More than 2 million adults living in the United States rely on a caregiver’s assistance to eat daily meals. In addition to human caregivers, technology has been developed to provide assistance. For example, tabletop and wheelchair-mounted robotic arms have been programmed to pick up foods and bring them to the human operator.More than 2 million adults living in the United States rely on a caregiver’s assistance to eat daily meals. In addition to human caregivers, technology has been developed to provide assistance. For example, tabletop and wheelchair-mounted robotic arms have been programmed to pick up foods and bring them to the human operator.[#item_full_content]

A team of engineers at Apple Computer has developed an expressive table lamp that interacts with a user rather than simply carrying out instructions. The group has posted a paper on the arXiv preprint server describing the factors that went into the development of the lamp and its current features. They have also posted several videos showing the robot lamp in action.A team of engineers at Apple Computer has developed an expressive table lamp that interacts with a user rather than simply carrying out instructions. The group has posted a paper on the arXiv preprint server describing the factors that went into the development of the lamp and its current features. They have also posted several videos showing the robot lamp in action.[#item_full_content]

A team of AI and robotics researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, working with a pair of colleagues from technology company NVIDIA, has developed a new model for training robots to move like human athletes.A team of AI and robotics researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, working with a pair of colleagues from technology company NVIDIA, has developed a new model for training robots to move like human athletes.[#item_full_content]

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]