A team of engineers and roboticists at the University of Hong Kong have designed, built and tested an aerial robot capable of navigating unknown environments safely at high speeds while avoiding obstacles. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how they overcame problems encountered by others attempting to build similar robots and how well their quadcopter robot, called SUPER, performed during testing.A team of engineers and roboticists at the University of Hong Kong have designed, built and tested an aerial robot capable of navigating unknown environments safely at high speeds while avoiding obstacles. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how they overcame problems encountered by others attempting to build similar robots and how well their quadcopter robot, called SUPER, performed during testing.[#item_full_content]

Inspired by the movement of insects gliding on the surface of water, University of Waterloo researchers have designed tiny robots controlled by light, offering promising possibilities for environmental remediation and biomedical applications. Their work is published in Advanced Functional Materials.Inspired by the movement of insects gliding on the surface of water, University of Waterloo researchers have designed tiny robots controlled by light, offering promising possibilities for environmental remediation and biomedical applications. Their work is published in Advanced Functional Materials.[#item_full_content]

When designing a robot, such as Boston Dynamics’ anthropomorphic robot Atlas, which appears exercising and sorting boxes, fiducial markers are the guides that help them move, detect objects and determine their exact location. It is a machine vision tool that is used to estimate objects’ positions. At first glance they are flat, high-contrast black and white square codes, roughly resembling the QR marking system, but with an advantage: they can be detected at much greater distances.When designing a robot, such as Boston Dynamics’ anthropomorphic robot Atlas, which appears exercising and sorting boxes, fiducial markers are the guides that help them move, detect objects and determine their exact location. It is a machine vision tool that is used to estimate objects’ positions. At first glance they are flat, high-contrast black and white square codes, roughly resembling the QR marking system, but with an advantage: they can be detected at much greater distances.[#item_full_content]

Researchers at the Technical University of Darmstadt and the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf have developed flexible robot wings that are moved by magnetic fields. Inspired by the efficiency and adaptability of the wings of the monarch butterfly, they enable precise movements without electronics or batteries.Researchers at the Technical University of Darmstadt and the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf have developed flexible robot wings that are moved by magnetic fields. Inspired by the efficiency and adaptability of the wings of the monarch butterfly, they enable precise movements without electronics or batteries.[#item_full_content]

We humans excel at generalization. If you taught a toddler to identify the color red by showing her a red ball, a red truck and a red rose, she will most likely correctly identify the color of a tomato, even if it is the first time she sees one.We humans excel at generalization. If you taught a toddler to identify the color red by showing her a red ball, a red truck and a red rose, she will most likely correctly identify the color of a tomato, even if it is the first time she sees one.[#item_full_content]

Recent advances in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are enabling the development of a wide range of systems with unique characteristics designed for varying real-world applications. These include robots that can engage in activities traditionally only completed by humans, such as sketching, painting and even hand-writing documents.Recent advances in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are enabling the development of a wide range of systems with unique characteristics designed for varying real-world applications. These include robots that can engage in activities traditionally only completed by humans, such as sketching, painting and even hand-writing documents.[#item_full_content]

A team of roboticists at Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc. and the NeuroPiano Institute, in Kyoto, reports that a robotic exoskeleton strapped to the top of a piano player’s hand allowed it to control the player’s fingers during speed exercises, leading to improvements in playing fast-moving piano tunes. In their study, published in the journal Science Robotics, the group conducted experiments with their exoskeleton hand robot with more than 100 trained piano players.A team of roboticists at Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc. and the NeuroPiano Institute, in Kyoto, reports that a robotic exoskeleton strapped to the top of a piano player’s hand allowed it to control the player’s fingers during speed exercises, leading to improvements in playing fast-moving piano tunes. In their study, published in the journal Science Robotics, the group conducted experiments with their exoskeleton hand robot with more than 100 trained piano players.[#item_full_content]

Making Artificial Intelligence systems robustly perceive humans remains one of the most intricate challenges in computer vision. Among the most complex problems is reconstructing 3D models of human hands, a task with wide-ranging applications in robotics, animation, human-computer interaction, and augmented and virtual reality. The difficulty lies in the nature of hands themselves, often obscured while holding objects or contorted into challenging orientations during tasks like grasping.Making Artificial Intelligence systems robustly perceive humans remains one of the most intricate challenges in computer vision. Among the most complex problems is reconstructing 3D models of human hands, a task with wide-ranging applications in robotics, animation, human-computer interaction, and augmented and virtual reality. The difficulty lies in the nature of hands themselves, often obscured while holding objects or contorted into challenging orientations during tasks like grasping.[#item_full_content]

A complex sense of touch for individuals living with spinal cord injuries is a step closer to reality. A study published in Science, paves the way for complex touch sensations through brain stimulation while using an extracorporeal bionic limb, that is attached to a chair or wheelchair. The paper is titled “Tactile edges and motion via patterned microstimulation of the human somatosensory cortex.”A complex sense of touch for individuals living with spinal cord injuries is a step closer to reality. A study published in Science, paves the way for complex touch sensations through brain stimulation while using an extracorporeal bionic limb, that is attached to a chair or wheelchair. The paper is titled “Tactile edges and motion via patterned microstimulation of the human somatosensory cortex.”[#item_full_content]

Over the past decades, robotic systems have been rapidly advancing, fueled by the continuous introduction of more advanced electronics, mechanical components and software solutions. As a result, robots can easily become obsolete and outdated as newer systems emerge.Over the past decades, robotic systems have been rapidly advancing, fueled by the continuous introduction of more advanced electronics, mechanical components and software solutions. As a result, robots can easily become obsolete and outdated as newer systems emerge.[#item_full_content]