Robotics, Automation & Control

A Shape-Shifting Metamaterial Inspired by Push Puppets

UCLA researchers have developed a new type of metamaterial, a material engineered to possess properties with applications for soft robotics, reconfigurable architectures, and space engineering.

Swimming Microrobots Deliver Cancer-fighting Drugs to Metastatic Lung Tumors

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed microscopic robots, known as microrobots, capable of swimming through the lungs to deliver...

Autonomous Aerial Robots Prioritize Rooms in Multiroom Exploration

An estimated 100 earthquakes worldwide cause damage each year. This damage includes collapsed buildings, downed electrical lines and more. For first responders, assessing...

A New Model Offers Robots Precise Pick-and-Place Solutions

Pick-and-place machines are a type of automated equipment used to place objects into structured, organized locations. These machines are used for a variety of applications — from...

Generative AI Systems Can Produce Robot-Training Simulations

URDFormer takes images of real environments from the internet and quickly creates physically realistic simulation environments where robots can train.

Test Your Knowledge About AI Adoption in Engineering

With advancements like large language models, we are seeing increased integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into engineering processes. Design engineers of advanced machines and systems such as robots, medical devices, automotive components, and manufacturing lines, are already using AI to streamline design and production processes. How much do you know about AI adoption in engineering? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Compound Eye Structure Could Revolutionize Robotic Vision

A team developed a pinhole compound vision system by adopting new materials and structures. This system features several key characteristics, including an inherent hemispherical perovskite nanowire array imager with high pixel density to enlarge the imaging field and a 3D-printed lens-free pinhole array.

5Ws of Film-Balloon Soft Robots

A novel fabrication approach enables lightweight, untethered operation of soft robots with advanced biomimetic locomotion capabilities.

An Autonomous Drone Based on Animal Brains

A team of researchers at Delft University of Technology has developed a drone that flies autonomously using neuromorphic image processing and control based on the workings of animal brains.

Using AI to Streamline Robotic Warehouse Operations

Getting 800 robots in a warehouse to and from their destinations efficiently while keeping them from crashing into each other is no easy task. So, a group of MIT researchers who use AI to mitigate traffic congestion applied ideas from that domain to tackle this problem. Read on to learn what they built.

A Telerobotic System to Revolutionize Hazardous Nuclear Waste Clean-Up

Because they can go where humans can’t, robots are especially suited for safely working with hazardous nuclear waste. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have designed and tested a remote-controlled, dual-arm telerobotics system with human-like capabilities that has the potential to revolutionize hazardous waste clean-up and holds potential for broader applications.

3D-Printing Flexible Devices without Mechanical Joints

Eva Baur, a Ph.D. student, used 3D-printed double network granular elastomers (DNGEs) to print a prototype ‘finger,’ complete with rigid ‘bones’ surrounded by flexible ‘flesh.’ The finger was printed to deform in a pre-defined way, demonstrating the technology’s potential to manufacture devices that are sufficiently supple to bend and stretch, while remaining firm enough to manipulate objects. Read on to learn more.

Smart Glove Can Boost Hand Mobility of Stroke Patients

A new groundbreaking “smart glove” is capable of tracking the hand and finger movements of stroke victims during rehabilitation exercises. The glove incorporates a sophisticated network of highly sensitive sensor yarns and pressure sensors that are woven into a comfortable stretchy fabric. Read on to learn more about the smart glove.

Modified VR Tech to Measure Brain Activity

A research team created a noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor that was installed in a Meta VR headset that can be worn comfortably for long periods. The EEG measures the brain’s electrical activity during the immersive VR interactions. Read on to learn more.

Robotics Virtual Twins Offer a Simulation-Based Approach to Real-time Operations

RVT is set to become a pivotal innovation in the quest for net-zero emissions within the automotive industry. By fully leveraging RVT capabilities, manufacturers can significantly reduce material waste, energy consumption, and emissions while enhancing resource efficiency and integrating renewable energy sources. Read on to learn more.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on ETH’s student-built drone, which will operate free of external and visible propellers; one on a soft robotic hand that combines vision, motor-based proprioception, and soft tactile sensors to identify, sort, and pack a stream of unknown objects; one on the Environmental Toolkit for Expeditionary Operations; and one on how integrating AI into robotic systems can enhance their capabilities and enable them to perform more complex tasks.

Total Versatility: Flexible Test Station With a Cobot and Camera

Manually checking the quality of components or products in industry is labor-intensive for employees and error-prone on top of that. The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM is unveiling a solution that provides total versatility in this area. Read on to learn more about it.

Advanced Laser Cleaning Robotic Work Cells Turbocharge Industrial Processes

Enclosed robotic laser parts cleaning systems are poised to safely remove rust and contamination as well as condition surfaces at dramatically higher volumes and at lower cost than conventional methods. Read on to learn more about the process.

Researchers Develop New and Improved Camera Inspired by the Human Eye

The camera mimics the involuntary movements of the human eye to create sharper, more accurate images for robots, smartphones, and other image-capturing devices. Read on to learn more about it.

Exploring Robotics and Cobots in Medical Device Production

How robotics and cobots are providing increased efficiency and quality in the medical device production process.

A Quantum Leap for Motion Sensing

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are attempting to make a motion sensor so precise it could minimize the nation’s reliance on global positioning satellites. Until recently, such a sensor — a...

Robot Planning Tool Accounts for Human Carelessness

A new algorithm may make robots safer by making them more aware of human inattentiveness.

3D-Printed Actuators Can Move, Lock Soft Robots into New Shapes

Researchers have demonstrated miniature soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick.

A Supercomputer for Aerospace and Defense Systems Modeling and Simulation

Frank Ham, Vice President of Research and Development at Cadence, joins the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain why the Millenium M1 is a CFD supercomputer.

Rise of Robots in the Food Industry

From food packaging to preparation and delivery to serving in restaurants, robots are helping the food industry meet labor shortages and reduce costs. When did robots debut in the food industry and what’s their future? Take this quiz to find out.

The Human Touch: Ethical Considerations in Healthcare Robotics

The ethical implications of integrating robots into healthcare, discussing topics such as patient trust, privacy concerns, and the balance between human and robotic interaction in caregiving.

Automating Healthcare: The Role of Robots

How robots are being utilized for tasks in clinics and hospitals, from delivering medications to managing inventory and performing tasks such as taking blood pressure.