• Robots with human-like vision to perform dangerous missions

    Robots with human-like vision may be deployed to perform maintenance inside nuclear fusion reactors or carry out duties in other areas too dangerous for any person to operate in; a new laser sensor is being developed which will mimic this process by obtaining a coarse image of the scene, performing rapid image analysis to detect objects of interest and subsequently obtaining images with higher temporal and spatial resolution of the detected objects

  • Big and small robots showcase their skills at NIST Alaskan events

    In the main microrobotics event — the two-millimeter dash — the microbot from Carnegie Mellon University broke the world record held by Switzerland’s ETH Zurich with an average time of 78 milliseconds; the achievement was, well, short-lived: Less than an hour later, the French team shattered the mark with an average time of 32 milliseconds

  • Sensors emulate insects' acoustic capabilities

    Researchers build sensors emulating the way a mosquito senses an oncoming predator or the swat of a human hand; these sensors have the potential to improve the industrial use of acoustic sensors and actuators, from medical ultrasound imaging, non-destructive testing of materials, and even robot guidance

  • New Zealand, Chinese teams win 2010 VEX Robotics World Championship

    Major robotic competition for middle and high school aged students is a resounding success; more than 400 teams competed across four divisions for numerous trophies and awards; the tournament champions were an alliance of two New Zealand teams and one Chinese team

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  • Drivers can now guide a car using their eyes, not hands

    German researchers develop a system which allows drivers to steer their cars using only their eyes: the wheel is turned in the direction the driver is looking; if the driver is distracted, the car begin to drive autonomously; and this, too: drivers may opt to use an iPhone application which lets them to control the car remotely

  • DARPA unveils details of Transformer TX flying car

    DARPA is inviting proposals for flying car and accompanying technologies; in addition to being a capable ground vehicle, the TX should be able to lift off and land “without forward motion” and thereafter climb at least one unit upward for every six moved forward at sea level, or a minimum of 1:10 at higher altitudes; it should cruise in forward flight mode at speeds “representative of a light single-engine aircraft” and be able to achieve altitudes of 10,000 feet

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  • Northrop Grumman unveils latest version of Wheelbarrow UGV

    Northrop Grumman’s Wheelbarrow unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) was first used by British Army bomb disposal teams during “The Troubles” in Ireland in the 1970s; since then it has gone through a number of design upgrades to extend its capabilities and meet changing military and first response needs; the company has just unveiled the latest version of this veteran robot

  • Market for first responders, law enforcement robotics to see robust growth

    Market for first responders and law enforcement robotics reached $203.1 million in 2009; it is anticipated to reach $3.7 billion by 2016; market growth will come as border patrols and law enforcement agencies use robots to achieve broader security in a less expensive manner

  • UC Berkeley researchers develop a robot that folds towels

    Researchers build a robot that can reliably fold towels it has never “seen”; the solution addresses a key issue in the development of robotics: many important problems in applying robotics and computer vision to real-life missions involve deformable objects, and the challenges posed by robotic towel-folding reflect important challenges inherent in robotic perception and manipulation for deformable objects

  • U.S. Army looking for robots to extract wounded soldiers from battlefield

    Rescuing wounded soldiers under fire is itself a major cause of military death and injury; the U.S. Army asks inventors to come with idea for a Robotic Combat Casualty Extraction device; the robot should not only be strong and dexterous, but should also be capable of planning an approach and escape route without prior knowledge of the local terrain and geography

  • Robot evaluates safety inside structures

    Researchers develop new method to inspect to interior of dangerous structures — dangerous because of structural damage or because terrorists or criminals are hiding there; a remote-controlled robot that is equipped with an infrared camera and LIDAR (light detection and ranging) technology, which sends out multiple laser points that bounce off objects and provide feedback

  • Robot chooses from a menu of walking styles to escape trouble

    When a newly developed robot finds it cannot move freely, it scans through the many walking gaits it has taught itself and selects the best for the terrain; this means it can free itself should it get stuck; the robot has six triple-jointed legs each with several sensors; the sensors feed information to the neural network, which then determines the most appropriate gait for the terrain, and adjusts the robot’s eighteen motors accordingly

  • Robots climb up the wall

    Robots which mimic wall-climbing animals can be used for gathering information; they can climb up walls and peek into windows – or clamber around the submerged hulls of cargo ships to check for contraband and bombs

  • Robotic cockroaches to help military, law enforcement

    Cockroaches can run fast, turn on a dime, move easily over rough terrain, and react to perturbations faster than a nerve impulse can travel; running cockroach robots could serve valuable roles in difficult jobs, such as military operations, law enforcement, or space exploration. Related technology might also be applied to improve the function of prosthetic limbs for amputees, or serve other needs

  • Japanese department store offers robots that look like their buyers

    Acting on the insight that some people can never have enough of themselves, a Japanese department store chain now offers robots that look like their buyers; for $225,000, interested individuals can have a robot designed to look like their identical twin