Category: Robotics

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Stanford University have achieved a major milestone in robotic surgery: teaching a robotic system to perform complex surgical tasks as skillfully as human surgeons, simply by training it using videos of real surgical procedures. This development could significantly accelerate the path to fully autonomous robots in the operating room.

The study was conducted using the da Vinci Surgical System, a robotic platform that is already used in many surgeries today. This system, typically controlled remotely by a surgeon, features robotic arms that manipulate instruments for delicate tasks such as dissection, cutting, suction, and vessel sealing. Known for its precision, the da Vinci system gives surgeons enhanced control and a more detailed view of the surgical site, but the latest model can cost over $2 million, excluding accessories and training expenses.

Clone Robotics, a forward-thinking robotics startup based in Poland, has revealed a remarkable new achievement: a humanoid torso capable of intricate, human-like movements. In its demo video, the robotic torso is ghostly white—almost eerily so, with a design that could easily fit into a horror film. But beneath its unsettling appearance lies a feat of engineering that is both innovative and impressive.

While companies like Tesla have made waves with their bipedal robots that can jump, dance, and eventually assist with everyday tasks, Clone Robotics has a different vision. Their humanoid torso, while seemingly less advanced, represents a step in a much more complex and ambitious direction.

Researchers from the JSK Lab at the University of Tokyo have developed a highly advanced robotic forearm that closely mirrors the proportions, weight, muscle arrangement, and joint performance of a human arm. This innovation marks a significant leap forward in robotics, offering enhanced capabilities for future humanoid machines.

To achieve this, the team integrated two muscle motors into a single module that also functions as the forearm’s bone structure. This efficient design saves space by using shared components, and a heat dissipation method allows motor heat to be transferred through the bone. The result is a radioulnar joint that perfectly mimics human anatomy, offering precise control and fluid motion.

Apple is reportedly developing an innovative smart home device that features a robotic arm to move a display, positioning it as a central hub for smart home management. Controlled via Siri and Apple Intelligence, this device could revolutionize how users interact with their smart homes.

The upcoming device is designed to follow voice commands like “look at me,” allowing the screen to reposition itself automatically. It will also be able to adjust the camera’s focus during video calls, making interactions more personalized and seamless.

German robotics manufacturer Neura has recently released a captivating video showcasing its latest humanoid robot, the 4NE-1, performing a variety of everyday tasks with remarkable precision. In the video, the robot is seen sorting items, moving packages, chopping vegetables, and even ironing what appears to be a t-shirt or a shirt.

Though the video is composed of edited segments, 4NE-1 is shown excelling at each task. However, the extent of the editing and the specific conditions under which these tasks were performed remain undisclosed. Despite this, the video has sparked excitement about the potential of humanoid robots and curiosity about Neura’s latest innovation.

As e-commerce deliveries surge, maintaining affordable delivery costs remains a challenge. Vayu Robotics Inc., based in Palo Alto, California, addresses this issue with the release of a groundbreaking delivery robot. This robot integrates advanced artificial intelligence models with cost-effective sensors, promising to transform the delivery landscape.

Technological Breakthroughs and Vision

Anand Gopalan, CEO of Vayu Robotics, emphasized the uniqueness of their technology. “The unique set of technologies we have developed at Vayu have allowed us to solve problems that have plagued delivery robots over the past decade and finally create a solution that can actually be deployed at scale and enable the cheap transport of goods everywhere,” Gopalan stated. Vayu was co-founded by industry veterans Anand Gopalan, former CEO of Velodyne; Mahesh Krishnamurthi, who previously worked at Apple SPG and Lyft; and Nitish Srivastava, also from Apple SPG and Geoffrey Hinton’s AI lab at the University of Toronto. Geoffrey Hinton serves as an advisor to the company.

The first self-checkout system was installed in 1986 in a Kroger grocery store just outside of Atlanta. While it took several decades for the technology to proliferate across the U.S., grocery stores are now firmly headed in the direction of automation. With this trend, robotic bagging seems to be the next logical step. MIT’s CSAIL department is at the forefront of this development, showcasing their new system called RoboGrocery.

RoboGrocery combines computer vision with a soft robotic gripper to bag a wide range of grocery items. To test the system, researchers placed 10 unknown objects on a grocery conveyor belt. The products included delicate items such as grapes, bread, kale, muffins, and crackers, as well as sturdier items like soup cans, meal boxes, and ice cream containers.

A team of researchers at Bristol University has developed a highly dexterous four-fingered robotic hand with artificial tactile fingertips, named AnyRotate. This innovative robotic hand can sense and rotate objects in any direction and orientation, even when the hand is upside down—a capability never achieved before.

Achieving this level of dexterity required the extraction and utilization of rich touch information for precise motor control. The researchers believe that enhancing the dexterity of robotic hands could significantly advance automated tasks such as handling supermarket goods or sorting recycling waste. The details of their research are available on GitHub.

Researchers from Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a groundbreaking robotic hand that can sense touch like a human. This innovation promises significant advancements in tactile prosthetics and robotics.

The robotic hand was created through a collaboration between Uppsala University’s Signals and Systems Division and the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurogeriatrics at Karolinska Institutet. The team leveraged data processing and machine learning to develop the system.

A short video clip circulating on social media has sparked both amusement and concern, unveiling the inner workings of a Chinese humanoid robot factory. The video provides a fascinating glimpse into the rapid advancements in robotics technology, showcasing numerous humanoid robots at various stages of development.

Uploaded on TikTok from the manufacturing floor of Chinese robotics firm Ex Robots, the video highlights the company’s impressive progress. At the 2023 World Robot Conference, Ex Robots showcased an array of humanoid robots, surprising attendees with their hyper-realistic appearances and movements, which closely mimic human behavior.

In a remarkable stride forward for aviation, engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) are at the forefront of developing a humanoid robot capable of piloting aircraft with unparalleled precision. Named PIBOT, this groundbreaking creation symbolizes the culmination of decades of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, marking a significant milestone in the quest for humanoid robot pilots.

The journey toward creating humanoid robot pilots has been propelled by extraordinary progress in AI technology. From rudimentary rule-based systems to sophisticated neural networks, AI has evolved to closely mimic human cognition. This evolution has empowered machines to learn from vast datasets, adapt to diverse scenarios, and execute complex tasks with remarkable accuracy, paving the way for innovations like PIBOT.

At the 2024 European Robotics Forum in Rimini, Italy, researchers from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) presented the latest advancements from the SOPHIA project. These innovations include collaborative robots, wearable devices, and feedback mechanisms designed to alleviate the strain of overhead tasks, support heavy lifting, and alert users to ergonomic risks, ultimately preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in industrial settings.

The SOPHIA project, initiated in 2020 and coordinated by Arash Ajoudani of IIT’s Human-Robot Interfaces and Interaction (HRI2) lab, aimed to develop next-generation collaborative robots and intelligent wearables to enhance worker ergonomics and manufacturing flexibility for mass customization. Over four years, the project engaged 12 partners from six European countries, resulting in groundbreaking technologies tailored for industrial environments.