Subscribe to Gizmag's RSS feed
Follow Gizmag on Twitter
Robot
Snow-going robots to assist in climate change research
01:16 May 28, 2008 PDT
May 28, 2008 Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Pennsylvania State University are developing a hardy breed of autonomous robots designed to collect critical on-site data that will aid in the understanding of how climate change is effecting the world's ice sheets and therefore enable the creation of better climate models. Read More
Robot climbs 1640-foot cliff at Grand Canyon
By Darren Quick
21:34 May 25, 2008 PDT
May 26, 2008 Panasonic have sent a 17-centimeter tall, 130-gram robot up a 1738 foot (530m) length of rope suspended next to a 1640 foot (500m) cliff at the Grand Canyon. The PR stunt was designed to showcase the endurance of the Evolta AA alkaline battery, which the Guinness Book of World Records recently recognized as the longest-lasting of its kind. Powered by two Evoltas, the robot reached the top after 6 hours and 45 minutes. Read More
Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys to create robotic claws with nanometer precision
By Kyle Sherer
20:38 May 25, 2008 PDT
Researchers at the University of the Basque Country have used ferromagnetic shape memory alloys to develop experimental devices that can position objects within an accuracy of 20 nanometers. The devices do not consume energy after being put in place, and have applications ranging from medical science to positioning mirrors in high-power telescopes. Read More
Adept announces Cobra s800 packaging robot
By Emily Clark
18:28 May 13, 2008 PDT
May 14, 2008 The latest high-speed handling robot from Adept Technology - the Cobra s800 Inverted IP65- is designed for case and carton loading applications in the packaged goods industry. Read More
SPARK programs robots with insect perception
By Kyle Sherer
18:14 May 11, 2008 PDT
The EU-funded SPARK project has developed a perceptual control architecture that allows robots to adapt to cluttered and changing environments, and learn from experience – an ability that may eventually suit it to disaster or war zones. The design is based on the neural processes of insects, and allows robots to form a unique, abstract representation of the environment, and modulate their behavior accordingly. Read More
iRobot expands pool cleaning range
By Emily Clark
21:23 May 6, 2008 PDT
iRobot is known to consumers as the creator of all types of home helpers, from the gutter cleaning Looj to the floor scrubbing Scooba. The company has now expanded its iRobot Verro Pool Cleaning Robot line to include two new models, the Verro 100 and 500. Read More
Raytheon's robotic exoskeleton delivers super-human qualities
01:03 May 6, 2008 PDT
May 6, 2008 The advent of the robotic age is upon us and we can expect a huge transformation in the coming decade as robots of all shapes and sizes make their presence felt in many aspects of our lives. But robots wont just stand by our side as assistants, we'll actually climb aboard and wear them like a shell or suit of armor. This type of robot - known as an exoskeleton - is being developed in various guises that deliver extraordinary strength and endurance to the wearer and have the potential to impact on military, medical, industrial and transport arenas - anywhere that personal mobility, agility and strength is required. Raytheon's progress in the field is making headline news this week thanks in part to an intriguing article appearing in the May issue of Popular Science which makes the link between the company's ongoing research for the U.S. military and the release of the much hyped superhero flick Ironman(R). Read More
Chinese teams take points in robotic showdown
By Darren Quick
22:20 May 5, 2008 PDT
May 6, 2008 Close to one hundred teams from around the world invaded the Matadome at California State University, Northridge with their robots last weekend for the inaugural VEX Robotics World Championship. An alliance of three teams from China won the fast-paced competition with robots built by the students using the VEX Robotics Design System. The winning alliance teams, Chengdu Shuangliu Experimental Middle School, Chengdu No.7 High School and Nanshan High School Mianyang, were triumphant on the game “Bridge Battle”, which was created by Innovation First, the organization behind the Vex Robotics World Championship. Read More
Disney enters growing robotic toy market
By Emily Clark
22:03 April 30, 2008 PDT
May 1, 2008 Known for DVDs, plush toys and movie character figurines, Disney Consumer Products has announced that it will now enter the fast growing robotic toy market. Disney has created its debut line in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios, Thinkway Toys and WowWee. Read More
BAE Systems to lead new miniature robotics research initiative
19:28 April 28, 2008 PDT
