robots

Columbia computer scientists and the Toyota Research Institute are making advanced home robots a reality. Robots are improving the quality of human life, augmenting our abilities, freeing up time, and enhancing our safety and well-being.…

Octopus arms have almost infinite degrees of freedom and perform complex movements such as reaching, grasping, fetching, crawling, and swimming. The abilities come from the intricate organization and biomechanics of the internal muscles.…

Spain is the first country to lead a global network of autonomous observatories. The BOOTES network performs space surveillance and the study of transient cosmic phenomena. The U.S. and Russia, among others, have similar projects that are…

Stimuli-responsive polymers, materials capable of altering their chemical and/or physical properties in response to external stimuli, have changed the game in robotics. Substances like dielectric elastomers, hydrogels (spider warning),…

Untethered soft robots mechanically adapt to their surroundings and tasks and are becoming more agile and controlled. Cornell University researchers led by Kirstin Petersen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering,…

Inspired by sea cucumbers—yes, you read that right—engineers designed mini robots that shift between liquid and solid states. The shape-shifting robots are magnetic and can conduct electricity. Researchers put the robots through an obstacle…

When you hear the words "housekeeping robot," what's the first name that comes to mind? We wouldn't be surprised if it's "Rosie," the Jetsons' home assistant. Certainly, the name was on the tongues of many CES 2023 attendees as they…

We've come a long way. Eight years ago, I updated an article series I originally contributed to Digi-Key in 2011. That update, The Five Senses of Sensors—Part I: Smell, Taste, and Hearing, discusses the technology that was available at the…

EPFL researchers developed a method that allows a flapping-wing robot to land autonomously on a horizontal perch using a claw-like mechanism. The act of perching is a delicate balance of timing, high-impact forces, speed, and precision.…

A study by MIT economists suggests an optimal policy would include a (modest) tax on robots to combat the effects of automation on income inequality in the U.S. Favored by Bill Gates, the rationale is that taxing the companies using…