Caltech engineers have developed a multimodal robot system — a humanoid robot with a transforming drone that launches off its back. Sitting on the back of the humanoid robot, a Unitree G1 machine, the drone, called M4, can transform — switching between driving and flight modes. We’re not talking Optimus Prime or Megatron here; instead, … Read more
A Chinese company has released footage of a lifelike robot head that blinks, nods, and looks around in a convincing imitation of a real human face. The video, posted to YouTube, shows the robot head’s quizzical expression as it appears to take in its surroundings. The head, created by robotics company AheadForm, might find use … Read more
A Norwegian robotics firm has unveiled a knitted-nylon-covered humanoid robot designed to complete household chores. “Neo Gamma,” built by robotics company 1X, is a bipedal android equipped to perform everyday tasks such as vacuuming, tidying clothes and making coffee. In a promotional video released Feb 21. On YouTube, the machine is shown serving tea, fixing … Read more
A robotics company has built an eerily lifelike humanoid robot which they claim is the “world’s first bipedal musculoskeletal android” — and the internet hates it. Created by Polish startup Clone Robotics, the “Protoclone” robot is a faceless android with an anatomically accurate bone structure and musculature. The android’s designers claim it can walk, talk … Read more
A new computer vision system inspired by cats’ eyes could enable robots to see the world around them more accurately than ever before. Robots, drones, self-driving cars and other autonomous systems are becoming more common, but they still struggle to see well in all environments and conditions. For example, self-driving cars perform poorly in rain … Read more
Scientists in China have created a robot chemist powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can extract oxygen from Martian water without human supervision. Synthesizing useful resources from local materials on Mars will be essential for humans’ survival on the Red Planet. Extracting oxygen from materials — in a process called oxygen evolution reaction (OER) — is particularly … Read more
Scientists have created a tiny “Terminator 2”-like robot that can melt and resolidify itself on command, enabling it to easily escape from confined spaces. To make the phase-shifting robot, scientists embedded microscopic chunks of magnetic neodymium, boron and iron into liquid gallium (a metal with a low melting point) and left it to solidify. And … Read more
The creation of bionic eyes, as a result of recent advances in science and technology, are restoring hope to many who are unable to see or are partially sighted due to injury, illness or genetics. With nearly 40 million people suffering from blindness worldwide and another 135 million affected by low vision, according to the … Read more
Welcome to the latest installment of “Writer Fuel – cool real-world stories that might inspire your little writer heart. Check out our Writer Fuel page on the LimFic blog for more inspiration. Today: Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics has released a holiday video featuring its dog-like Spot robot, and it’s turned out as creepy as ever. Happy … Read more
Welcome to the latest installment of “Writer Fuel – cool real-world stories that might inspire your little writer heart. Check out our Writer Fuel page on the LimFic blog for more inspiration. Today: Anyone who has watched Black Mirror knew this was coming… Ghost Robotics and SWORD International have teamed up to create a rifle-toting … Read more
