Category: Robots

Robots on display at the National Robotics Programme’s 6th anniversary celebration at SUTD

The Straits Times has published an article titled “Robots assemble! Meet Singapore’s robotic workforce.” The article explores how Singapore is using robots to improve its workforce and increase efficiency in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and construction.

One example is ST Engineering, a company that has developed a robotic arm that can perform tasks such as drilling, polishing, and milling. These tasks were previously done manually and could be time-consuming and dangerous. According to ST Engineering’s Senior Vice-President, Rajnish Gupta, “The robotic arm has enabled us to increase our productivity by up to 50%, as well as improve worker safety.”

In healthcare, robots are being used to assist in tasks such as patient lifting and transportation. Singapore’s Changi General Hospital has implemented a robot named TUG that can transport medicine, meals, and laundry throughout the hospital. The use of TUG has reduced the workload of hospital staff, allowing them to focus on patient care.

Continue reading… “Robots assemble! Meet Singapore’s robotic workforce “

A wearable robotic device that helps lift the shoulders to support arm movements can make it easier for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to do daily tasks, a new study reports.

A wearable robotic device has shown promise in improving arm function for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a recent article on ALS News Today. The device, called the MyoSuit, is a soft robotic exoskeleton that can be worn on the arm and is designed to assist with movements that are typically impaired in ALS patients.

The MyoSuit is equipped with sensors that detect muscle activity in the arm, allowing it to provide support and assistance as needed. The device can be customized for each patient, with adjustments made to ensure the best possible fit and function. In a recent study, ALS patients who used the MyoSuit for eight weeks showed significant improvements in arm function, including increased strength and range of motion.

Continue reading… “Soft wearable robot improves arm function for people with ALS”

RoboTiCan, an Israeli tech company founded in 2019 by former Amazon Robotics executives, has raised $7.5 million in funding to develop battery-free robots. The company aims to create lightweight, agile robots that can operate in various industries, including logistics, agriculture, and warehousing, using energy harvested from their environment.

According to the company’s CEO, Elad Levy, “The funding will enable us to further our mission of creating sustainable, energy-efficient robots that can improve productivity and efficiency in a variety of industries.” The funding round was led by Zohar Zisapel, an Israeli venture capitalist, with participation from other investors.

Continue reading… “Backed by former Amazon robotics execs this Israeli-tech gets $7.5M to develop battery-free robots”

The Japanese government has announced plans to allow self-driving delivery vehicles on public roads in the country. This move is part of an effort to address the growing demand for home delivery services and alleviate the burden on human drivers.

Under the new rules, self-driving vehicles will be allowed to operate on designated public roads, with a speed limit of 10 km/h. The vehicles will be required to have a human operator on board to take control in case of emergencies.

The government plans to launch a pilot program for self-driving delivery vehicles in 2023, with a goal of having the vehicles in widespread use by the mid-2020s.

“Self-driving vehicles have the potential to revolutionize the delivery industry, improving efficiency and reducing costs,” said Japan’s transport minister, Hiroshi Moriyama. “We are committed to supporting the development of this technology and ensuring its safe and effective use.”

Continue reading… “Japan will allow self-driving delivery robots to roam its streets to combat labour shortages”

Carbon Robotics, an AI and robotics company specializing in agriculture, has introduced what it says is “the industry’s first LaserThinning capability”, continuing the “rapid innovation” of its LaserWeeder system.

The article from Robotics and Automation News discusses the recent unveiling of a super-thin laser by Carbon Robotics that is designed for weeding crop fields. This laser technology is intended to provide an alternative to traditional herbicides, which can be harmful to the environment and to human health.

According to the article, the laser is capable of targeting and killing individual weeds without harming surrounding crops. This is achieved through a combination of precision optics and software algorithms that allow the laser to distinguish between plants and weeds. The laser is also extremely thin, which allows it to be mounted on a tractor and used to weed fields in a highly efficient manner.

