 By Aaron Aupperlee A research group in Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute is creating the next generation of explorers — robots. The Autonomous Exploration Research Team has developed a suite of robotic systems and planners enabling robots to explore more quickly, probe the darkest corners of unknown environments, and create more accurate and detailed maps. …
 Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart have developed a magnetically controlled soft medical robot with a unique, flexible structure inspired by the body of a pangolin. The robot is freely movable despite built-in hard metal components. Thus, depending on the magnetic field, it can adapt its shape to be able …
 By Hayley Dunning and Caroline Brogan The prototype drone, called FireDrone, could be sent into burning buildings or woodland to assess hazards and provide crucial first-hand data from danger zones. The data would then be sent to first responders to help inform their emergency response. The drone is made of a new thermal aerogel insulation …
Heat-resistant drone could scope out and map burning buildings and wildfires Read More »
 Welcome to the 2nd edition of Robo-Insight, a biweekly robotics news update! In this post, we are excited to share a range of remarkable advancements in the field, showcasing progress in hazard mapping, surface crawling, pump controls, adaptive gripping, surgery, health assistance, and mineral extraction. These developments exemplify the continuous evolution and potential of robotics …
 In a new study, we demonstrate the potential of blockchain technology, known from cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, to secure the coordination of robot swarms. In experiments conducted with both real and simulated robots, we show how blockchain technology enables a robot swarm to neutralize harmful robots without human intervention, thus enabling the deployment …
Robot swarms neutralize harmful Byzantine robots using a blockchain-based token economy Read More »
 A new technique helps a nontechnical user understand why a robot failed, and then fine-tune it with minimal effort to perform a task effectively.  Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed a technique that enables a human to efficiently fine-tune a robot that failed to complete a desired task— like picking up a unique …
 As this year’s RoboCup draws to a close, we take a look back at some of the highlights from the second half of the conference. Over the course of the weekend, the event focussed on the latter stages of the competitions, with the winners in all the different leagues decided. If you missed our round-up …
 This year’s RoboCup kicked off on 4 July and will run until 10 July. Taking place in Bordeaux, the event will see around 2500 participants, from 45 different countries take part in competitions, training sessions, and a symposium. Find out what attendees have been up to in preparation for, and in the first half of, …
 New soft-bodied robots that can be controlled by a simple magnetic field are well suited to work in confined spaces.  MIT professor of materials science and engineering and brain and cognitive sciences Polina Anikeeva in her lab. Photo: Steph Stevens By Jennifer Michalowski | McGovern Institute for Brain Research MIT scientists have developed tiny, …
 Today’s robots are often static and isolated from humans in structured environments — you can think of robot arms employed by Amazon for picking and packaging products within warehouses. But the true potential of robotics lies in mobile robots operating alongside humans in messy environments like our homes and hospitals — this requires navigation skills. …
