Trending News in the Robotics Field for December 2022

What's happening with robots in December 2022? Welcome to the 33rd installment in our monthly series, What's Trending in Robotics News! We cover all the breaking news, hot issues, trending stories, and cool stuff that's happening — or has happened — in the robotics industry.

There were plenty of amazing things happening with robots throughout December. Let's see what caught our attention this month with the trending news in robots for December 2022!

Robots on the Ground

As the war in Ukraine rages, robots continue to work on the front lines. Per TheNextWeb.com, the Ukraine war is now a "testing ground" for advanced robotics. Both sides are using robotic devices in a variety of functions, and armies (and governments) around the world are paying very close attention to the results to see how these robots work on the battlefield. It's a sobering reminder that warfare, unfortunately, is often the catalyst for the development of some of the greatest advances with robots. The aftereffects are something to keep an eye on. 

An Ocean Cleanup

On the more positive side of robotics, here's a story from the Williston Observer. A company in Vermont (of all places, which is addressed in the article) is on the cutting edge of undersea robotics helping to fight climate change. Its "robot army" helps clean up ships to reduce carbon emissions, which can have a massively positive effect on the planet. Take a read to learn about just how the process works; it's rather fascinating to see just how a little bit of "slime" can cause a big climate problem. 

Thoughts from James Cameron

When James Cameron starts talking about robotics, everyone should pay attention. The prestigious director is back in the public eye for the Avatar sequel, and the man who gave us one of pop culture's most memorable robots (the Terminator) now thinks that AI would be the main bad guy in any future entry. You can read the story here on Business Insider. It's an intriguing statement from Cameron, especially considering his "Skynet" evil AI in the original series was the first exposure a lot of us ever had to the power (and danger) of artificial intelligence. Let's hope he gets a chance to make some more of these films. 

Quick Hits

How about some quick hits from around the web?

• Here's a sweet story from Gizmodo: robots will eventually help "frost and fill" Krispy Kreme donuts.
• Check out robots building a Ford F-150 Lightning, from ReviewGeek.com. 

• Wouldn't you like to see a robot doing "The Worm"? Well, thanks to this Johns Hopkins story, you can! 
• This very cool robot can pick raspberries without causing them. The story is at CNN.com. 

What's to Come?

There is a lot of news out there, but these stories caught our eye this month. If we could give one big theme for the month, it would be "reflection." As 2022 comes to a close, we see two stories that represent how robots impact our world, both on different sides of the spectrum. On one end, the most advanced robotics in the world work on the battlefields of Ukraine in a "testing ground." On the other, a robotics company (with ties to the defense industry, of course) uses technology to help fix a critical element of the climate crisis. Talk about polar opposites. As the year ends, it's worth reflecting on how robotics so often reflect the bad and the good in our very human psyches. 

The bottom line: Robotics, as a whole, is on a roll. It applies to nearly every aspect of our lives and touches every element of our actions — from how we eat to where we will go as a species. Every month, it's a wonder to see where robotics has gone — and to imagine where the technology will go. 

One more thing, readers — if you know of anything we should add for the next edition, let us know! What caught your attention in the robotics world throughout December? Comment below, and we might feature it in our next issue!

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Picture Credit: Flickr / CNN / YouTube JerryRigEverything / Greensea systems inc