwater walking, shedding light on the colonization of land by animals. By studying Spanish ribbed newts, researchers hope to gain insight into the biomechanics of animal movement.

Agile untethered fully soft robots in liquid

Scientists at Huazhong University of Science & Technology have created a bio-inspired untethered fully soft robot in liquid that can actuate using environmental energy gradients. The robot achieves an impressive speed of 7 times higher than the best reported value for untethered soft robotic fish.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Tiny vibration-powered robots are the size of the world's smallest ant

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed micro-bristle-bots that harness vibration to move and interact with their environment. The bots can be controlled by adjusting vibration frequencies and can potentially be used for tasks such as repairing injuries inside the human body or sensing environmental changes.