Researchers have developed a way to automate the process of finding and recording information from neurons in the living brain. The researchers have shown that a robotic arm guided by a cell-detecting computer algorithm can identify and record from neurons in the living mouse brain with better accuracy and speed than a human experimenter.
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Humans apply a moderate amount of morality and other human characteristics to robots that are equipped with social capabilities and are capable of harming humans, new findings show.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423131856.htm
Autonomous, self-replicating robots — exobots — are the way to explore the universe, find and identify extraterrestrial life and perhaps clean up space debris in the process, according to an engineer, who notes that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence — SETI — is in its 50th year.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418162300.htm
It may be difficult to imagine, but pouring juice into a plastic cup can be a great challenge to a robot. While one hand holds the glass bottle firmly, the other one must gently grasp the cup. Researchers have now developed a robotic hand that can accomplish both tasks with ease and yet including the [...]
A tiny prototype robot that functions like a living creature is being developed which one day could be safely used to pinpoint diseases within the human body. Called ‘Cyberplasm’, it will combine advanced microelectronics with latest research in biomimicry. The aim is for Cyberplasm to have an electronic nervous system, ‘eye’ and ‘nose’ sensors derived [...]
While Robonaut 2 has been busy testing its technology in microgravity aboard the International Space Station, NASA and General Motors have been working together on the ground to find new ways those technologies can be used.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314104406.htm
A new study identifies the types of questions a robot can ask during a learning interaction that are most likely to characterize a smooth and productive human-robot relationship.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308153535.htm
Scientists have developed a mathematical procedure that can optimize path planning for automated underwater vehicles, even in regions with complex shorelines and strong shifting currents. The system can provide paths optimized either for the shortest travel time or for the minimum use of energy, or to maximize the collection of data that is considered most [...]
Like something straight out of “Star Wars,” armies of robots could nimbly be crawling up towers and skyscrapers to make repairs in the not-so-distant future, so humans don’t have to.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120301113254.htm
A robot helping in the household no longer is a dream of the future. ARMAR, the humanoid robot, can understand commands and execute them independently. For instance, it gets the milk out of the fridge. Thanks to cameras and sensors, it orients itself in the room, recognizes objects, and grasps them with the necessary sensitivity. [...]