Scientists from the University of Singapore have developed a type of artificial skin that is packed with tiny sensors and can actually “feel.” The skin, which could someday be used in prosthetics, is capable of reading Braille and detecting warmth. The electronic skin relays information faster than the human nervous system. Prosthetics have come a …
Scientists developed a tiny backpack with a camera system so small it can be worn by an insect. The camera can relay images and videos to a special smartphone app. The researchers used their work to develop a tiny robot capable of relaying observations in a similar manner. Insects are so prolific that it can …
Evolution has given humans a number of cool bodily functions to deal with certain circumstances. Sweating, for example, is a way for our bodies to cool down, as moist skin allows air to wick away heat much more efficiently than dry skin. It’s something that we take for granted, but when scientists are designing robots …
Most of us see birds every day. Go look outside your nearest window and chances are you’re not going to have to wait long before you spot a feathered friend cruising by. Despite that, scientists have long struggled with replicating the flight mechanics that birds are naturally blessed with. Building a “bird robot” that flies …
If you’ve ever wondered what the robot apocalypse would look like, look no further than what unfolded on the lawn outside of MIT’s Building 10 this week. There, on the grassy Killian Court, a spectacle unfolded that will likely become commonplace once AI-powered robots rise up and enslave their human masters. A total of nine …
A 28-year-old man who fell some 40 feet off a balcony four years ago is getting back on his feet thanks to advancements in brain-controlled robotics technology. The man, identified as Thibault in a new research paper, had his spinal cord severed in the fall, preventing him from moving almost every part of his body. …
On its own, a single ant can only accomplish so much, but you toss it into the mix with a couple hundred of its peers and suddenly the capabilities of the group are exponentially greater than the sum of its parts. Could the same be true of robots? Some robotics researchers think so, and a …
Robotic technology had come a long way in the past couple of decades, with more intelligent machines capable of superhuman feats that were once thought impossible. Robots are great at doing things humans can’t, but giving machines the ability to mimic humans instead of surpassing us has proven to be challenging in some very interesting …
AI researchers who develop machine learning algorithms have demonstrated that telling a machine to teach itself how to do a certain task is a pretty great strategy. Trial and error over countless attempts often results in a machine or program that is highly skilled. A new research effort took that concept to an entirely different …
NASA’s InSight lander touched down on Mars a few weeks ago and the team of engineers and scientists handling the robot are in the midst of preparing for its very first science activity on the planet. In a new blog post, NASA explains exactly how it tests the maneuvers that InSight will perform before actually …
