Robotics

Robotic baby seal wins top award

A furry robotic seal used for therapy in nursing homes has been honoured by the Japanese government. Paro is fitted with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers that allow it to respond to petting. The robot mammal, which flutters its eyes and moves its flippers, won the service prize at the government sponsored Robot Awards 2006. A giant vacuum cleaner and a feeding machine also received prizes at the ceremony in Tokyo. ... Continue Reading

Korea Unveils World's Second Android

Korea has developed its own android capable of facial expressions on its humanoid face, the second such machine to be developed after one from Japan. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy invited some 60 children to the Kyoyuk Munhwa Hoekwan in Seoul to introduce Ever-1 to the public. The name combines the first human name found in the Bible, Eve, with the "r" in robot.

The Korean Institute for Industrial Technology (KITECH) said the android, which has the face and body of a woman i ... Continue Reading

Robot legs could give Japan's elderly a lift

A two-legged robot being developed by Japanese scientists could one day carry the elderly and handicapped up stairs or inclines. Standing 1.28 meters (4 ft), the robot is essentially a seat that walks on two mechanical legs. A person hops on the seat and controls its movements using two joysticks. ... Continue Reading

No Place Like Home: Ant Navigation Skills Used In Robot Navigation

Next time you find yourself lost despite having a map and satellite navigation, spare a thought for the unfortunate ant that must take regular trips home to avoid losing its way. Dr. Markus Knaden, from the University of Zurich, reports that a visit back to the nest is essential for ants to reset their navigation equipment and avoid getting lost on foraging trips. ... Continue Reading

A Robotic Elbow for Stroke Survivors

A robotic elbow brace that senses the intention of its user and aids movement should soon be available to help stroke survivors perform everyday tasks, such as turning off light switches. What's more, early trials suggest the device acts as a therapeutic aid, markedly improving a patient's ability to move even without the device. ... Continue Reading

For Orthopedic Injuries, A Robot That Follows Patients As They Move

The MRI and CT scan may one day have a robotic cousin capable of following and peering into patients as they move around. A University of Florida engineer has designed a robot to shadow and shoot X-ray video of sufferers of orthopedic injuries as they walk, climb stairs, stand up from a seated position or pursue other normal activities ... Continue Reading

Engineers Create Mathematical Method To Design Better Robots, Structures

Mechanical and civil engineers have created a new mathematical method to design better structures, machines and versatile computer-controlled robots called "robot manipulators." ... Continue Reading

Robots May Allow Surgery in Space

Small robots designed by University of Nebraska researchers may allow doctors on Earth to help perform surgery on patients in space. The tiny, wheeled robots, which are about 3 inches tall and as wide as a lipstick case, can be slipped into small incisions and computer-controlled by surgeons in different locations. ... Continue Reading

The World

Researchers have built an inchworm-like robot so small you need a microscope just to see it. In fact about 200 hundred of them could line up and do the conga across a plain M&M. The tiny bot measures about 60 micrometers wide (about the width of a human hair) by 250 micrometers long, making it the smallest untethered, controllable microrobot ever. ... Continue Reading