U.N. report wants moratorium on killer robots
Killer robots that can attack targets without any human input 'should not have the power of life and death over human beings,' a new draft U.N. report says.
May 2nd, 2013
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Robotics, AI and SmartTech News – Latest Headlines
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Robotic insects make first controlled flight (w/video)
In culmination of a decade's work, RoboBees achieve vertical takeoff, hovering, and steering
May 2nd, 2013
Read moreNortheast China to build robot industrial base
A robot industrial base with an estimated annual output of 50 billion yuan (8 billion U.S. dollars) will be established in northeast China's Liaoning Province, local authorities said.
May 2nd, 2013
Read moreGentle touch and the bionic eye
Using haptics to improve outcomes for people given visual prosthetics.
May 1st, 2013
Read moreSeahorse's armor gives engineers insight into robotics designs
The tail of a seahorse can be compressed to about half its size before permanent damage occurs, engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have found. The tail's flexibility is due to its structure, made up of bony, armored plates, which slide past each other. Researchers are hoping to use a similar structure to create a flexible robotic arm, which could be used in medical devices, underwater exploration and unmanned bomb detection and detonation.
May 1st, 2013
Read morePeople may welcome talking tissue boxes and other smart objects
Just as people have embraced computers and smart phones, they may also give their blessing to talking tissue boxes and other smart objects, according to Penn State researchers.
May 1st, 2013
Read moreDustbot - a robot designed to clean up our streets (w/video)
It sounds like something from a science fiction film, but the concept of robots cleaning our streets is becoming a reality with what is believed to be a world first.
Apr 30th, 2013
Read moreRobots able to reach through clutter with whole-arm tactile sensing (w/ video)
Whether reaching for a book out of a cluttered cabinet or pruning a bush in the backyard, a person's arm frequently makes contact with objects during everyday tasks. Animals do it too, when foraging for food, for example. Much in the same way, robots are now able to intelligently maneuver within clutter, gently making contact with objects while accomplishing a task. This new control method has wide applications, ranging from robots for search-and-rescue operations to assistive robotics for people with disabilities.
Apr 30th, 2013
Read moreThink ahead: Robots anticipate human actions
A robot in Cornell's Personal Robotics Lab has learned to foresee human action and adjust accordingly.
Apr 30th, 2013
Read moreHow would you like your assistant - Human or Robotic?
In a Georgia Tech study, more than half of healthcare providers interviewed said that if they were offered an assistant, they preferred it to be a robotic helper rather than a human. However, they don't want robots to help with everything. They were very particular about what they wanted a robot to do, and not do.
Apr 29th, 2013
Read moreFactories of the future: Robots for aerospace production
The factory of the future is now coming to the aerospace industry. To help it along the way, a consortium made up of European research institutions and industrial partners is developing mobile, autonomously operating robots. These robots will help with the assembly of aerospace components and work hand-in-hand with humans on the production floor.
Apr 29th, 2013
Read moreTechnologies for Humans: The Robotics community meets in Karlsruhe
For the first time, the largest conference for robotics and automation worldwide, the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2013, will take place at the Karlsruhe Congress Center from May 06 to 10, 2013.
Apr 26th, 2013
Read moreRethink Robotics launches new generation of humanoid robots for research and teaching
Rethink Robotics today announced the launch of the Baxter Research Robot, a humanoid robot with two arms powered by a revolutionary new Software Development Kit (SDK) that will allow researchers to create a wide array of custom applications for robots.
Apr 26th, 2013
Read moreFlipperBot shows how to walk on granular surfaces like sand (w/video)
A flexible wrist helps a robot known as 'FlipperBot' move through a test bed, demonstrating how animals and bio-inspired robots can together provide new information on the principles governing locomotion on granular surfaces.
Apr 24th, 2013
Read moreHumans feel empathy for robots
fMRI scans show similar brain function when robots are treated the same as humans.
Apr 23rd, 2013
Read moreRobot learns to collaborate assembling IKEA furniture (w/video)
Research in learning from demonstration has focused on transferring movements from humans to robots. However, a need is arising for robots that do not just replicate the task on their own, but that also interact with humans in a safe and natural way to accomplish tasks cooperatively.
Apr 19th, 2013
Read moreThe Trident submarine robot project gains autonomy and is successfully tested at sea
In its final assessment, the European project Trident has submerged its I-AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle for intervention) in the Port of Soller (Mallorca). The vehicle has been able to find and retrieve independently an object in an unknown seabed facing the adverse conditions presented by the open ocean.
Apr 19th, 2013
Read moreRobot hands gain a gentler touch
Inexpensive tactile sensing technology builds on tiny barometer chips that are widely available.
Apr 18th, 2013
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