Browse innovative developments in motion control technologies. Find essential news, technical briefs and applications used in PID controllers, servo motors, direct drive solutions, autonomous positioning, and motion-related components.
A cutting-edge technology with the potential to enable crewed Mars missions and robotic exploration across the solar system was recently tested at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Read on to learn more about it.
Mathematical analysis of crowd density is notoriously complex because there are so many possible paths and interactions to consider. Read on to learn what a Harvard team did to get around this difficulty.
A successful space mission requires not only reliable motion components, it also means partnering with a motion specialist that can ensure they work as planned on their mission. This...
Why human expertise is driving the future of autonomy…how to implement predictive maintenance…automated pallet inspection separates good from bad. Read all about it in this compendium of...
AI is rapidly becoming integral across society, with physical AI expanding unmanned and autonomous production capabilities. To advance its shipbuilding expertise, HII, a major U.S. military shipbuilder for over 135 years, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with GrayMatter Robotics to bring advanced AI initiatives into HII’s automation systems and workforce. Read on to learn more.
For advanced search-and-rescue, a team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) drew inspiration from bats to create palm-sized aerial robots. Read on to learn more.
MIT researchers developed an AI system that prevents robot traffic jams in automated warehouses by dynamically prioritizing and rerouting robots. Simulations show the approach can increase throughput and facilitate robot-to-robot communication. Read on to learn more.
Researchers at Saarland University created AI-powered smart wheels that sense user intent to provide smoother acceleration, braking, and steering. The technology could make carts, beds, wheelchairs, and other wheeled systems easier and safer to use. Read on to learn more.
To keep pace with rising delivery demand and sustainability goals, municipalities are beginning to reimagine the supply chain. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, aka drones, are emerging as one potential solution. Read on to learn more.
Bodine Electric Company has been designing and manufacturing electric gearmotors for 120 years. Having seen thousands of applications over the years, the engineers at Bodine know the best play for each...
Explore how Alliance Sensors Group’s LVIT linear position sensors deliver long life, high reliability, and cost efficiency in demanding environments. Learn how they reduce maintenance...
See the new products, including Flexxbotics' enhanced MQTT connector driver within the Flexxbotics open-source project on GitHub; IKO International's LCRB series — an ultra-lightweight crossed roller bearing series with a unique inner and outer ring construction; Bosch Sensortec's BMI5 platform, a new generation of inertial sensors designed to provide consistent, high-precision performance across multiple device classes; and more.
A new artificial intelligence control system enables soft robotic arms to learn a wide repertoire of motions and tasks once, then adjust to new scenarios on the fly, without needing retraining or sacrificing functionality. This breakthrough brings soft robotics closer to human-like adaptability for real-world applications. Read on to learn more.
Laser invention to steer the next generation of moon landers…why Mars rovers keep getting stuck in the sand…are nuclear micro reactors the future of spacecraft propulsion? Read all about it in this compendium...
Northwestern University engineers have developed the first modular robots with athletic intelligence. They can be combined and recombined in the wild, recover from injury and keep moving no...
A Harvard-led, theoretical and experimental study that blends biology, physics, and mathematics has uncovered how tree snakes’ muscles, gravity, and proprioceptive feedback, or...
Whether in the kitchen or on a workshop floor, robot assistants that can fetch items for people could be extremely useful. Now, a team of Brown University researchers has developed...
Mechanical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a proof-of-concept method for programming mechanical properties into solid Lego-like building blocks. By controlling the...
Bipedal — two-legged — autonomous robots can be quite agile. This makes them useful for performing tasks on uneven terrain, such as carrying equipment through outdoor...
The potential of microrobots is enormous. These miniature objects can be designed to carry out actions within the body, such as sensing biomarkers, manipulating...
With its opposable thumb, multiple joints, and gripping skin, human hands are often considered to be the pinnacle of dexterity, and many robotic hands are designed in their image. But...
Engineering the next generation of surgical robots...conductive skin gives robots the human touch...how vision integration is transforming collaborative robotics. Read about these innovations and more...
Building on her experience volunteering at retirement homes, Carnegie Mellon researcher Jasmine Li decided to focus her research on assistive robotics that help people with everyday tasks....
Sea stars are creatures whose movements involve the coordination of hundreds of tiny tube feet to navigate complex environments — despite the lack of a central brain. In other words, it’s as though...
If the goal of a robot is to perform a function, then minimizing the possibility of failure is a top priority when it comes to robotic design. But although systems with multiple units, or agents,...
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a next-generation wearable system that enables people to control machines using everyday gestures — even...
Relying solely on motor-based force/speed curves often leads to undersized actuators and costly system delays. This white paper explores the critical gap between...
An essential question engineers ask before specifying a rotary ball spline is: Should the rotary spline nut be riding on angular contact ball bearings or crossed roller bearings?
