Robotics, AI and SmartTech News – Latest Headlines

Researchers harness unstable responses to build new soft actuators

Researchers have engineered a new, soft actuator that harnesses the power of instability to trigger instantaneous movement.

August 17, 2015 Read more

Reflexes for robots (w/video)

New human-machine interface keeps robot balanced, with human reflexes.

August 11, 2015 Read more

Robo-whiskers mimic animals exploring their surroundings

Inspired by animals, scientists have developed a robotic 'whisker' tactile sensor array designed to produce tomographic images by measuring fluid flow.

August 5, 2015 Read more

Giving robots a more nimble grasp (w/video)

Engineers use the environment to give simple robotic grippers more dexterity.

August 4, 2015 Read more

Robotic insect mimics Nature's extreme moves (w/video)

Researchers looked to water strider insects to develop robots that jump off water's surface.

July 30, 2015 Read more

Object recognition for robots (w/video)

Robots' maps of their environments can make existing object-recognition algorithms more accurate.

July 24, 2015 Read more

Scientist develops model for robots with bacteria-controlled brains (w/video)

Understanding the biochemical sensing between organisms could have far reaching implications in ecology, biology, and robotics.

July 16, 2015 Read more

Hopping towards a better soft robot (w/video)

Engineers have developed one of the first 3-D printed, soft robots that moves autonomously. The design offers a new solution to an engineering challenge that has plagued soft robotics: the integration of rigid and soft materials.

July 9, 2015 Read more

Seahorse tails could inspire new generation of robots

Inspiration for the next big technological breakthrough in robotics, defense systems and biomedicine could come from a seahorse's tail, according to a new study.

July 2, 2015 Read more

Materials modelled after plants may help robots to move more naturally

Engineers developing moveable robot components may soon take advantage of a trick plants use. Researchers have devised porous materials that could serve as actuators, or motors. The dynamic mechanism of the material resembles that of some plant tissues.

June 29, 2015 Read more

Sensors and drones: hi-tech sentinels for crops

Sensors and drones can be among the farmers' best friends, helping them to use less fertilizers and water, and to control the general condition of their crops.

June 24, 2015 Read more

Engineers develop micro-tentacles so tiny robots can handle delicate objects

Researchers have developed microrobotic tentacles that can be the hands and fingers of small robots designed to safely handle delicate objects.

June 22, 2015 Read more

Centimeter-long origami robot (w/video)

Controlled by magnetic fields, tiny robot climbs inclines, swims, and carries loads twice its weight.

June 12, 2015 Read more

Robotics competition generated groundbreaking research (w/video)

Last weekend was the final round of competition in the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's contest to design control systems for a humanoid robot that could climb a ladder, remove debris, drive a utility vehicle, and perform several other tasks related to a hypothetical disaster.

June 11, 2015 Read more

Robot eyes will benefit from insect vision

The way insects see and track their prey is being applied to a new robot in the hopes of improving robot visual systems. The project - which crosses the boundaries of neuroscience, mechanical engineering and computer science - builds on years of research into insect vision.

June 10, 2015 Read more

Using Minecraft to unboggle the robot mind (w/video)

Researchers are developing a new algorithm to help robots better plan their actions in complex environments. It's designed to help robots be more useful in the real world, but it's being developed with the help of a virtual world - that of the video game Minecraft.

June 8, 2015 Read more

Soft robotic glove puts control in the grasp of hand-impaired patients (w/video)

Development of a lightweight robotic glove is moving closer to the ultimate goal of assisting patients in their ability to grasp objects independently.

June 4, 2015 Read more

Helping robots handle uncertainty

Algorithm for planning multirobot collaborations makes complex models practical.

June 3, 2015 Read more