Robotics, AI and SmartTech News – Latest Headlines

OptoGPT for improving solar cells, smart windows, telescopes and more

Taking advantage of the transformer neural networks that power large language models, engineers can get recipes for materials with the optical properties they need.

July 18, 2024 Read more

AI method radically speeds predictions of materials' thermal properties

The approach could help engineers design more efficient energy-conversion systems and faster microelectronic devices, reducing waste heat.

July 18, 2024 Read more

Ant insights lead to robot navigation breakthrough (w/video)

Drone researchers used ant-inspired methods of visual recognition and step counting to create an autonomous navigation strategy for tiny, lightweight robots.

July 18, 2024 Read more

Neural networks made of light

Scientists propose a new way of implementing a neural network with an optical system which could make machine learning more sustainable in the future.

July 11, 2024 Read more

A new twist on artificial muscles for safer, softer robots

Simplified, low-cost soft actuators enable worm-like crawling, bicep-like lifting and more.

July 10, 2024 Read more

Artificial intelligence for studying twisted van der Waals magnets

Innovative techniques enable a streamlined and reliable analysis of these complex systems, eliminating the need for previous resource-intensive simulations and marking a significant advancement in the field.

July 3, 2024 Read more

Self-assembling, highly conductive sensors could improve wearable devices

To advance soft robotics, skin-integrated electronics and biomedical devices, researchers at have developed a 3D-printed material that is soft and stretchable - traits needed for matching the properties of tissues and organs - and that self-assembles.

July 1, 2024 Read more

Soft, stretchy electrode simulates touch sensations using electrical signals

Researchers developed a soft, stretchy electronic device that simulates pressure or vibration on the skin, advancing haptic technologies for realistic touch sensations.

June 28, 2024 Read more

Light-controlled artificial maple seeds could monitor the environment even in hard-to-reach locations

Researchers have developed a tiny robot replicating the aerial dance of falling maple seeds. In the future, this robot could be used for real-time environmental monitoring or delivery of small samples even in inaccessible terrain such as deserts, mountains or cliffs, or the open sea.

June 27, 2024 Read more

Microrobot-packed pill shows promise for treating inflammatory bowel disease in mice

Engineers developed a pill that releases microrobots into the colon to treat IBD. In mice, it reduced symptoms and healed tissue without toxic side effects.

June 26, 2024 Read more

Towards edible robots and robotic food

Edible robots and robotic food, systems that perceive, process, and act upon stimulation, offer new opportunities in healthcare, environmental management, and promoting healthier eating. They could enable precise drug delivery, in vivo health monitoring, autonomously targeted nutrition in emergencies, waste reduction in farming, wild animal vaccination, and novel gastronomical experiences.

June 21, 2024 Read more

Self-assembling and disassembling swarm molecular robots via DNA molecular controller

Researchers have succeeded in developing a DNA-based molecular controller. Crucially, this controller enables the autonomous assembly and disassembly of molecular robots, as opposed to manually directing it.

June 14, 2024 Read more

Photonic chip integrates sensing and computing for ultrafast machine vision

Researchers have demonstrated a new intelligent photonic sensing-computing chip that can process, transmit and reconstruct images of a scene within nanoseconds.

June 13, 2024 Read more

Sweeping review reveals impact of integrating artificial intelligence technologies into photovoltaic systems

Artificial intelligence is poised to bring photovoltaic systems into a new era through revolutionary improvements in efficiency, reliability, and predictability of solar power generation.

June 12, 2024 Read more

Affordable and sensitive nanofiber piezoelectric sensors for human and robot motion monitoring

Researchers have developed a cost-effective, sensitive piezoelectric sensor using polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers and dopamine, enhancing performance and stability for healthcare and robotics.

June 12, 2024 Read more

Tiny robot enables unlocks secrets of the gut microbiome, one sample at a time

A new multiple-sampling capsule robot can collect gut microbiome samples from various locations in the GI tract while minimizing contamination, enabling crucial longitudinal analysis.

June 12, 2024 Read more

New technique could help build quantum computers of the future

Researchers demonstrate a programmable approach to fabricating optical qubits at scale.

June 11, 2024 Read more

Fully 3D-printed shape memory mini-actuators can move small soft robots

Researchers have demonstrated miniature soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick.

June 11, 2024 Read more