Motion Control/​Automation

Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control

Navigation System Guides Robot Through Busiest Hospital Areas

Computer scientists at UC San Diego developed a navigation system that will allow robots to better negotiate busy environments in a hospital

INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control

Mars Helicopter Begins New Phase

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has a new mission. Having proven that powered, controlled flight is possible on the Red Planet, the Ingenuity experiment will soon embark on a new operations...

INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control

Living, Swimming, Self-Training Robots

Using 3D bioprinting, researchers have created biobots at the centimeter size range that can swim and coast like fish with unprecedented velocity. Rather than working with stiff or tethered...

INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control

Robot Senses Hidden Objects

MIT researchers developed RF-Grasp, a robot that uses radio waves to sense occluded objects. RF-Grasp uses both a camera and an RF reader to find and grab tagged objects, even when they’re fully blocked from...

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Accelerometer and Gyroscope Designs Based on Carbon Nanotube Tape

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed designs for two micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) motion and position sensors: a single-axis accelerometer and a gyroscope....

Briefs: Motion Control

RFID-Based Rotary Position Sensor

Innovators have developed an RFID-based system for sensing the angular position of rotating systems. The RFID-Based Rotary Position Sensor can be used as a position/orientation sensor or implemented in a...

Briefs: Motion Control

Hinge Design Helps Quadrotors Climb

The new hinge is the key to get loadbearing, large quadrotors to climb a few dozen feet in seconds.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Cord Tension Measurement Device

Potential applications include parachutes, hot air balloons, weather balloons, blimps, sails, and parasails.

NASA Spinoff: Robotics, Automation & Control

Hot Water on Demand

With a clever design by NASA, waiting for hot water could be a thing of the past.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Predicting In-Flight Air Density for More Accurate Landing

An algorithm runs onboard a vehicle, providing important real-time data to aid in steering the craft.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

System Helps Drones Detect and Avoid Power Lines

This technology provides drones sufficient time and distance to react, avoid wires, and navigate follow-on maneuvers.

Briefs: Unmanned Systems

Navigation Algorithm Enables Drones to Learn Acrobatic Maneuvers

Autonomous quadcopters can be trained using simulations to increase their speed, agility, and efficiency.

Facility Focus: Aerospace

Facility Focus: Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science

Notable graduates of the school include Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos, Google executive Eric Schmidt, Internet pioneer Bob Kahn, former Chrysler head Lee Iacocca, and six NASA astronauts.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Pollen-Based Paper Bends and Curls in Response to Humidity

The paper-like material could be useful in soft robots, sensors, artificial muscles, and electric generators.

5 Ws: Robotics, Automation & Control

5 Ws of Robot Healthcare Helpers

A research team programmed two robots — a humanoid figure and a robotic arm — to measure human physiological signals.

Briefs: Materials

3D Printing of Gels and Soft Materials

A new method could jump-start the creation of tiny medical devices for the body.

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Wireless Charging for Lunar Robots

See how WiBotic — a maker of wireless charging and fleet energy management technologies — is preparing robots for the Moon.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Turbulence Model for Design of Aircraft Capable of Handling Extreme Scenarios

This model can be used to design better aircraft without having to wait months for supercomputer calculations.

Blog: Software

'Magic' Software Makes Complex DNA Robots, Faster

New software being developed at Ohio State University will allow creation of more complex DNA robots, at much faster speeds.

INSIDER: Motion Control

Artificial Muscles for Robotic Actuators

Northern Arizona University researchers developed high-performance artificial muscle technology based on linear actuators. Because of their helical structure, the actuators generate more power,...

Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control

A First Step for Humans on Mars: NASA's Rover Makes Oxygen

The technology demonstration is a first step in showing that humans could someday live (and breathe) on Mars.

Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control

A Photonic 'Sunflower' Offers New Ideas for Light-Driven Systems

Taking inspiration from the insect, Tufts researchers created light-activated composite devices that execute precise, visible movements and form complex three-dimensional shapes, like a "photonic sunflower. "