Robotics
Having already revolutionized the production line, robots promise to transform our lives in myriad ways. Here you'll find the news and opinion on the latest advances in robotics and where they are taking us.
Latest News
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Learning to use a handy Third Thumb may be easier than you think
June 02, 2024Having an extra thumb on one hand may boost your manual dexterity, but wouldn't it be hard to learn to use? Not according to a new study, which found that the majority of a wide variety of people got the hang of the thing in just one minute. -
Video: Air-con wiring robot sets new Rubik's Cube world record
May 26, 2024A Mitsubishi Electric robot that normally positions wires in motors for appliances like air conditioners has solved the Rubik’s Cube puzzle at a blistering speed, setting a new Guinness World Record in the process. -
Rock-climbing robot scales rough walls with bio-inspired grippers
May 24, 2024Scientists have created a four-legged bio-inspired robot that climbs like no other. It clings to rough vertical surfaces utilizing a unique mechanism that is highly effective, yet at the same time relatively simple. -
Watch: Sony's new microsurgery robot stitches up a corn kernel
May 15, 2024Sony has shown off its new surgical robot doing some super-precise work sewing up a tiny slit in a corn kernel. It's the first machine of its kind that auto-switches between its different tools, and has successfully been tested in animal surgery. -
Video: Snail robot climbs vertical walls without leaving a slimy trail
May 15, 2024Snails are great at climbing vertical surfaces, even though they have just a single wet suction-cup foot. A new robot climbs walls by mimicking that simple yet effective mechanism, although thankfully it leaves a trail of water instead of mucus. -
Video: $16k G1 humanoid rises up to smash nuts, twist and twirl
May 13, 2024Humanoid development at China's Unitree continues apace. Following its entry into the melee just last year, its fast-walking H1 bot recently got its backflip groove on. Now the faceless and hand-less humanoid is being joined by an impressive all-rounder. -
Shape-shifting ‘slime’ robots learn to reach, kick, dig, and catch
May 13, 2024Formless 'slime' robots that shape-change to complete complex tasks – it sounds like science fantasy. However, MIT researchers have developed a machine-learning technique that brings shape-changing soft robots a step closer to reality. -
Video: Robo erectus – W1 quadruped robot evolves to stand and walk upright
May 10, 2024You might think that having four legs with wheels on the ends would already make a robot pretty useful. China's LimX Dynamics is taking things further, however, as its W1 quadruped robot is now able to stand up and walk on two "feet." -
Energy-efficient underwater robot rises and falls via fuel-cell balloons
May 10, 2024If scuba divers use inflatable BCDs (buoyancy control devices), why don't underwater robots? Well, an experimental new one does, and the technology is said to be much more energy-efficient than traditional methods of moving up and down in the water. -
Dexterous robot hand can take a beating in the name of AI research
May 10, 2024A robotics company likely most famous for a demo of its dexterous robot hand at Amazon re:MARS with Jeff Bezos has now unveiled a new robust model designed for machine learning research, which was developed in collaboration with Google's DeepMind. -
Soft caterpillar robot moves its body by origami-power
May 09, 2024If a soft-bodied robot uses rigid actuators to move its body, then it isn't really soft now, is it? An experimental new caterpillar-inspired bot gets around that conundrum by using soft, collapsible origami segments to squirm and steer its way into our hearts. -
Chinese humanoid factory video plunges back into the uncanny valley
May 08, 2024A 20-second video from inside a Chinese humanoid robot factory is causing some consternation today around social media. It shows a range of highly realistic-looking, partially skinned humanoids under construction. -
China's home-grown general-purpose humanoid jogs out at 6 km/h
May 07, 2024The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has unveiled Tiangong, an electrically-driven general-purpose humanoid that's capable of stable running at 6 km/h, while also able to tackle slopes and stairs in "blind conditions." -
Forest walker robot takes a brutal beating and keeps marching
May 05, 2024Somebody better break it to the Ewoks: crafty log tricks aren't gonna cut the mustard. LimX Dynamics has released video of its P1 Biped – heavily inspired by the AT-ST walker from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, taking an absolute pounding with ease. -
Video: Iron-shelled robo-snails swarm together for off-road tasks
May 03, 2024Even though snails are slow and slimy-bottomed, they've inspired a new type of robot that could be quite useful. Groups of these bots can operate independently or join together in order to perform tasks that would otherwise be impossible.
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