"The Rise of the Quadruped Robots" sounds like something out of decades-ago science fiction. However, in today's robotics world, quadruped robots have advanced to both the front pages and the front line; defined as robots employing four legs to move around for their missions, quadr…
A new API update to the OPS243 radar sensor enables a power savings hibernate mode. It provides the ability to bring average power consumption down under 200mW. At this low level, the radar sensor can be combined with a battery to provide remote detection where power is not available…
From the mica found in glittery eyeshadows to the coal that helps create energy to bring power to homes, the mining industry often impacts everyday life. But as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, mining also can mean losing one's life. Only less than a decade ago, mining jobs only …
For the modern American military, the new frontier of robotic warfare is here. Robots are widespread throughout the branches of the United States military, serving in all manner of key roles - and their usage and their importance to the mission of the services is only growing.
We're moving towards a world full of robots, that's a fact. In this series, we're taking a break for a second to assess where Contemporary Robotics are at today and what the future looks like. For this sixth and final chapter, we're taking a look at the state of robots in the military and defens
Human and Machine United to fight the Landmines I am proud to say that in 1996 I was part of a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina tasked with demining and bomb disposal. As a combat engineer with the Implementation Force (IFOR), our job was both extremely exhilarating and abs…
Inspectorbots Trackbot The Trackbot by Inspectorbots is a powerful surveillance robot capable of navigating very rough terrain riddled with debris. Its small size makes it particularly suitable for crawling into small tunnels, pipes, and generally inaccessible place…
When we first saw Robotis release their new line of professional (and large) Dynamixel Pro servo motors, we knew it would not be long until they were used to create larger humanoids. So, not long after their release, "THOR" was revealed; Robotis' child-sized humanoid entry into the…
WildCat by Boston Dynamics Boston dynamics unveiled the "WildCat"; their latest robotic creation. The aptly named robot a can gallop at 16 mph untethered and can maneuver much like its predecessors "BigDog" and "AlphaDog". You can see its impressive performance in the video below. Did you …
The term "Drone" is becoming more and more popular in everyday conversations due largely to its increased use in militaries around the world. Hobbyists have also jumped on board with the focus being on multi-rotor aircraft which are able to hover in place and be used for surveillance, but never rea…
A month ago, South Korea deployed its first armed robots to its demilitarized zone. The robots can detect moving targets but do not open fire automatically. Which is rather relieving since they are equipped with 40mm grenade launchers and high-speed machine guns. Korean Sen…
Petman tries on its new clothes PETMAN, the biped humanoid from Boston Dynamics, recently got to do its job: to test military clothing and equipment. As seen in the video below, the robot was given some clothes and equipment to test... and it did just that. It is very interesting to see the rob
Honda recently had a media extravaganza in which they demoed their recently announced "Stride/Bodyweight Assist Machine", an experimental device that aids human walking by reducing stress on joins and muscles. It's a cross between an exoskeleton and a chair - the former because it&…
Boston Dynamics' Cheetah Boston Dynamics' "Cheetah" robot just broke its own speed record. This in and of itself is quite an achievement, considering it was already the fastest legged robot in existence, but it also broke Usain Bolt's record (100m and 200m sprinting world champion)! The cheeta
PETMAN has to be the most physically capable humanoid robot in terms of flexibility, range of motion and robustness. It has been developed by Boston Dynamics, the same people who created BigDog, and is intended to tryout military equipment. Check out this video in order to see the robot, walk, move…
iRobot has been working for some time now on an inexpensive (relatively speaking) military robot that would allow soldiers to explore hard-to-reach areas without risking their lives. You can see the results of their efforts in the video below, the iRobot 110 throwable robot. http://www.youtube.c
