Robotics
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Bubbles for plants and drones for mosquitoes
Two novel ways of delivering the goods.
The answer to most things these days is an app or a drone, so it’s rare when one of these falls short of the mark, le...
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‘Spiderlab’ films some free-flying specimens
Cable-suspended mini lab gathers detailed flight data.
If you’ve watched a butterfly fluttering around your garden, you’ll know that flying insects have evolved efficient s...
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Do you see how I see?
New artificial eye design mimics the real thing.
Researchers in Hong Kong have developed a proof-of-concept artificial eye with a similar structure to a human one. An...
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To climb, maybe robots need toes
Researchers watch a gecko in action.
At right is a close-up of the toepads of a Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko), and it has links to a few branches of science. ...
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Robot, fly like a ladybug
Fast wings inspire some soft and compliant origami.
If you’re worried about machines following you, you may want to ignore the video above. Scientists in South Korea ...
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Marine robot multitasking
Study looks at potential to serve industry and science.
Underwater robots are regularly used by the oil and gas industry to inspect and maintain offshore structures. But...
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A spring in your step?
In theory, it could make you run an awful lot faster.
A spring-powered device attached to human legs could, in theory at least, boost sprinting speed by more than 50% with...
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Robotic feelings?
AI that shows vulnerability makes for better conversation.
Suppose you’re part of a team in a group activity. One of your team members is uncommunicative, even taciturn. This b...
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Algorithm keeps robots on task
To avoid collisions, they focus on their immediate vicinity.
US researchers say they have developed the first decentralised algorithm that can stop robots colliding when they are...
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Gently does it
Soft robotic fingers lift jellyfish without stress.
Soft robots have many uses, and now we can add lifting jellyfish to that list. US researchers have shown that captur...
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Snakes in the lab, but all is well
Engineers develop a robot that can climb like a kingsnake.
Ophiophobes might suggest we have enough real snakes in the world without creating artificial ones. A robot snake ...
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Fancy a world where jellyfish get speedy?
New prosthetic could turn them into assets, researchers say.
US engineers have developed a tiny prosthetic they say motivates jellyfish to swim with greater speed and efficiency ...