Scientists at the University of Nebrask have created a tactile sensor that is just as sensitive as a human fingertip. "The resolution of a human fingertip is about 40 microns, about half the diameter of a human hair." The device works by sandwiching a layer of semicondcuting nano-particl…
Yesterday the Korean government unveiled two new unmanned robotic millitary vehicles in their continuing effort to roboticize their military. The vehicles, dubbed XAV's, are developed by Korea's Agency for Defense Development and have the capability for remote controlled operation or autonomous. On…
A team of scientists from Italy, Germany, the UK, and Greece have designed a robot that is to be used to maneuver through your intestines. They have a demo video of it crawling its way through a pig's gut and wriggling over sand. The robot is designed to mimic the behavior of a worms, which are…
Lem over at Robots-Dreams has once again brought us some crazy Japanese robot-lovin'. This time it's Japanese American-Style Robot Football! The teams are made up of 4 robot players roughly the size of 3kg sumo-robots. Crazy mayhem ensues. Game play is in 2 3 minute halves. http://www.youtube.com/…
The European Union has decided it wants to fly fleets of unmanned robotic drones over its borders to cut down on illegal immagration, smuggling, human-trafficking, and terrorism. The vehicles will fly at a height of 2,500 ft and patrol the English Channel and Mediterranean coasts. Belgian already u…
A group of undergraduate students at MIT have constructed a number of spherical droids to operate in the International Space Station. The program, dubbed SPHERES, is run by David Miller and is sponsored by DARPA. The spheres are powered by compressed CO2 thrusters and are about the size of a volley…
Don't forget about the RoboGames coming up June 16-18th in San Franciso, USA. Tickets and pricing information are here. $55/$40 for a three-day pass, and $20/$15 for a one day. Here's a video on YouTube about the games. Should be awesome. Anyone going?
Ever wondered what all is going on inside of ASIMO's head? Honda has a great page listing some of the technology that ASIMO is using and the many cool tricks he can perform.Some examples include ASIMO's ability to recognize where a person is pointing and move there. Looking at the accompanying imag…
Using telepresence robots a hospitalized child can now participate in the classroom. The system, developed by Telbotics Inc., Ryerson U., and the University of Toronto, use two robots, one in the hospital room and one in the classroom, to allow the child to be involved in his class. The child can v…
This year marks the 20th birthday of our favorite corporate walking robot, the Honda ASIMO. Honda has a great site detailing the development and growth of the project over the years. I, for one, didn't even know they'd been working on it for so long. Honda has taken up a new challenge in mobilit…
iRobot says that soliders are bonding with their packbots. They give their little silicone bodyguards nicknames and form emotional bonds with them. iRobot Chief Executive Colin Angle said one group of soldiers even named its robot “Scooby Doo” and grieved when it was blown up after com…
My favorite online shopping experience just got a whole lot better. Amazon recently released its " Industrial and Scientific " store beta. Need some sheet metal, plastic rod, compression springs, or set screws? Amazon has them now. While I can't vouch for the prices, I do know t…
RoombaDevTools.com is a great way to get started hacking your Roomba. You can read a review of the RooStick (at left) over at TodBot.com. It allows you to easily connect your computers USB port up to the Roomba's serial hacker interface. Other nifty products include the RooTooth, which lets you c…
CMU finally revealed Crusher to the public last Friday (yea, I'm behind). The new vehicle, based losely on Spinner, isn't able to invert itself like its younger brother, but is still amazing nonetheless. WTAE.com has some coverage of the launch with video. Notice the unique way that Crusher turns, …
Here's a fun link for your Friday enjoyment - a rollar skating Robo-One. A quick check over to our favorite Japanese-related robot site, Robots Dreams, revealed more information. The robot, named Plen, has 18 degrees of freedom and stands 9 inches tall. It retails for about $2,000 USD. More inform…
Via CanadianDriver.com Wipe away those tears robot lovers! The DARPA Grand Challenge is back (pdf), and in case you've grown tired of dangerous mountain passes and arid deserts, this year's race is in da 'hood ... of sorts. The DARPA Urban Challenge will feature autonomous ground vehicles executing…
