ScienceDaily: Robotics Research News

A tiny programmable fly's eye

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:54:54 EDT

A novel curved artificial compound eye (CurvACE) has been created. Compared to single-lens eyes, compound eyes offer lower resolution, but significantly larger fields of view, thin package, and with negligible distortion.

Ant study could help future robot teams work underground

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:32:32 EDT

Future teams of subterranean search and rescue robots may owe their success to the lowly fire ant, a much-despised insect whose painful bites and extensive networks of underground tunnels are all-too-familiar to people living in the southern United States.

Novel brain training device to reconnect brain and paralyzed limb after stroke

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:48:48 EDT

The world’s first Brain Training Device has given a ray of new hope to the recovery of survivors after stroke. This novel device can detect brainwave and control the movement of paralyzed limbs.

Technique helps robotic vehicles find their way, help humans

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:26:26 EDT

Engineers have developed a technique called LOBOT that provides accurate, real-time, 3-D positions in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Micromachining: Inclinations sounded out

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:49:49 EDT

A novel type of tilt sensor may extend the capabilities of ultrasonic devices already used in a range of applications.

Sense of touch reproduced through prosthetic hand

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:38:38 EDT

Neurobiologists have shown how an organism can sense a tactile stimulus, in real time, through an artificial sensor for the first time.

More than a good eye: Robot uses arms, location and more to discover objects

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:40:40 EDT

A robot can struggle to discover objects in its surroundings when it relies on computer vision alone. But by taking advantage of all of the information available to it -- an object's location, size, shape and even whether it can be lifted -- a robot can continually discover and refine its understanding of objects, say researchers.

In vivo flexible large scale integrated circuits developed

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:39:39 EDT

A team of researchers in Korea has developed in vivo silicon-based flexible large scale integrated circuits for bio-medical wireless communication.

Scientists use satellites, underwater robot to study atlantic sturgeon migrations

Fri, 03 May 2013 23:03:03 EDT

Researchers are using satellites, acoustic transmitters, an underwater robot and historical records to pinpoint the ocean conditions that the fish prefer during migrations — and potentially help fishermen avoid spots where they might unintentionally catch this endangered species.

Robots take part in a space simulation

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

The two robots Flobi and Nao worked full time for three weeks in an isolation study in Cologne. Scientists were studying how these intelligent assistance systems can help astronauts to keep fit – both physically and mentally. However, it was not just the people who were on trial, but the robots as well. The scientists were testing both their suitability and their durability. The experiment ended on Saturday.

Robotic insects make first controlled flight

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

In the very early hours of the morning, in a Harvard robotics laboratory last summer, an insect took flight. Half the size of a paperclip, weighing less than a tenth of a gram, it leaped a few inches, hovered for a moment on fragile, flapping wings, and then sped along a preset route through the air. This demonstration of the first controlled flight of an insect-sized robot is the culmination of more than a decade's work.

Seahorse's armor gives engineers insight into robotics designs

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:21:21 EDT

The tail of a seahorse can be compressed to about half its size before permanent damage occurs, engineers have found. The tail's flexibility is due to its structure, made up of bony, armored plates, which slide past each other. Researchers are hoping to use a similar structure to create a flexible robotic arm, which could be used in medical devices, underwater exploration and unmanned bomb detection and detonation.

Proper cleat choice gives turf injuries the boot

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Injury on the playing field often is caused by the interaction between the athlete's shoe and the field surface.

Talking tissue boxes and other smart objects may be welcomed by most people

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Just as people have embraced computers and smart phones, they may also give their blessing to talking tissue boxes and other smart objects, according to researchers.

How tetraplegic subject utilizes brain-machine interfaces to manipulate prosthetic arm, and regain and restore significant limb functionality

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:11:11 EDT

Researchers have presented impressive findings detailing how the use of brain-machine interfaces and robotic prosthetic arms may help those suffering from upper-limb paralysis or amputation regain the ability to grasp and manipulate objects.

How Would You Like Your Assistant -- Human or Robotic?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:55:55 EDT

More than half of healthcare providers interviewed for a new study said that if they were offered an assistant, they preferred it to be a robotic helper rather than a human. However, they don’t want robots to help with everything.

