Researchers in Spain are working to create a robotic hand that can reproduce the abilities and movements of a human hand in order to achieve the optimal manipulation of objects.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110629083237.htm
Imagine a robot able to retrieve a pile of laundry from the back of a cluttered closet, deliver it to a washing machine, start the cycle and then zip off to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. This may have been a domestic dream a half-century ago, when the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence first captured public imagination. However, it quickly became clear that even “simple” human actions are extremely difficult to replicate in robots. Now, computer scientists are tackling the problem with a hierarchical, progressive algorithm that has the potential to greatly reduce the computational cost associated with performing complex actions.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526123331.htm
Move your arm and the robot imitates your movement. This type of intuitive handling is now possible thanks to a new input device that will simplify the control of industrial robots in the future. But that is not all: The sensor system can also help regulate the movements of active prostheses.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513112246.htm
Scientists are attempting to replicate human attributes and abilities such as detailed vision, spatial perception and object grasping in robots.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516091230.htm
Using simple robots to simulate genetic evolution over hundreds of generations, Swiss scientists provide quantitative proof of kin selection and shed light on one of the most enduring puzzles in biology: Why do most social animals, including humans, go out of their way to help each other?
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503171737.htm
Urban search and rescue task forces are essential for locating, stabilizing, and extricating people who become trapped in confined spaces following a catastrophic event. Sometimes the search area is too unstable for a live rescue team, so rescuers have turned to robots wielding video cameras. The rescuers control, or teleoperate, from a safe location. Teleoperation can be problematic, as robots frequently become stuck, which can destabilize the search area and hinder rescue operations.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505142734.htm
Learning how to program a computer to display the words “Hello World” once may have excited students, but that hoary chestnut of a lesson doesn’t cut it in a world of videogames, smartphones and Twitter. One option to take its place and engage a new generation of students in computer programming is a robot called Finch. The robot was designed specifically to make introductory computer science classes an engaging experience once again.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505142736.htm
Researchers have built a robot that can penetrate and “swim” through granular material. In this study, they show that by varying the shape of the robot’s head or by tilting it up or down, they can control the robot’s vertical movement in complex environments. Machines able to navigate through complex dirt and rubble environments could help rescuers after natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509151252.htm
Researchers have been examining the diverse behaviors of caterpillars to find solutions for the new generation of search and rescue soft robots. Despite their extreme flexibility and adaptability, current soft-bodied robots are often limited by their slow speed, leading the researchers to turn to terrestrial soft-bodied animals for inspiration. Some caterpillars have the extraordinary ability to rapidly curl themselves into a wheel and propel themselves away from predators. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to design a robot that mimics this behavior of caterpillars and to develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind ballistic rolling.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426213039.htm
The University of Greenwich has joined forces with a Kent-based company in the design and manufacture of a bomb disposal robot for use by security forces, including the British Army.
More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317131415.htm