Explore the latest developments in motion control and automation. Discover innovative advances from NASA and major research labs in robotics, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, PID controller applications, motor drives and power transmissions.
Scientists have developed multi-modal 3D object detection methods that combine 3D LiDAR data with 2D RGB images taken by standard cameras. While the fusion of 2D images and 3D LiDAR data leads to more accurate 3D detection results, it still faces its own set of challenges, with accurate detection of small objects remaining difficult. Read on to learn more about it.
Despite their immense potential, humanoid robots face several challenges before they can achieve mainstream adoption. In this article, two industry executives — Melonee Wise, Chief Product Officer of Agility Robotics and Barry Phillips, Chief Commercial Officer of Apptronik — share their insights about the current state and future outlook for humanoid robots.
Motor commutation involves the process of switching between motor phases to ensure smooth, continuous operation. In this article, we’ll dive into the importance of commutation, explain how it works, and discuss the challenges faced when trying to pair different motors and drives, especially across brands.
See the new products, including igus' aluminum version of its drylin ® NT-60 telescopic rail; Tolomatic Inc.'s online Drive Integration Tool; Flexiv's KURAVIZON adaptive robot; Thomson Industries' upgrade to its stepper motor linear actuator online selector tool, which adds the ability to include encoders in the design process; and more.
A new study, published in the journal Results in Engineering, introduced a meticulously designed dataset aimed at enhancing the performance of 6D pose estimation algorithms. Read on to learn more.
In this compendium of articles from the editors of Automotive Engineering and ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Engineering, we look at the next generation of driver assistance and AV technologies, and...
A Ballbot is a unique kind of robot with great mobility, which possesses the ability to go in all directions. Obviously, controlling such a robotic device must be tricky. Indeed, ballbot systems...
NASA and its partners recently tested an aircraft guidance system that could help planes maintain a precise course even while flying at high speeds up to 500 mph. The instrument is...
An electrospray engine applies an electric field to a conductive liquid, generating a high-speed jet of tiny droplets that can propel a spacecraft. These miniature engines are...
From the operating room to the family farm to your next hotel stay, advances in robotics and automation are impacting a wide range of industries. Read all about it in this compendium of articles from the...
A team has developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions. As a demonstration, they grew an artificial, muscle-powered structure that pulls both concentrically and radially.
Duke University Professor Boyuan Chen and his team have developed a platform called CREW that is used to create algorithms to optimize human-AI cooperation.
This white paper provides a practical guide for transitioning from hydraulic to electric actuators in industrial automation. It outlines a three-step process for making the switch: determining actual force...
Researchers at EPFL and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have developed a compact and versatile robot that can maneuver through tight spaces and transport payloads much heavier than itself.
A team of engineers is on a mission to redefine mobility by providing innovative wearable solutions to physical therapists, orthotic and prosthetic professionals, and individuals experiencing walking impairment and disability.
Springtails, small bugs often found crawling through leaf litter and garden soil, are expert jumpers. Inspired by these hopping hexapods, roboticists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and...
From mountain goats that run up near-vertical rock faces to armadillos that roll into a protective ball, animals have evolved to adapt effortlessly to changes in their environment....
Drone shows are an increasingly popular form of large-scale light display. These shows incorporate hundreds to thousands of airborne bots, each programmed to fly in paths that...
Choosing between plastic and metal bearings for construction machinery is a decision many manufacturers have to make. However, it’s a deceptively simple choice, as...
With the goal to democratize space research, MIT engineers have demonstrated the first fully 3D-printed, droplet-emitting electrospray engine which can be produced rapidly and for a fraction of the cost of traditional thruster.
An innovative circuit design could enable miniature devices, such as microdrones and other microrobotics, to be powered for longer periods of time while staying...
Researchers achieve near‐void‐free 3D printing…how new laser joining technology is improving implantable device reliability…tips and techniques for adhesive bonding of plastics. Read...
A new study led by Flinders University and French researchers has used a novel bio-inspired computing artificial intelligence solution to improve the potential of UUVs and other adaptive control systems to operate more reliability in rough seas and other unpredictable conditions. Read on to learn more.
In creating a pair of new robots, Cornell researchers cultivated an unlikely component: fungal mycelia. By harnessing mycelia’s innate electrical signals, the researchers discovered a new way of controlling “biohybrid” robots that can potentially react to their environment better than their purely synthetic counterparts. Read on to learn more.
In a recent study published in the journal eLife, an international research group has studied the relationship between electrical stimulation in stick insects’ leg muscles and the resultant torque (the twisting force that makes the leg move). Read on to learn what they found.
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