[ad_1] The hands themselves are made out of custom auxetics (materials that get wider when stretched) that twist when cut. Each finger in the robot’s hand includes “left-handed” and “right-handed” auxetics that counter each other’s rotation, allowing for more dynamic movement than a typical robot hand without having to resort to the air pumps and […]
Category: Robots
Self-healing space suits among 18 ideas to receive NASA funding
[ad_1] In Phase I, there are 12 concepts, including a smart spacesuit with soft robotics and self-healing skin. There’s also an idea for microprobes inspired by spiders that could help us study planetary atmospheres. Other concepts include lunar ice mining outposts (pictured above), an inflatable flier designed to explore the atmosphere of Venus and nuclear […]
Walmart battles online retail by adding more robots to its stores
[ad_1] The retailer announced today that it will deploy 1,500 new “Auto-C” autonomous floor cleaners, 300 “Auto-S” shelf scanners and an additional 1,200 “FAST” unloaders to scan and sort items as they come off delivery trucks. Plus to streamline online orders, it’ll have 900 “Pickup Towers” so customers can order something on the company’s site […]
NASA enlists academia to develop autonomous space habitats
[ad_1] One, the Habitats Optimized for Missions of Exploration (HOME), will develop autonomous systems, machine learning, robotic maintenance and onboard manufacturing for autonomous and self-maintained smart habitats. The HOME team includes researchers from the University of California, Davis; University of Colorado Boulder, Carnegie Mellon University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Howard University, Texas A&M University […]
The EU releases guidelines to encourage ethical AI development
[ad_1] According to the EU, AI should adhere to the basic ethical principles of respect for human autonomy, prevention of harm, fairness and accountability. The guidelines include seven requirements — listed below — and call particular attention to protecting vulnerable groups, like children and people with disabilities. They also state that citizens should have full […]
The Morning After: Google+ says goodbye
[ad_1] Why wait for Endgame?‘Iron Man VR’ is as close to being Tony Stark as you’re likely to get This game puts players behind the mask in a wild first-person adventure facing off against marquee Marvel villains. According to Andrew Tarantola, “You can’t ask for a more immersive superhero experience.” It’s already gone.Farewell, Google+: You […]
Boston Dynamics’ acquisition will help its robots see in 3D
[ad_1] Kinema is a Menlo Park-based company that uses deep learning to give robotic arms the 3D vision they need to locate and move boxes. It can recognize different products and handle boxes of different sizes, even if they’re not perfectly level. With this purchase, Boston Dynamics now has the software it needs to make […]
Lego’s Spike Prime kits give kids the confidence to code
[ad_1] Instead of pointing students toward more complex projects, Spike Prime is about basic knowledge and practicality. As Esben Stærk Jørgensen, the president of Lego Education, said during a press event in New York today, Spike Prime is not about learning to code so much as it is coding to learn. Along those lines, the […]
A Russian drone hunts other drones with a shotgun
[ad_1] The drone was built by the “Student Design Bureau of Aviation Modeling” at the Moscow Aviation Institute for Almaz Antey. It’s of a similar type used by mining companies, farmers and others to survey pipelines and other installations. A visor-wearing operator uses a live video link to fly the drone and aim the weapon, […]
Boston Dynamics’ new Handle robot heads to the warehouse
[ad_1] When we first met Handle the wheeled robot was hopping and jumping to show off its agility, but a new demo video from Boston Dynamics is much more practical. In this one, larger Handle units work autonomously to move boxes around inside a a warehouse environment. According to the company, the boxes weigh about […]