April 29, 2008 From fire fighting to termite eradication and exploring the Martian surface, the role of robots in performing tasks that are too dangerous for humans is already well established. Like many emerging technologies, the key driving force behind the development of these systems comes from military applications where robots are now regularly employed for tasks such as battlefield reconnaissance, communications and neutralizing the threat of explosive devices. In the latest news in this rapidly evolving field, BAE Systems has signed a $38 million agreement with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to spearhead development of the next-generation intelligence-gathering military robots with a focus on versatile, miniature platforms suited to use urban environments and inaccessible terrain. Read More
MACS project aims to revolutionize robotic perception
By Kyle Sherer
00:17 April 28, 2008 PDT
The Multi-sensory Autonomous Cognitive Systems project is an attempt to imprint robots with the ability to understand the affordances of objects in their environment - or the physical qualities of an object, and the tasks it can be used for. It is hoped that this new approach to computer perception will allow robots to perceive more interaction possibilities, giving them the cognitive tools they need to successfully improvise and interact with their environment in a more human manner. Read More
ASIMO to conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
By Emily Clark
19:29 April 23, 2008 PDT
After an extended world tour in 2007, Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot will show off its skills in 2008 by conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). ASIMO will lead the Orchestra as it performs “Impossible Dream” to open a special concert performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a way to highlight the DSO’s nationally acclaimed music programs for young people in Detroit. Read More
FIRST crowns science and tech champions
By Emily Clark
19:27 April 21, 2008 PDT
April 22, 2008 FIRST, an organization inspiring kids to engage in science and technology, has crowned this year’s champions at its annual science showdown. The 2008 FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta recognized winners across three categories: Robotics Competition, Tech Challenge, and LEGO League. Read More
Will robots step up to help care for the aging baby boomer generation?
By Loz Blain
00:49 April 17, 2008 PDT
April 17, 2008 For members of Generation X, a realization must soon be dawning that our parents won't be self-sufficient captains of industry forever - and for the enormous baby-boomer generation, it must be sobering to realize they'll be relying on the most self-focused generation in history to look after them once peaceful retirement gives way to a need for assistance from an aged care industry that will struggle to accommodate demand. Money hasn't traditionally been a problem for the boomers, so perhaps it's a prudent time for technology to start making it as easy as possible for Gen Xers to look after their parents in the autumn of their years. One way is to employ remote robot carers like uBOT-5, which can quietly follow its owner around the house, take care of the cleaning, give reminders about medication, help with shopping and make communication with doctors and loved ones much easier. The uBOT-5 also has the ability to recognize when its owner has fallen or become unresponsive, allowing it to immediately dial 911 for medical attention and relay important information to caregivers en route. Read More
Go fetch! El-E the laser pointer-controlled home helper robot
By Emily Clark
23:42 March 24, 2008 PDT
March 25, 2008 The nuances and imprecise nature of human language pose big challenges for developers looking to advance voice control technology of helper robots, but researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found an effective way to circumvent verbal communication by instructing a robot to fetch items under direction of a laser pointer. The El-E (pronounced like the name Ellie) robot could provide help to users with mobility impairments by moving or retrieving items via its sophisticated combination of in-built omni-directional cameras, height and pressure sensors, laser range finders and face detection technology. Read More
iRobot to develop new communications relay robot
By Emily Clark
17:06 March 4, 2008 PST
March 5, 2008 Most notably known to consumers for its Roomba robot vacuum range and an assortment of home help bots, iRobot has received an award under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) LANdroids program to develop a small, mobile communications relay robot that would empower US warfighters with communications. Read More
Kitchen cleaning Readybot Robot Challenge
By Emily Clark
22:22 March 2, 2008 PST
