‘Stanley, the robotic car from Stanford University that triumphed in a recent $2 million race across desert terrain, learned to drive in much the same way as any 16-year-old: by following the lessons of experienced humans.
It worked. The Volkswagen Touareg R5 crossed the finish line ahead of four other competitors in the DARPA Grand Challenge […]
‘Small robots designed by University of Nebraska researchers may allow doctors on Earth to help perform surgery on patients in space.
The tiny, wheeled robots, which are about 3 inches tall and as wide as a lipstick case, can be slipped into small incisions and computer-controlled by surgeons in different locations.’
Read more at Small robots may […]
‘Researchers have built one of the world’s smallest controllable robots—a machine tinier than the period that ends this sentence.
The miniscule device is as narrow as a human hair. Its inventors note that some 200 of them could line up across the top of an M&M candy.
A lab headed by Bruce Donald, a computer science professor […]
‘The day when friendly helper robots will mind children, clean up and stand guard is not far away.
The Ministry of Information and Communication said Wednesday it will launch robotic home helpers at the very reasonable price of around W1 million (US$1,000) in a test market from October next year. Information Minister Chin Dae-je said, “I […]
‘How do you build an infrared (IR) camera that is small enough to fit on a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) without cryogenic cooling? Call in the nanobots.
Researchers working with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) have developed a way to build extremely small sensors using nanorobot fabrication. This new process, created by Harold Szu and […]
‘NASA engineers tested out a prototype unmanned sailplane this week at the Dryden Flight Research Center in California. This robotic aircraft is capable of detecting and using rising air thermals, similar to a glider or bird, to gain altitude. It launched from the ground, and navigated to a likely location for updrafts. Once it found […]
‘RAF combat pilots will be replaced by unmanned robotic aircraft in the coming years, a senior airforce commander predicted yesterday.
But Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge warned that if ministers try to use technical advances to impose more manpower cuts on the RAF, they will compromise its fighting ability.
Sir Brian also hinted that new Eurofighter […]
‘The world’s first self-controlled robotic fish were unveiled at the London Aquarium this week, officials said.
The three aquatic robots were developed by a team at the University of Essex, in southeast England, to teach the public more about robotic technology.
Built to look like the real thing, the fish can swim around a specially designed tank, […]
‘IRobot Corp. of Burlington, famous for its robotic vacuum cleaners, has teamed up with researchers at Boston University to develop a military robot capable of spotting enemy snipers.
”You’ll actually see the sniper before the smoke disappears from the shot,“ said Joe Dyer, iRobot’s executive vice president and general manager.
IRobot demonstrated the system, called REDOWL (for […]
‘Of all the countries experimenting with microchips implanted under the skin, Japan seems to be moving at full tilt–which is either good or bad, depending on whom you ask.
chips
The latest news involves a law that would require chips to be implanted in about 650 species of animals considered potentially dangerous. The move follows other initiatives […]
‘On Saturday, the Stanford Racing Team’s robotic car, “Stanley,” drove autonomously across 131.6 miles in the Mojave Desert in six hours and 53 minutes, finishing about 11 minutes faster than Carnegie Mellon’s “Sandstorm.” Its average speed was 19.1 mph, versus Sandstorm’s 18.6 mph.
The Stanford University team, which takes home the $2 million prize, also beat […]
‘From dolls to robotic beasts and frogs that go beep, this year’s Christmas toy sales are expected to be dominated by gadgets that give parents a headache.
Roboraptor, a dinosaur described as “a dynamic robot with attitude”, and said to have five distinct moods from hunting to playful, is expected to be the most expensive toy […]
‘A robot was used to check the mouth of Jeffry Leon Lewis Jr. after the Army sergeant presented a note at a Tucson bank saying he had a bomb in his mouth. Lewis was handcuffed to to a fence during the procedure. No explosive device was found.’
Read more at Soldier tried fake mouth-bomb in heist
‘A Japanese company has unveiled a robot which can ride a bike.
Murata Manufacturing demonstrated the robot Tuesday at the 2005 Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technology at Makuhari Messe, outside Tokyo.
The 20-inch-high (50-centimeter-high) robot, named Murata Boy weighs in at 11 pounds (5 kilograms).
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The firm developed an earlier version of a bike-riding […]