Robots face the future

Researchers have found a way to bind engineered skin tissue to the complex forms of humanoid robots. This brings with it potential benefits to robotic platforms such as increased mobility, self-healing abilities, etc.

"Robot" made of shape-shifting matter liquefies to escape jail

Researchers have created a new class of robots that can shift between solid and liquid forms on demand. In a series of tests, these new bots could move and change shape to run obstacle courses, carry objects, or even escape from a jail.

Mimicking life: A breakthrough in non-living materials

Dutch researchers discovered a new process that uses fuel to control non-living materials, similar to what living cells do. The discovery is a step towards soft robotics; soft machines that can sense what is happening in their environment.

Ameca robot shows off new level of human-like facial expressions

Engineered Arts, a robot maker based in the U.K., is showing off its latest creation at this year's CES 2022. Called Ameca, the robot is able to display what appears to be the most human-like facial expressions by a robot to date.

Scientists create an empathic robot

Japanese scientists have created a robot that can "feel" pain. Scientists hope that the pain sensors will help robots to develop empathy for humans and to act as compassionate companions.

Scientists Create First Ever Living, Programmable Organism

A remarkable combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and biology has produced the world’s first “living robots”. Xenobots are less than 1 millimeter long and are made of 500-1,000 living cells. Using their own cellular energy, they can live up to 10 days.

What Does Ethical AI Look Like?

There’s a strong global convergence towards five ethical principles, including transparency, justice and fairness, non-maleficence, responsibility, and privacy. 

Pack Of Robot Dogs Effortlessly Tows A Truck

As well as being skillfull, the SpotMini is strong, as demonstrated in Boston Dynamics' new video. Together, a powerful group of 10 K9s drags a huge truck across the ground.

Careful how you treat today's AI: It might take revenge in the future

If we are going to make machines with human psychological capacities, we should prepare for the possibility that they may become sentient. How then will they react to our behaviour towards them?

Backflipping MIT Mini Cheetah Robot

MIT'S new mini cheetah robot is the first four-legged robot to do a backflip. At only 20 pounds the limber quadruped can bend and swing its legs wide, enabling it to walk either right side up or upside down.

Development of soft robotics could hinge on levitating particles

The U.S. research team used sound waves to levitate polyethylene particles of around 1mm in diameter to see how they interact with each other in 2D in groups of six or seven.

IBM says AI debate loss is still a win

IBM's artificial intelligence-powered Project Debater lost a competition to a human debate champion but said the experience was an important milestone in efforts to get computers to master human language.

MIT’s $1 billion college will teach the theory and ethics of AI

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in US announced that it's launching a college which is specifically focused on the "ethical evolution" of AI that is already affecting and shaping our society.

Parkour robot

Robot Atlas does parkour. The control software uses the whole body including legs, arms and torso, to marshal the energy and strength for jumping over the log and leaping up the steps without breaking its pace.

Robotic Skin Brings Inanimate Objects to Life

Typically, robots are built to perform a single task. To make them more adaptable, US researchers have developed a kind of “robotic skin” that transforms ordinary objects into multifunctional robots.