People, not design features, make a robot social
It takes a village to nurture social robots. Researchers who develop social robots—ones that people interact with—focus too much on design features and not enough on sociological factors, like human-to-human interactions, ...
Apr 22, 2024
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A dexterous four-legged robot that can walk and handle objects simultaneously
Four-legged robots, also known as quadrupedal robots, have advantageous characteristics, including the ability to rapidly walk on challenging terrains and keep a low center of gravity. Some four-legged robots can also manipulate ...
An ink for 3D-printing flexible devices without mechanical joints
EPFL researchers are targeting the next generation of soft actuators and robots with an elastomer-based ink for 3D printing objects with locally changing mechanical properties, eliminating the need for cumbersome mechanical ...
Apr 18, 2024
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Using sim-to-real reinforcement learning to train robots to do simple tasks in broad environments
A team of roboticists at the University of California, Berkeley, reports that it is possible to train robots to do relatively simple tasks by using sim-to-real reinforcement learning to train them. In their study, published ...
Engineers design spider-like robot that may be used to explore caves on Mars
A team of roboticists and mechanical and aeronautical engineers at Stanford University has developed a spider-like robot for possible use in exploring caves or lava tubes on Mars. In their paper published in the journal Science ...
Octopus inspires new suction mechanism for robots
A new robotic suction cup that can grasp rough, curved and heavy stone, has been developed by scientists at the University of Bristol. The team, based at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, studied the structures of octopus biological ...
Apr 18, 2024
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A rimless wheel robot that can reliably overcome steps
Robots with wheels could potentially navigate a variety of indoor and outdoor environments, traveling for longer distances and with fewer risks of losing balance. While some wheeled robots have achieved very promising results ...
How 3D printers can give robots a soft touch
Soft skin coverings and touch sensors have emerged as a promising feature for robots that are both safer and more intuitive for human interaction, but they are expensive and difficult to make. A recent study demonstrates ...
Apr 17, 2024
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A magneto-pneumatic hybrid-driven soft actuator with bidirectional torsion
The ability of the human wrist to rotate around the forearm axis in 2 directions is crucial for many daily activities. This rotation, limited to a range of approximately [-90°, 90°], restricts the wrist's capacity to execute ...
Apr 17, 2024
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Research proposes virtual-dimension increase of EMG signals for prosthetic hands gesture recognition
The electromyographic (EMG) signal is the bioelectrical current generated during muscle contraction. It can be transmitted as an input signal to an intelligent bionic prosthetic hand to control hand movements. By increasing ...
Apr 17, 2024
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