Robotics

NASA ‘Arms’ Astronauts, Industry with Robotic Intelligence

With funding from NASA, PickNik Robotics developed and refined its robotic automation software and then worked with roboticists in Johnson Center to prove the software’s functionality.

Unlocking the Potential of 48V Robotic Systems

The shift from 12V to 48V systems is driven by the need for improved efficiency and reduced cooling requirements. Read on to learn more.

Electric Eel Biology Inspires Powerful Gel Battery

Power sources used in devices found in or around biological tissue must be flexible and non-toxic, while still powerful enough to support demanding technologies such as medical devices or soft robotics. To achieve this balance, researchers at Penn State are taking inspiration from electric eels. Read on to learn more.

Baby Turtles Inspire a New Swimmer Bot

A team of roboticists at the University of California San Diego has developed a robot that can swim under the sand and dig itself out too, thanks to two front limbs that mimic the oversized flippers of turtle hatchlings. Read on to learn more about it.

Meet PASE: The Pneumatically Actuated Soft Elbow Exoskeleton

For workers whose jobs involve hours of lifting and repetitive motion, even small innovations can make a big difference in preventing future musculoskeletal disorders. That’s why engineers at The University of Texas at Arlington have developed PASE (Pneumatically Actuated Soft Elbow Exoskeleton), a soft robotic exoskeleton that lightens the load — literally — by reducing strain on the arm and elbow. Read on to learn more.

ARC ANGEL Reduces Gravity’s Effect on Arms

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed an Earthbound robotic training system called “ARGOS” for short. It can actively simulate an astronaut’s weightlessness in space by using an overhead runway and bridge drive system to partially or fully offload their weight using attached cables, effectively suspending them off the ground. Read on to learn more.

Soft Robots That Can Walk on Water

Imagine a tiny robot, no bigger than a leaf, gliding across a pond’s surface like a water strider. One day, devices like this could track pollutants, collect water samples, or scout flooded areas too risky for people. Baoxing Xu, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, is pioneering a way to build them. Read on to learn more.

Light-Powered Soft Lens Brings Human-Like Vision to Robotics

A team of biomedical engineers at Georgia Tech has unveiled a breakthrough in adaptive optics: a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions. Read on to learn more.

Elevating Clinical Trial Logistics Performance Through Automation

To address challenges and future-proof its clinical trial supply chain, Zuellig Pharma partnered with Hai Robotics to introduce intelligent automation at its new Clinical Trial Support Innovation Center. Read on to learn more.

Hierarchical 3D LiDAR Localization Improves Robot Positioning

Researchers at Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain have developed a hierarchical localization system that significantly improves robot positioning in large, changing environments. The method addresses one of the most challenging problems in mobile robotics: the so-called “kidnapped robot” problem, in which a robot loses knowledge of its initial pose after being moved, powered off, or displaced. Read on to learn more.

Slashing Order Processing Time with End-to-End Automation

Read on to find out how Lane Automotive slashed order processing time from 109 to under 15 minutes.

Using AI to Control a Robot on the International Space Station

Stanford researchers have introduced a system designed to help Astrobee, a cube-shaped, fan-powered robot, autonomously navigate the International Space Station. Read on to learn more.

Physical AI Accelerates Next-Gen Biomanufacturing

Robotic biomanufacturing company Multiply Labs recently announced a landmark milestone in its mission to scale production of cell and gene therapies. The company is now leveraging NVIDIA’s open Isaac and GR00T technologies including advanced robotics simulation and perception, marking a turning point for an industry that has historically relied on manual, “artisanal” processes. Read on to learn more.

New Neural Blueprint Lets Soft Robots Learn Once and Adapt Instantly

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.

Bio-Inspired Robotic Wing Enhances Underwater Vehicle Control

Researchers have taken inspiration from nature to create a robotic wing that can sense and adapt to changes in water to deliver unparalleled stability. Read on to learn more.

These Robots Are Born to Run — And Never Die

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...

Snakes’ Ability to Stand Upright Could Inform Soft Robotics

A Harvard-led, theoretical and experimental study that blends biology, physics, and mathematics has uncovered how tree snakes’ muscles, gravity, and proprioceptive feedback, or...

What Can Dogs Tell Us About How Robots Can Locate Objects?

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...

Programmable Lego-Like Material Emulates Life’s Flexibility

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...

Next-Generation Robotic System Aims to Redefine Endoscopic Procedures

The BIRTH lab is giving endoscopists a second hand: One hand is the scope, and the second hand is for manipulating the tissue.

Making Human-Centered Robotics Work in the Real World

Learn how human-centered robotic systems are deployed at scale, with lessons from cobots in industrial environments.

Humanoid Robots Make Confident Strides Toward Walking Stability

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...

Bubble Bots: Simple Biocompatible Microrobots Autonomously Target Tumors

The potential of microrobots is enormous. These miniature objects can be designed to carry out actions within the body, such as sensing biomarkers, manipulating...

Reversible, Detachable Robotic Hand Redefines Dexterity

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...

A Neural Blueprint for Human-Like Intelligence in Soft Robots

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...

Soft Robots with Human-Like Intelligence

Researchers have developed a new AI control system that allows soft robots to adapt across diverse tasks and disturbances.

Teaching a Robot to Hang a T-shirt Starts with Data

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....

What Robots Can Learn from Sea Stars

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...