Continue reading… “Carbon Robotics adds LaserThinning capability to its LaserWeeder”

As reported on Space Daily’s website, a team of engineers has developed a modular system to create efficient and scalable aquatic robots, or “aquabots.” The system was developed by a team of researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.

The system is designed to enable the creation of aquabots that can adapt to different tasks and environments, allowing for greater efficiency and scalability in their production. In describing the system, the article states that “The modular design allows for rapid design and fabrication of a range of different robotic platforms, including single- and multi-limbed robots, biomimetic robots, and soft robots.”

Continue reading… “Engineers devise a modular system to produce efficient, scalable aquabots“

Dirty solar panels reduce global solar energy output as much as 5 per cent, but a start-up in Israel has tested drone delivery of a new autonomous robot to clean rooftop arrays

In an article published by New Scientist, a new solar panel cleaning robot has been introduced that can be deployed and retrieved by a drone. According to a statement by Dr. Aaron Bestick, the CEO of the company behind the technology, “The robot is designed to work in off-grid locations and can be deployed by a small drone, making it easy to clean solar panels in remote or hard-to-reach locations.” The robot, developed by U.S. startup Aerial Power, is equipped with brushes and nozzles that use water and detergent to clean solar panels. The drone drops off the robot at the site, and the robot cleans the solar panels before returning to the same location to be retrieved by the drone.

Continue reading… “Solar panel cleaning robot can be dropped off and picked up by drone”

Why not take Raibo robot dog for walkies?

By Saqib Shah

The droid can adjust itself while on the move to handle different types of terrain, including hard and soft ground. 

Scientists with backing from Samsung have developed a new robotdog that can move at speeds of up to three metres per second on sand.

The four-legged droid is the brainchild of a research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Its creators claim the robot has the stability to traverse rough surfaces, and can agilely tackle soft ground without losing its balance.

The bot’s systems, including an advanced neural network that allows it to make decisions on the move, could be harnessed by other robots to effectively tackle all types of terrain, according to the KAIST team.

The droid follows in the footsteps of robotics firm Boston Dynamics’ canine Spot, which caused a stir when it was briefly used by New York police to assist at crime scenes, and later, the French military during training drills. On the cuddlier side, Sony has its small companion pup named Aibo that you can teach to sit, lay down, take a picture, and even sing happy birthday.

Scientists trained the new robot, called “RaiBo“, using a technique called AI-reinforcement learning. This saw them use a variety of simulations that mirrored physical trials, consequently reducing the time needed for an AI to optimise itself for its intended goals, according to Popular Science.

The team created a new artificial neural network capable of adjusting in real-time to the type of ground it was walking on, which then fed that info back to the robot. They also created a new contact modelling based on the robot’s pressure interacting with various unstable terrain, such as sand.

Continue reading… “Samsung-backed scientists create robot dog that can jog on sand”

BOSTON DYNAMICS ON ‘ATLAS’ INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS

Boston Dynamics’ handy helper and humanoid robot Atlas can maneuver obstacles, seamlessly join a choreographed dance party, or jog on its own in the park, and today, he can effortlessly work on construction sites. In the recently released video by the group, Atlas manipulates the world around it as the humanoid robot interacts with objects and modifies the course it is on.

Atlas tests its locomotion, sensing, and athleticism by delivering a bag of tools to a person waiting at the top of a multi-story scaffold and even pushing a cargo box from his position. Atlas grasps, carries, and tosses the tool bag, climbs stairs, jumps between levels, and tips over a large wooden block out of its way before dismounting with an inverted 540-degree flip that project engineers have dubbed the ‘Sick Trick.’

Atlas control lead Ben Stephens says that parkour and dancing were examples of what might be extreme locomotion, and now the team is trying to build upon that research to also do more robotics manipulation. ‘It’s important to us that the robot can perform these tasks with a certain amount of human speed. People are very good at these tasks, so that has required some pretty big upgrades to the control software,’ he says.

Continue reading… “boston dynamics’ humanoid robot ‘atlas’ effortlessly helps on construction sites”