Enhancing movement with computational models.

Posted on October 13, 2015 by

MIT’s David Hill, a PhD student in media arts and sciences, builds computational models of human locomotion, which are the basis for designing ever-better prosthetics and his advisor, Hugh Herr, an associate professor of media arts and sciences, is a double amputee. Hill says living in the world of theoretical models can be somewhat insular, so having a real-life example of someone who can benefit from and pilot some of the work he does is part of what helps him stay focused. Human movement i...

New light-controlled gel makes big strides in soft robotics.

Posted on October 5, 2015 by

A new material controlled by light may help scientists build better soft-bodied robots. The UC Berkeley scientists created the gel using graphene and a synthetic protein similar to elastin, which is found in humans' blood vessels, skin and more. The synthetic elastin, created from genetically engineered bacteria, absorbs water at room temperature, but at higher temperatures it expels the water and shrinks. Inspired by the way plants grow toward light sources, a phenomenon known as phototropis...

RoboSAM Robot can call for human help if needed

Posted on September 29, 2015 by

Smart Robot can assess its situation and call a human for help when it needs assistance. Researchers from the University of Maryland have developed RoboSAM (ROBOtic Smart Assistant for Manufacturing), an industrial robot smart enough to know when something is wrong, to pause and to call a human for help. The new RoboSAM, based on the Baxter industrial robot platform, is able to estimate the probability it can complete a task before beginning it, and can ask a human help if necessary. Cu...

Next generation intuitive programable robot

Posted on September 27, 2015 by 41629066

NAO is a 58-cm tall humanoid robot developed by ALDEBRAN Japan. It's a programmable robot that can function based on AI and app(function based) like program. Aldebaran created NAO to be a true daily companion. He is the little creature who helps you be your best. His humanoid form and extreme interactivity make him really endearing and intuitive Dedicated communities of developers have recognized potential for the robot to be a powerful and incredibly expressive medium for creating applica...

Mint: the automatic floor cleaner robot

Posted on September 15, 2015 by

Mint, is the latest robot that uses GPS to clean your house. Robotic vacuum cleaners are gaining popularity quickly. Roomba isn’t the only robotic cleaning device on the scene now. The latest Mint Automatic Floor Cleaner from Evolution Robotics is designed exclusively for sweeping and mopping hard surface floors. The new Mint is easy to use. It uses disposable cleaning cloth and reusable microfiber cloth for dry sweeping and wet mopping of floors. Simply attach the cleaning cloth of choice...

Smart Bird – the ultra-light robot bird

Posted on September 10, 2015 by

A flying robot that imitates a bird has been created. Plenty of robots can fly but none can fly like a real bird. Markus Fischer and his team at Festo built SmartBird, a large, lightweight robot, modeled on a seagull that flies by flapping its wings. This invention of a flying robot imitates a bird. It takes off, lands and flies like a real bird. The flying robot has a two-meter wingspan, and is made of a lightweight (450 gram) carbon-fiber skeleton body. It uses hybrid drive technol...

New Technology Creates “Cyborg Insects”

Posted on September 8, 2015 by

Scientists at the University of California demonstrated a new technology for creating "cyborg insects." That is, beetles implanted with miniaturized electronics that allows the insects to be controlled. The flying beetle is powered by a wireless signal from a mobile transmitter that controls the insect. Varying impulses trigger an appropriate response from the beetle so that it flies according to its handler. The movements of flying insects is controlled using a radio transmitter and a min...

Wearable robot for autonomous motion assistance

Posted on September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 by 41629066

'HAL' a company in Japan has developed wearable robot for autonomous motion assistance which is controlled by the person's brain wearing the suit. When a person moves its body, the brain sends various signals to muscles via nerves. At that time, the signals leak out on the skin surface as BES. HAL for Living Support – Lower Limb Type Model reads a wearer’s BES and reinforce the lower limb’s muscle power accordingly. Consequently Robot Suit assists the wearer to walk, stand up and sit down by ...

ROBOT CHEF THAT CAN COOK

Posted on August 11, 2015 by 41629066

New robot that can cook was unveiled at Hannover Messe, a trade fair for industrial technology in Germany. Comprised of two robotic arms in a specially designed kitchen, which includes a stove top, utensils and a sink, the device is able to reproduce the movements of a human chef in order to create a meal from scratch. The robot learns the movements after they are performed by a human chef, captured on a 3D camera and uploaded into the computer. From selecting the right heat level on the s...

Romo new iphone robot that kids can train

Posted on February 1, 2015 by 41629066

Romo is a iphone app. that once setup on the rolling base becomes a robot that can be trained to explore, interact and function. To unleash Romo's potential, it needs kids to train him to explore and navigate . Romos allows to play games together, take pictures, It learns from each other robots across the world and it can be controlled from anywhere in the world. Romo can be used for Telepresence, you can be live with your grand parents halfway across the world and intact as if you are pre...

Controlling a UFO Using Only Your Mind

Posted on January 17, 2015January 17, 2015 by

The first remote control car from 1966 astonished many kids at the time. Nowadays, the remote control is something we all just shrug off. What if we had another unique and innovative method of controlling things. Currently there are many solutions, but one of these solutions is a toy that can be controlled by using your mind. The Mind Controlled UFO is a unique toy that not many kids are too familiar with yet. It is a unique take to a remote controlled flying machine. This toy does not have t...

DragonBot: A platform for cloud-based social robotics

Posted on January 2, 2015 by 41629066

DragonBot is a new robot platform from the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. Specifically designed to support long-term learning interactions between children and robots. DragonBot is a new platform built to support long-term interactions between children and robots. The robot runs entirely on an Android cell phone, which displays an animated virtual face. Additionally, the phone provides sensory input (camera and microphone) and fully controls the actuation of the robot (motors and...

Full-size humanoid service robot now available commercially

Posted on November 27, 2014November 27, 2014 by 41629066

Full-size humanoid service robot now available for sale or rent by PAL robotics. REEM is a full-size humanoid service robot that can be a receptionist, entertain and compliment your guests, provide dynamic information and even make presentations and speeches in many languages. Buy or rent a unit from anywhere in the world and send it wherever you want. REEM has been in malls, airports, museums and fairs in Europe, America and Asia. REEM understands English and Russian, and can speak 9 langua...