A Robot with the ‘Brains’ to Morph Mid-Air

The new robot, dubbed ATMO (aerially transforming morphobot), uses four thrusters to fly, but the shrouds that protect them become the system's wheels in an alternative driving configuration. The whole transformation relies on a single motor to move a central joint that lifts ATMO's thrusters up into drone mode or down into drive mode.

Why Going Back to the Moon Powers Humanity Forward

Exploration of the Moon and Mars is not only a scientific pursuit; it is also a driver of technological advancement and global cooperation. Deep space missions compel us to address fundamental questions — about life beyond Earth, resilience in extreme environments and the origins of our solar system. Read on to learn more.

Orion: Paving Humanity’s Path to the Moon

Launching atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket, Orion will carry four astronauts to lunar orbit and safely return them to Earth on Artemis missions. Read this interview with Debbie Korth, Orion Deputy Program Manager, NASA Johnson Space Center, to learn more about the lessons learned from the first mission, improvements, and the key milestones the Orion team is working on to achieve this year.

NASA Marks Artemis Progress with Gateway Lunar Space Station

The Gateway lunar space station is a multi-purpose platform that offers capabilities for long-term exploration in deep space in support of NASA’s Artemis campaign and Moon to Mars objectives. Gateway will feature docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, as well as space for crew to live, work, and prepare for lunar surface missions. Read on to learn more.

Engineering the Blue Ghost: From Idea to Moon Landing

In this interview, Joseph Marlin, Deputy Blue Ghost Chief Engineer at Firefly Aerospace, delves deeper into how their first mission is establishing an improved awareness of the lunar environment ahead of future crewed missions and how it will help plan for long-duration surface operations under Artemis.

A Next-Generation Space Suit for Artemis III

In October 2024, Axiom Space and Prada revealed the flight design of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit that will be used for NASA's Artemis III mission. The outer-layer design and materials work was jointly developed starting when the two industry leaders came together, blending creativity and engineering to enhance the next-generation spacesuit design. Read on to learn more.

“I Told You the Moon Was Made of Cheese”

If the title grabs your attention, you're going to have to read on. We promise you there is an explanation, but you must first read the article.

Unfurling Antennas Let Tiny Satellites Do Big Things

Satellite builders now have the option of using small, collapsible dish antennas made by Tendeg LLC of Louisville, CO, which developed them with funding and cooperation from NASA, along with the patented technology developed at JPL. Read on to learn more.

5Ws of an All-Electric Delivery Drone

An all-electric drone developed by Blueflite with vertical take-off and landing capabilities and advanced maneuverability for faster and more cost-effective deliveries.

How Horses Can Induce Better Social Robots

Equine-Assisted Interventions (EAIs) offer a powerful alternative to traditional talking therapies for patients with PTSD, trauma, and autism who struggle to express and regulate emotions through words alone.

Intelligent Machines Remove Humans from the Loop

As international trade is beginning to digitize its documentation and transactions, an AI technology born with the help of NASA’s Ames Research Center offers an automation solution.

Restoring Mobility and Freedom with a Wearable Robotic Device

An assistive robotic device can provide at-home therapy and also enable independence on everyday tasks.

How Much Do You Know About Model-Based Systems Engineering?

How much do you know about MBSE terms and its adoption by the aerospace and defense industry? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

3D-Printing Method Makes Two Materials from One Resin

Isabel Arias Ponce and her team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have demonstrated a new resin that simultaneously creates solid objects and dissolvable structural supports, depending on what type of light it is exposed to.

Advances in Autonomous Surgical Robotic Systems

A look at transformative advancement in surgical robotics, where robots can perform with both mechanical precision and human-like adaptability and understanding.

New Imaging Technique Reconstructs the Shapes of Hidden Objects

A new imaging technique developed by MIT researchers could enable quality-control robots in a warehouse to peer through a cardboard shipping box and see that the handle of a...

Teaching Robots to Serve Humans

Over the past decade, robots have become an increasingly important part of our daily lives. Autonomous vehicles shuttle us from point A to point B, drones deliver lifesaving medicine to remote towns, sidewalk...

New System Enables Robots to Solve Manipulation Problems in Seconds

Ready for that long-awaited summer vacation? First, you’ll need to pack all items required for your trip into a suitcase, making sure everything fits securely without...

Medical Crash Cart Goes Robotic

Medical crash carts — stocked with medications, syringes, gauze, and IV fluids — are essential tools in emergency rooms, where seconds matter, space is tight, and confusion can cost lives. However,...

Preparing Robots to Crawl on the Moon

A CU Boulder team is using digital twins — hyper-realistic VR environments — to provide a useful proxy for the moon, giving people a chance to get the hang of driving robots without risking damage to multi-million-dollar equipment.

How Much Do You Know About Transducers?

How much do you know about transducers? Find out with this quiz.

Additive Manufacturing Enables Advanced Thermal Control Systems for Next-Generation Space Missions

3D Systems is collaborating with researchers from Penn State University and Arizona State University on two projects sponsored by NASA intended to enable groundbreaking alternatives to current thermal management solutions.

Meet SUPER: The Safety-Assured High-Speed Aerial Robot

The team has developed the Safety-Assured High-Speed Aerial Robot (SUPER), capable of flying at speeds exceeding 20 meters per second [about 45 miles per hour] and avoiding obstacles as thin as 2.5 millimeters [about 0.1 inch] — such as power lines or twigs — using solely onboard sensors and computing power.

How Much Do You Know About Power Semiconductors?

Without power semiconductors there would be no solar power, wind power, EVs, automated factories, computers, or smart phones, to name a few. Take this quiz to see how much you know about them.

Socially Assistive AI-Driven Robots for Rehabilitation

Socially assistive robotics are playing an increasingly powerful role in eldercare and patient rehabilitation.

Using Ultrasound to Detect Battery Flaws

Researchers from Drexel University have developed a standard testing process to give manufacturers a better look at the internal workings of batteries.

Creating Emotionally Intelligent Healthcare Robots

Advances in autonomous surgical robotic systems.

Autonomous Structures Can Be Programmed to Jump Days in Advance

Researchers have created dynamic structures that leap into the air on a predetermined schedule without intervention from computers or external stimuli. Precisely when these...

Simulation-Based Pipeline Tailors Training Data for Dexterous Robots

When ChatGPT or Gemini give what seems to be an expert response to your burning questions, you may not realize how much information it relies on to give that reply. Like...

Teaching Robots to Build Without Blueprints

Unlike human manufacturing, the grand designs of bees, ants, and termites emerge simply from their collective action with no central planning required. Now, researchers at Penn’s School of...

Robots React to Danger Like Humans

In the midst of the co-development of artificial intelligence and robotic advancements, developing technologies that enable robots to efficiently perceive and respond to their surroundings like humans has...

A Low-Cost, Durable, Highly Sensitive Robotic Skin

Scientists have developed a low-cost, durable, highly-sensitive robotic ‘skin’ that can be added to robotic hands like a glove, enabling robots to detect information about their surroundings in a way that’s similar to humans.