Few people rate kitchen cleaning among life’s highlights. To combat our dislike for dirty dishes, a group of veteran Silicon Valley engineers started the Readybot Robot Challenge aimed at constructing a general-purpose mobile robot capable of cleaning the kitchen. Read More
Rodent-like robots - BIOTACT attempts to mechanically replicate the impressive whiskers of the rat
By Kyle Sherer
22:23 February 20, 2008 PST
Robotics researchers are taking design tips from one of nature’s less majestic creatures: the rat. The EU funded €5.4 million BIOTACT project, which was launched at the beginning of this year, is seeking to replicate the rat’s highly efficient whisker system, which can accurately determine the shape of objects and help capture prey. Read More
Georgia Tech offers Robotics Ph.D
By Emily Clark
20:01 January 31, 2008 PST
February 1, 2008 With the global robotics market expected to significantly expand over the next five years, including gains in both the service and personal robotics fields, the College of Computing at Georgia Tech has announced that it will now offer the first interdisciplinary doctoral degree in robotics in the US. Read More
Applied Robotics introduces Smart Gripper 2.1
By Emily Clark
23:04 January 10, 2008 PST
January 11, 2008 Employee-owned Applied Robotics has released a new intelligent closed-loop direct-drive gripper known as Smart Gripper 2.1. Designed to deliver precise gripping capabilities with a powerful programming interface, it offers easy integration with commercial robots and Its gripping fingers can be designed by the user to ensure custom use. Read More
WowWee's Rovio: 3-wheeled, Wi-Fi enabled robotic home surveillance
By Emily Clark
01:03 January 9, 2008 PST
January 9, 2008 Have you every wondered exactly what your cat or dog gets up to when you’re not home? WowWee Robotics, the pioneering company behind Robosapien, has unveiled its new WiFi-enabled, remotely-controlled robotic webcam platform at the International CES. Known as Rovio, the 3-wheeled telepresence allows you to interact with its environment, surveying the home or office remotely through streaming video and audio transmitted via the Internet to your cell phone, PC or video game console. The self-docking robot has the ability to act semi-autonomously using NorthStar smart navigation - a directional system that works like a micro-GPS, enabling Rovio to know where it is, locate the position of other objects, and accurately navigate through its environment under its own control. Read More
Personal Robot industry to grow to $15 Billion by 2015
19:52 January 1, 2008 PST
January 2, 2008 A new study by ABI Research predicts that the personal robotics market will be worth $15 billion by 2015. The report examines the consumer market for toy robots like Sony's Aibo and the recently released iSobot, as well as increasingly sophisticated single-function “task” robots such as the Roomba vacuum cleaner and Looj gutter cleaning robot from iRobot. Read More
Honda's ASIMO: am I seeing double?
By Emily Clark
16:07 December 13, 2007 PST
December 14, 2007 Honda has announced a further update to its advanced humanoid robot platform. The latest incarnation of ASIMO has added intelligence technology allowing it to autonomously perform services such as carrying a tray or pushing a cart, work together with fellow robots to share and complete tasks through a constant sharing of information, and even predict the movements of oncoming people and decide for itself how best to stay out of the way. Read More
Robotic concerto: Toyota expands vision for intelligent helper machines
16:34 December 6, 2007 PST
December 7, 2007 Toyota has unveiled two additions to its growing family of partner robots - a new mobility robot and a humanoid robot that's dexterous enough to play the violin. According to the company's release, the violin playing robot can perform a variety of delicate tasks with its arms and hands - each of which contain 17 joints - including being able to mimic the human ability to achieve vibrato on a violin. The new Mobility Robot - which shares its design platform with the I-Real personal transport concept recently tested by Gizmag at the Tokyo Motor Show - is capable of transporting its owner or following in their footsteps as a porter, autonomously avoiding obstacles at speeds of up to 4mph. Read More
QinetiQ trials remote-controlled fire fighting vehicles
15:57 December 4, 2007 PST
December 5, 2007 QinetiQ has developed specialized remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with fire fighting capabilities that can operate in environments that would be unsafe for firefighters. Currently undergoing a six month trial commissioned by Network Rail and the London Fire Brigade, the vehicles are designed to combat the specific issue of fires close to railway tracks that involve Acetylene cylinders - a problem that has been on the rise in the past year causing major delays to commuters. Read More
Keith Lawhorn
- November 11, 2009 @ 03:07 UTC
