Robotics

An Avocado Robot Gathers Canopy Data by Swinging Among Trees

The Avocado abseiling robot is designed to gather environmental data from otherwise inaccessible treetop areasEmanuele Aucone/SNSFResearchers in Switzerland are developing an environmental monitoring robot named Avocado, drawing inspiration from abseiling spiders. This fruit-shaped robot utilizes a winch and rotors to descend through the canopy, collecting data on life in the treetops.The prototype from ETH...

University of Amsterdam Chemists Develop AI-Driven Autonomous Chemical Synthesis Robot

The University of Amsterdam introduces RoboChem, an autonomous benchtop platform designed for rapid, precise, and continuous chemical synthesis. Credit: University of AmsterdamChemists at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) have introduced an innovative autonomous chemical synthesis robot called "RoboChem," which is equipped with an integrated AI-driven machine learning unit. Representing a breakthrough in the...

Drone-Deployed Mini LineFly Protects Birds on Power Lines

An E2500 HP coaxial rotor drone lowers a Mini LineFly robot onto a power lineFulcrumAirIt's unfortunate that birds frequently meet fatal accidents when colliding with unnoticed overhead power lines. To address this issue, a novel system employs a drone and a robot to enhance the visibility of these lines, preventing such incidents.Introduced earlier this...

These Micro-Robots Were Inspired by Mini-Bugs and Water Striders

One robot weighs 55 milligrams, while its parter is just 5 milligrams. BOB HUBNER, WSU PHOTO SERVICESThe conceptual framework of two diminutive insect-inspired robots could eventually be applied to environmental monitoring, surgical procedures, and search-and-rescue missions. Weighing eight and 55 milligrams, these bots, modeled after a mini-bug and a water strider, are claimed to potentially...

Revolutionary Biorobotic Heart: A Breakthrough in Cardiac Research and Surgery

In a groundbreaking achievement, researchers have successfully combined biological tissue with robotic technology, potentially heralding a significant advancement in the field of heart disease research. Credit: Summit Art Creations/Shutterstock.comScientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat by combining real heart tissue with advanced soft robotic technology, resulting in a biorobotic heart that mimics the rhythm of...

Humanoid Figure Achieves Autonomous Task Learning and Performance

Within a year of development, Figure's 01 achieved the remarkable feat of walking—an accomplishment that Adcock considers to be a record-breaking milestone.Brett Adcock, from Figure, asserted a significant breakthrough in humanoid robotics over the weekend, which he referred to as a "ChatGPT moment." This revelation becomes clearer as we now understand that the robot...

Tesla’s Optimus Gen 2 Humanoid Bears a stronger Resemblance to the Model S than the Cybertruck

The new Tesla Optimus Gen 2 humanoid demonstrates Tesla's extraordinary development paceTeslaTesla has undergone a comprehensive redesign of its humanoid robot, the Optimus Gen 2. This latest iteration is 10 kg (22 lb) lighter, 30% faster, exhibits smoother and more human-like movements, and features updated hands and feet.The rapid evolution of the Optimus...

Nanorobots Capable of Folding DNA can Replicate Indefinitely

Tiny nano-robots have been developed that can grab tiny snippets of DNA and assemble them into new nano-machines – including copies of themselvesAI-generated image by DALL-EResearchers have showcased a programmable nanoscale robot constructed from a few DNA strands, which can capture other DNA fragments and assemble them to produce new UV-welded nanomachines, including duplicates...

A Transformer Resembling a Baggage Handler, Tosses Boxes

In its compact quadrupedal form, ANYmal looks like a robot dog on wheelsSwiss MileSwiss Mile's ANYmal robot is an impressive creation with the ability to navigate as a wheeled quadruped or stand upright on its hind legs, utilizing its front wheels as hands. Currently, it is acquiring skills for practical tasks, adding a touch...

A Robotic Excavator Constructs a Sizable Stone Wall Independently

The HEAP excavator at the construction site – an overlay on the boulders at left illustrates how each one was scanned prior to placementETH ZurichConstructing a wall by precisely arranging randomly shaped boulders is a task that involves considerable physical and mental effort. This challenging undertaking, ideally suited for automation, has been successfully accomplished...