Strawberry-picking robots could replace human workers in the field
Robotics experts at the University of Essex in the U.K. have teamed up with a British jelly manufacturer to build robots that could replace human workers as strawberry-pickers on farms. Here's why that's necessary -- and why this is a surprisingly tough task for robots.
LG’s SuitBot wearable exosuit will give workers the extra strength they need
South Korean tech giant LG has designed a new lower body robotic exosuit called SuitBot, intended to enhance users' leg movements to aid with activities such as warehouse workers lifting heavy objects. It is set to make its debut at IFA 2018 later this week. Here's what we know so far.
Want a peek into the future? Watch these robots 3D print concrete structures
How do you 3D print a large object without having an even larger 3D printer at your disposal? Researchers from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have come up with a way -- and like all the most exciting tech solutions, it involves a pair of robot arms. Check it out.
Born to hug: 6 of the weirdest, most outlandish robots humanity has ever created
Whether it’s carrying out search and rescue missions or performing life-saving surgery, there are some astonishing robots in existence which promise to change the world as we know it. But there are also a whole lot of weird robotics projects, too. Here are six of the strangest.
Meet Fusion: A helpful robotic ‘parasite’ that lives on your back
Have you ever wanted a pair of extra limbs? Researchers at Japan’s Keio University have built Fusion: a robot backpack which allows another person to control a pair of robotic arms on your body, for carrying out a wide variety of tasks. Here's why it could prove so exciting.
Welcome to the uncanny valley: This robot head shows lifelike expressions
Created by Japanese artist Takayuki Todo, SEER is a robot head that is capable of recognizing the facial expressions of the people it interacts with and then mirroring their same expression back at them. Check it out in all its amazingly lifelike 'uncanny valley' glory.
Experiment suggests that the best robot bosses could be jerks
Researchers from France’s University of Clermont Auvergne have been investigating how future robot bosses can coax the most productivity out of us flesh-and-blood employees. The sad answer? Quite possibly by behaving like jerks. It turns out this behavior may be more feature than bug.
‘American History X’ director wants a robot to star in his next film
Tony Kaye, the director of American History X, is hoping to train an artificially intelligent robot to play a lead role in his upcoming film 2nd Born, with the android actor utilizing various acting techniques and taking the place of a computer-generated character in the film.
This robot arm could soon recharge your electric car, no driver effort required
Researchers in Austria have developed a charging technology for electric cars that's sure to impress even the most seasoned of gas guzzlers. It involves a smart robotic charger that can automatically plug itself into any electric vehicle, no driver effort required whatsoever.
Don’t bug out: Spider-like microbots will get under your skin … in a good way
Researchers have created multifunctional microbots using to a new fabrication process that lets them build millimeter-scale machines with micrometer-scale features. To demonstrate their breakthrough, they created a transparent spider bot modeled off of the brilliant Australian peacock spider.
When it comes to bringing you a slice, Pizza Hut’s new robot can’t be topped
Pizza Hut has added a robotic staff member to one of its restaurants in South Korea, where it will bring pizza to hungry customers. It's not the first time the chain has worked with robots, and the company that developed the bot has greater plans, seeing the placement as a learning experience for more service robots.
This myth-inspired, karate-chopping centaur robot could save your life one day
Taking inspiration from the half horse, half man centaur of Greek mythology, Centauro is a robot that boasts an anthropomorphic upper body and a four-legged base. It may sound and look unusual, but this innovative robot could very well one day save your life. Here's how.
Amazing future transports promise to supercharge our commutes
You can keep your Teslas, your McLarens, and your Aston Martins. Here in 2018, the ambition, scale, and adrenalin-pumping excitement of the most cutting-edge transport options put most contemporary tech to shame. Here are six of the amazing modes of transportation we have to look forward to.
It’s curtains for Kuri: Work ceased on robot companion project
Eighteen months after it made its debut at CES 2017, Mayfield Robotics announced this week that it’s ending development of Kuri, its robotic companion. The wheel-based bot was described as an “intelligent pet” and acted as an interactive and mobile videographer, capturing everyday moments around the home.
From robot insects to human-sniffing sensors, this rescue tech could save lives
Technology like inflatable vine robots and skin-sniffing smart sensors sound interesting, but could they actually save a person's life in a potential disaster zone? That's the hope of their creators, who believe this technology could play a valuable role in future search and rescue missions.
DARPA’s latest endeavor is a tiny robotics challenge called the SHRIMP Olympics
DARPA is seeking proposals for tiny robots, weighing less than a gram and smaller than one cubic centimeter, to compete against one another in a 'series of Olympic-themed competitions.' The hope is to develop new robots which can be used in emergency search and rescue missions.
Rolls-Royce is creating a fleet of robotic snakes and beetles to repair planes
Want to know what the future of airplane engine maintenance is? According to researchers from Rolls-Royce it involves a combination of snake and swarms of insect-inspired robots, designed to crawl inside engines to carry out inspections and perform maintenance. Check out a preview.