Laser welding as an engine of innovation

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:50:50 EDT

Can lasers perform welds precisely and reliably in the midst of thundering machinery? The prototype of a new laser welder has now withstood the worst.

Shape-shifting mobile devices

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:04:04 EDT

Prototype mobile devices that can change shape on-demand could lay down the foundation for creating high shape resolution devices of the future.

'Taxels' convert mechanical motion to electronic signals

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:22:22 EDT

Using bundles of vertical zinc oxide nanowires, researchers have fabricated arrays of piezotronic transistors capable of converting mechanical motion directly into electronic controlling signals. The arrays could help give robots a more adaptive sense of touch, provide better security in handwritten signatures and offer new ways for humans to interact with electronic devices.

FlipperBot: Sea turtles and flipper-driven robot reveal principles of moving on sand and other granular media

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:17:17 EDT

Based on a study of both hatchling sea turtles and "FlipperBot" -- a robot with flippers -- researchers have learned principles for how both robots and turtles move on granular surfaces such as sand.

Robot hands gain a gentler touch: Tactile sensing technology builds on tiny barometer chips

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

What use is a hand without nerves, that can't tell what it's holding? A hand that lifts a can of soda to your lips, but inadvertently tips or crushes it in the process? Scientists have now developed a very inexpensive tactile sensor for robotic hands that is sensitive enough to turn a brute machine into a dextrous manipulator.

'Big data’ algorithm used to customize video game difficulty

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

Researchers have developed a computational model that can predict video game players’ in-game performance and provide a corresponding challenge they can beat, leading to quicker mastery of new skills. The advance not only could help improve user experiences with video games but also applications beyond the gaming world.

Helpful for robotics: Brain uses old information for new movements

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:46:46 EDT

Information from the senses has an important influence on how we move. For instance, you can see and feel when a mug is filled with hot coffee, and you lift it in a different way than if the mug were empty. Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain uses two forms of old information in order to execute new movements well. This discovery can be useful for the field of robotics.

Frog-like robot will help surgeons

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:47:47 EDT

Researchers are using the feet of tree frogs as a model for a tiny robot designed to crawl inside patients' bodies during keyhole surgery.

Researchers devise X-ray approach to track surgical devices, minimize radiation exposure

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:44:44 EDT

Researchers have developed a new tool to help surgeons use X-rays to track devices used in "minimally invasive" surgical procedures while also limiting the patient's exposure to radiation from the X-rays.

Restoring paretic hand function via an artificial neural connection bridging spinal cord injury

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:56:56 EDT

Scientists have investigated the effects of introducing a novel artificial neural connection which bridged a spinal cord lesion in a paretic monkey. This allowed the monkey to electrically stimulate the spinal cord through controlled brain activity and thereby to restore volitional control of the paretic hand.

Overcoming a major barrier to medical and other uses of 'microrockets' and 'micromotors'

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:39:39 EDT

An advance in micromotor technology akin to the invention of cars that fuel themselves from the pavement or air is opening the door to new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devices, scientists say. Their update on development of the motors -- so small that thousands would fit inside this "o" -- was part of a recent conference presentation.

Technique finds software bugs in surgical robots and helps developers fix flaws, ensure safety

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:33:33 EDT

Surgical robots could make some types of surgery safer and more effective, but proving that the software controlling these machines works as intended is problematic. Researchers have demonstrated that methods for reliably detecting software bugs and ultimately verifying software safety can be applied successfully to this breed of robot.

Telerobotic system designed to treat bladder cancer better

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:26:26 EDT

Engineers and doctors have designed a robotic surgery system specifically designed to treat bladder cancer, the sixth most common form of cancer in the US and the most expensive to treat.

Plastic film is the future of 3-D on-the-go

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:07:07 EDT

Ditch the 3-D glasses. Thanks to a simple plastic filter, mobile device users can now view unprecedented, distortion-free, brilliant 3-D content with the naked eye. This latest innovation from TP and IMRE is the first ever glasses-free 3-D accessory that can display content in both portrait and landscape mode, and measures less than 0.1 mm in thickness.Mobile device users will soon be able to view brilliant 3-D content with the naked eye with a nano-engineered screen protector that turns ordinary mobile screens into 3-D displays. The unique plastic film can also potentially be used as next generation security tokens employed by banks and corporations.

