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Stretch and pressure, the keys to eels' remarkable locomotive abilities, inform development of new robotA spinal cord injury in most vertebrates likely inhibits locomotion and induces paralysis—not so in eels. They not only possess the ability to move through water, and surprisingly, across land when intact, but can also continue to swim even if their spinal cord is severed.... Read more
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RoboBallet system enables robotic arms to work together like a well-choreographed danceScientists at UCL, Google DeepMind and Intrinsic have developed a powerful new AI algorithm that enables large sets of robotic arms to work together faster and smarter in busy industrial settings, potentially saving manufacturers hundreds of hours of planning time and unlocking new levels of flexibility and efficiency.... Read more
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How autoworkers are retraining for the robot revolutionGeneral Motors Co. worker Annie Ignaczak spent years walking in circles on concrete factory floors, assembling the same parts and counting down hundreds of pieces she and her coworkers needed to finish before lunch.... Read more
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A robot learns to handle bulky objects like humans do after just one lessonFor all their technological brilliance, from navigating distant planets to performing complex surgery, robots still struggle with a few basic human tasks. One of the most significant challenges is dexterity, which refers to the ability to grasp, hold and manipulate objects. Until now, that is. Scientists from the Toyota Research... Read more
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Physical AI uses both sight and touch to manipulate objects like a humanIn everyday life, it's a no-brainer to be able to grab a cup of coffee from the table. Multiple sensory inputs such as sight (seeing how far away the cup is) and touch are combined in real-time. However, recreating this in artificial intelligence (AI) is not quite as easy.... Read more
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AI-equipped aerial robots help track and model wildfire smokeResearchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed aerial robots equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, track and analyze wildfire smoke plumes. This innovation could lead to more accurate computer models that will improve air quality predictions for a wide range of pollutants.... Read more
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Snap-through effect helps engineers solve soft material motion trade-offEveryday occurrences like snapping hair clips or clicking retractable pens feature a mechanical phenomenon known as "snap-through." Small insects and plants like the Venus flytrap cleverly use this snap-through effect to amplify their limited physical force, rapidly releasing stored elastic energy for swift, powerful movements.... Read more
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Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AIWith jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games.... Read more
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Developing self-deploying material for next-gen roboticsThe field of robotics has transformed drastically in this century, with a special focus on soft robotics. In this context, origami-inspired deployable structures with compact storage and efficient deployment features have gained prominence in aerospace, architecture, and medical fields.... Read more
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Unusual microbug anatomy shown to optimize wing weight—findings could benefit tiny drone designSkoltech and MSU scientists have uncovered the advantage gained by microscopic bugs from their feather-like wings that are unlike those of dragonflies, bees, mosquitoes and other familiar insects. A wing largely made up of bristles that stand somewhat apart from each other is lighter than the conventional membranous wing that... Read more
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Robot regret: New research helps robots make safer decisions around humansImagine for a moment that you're in an auto factory. A robot and a human are working next to each other on the production line. The robot is busy rapidly assembling car doors while the human runs quality control, inspecting the doors for damage and making sure they come together... Read more
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Warehouse automation hasn't made workers safer—it's just reshuffled the risk, say researchersRapid advancements in robotics are changing the face of the world's warehouses, as dangerous and physically taxing tasks are being reassigned en masse from humans to machines. Automation and digitization are nothing new in the logistics sector, or any sector heavily reliant on manual labor. Bosses prize automation because it... Read more
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Prehistoric basketweaving inspires new materials for stiff, resilient robotsAble to undergo repeated compressions without losing their shape, woven materials could form robots, exoskeletons, car parts, architectural components and more.... Read more
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Starfish-inspired tube feet could help underwater robots get a gripSoft robotics, which uses flexible and deformable materials, is an emerging field in autonomous systems. It has recently been applied to next-generation tasks such as deep-sea sampling with soft robotic grippers—requiring strong adhesion and autonomous detachment. Bioinspired adhesion offers a promising solution.... Read more
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Virtual reality merges with robotics to create seamless physical interactionsComputer scientists at Princeton are working to bring virtual reality into the physical world, with the potential to enhance a variety of experiences, including remote collaboration, education, entertainment and gaming.... Read more