Centimeter-scale walking and crawling robots are in demand both for their ability to explore tight or cluttered environments and for their low fabrication costs. Now, pulling from origami-inspired construction, researchers led by Cynthia Sung, Gabel Family Term Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) Department, have crafted a more simplified approach to the design and fabrication of these robots.Centimeter-scale walking and crawling robots are in demand both for their ability to explore tight or cluttered environments and for their low fabrication costs. Now, pulling from origami-inspired construction, researchers led by Cynthia Sung, Gabel Family Term Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) Department, have crafted a more simplified approach to the design and fabrication of these robots.[#item_full_content]

Science fiction films portray the idea relatively simply: the terminator—who either tries to destroy or rescue humanity—is such a perfect humanoid robot that in most cases it is superior to humans. But how well do humanoid robots perform nowadays away from the cinema screen?Science fiction films portray the idea relatively simply: the terminator—who either tries to destroy or rescue humanity—is such a perfect humanoid robot that in most cases it is superior to humans. But how well do humanoid robots perform nowadays away from the cinema screen?[#item_full_content]

The black and yellow robot, meant to resemble a large dog, stood waiting for directions. When they came, the instructions weren’t in code but instead in plain English: “Visit the wooden desk exactly two times; in addition, don’t go to the wooden desk before the bookshelf.”The black and yellow robot, meant to resemble a large dog, stood waiting for directions. When they came, the instructions weren’t in code but instead in plain English: “Visit the wooden desk exactly two times; in addition, don’t go to the wooden desk before the bookshelf.”[#item_full_content]

Could robots, whose forms can be adapted to achieve almost any real-world task, soon be able to lend a hand in understanding the paleoecology tracing of extinct organisms?Could robots, whose forms can be adapted to achieve almost any real-world task, soon be able to lend a hand in understanding the paleoecology tracing of extinct organisms?[#item_full_content]

Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have developed an automated laboratory robot to run complex electrochemical experiments and analyze data.Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have developed an automated laboratory robot to run complex electrochemical experiments and analyze data.[#item_full_content]

Building a robot that’s both human-like and useful is a decades-old engineering dream inspired by popular science fiction.Building a robot that’s both human-like and useful is a decades-old engineering dream inspired by popular science fiction.[#item_full_content]

This shape-changing robot just got a lot smaller. In a new study, engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder debuted mCLARI, a 2-centimeter-long modular robot that can passively change its shape to squeeze through narrow gaps in multiple directions. It weighs less than a gram but can support over three times its body weight as an additional payload.This shape-changing robot just got a lot smaller. In a new study, engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder debuted mCLARI, a 2-centimeter-long modular robot that can passively change its shape to squeeze through narrow gaps in multiple directions. It weighs less than a gram but can support over three times its body weight as an additional payload.[#item_full_content]

Imagine you’re visiting a friend abroad, and you look inside their fridge to see what would make for a great breakfast. Many of the items initially appear foreign to you, with each one encased in unfamiliar packaging and containers. Despite these visual distinctions, you begin to understand what each one is used for and pick them up as needed.Imagine you’re visiting a friend abroad, and you look inside their fridge to see what would make for a great breakfast. Many of the items initially appear foreign to you, with each one encased in unfamiliar packaging and containers. Despite these visual distinctions, you begin to understand what each one is used for and pick them up as needed.[#item_full_content]

Engineers from the Computer Science Department at Binghamton University, State University of New York have programmed a robot guide dog to assist the visually impaired. The robot responds to tugs on its leash.Engineers from the Computer Science Department at Binghamton University, State University of New York have programmed a robot guide dog to assist the visually impaired. The robot responds to tugs on its leash.[#item_full_content]

Robots should ideally interact with users and objects in their surroundings in flexible ways, rather than always sticking to the same sets of responses and actions. A robotics approach aimed towards this goal that recently gained significant research attention is zero-shot object navigation (ZSON).Robots should ideally interact with users and objects in their surroundings in flexible ways, rather than always sticking to the same sets of responses and actions. A robotics approach aimed towards this goal that recently gained significant research attention is zero-shot object navigation (ZSON).[#item_full_content]