After Newtown: A new use for a weapons-detecting radar?

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:20:20 EDT

In the aftermath of the Newtown school shooting, an engineering professor envisions a new use for a weapons-detecting radar system he's been developing for the past few years.

Robotic ants successfully mimic real colony behavior

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:06:06 EDT

Scientists have successfully replicated the behavior of a colony of ants on the move with the use of miniature robots.

Swarming robots could be the servants of the future

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:53:53 EDT

Swarms of robots acting together to carry out jobs could provide new opportunities for humans to harness the power of machines.

Large robotic jellyfish could one day patrol oceans

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Researchers have unveiled Cyro, a life-like, autonomous robotic jellyfish the size and weight of a grown man, 5 foot 7 inches in length and weighing 170 pounds.

Backpack mapping system captures intelligence in tough-to-get-to places

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:21:21 EDT

Engineers have developed a portable device -- carried in a backpack -- that can be used to automatically create maps in tight spaces where GPS is not readily available – such as in underground areas and on ships.

SpaceX dragon spacecraft carrying NASA cargo ready for return to Earth

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:51:51 EDT

More than three weeks after arriving at the International Space Station, the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft is ready for the trip back to Earth, now scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

SpaceX dragon spacecraft carrying NASA cargo ready for return to Earth

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:54:54 EDT

NASA's Kennedy Space Center Operations helps launch pad of the future take shape

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:11:11 EDT

The launch pad of the future is taking shape at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program office, along with Center Operations, continues with upgrades and modifications to Launch Pad 39B, where the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) will lift off with the Orion spacecraft atop it, sending humans to new destinations in the solar system.

Terradynamics: Technique could help designers predict how legged robots will move on granular surfaces

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:14:14 EDT

Using a combination of theory and experiment, researchers have developed a new approach for understanding and predicting how small legged robots -- and potentially also animals -- move on and interact with complex granular materials such as sand.

Computerized mannequin changes body shape and size

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:13:13 EDT

At its first glance, the mannequin ‘i.Dummy’ looks no different from an ordinary dummy but it is no plain stuff - this sophisticated mannequin can change its body shape and size or even elongate at the point of a fingertip on computer.

Robot-delivered speech and physical therapy a success

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:26:26 EDT

In one of the earliest experiments using a humanoid robot to deliver speech and physical therapy to a stroke patient, researchers saw notable speech and physical therapy gains and significant improvement in quality of life.

Humanoid robot helps teach children with autism

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:52:52 EDT

An interdisciplinary team of mechanical engineers and autism experts have developed an adaptive robotic system and used it to demonstrate that humanoid robots can be powerful tools for enhancing the basic social learning skills of children with autism.

Experiments find strongest shapes with 3-D printing

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:29:29 EDT

Physicists are using 3-D printing to test complex qualities of shapes made via the computer. They are studying "jamming" and the structural properties of shapes.

Wireless charging soon available for devices smaller than mobile phones

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:49:49 EDT

Wireless charging will soon be available for more and more mobile phones. Researchers in Finland are working with the industry's leading technological companies and standardization bodies to expand the scope of application of wireless charging technology to other, smaller portable devices, such as mobile phone accessories, wrist devices, wireless mice and sensors. This can be done by combining wireless power transmission with NFC connectivity technology, which enables cost-effective and compact design.

Mobile LIDAR technology expanding rapidly

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:12:12 EDT

A new report on the uses and current technology of mobile LIDAR has just been completed and will help more managers and experts understand, use and take advantage of this science that promises to change the way we see and record the world around us.

Robots to get stroke patients back on their feet

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:13:13 EDT

Strokes are the most common cause of physical disability among the elderly. This often result in paralysis of one side of the body, and many patients suffer much reduced physical mobility and are often unable to walk on their own. Scientists are currently developing a robotic system designed to help stroke patients re-train their bodies.

