Motion Control/​Automation

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.

Improving Traffic Signal Timing with a Handful of Connected Vehicles

Communities could reduce costs and cut vehicle emissions — all in the name of shortening your trip.

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.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on an experimental tractor-trailer that recaptures its own electricity from vibrations, heat, and airflow; one on Mugatu, the first steerable bipedal robot with only one motor; one on Tiago, a research robot being developed at Chalmers University of Technology to push the boundaries of development; and one on a new lithium battery that can charge in under five minutes.

AI Advances Heart Research

A promising way to study disease and test new drugs is to use cellular and engineered tissue models in a dish, but existing methods to study heart cell contraction and calcium handling require a good deal of manual work, are prone to errors, and need expensive specialized equipment. Researchers at Columbia Engineering unveiled a groundbreaking new tool today that addresses these challenges head-on: BeatProfiler.

Unique Datapath Architecture Yields Real-Time Computing

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed and successfully flight tested a high-performance computing platform, known as the Descent and Landing Computer (DLC), to suit the demands of safe, autonomous, extraterrestrial spacecraft landings for robotic and human exploration missions.

Computer Vision Lends Precision to Robotic Grappling

Innovators at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) have developed computer vision software that derives target posture determinations quickly and then instructs an operator how to properly align a robotic end-effector with a target that they are trying to grapple.

The Crucial Role of Bearings in the Humanoid Robotics Revolution

In the ever-evolving robotics landscape, achieving precise and seamless motion is paramount. While articulating joints enable a robot’s range of motion, bearings serve as the backbone, ensuring smooth and accurate movement. Particularly in humanoid robots where precision is non-negotiable, the selection of bearings becomes a critical engineering decision. Design engineers must consider the diverse range of robotic bearings, how backlash affects precision, and when to use seals to protect bearings from harsh environments.

When Is Precision Motion Control the Right Choice?

Precision motion control solutions supply an even higher level of motor control, often synchronized over several axes of motion or motors. But when are they the right choice? Read this story to find out.

Product Showcase

See the product showcase, which includes Bodine type 42R hypoid gearmotors; the Pyramid Connectable (“PC”) Twisted Belt; the IMI Norgren VR Valve Manifold; CENTRUM CSF40, a stainless steel encoder scale disc; KHK USA's gear for motion design; ABB Robotics' OmniCore, an intelligent automation platform that is faster, more precise, and more sustainable; and much more.

Engineered Skin Tissue Grants Robots Special Properties and Abilities

Researchers have found a way to bind engineered skin tissue to the complex forms of humanoid robots. This brings with it potential benefits to robotic platforms such as increased mobility, self-healing abilities, embedded sensing capabilities and an increasingly lifelike appearance.

A Robot to Aid People with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Engineers at the University of California San Diego in collaboration with clinicians, people with MCI, and their care partners have developed CARMEN, short for Cognitively Assistive Robot for Motivation and Neurorehabilitation — a small, tabletop robot designed to help people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) learn skills to improve memory, attention, and executive functioning at home.

Miniature 3D-Printed Actuators to Control Soft Robots

Researchers from NC State University have demonstrated mini soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick. The researchers also demonstrated that this technique works with shape memory materials.

Tactile Sensing Strategy Enables Accurate Object Detection

Researchers from Tsinghua University worked to break through the difficulties of robotic recognition of various common, yet complex, items. Read on to learn more.