Robotics >>

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In episode #164, Audrow Nash interviews John Romanishin, a graduate student studying mechanical engineering and researching self-reconfigurable modular robots at MIT's Distributed Robotics Laboratory, led by Daniela Rus. His modular robotics project is the development of M-Blocks, small cubes (5 cm on a side) with no external actuators, which nevertheless manage to move and even jump. Read On Tune...

Researchers have been taking tips from nature to build the next generation of flying robots. Based on the mechanisms adopted by birds, bats, insects and snakes, scientists have developed solutions to some of the common problems that drones could be faced with when navigating through an urban environment and performing novel tasks for the benefit of society. ...

Imagine furniture that transforms into a table, bench, or chair at any moment. That’s the promise of Roombots, a new modular robotics product from Switzerland. ...

Roboleg, the latest creation from Pretoria, South Africa-based Robohand, can be created with a Markerbot 3D printer. ...

LORD MicroStrain has introduced the 3DM-GX4 family of miniature 10°/hour inertial sensors with MEMS sensor technology that are suited for camera and platform stabilization, antenna pointing, autopilot operation in lightweight vehicles, and industrial attitude and position sensing. ...

The Crabster CR200 robot used its acoustic camera and sonar to capture images of the seafloor, providing a stable platform for surveying the Sewol ferry disaster in South Korea.. ...

Researchers at the University of Birmingham are developing a new method of teaching robots to pick up unfamiliar objects without dropping or breaking them. ...

Barobot features more than 1,000 cocktail recipes and an option to create your own drink. It comes with an app to remotely select drinks. ...

What has a pair of seven degree of freedom robotic arms, 360 degree sonar and inherited a bunch of robust features from its industrial “father”? Why, the Baxter Research Robot of course! This next generation educational / research tool combines features normally found only on expensive industrial robots with highly versatile software into an affordable [...] ...

Here is your chance to purchase an iRobot vacuum or floor cleaner at a great price. RobotShop is offering a 20% off the retail price of all iRobot Domestic Robots. This includes the iRobot Roombas, Braavas and Scoobas available for sale on the RobotShop website. Along with this offer we still provide our popular 5 years [...] ...

A recent study into the biomechanics of the necks of ants -- a common insect that can amazingly lift objects many times heavier than its own body -- might unlock one of nature's little mysteries and, quite possibly, open the door to advancements in robotic engineering. ...

Printers are becoming more and more versatile. Now they can even print sensors and electronic components on 2D and 3D substrates. A new, robot-assisted production line allows the process to be automated. ...

For most paraplegic patients, being able to walk again remains a dream. The HAL robot suit can help them regain a certain degree of mobility and activity. A team of experts has been testing the exoskeleton that was originally developed in Japan since 2011, and have had excellent results. Paraplegia is essentially the result of damaged nerve structures in the spine. In order to perform a movement, the...

In Robots Podcast episode #156, Ron Vanderkley speaks with Bill Reith, an engineer at Backyard Brains. The company is developing RoboRoach, the world’s first commercially available 'cyborg', using funds generated through a successful KickStarter project. Using their kit, you can briefly control the left/right movement of a cockroach from a smart phone using microstimulation of the antenna nerves....

We received our first batch of the new Neato Botvac 80. Unfortunately, they are now all gone and did not stay in our warehouse for very long. We are currently waiting on a new batch from Neato. But, for those who are wondering which robot vacuum to choose, we have unboxing pictures for you as [...] ...

Which circuits and chips are suitable for building artificial brains using the least possible amount of power? A surprising finding: Constructions that use not only digital but also analog compact and imprecise circuits are more suitable for building artificial nervous systems, rather than arrangements with only digital or precise but power-demanding analog electronic circuits. ...

Your brain is incredibly well-suited to handling whatever comes along, plus it’s tough and operates on little energy. Those attributes -- dealing with real-world situations, resiliency and energy efficiency -- are precisely what might be possible with neuro-inspired computing. Neuro-inspired computing seeks to develop algorithms that would run on computers that function more like a brain than a conventional...

Stöcklin has created its first automated forklift with ANT localization technology from BlueBotics that achieves a position accuracy of ±1cm and speeds of over 2.0m/s.  ...

New “Luke Skywalker” robotic arm detects muscle contractions close to the area where the prosthesis is attached, allowing a person to flex certain muscles and make 10 different powered movements. ...