Mind-controlled exoskeleton to help disabled people walk again

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:03:03 EST

Every year thousands of people are paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. Many are young adults, facing the rest of their lives confined to a wheelchair. Although no medical cure currently exists, in the future they could be able to walk again thanks to a mind-controlled robotic exoskeleton being developed by EU-funded researchers.

Robotic fish gain new sense: Navigate water currents and turbulence

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:42:42 EST

Scientists have developed robots with a new sense -- lateral line sensing. All fish have this sensing organ but so far it had no technological counterpart on human-made underwater vehicles.

In Greenland and Antarctic tests, Yeti helps conquer some 'abominable' polar hazards

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:34:34 EST

A century after Western explorers first crossed the dangerous landscapes of the Arctic and Antarctic, researchers have successfully deployed a self-guided robot that uses ground-penetrating radar to map deadly crevasses hidden in ice-covered terrains.

Netradar reveals the quality of mobile Internet connections

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:50:50 EST

Netradar is a free service that provides neutral, accurate information about the quality of mobile Internet connections and mobile devices collected by end users themselves throughout the world. Unlike other applications that mostly focus on bandwidth, Netradar anonymously gathers, measures and shares over ten different types of data

Second SpaceX space station resupply flight ready to go

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:57:57 EST

The second International Space Station Commercial Resupply Services flight by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is set for liftoff at 10:10 a.m. EST on March 1 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Lessons from cockroaches could inform robotics

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:32:32 EST

Running cockroaches start to recover from being shoved sideways before their dawdling nervous system kicks in to tell their legs what to do, researchers have found. These new insights on how biological systems stabilize could one day help engineers design steadier robots and improve doctors' understanding of human gait abnormalities.

With robots, humans face 'new society'

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:30:30 EST

Humanity came one step closer in January to being able to replicate itself, thanks to the EU's approval of funding for the Human Brain Project. Danica Kragic, a robotics researcher and computer science professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, says that while the prospect of living among humanoid robots calls to mind terrifying scenarios from science fiction, the reality of how humans cope with advances in robotics will be more complex, and subtle.

World premiere of muscle and nerve controlled arm prosthesis

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 07:57:57 EST

Electrodes have been permanently implanted in nerves and muscles of an amputee to directly control an arm prosthesis, for the first time. The result allows natural control of an advanced robotic prosthesis, similarly to the motions of a natural limb.

Robotic bat wing engineered: Researchers uncover flight secrets of real bats

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:39 EST

Researchers have developed a robotic bat wing that is providing valuable new information about dynamics of flapping flight in real bats. From an engineering perspective, the researchers hope the data may make for better aircraft, especially micro air vehicles. From a biological and evolutionary perspective, building the robot offered the researchers a new perspective on how bat anatomy is adapted to deal with the forces generated by flapping wings.

Writing without keyboard: Handwriting recognition on the wrist

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:18:18 EST

Typing text messages on the mobile phone via the tiny soft keyboard is very cumbersome. How about simply writing it into the air! This idea drove the development of “airwriting” by computer scientists. Sensors attached to a glove record hand movements, a computer system captures relevant signals and translates them into text.

Insects inspiring new technology: Autonomous navigation of mobile robots based on locust vision

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:46:46 EST

The way in which the locust's distinctive visual system could be transferred into technology for state of the art vehicle collision sensors, surveillance technology and video games has been detailed as part of robotics research.

'Simplified' brain lets the iCub robot learn language

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:26:26 EST

The iCub humanoid robot will now be able to understand what is being said to it and even anticipate the end of a sentence.

'Bionic proteins': Nano-machines recreate protein activities

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:49:49 EST

Physicists have developed nano-machines which recreate principal activities of proteins. They present the first versatile and modular example of a fully artificial protein-mimetic model system. These "bionic proteins" could play an important role in innovating pharmaceutical research.

New method to measure the redundancy of information

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:28:28 EST

Understanding information as well as its redundancy, or duplication, has been crucial in the development of many of our everyday items such mobile phones, the internet, the compact disc as well as ensuring the success of many space missions. Using information geometry tools, researchers have developed a new mathematically precise method of measuring information redundancy.