From translating hearing aids to sign-language gloves, amazing assistive tech
Think that assistive technology for the deaf community is all about your run-of-the-mill hearing aids here in 2018? Think again! From signing robot arms to mind-reading hearing aids, the next few years are going to be pretty darn amazing for accessibility tech if this list is anything to go by.
7 times Honda’s iconic Asimo robot blew us away (and 1 side-splitting fail)
Asimo is gone, but it won't be forgotten. Honda's talented bipedal bot dazzled and delighted us over the years, and was ahead of its time in many respects. So, as a tribute, we've compiled a collection of some memorable Asimo moments from 2000 when it made its very first appearance.
CanguRo robot is part transport, part best friend
CanguRo is a robot on wheels that cleverly transforms between an autonomous assistant and a self-driving mobility vehicle. The three-wheeler can follow you places, carry heavy loads, and also drive you about. And when the team provides it with speech capabilities, you'll be able to chat to it, too.
It sounds ridiculous, but these beaver bots are designed for disaster zones
Engineers will often look to the natural world to find solutions to problems. That is what a team at the University at Buffalo, New York recently did when it created a beaver-inspired robot which, believe it or not, could turn out to be a lifesaver in a disaster zone.
Watch this robot tiptoe over stepping stones with human-like grace and agility
Walking across irregularly spaced stepping stones is something even a small kid can manage. It turns out that it's pretty difficult for robots, though -- until now at least. Here's how researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon cracked it.
Asimo, Honda’s amazing biped, heads to robot retirement home
Honda is retiring its multitalented Asimo robot. But it's not all bad news as many of its talents will be incorporated into other technology produced by the Japanese company, such as mobility aids and autonomous vehicles. Asimo made its first appearance in 2000 but it was in development for 14 years before that.
Techy sports we will all be watching in the (not-too-distant) future
Science fiction has kind of gotten our hopes up about the future of sport. While we've not yet got a real version of Star Wars' Podracing, that doesn't mean there aren't some impressive high tech sports out there. Here are our picks for the ones we think are going to be everywhere in a few years.
SmokeBot robot can see things human firefighters can’t in smoke-filled rooms
Created by researchers in Sweden, SmokeBot is a firefighting robot designed to see and navigate in smoky areas. It could one day be used by firefighters to help assist in instances such as search-and-rescue missions. Here's how it works, and how it could one day save your life.
Meet the Italian composer who conducts the world’s biggest all-robot orchestra
For his next album, Italian electronic music producer Leonardo Barbadoro is skipping synthesizers for robots capable of playing real instruments, ranging from piano to percussion. Here's why he's decided to shake up electronic music production in favor of a new approach.
Half taxidermy, half robot: Why UC Davis built this crazy realistic robo-bird
Researchers at the University of California, Davis are building taxidermy bird robots on wheels, designed to discover more about the mating habits of the survival-challenged sage grouse. They're part of a long-running research project which dates all the way back to 2003.
Festo’s cuttlefish-inspired robot looks like it escaped an alien aquarium
Built by pioneering German automation company Festo, this cuttlefish-inspired robot may look weird, but it's capable of some pretty impressive feats. It's able to maneuver through the water by undulating its fins. In the real world, the robot could be used for underwater inspection.
Why a 19-year-old Bitcoin millionaire built a working Dr. Octopus suit
What would you do if you were a 19-year-old kid with $3.3 million? There are few people more equipped to answer that than teenaged bitcoin millionaire Erik Finman. His answer? You use some of that cash to build a Doctor Octopus-style exosuit and try and shake up the education system.
Starship Technologies gets the cash to make its delivery robot dream a reality
Drone delivery company Starship Technologies has raised an additional $25 million with the goal of expanding its fast-growing fleet of six-wheeled delivery robots. Next year, it aims to have more than 1,000 of them in action at campuses and neighborhoods around the world.
In Boston’s newest restaurant, all the chefs are robots
Four recent MIT graduates just launched a new fast-food restaurant in Boston called Spyce. Its hook? The fact that all the meals are prepared to order by a kitchen full of robots. Not only does this add novelty, but the automation also keeps the food prices down to $7.50 a meal.
This robot taught itself how to walk and it’s as clumsy as a newborn deer
Created by researchers at the University of Oslo, DyRET (Dynamic Robot for Embodied Testing) is a quadruped robot which has learned how to walk on its own. The results may look clumsy, but there's a good chance that all robots will one day use similar tech to figure out their environments.
Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot is slated to go on sale in 2019
Boston Dynamics has unveiled another version of its dog-like SpotMini robot, which once again features a rather terrifying appendage. And now, we're a step closer to being able to see the action of this robot up close and personal.The SpotMini is slated to go on sale to the public in 2019.
Stimulating brains with lasers can create ‘Matrix’-like false experiences
At the University of California at Berkeley, researchers have been busy exploring ways to project holograms directly into the brain -- and that could totally turn out to be a good thing. Think of it like 'Inception' meets next-generation healthcare. Here's how it all works.