Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Science

US National Science Foundation funds ‘Vulcan mind meld’ technology

by

US National Science Foundation awards hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop mind-reading technology

It’s the stuff of science fiction: the ability to communicate with someone else simply by thinking – no speaking or physical gesture. For fans of Star Trek, this is known as the “Vulcan mind meld”, wherein Captain Spock is able to communicate with someone else telepathically.

For Chang Soo “CS” Nam, chair of the Northern Illinois University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, it’s brain to brain interface (BBI or B2BI). Nam is the principal investigator on a $600,000 research grant from the US National Science Foundation to explore this relatively new realm of science and technology.

Over the next three years, in collaboration with Dr. Xiaoning Jiang, the co-principal investigator at North Carolina State University, Nam will guide this ambitious pursuit. [Read more…] about US National Science Foundation funds ‘Vulcan mind meld’ technology

Machine learning unlocks ‘superior performance’ in light-driven organic crystals

by

Researchers at Waseda, University, Japan have developed a machine learning workflow to optimize the output force of photo-actuated organic crystals.

Using LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression to identify key molecular substructures and Bayesian optimization for efficient sampling, they achieved a maximum blocking force of 37.0 mN – 73 times more efficient than conventional methods.

These findings could help develop remote-controlled actuators for medical devices and robotics, supporting applications such as minimally invasive surgery and precision drug delivery. [Read more…] about Machine learning unlocks ‘superior performance’ in light-driven organic crystals

Virginia Tech scientists turn robotic hardware into flatware

by

Over 2 million adults living in the United States rely on a caregiver’s assistance to eat daily meals. In addition to human caregivers, technology has been developed to provide assistance.

For example, tabletop and wheelchair-mounted robotic arms have been programmed to pick up foods and bring them to the human operator.

Virginia Tech’s Assistant Professor Dylan Losey brought a team together with backgrounds in both assistive robotics and computer science to explore new technological possibilities for those with limited mobility. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech scientists turn robotic hardware into flatware

MilliporeSigma partners with Opentrons Labworks to create ‘Lab of the Future’

by

MilliporeSigma, the US and Canada Life Science business of Merck, of Germany, and Opentrons Labworks, a leader in lab automation and accessible robotics, announced a multi-year agreement to automate assay kits on a custom Opentrons Flex workstation.

Scientists and engineers will collaborate to develop and verify platform workflows utilizing the broad offering of automation-enabled assays from the Life Science business of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany.

Together, the custom workstation and automation-enabled assays will deliver increased consistency and higher throughput by reducing manual processing and repetitive tasks with a user-friendly robotic system. [Read more…] about MilliporeSigma partners with Opentrons Labworks to create ‘Lab of the Future’

ABB and Agilent Technologies enter collaboration to advance laboratory automation

by

Industrial automation giant ABB Robotics has signed a collaboration agreement with Agilent Technologies, a provider of analytical and laboratory technology and software, to deliver automated laboratory solutions.

Working together, ABB and Agilent will combine the benefits of their technologies to enable companies across multiple sectors including pharma, biotechnology, energy and food and beverage to transform their laboratory operations by making processes such as research and quality control faster and more efficient.

Marc Segura, president ABB Robotics Division, says: “By combining Agilent’s state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and laboratory software solutions with ABB’s advanced robotics, we will empower laboratories to operate with greater speed, precision, and flexibility. [Read more…] about ABB and Agilent Technologies enter collaboration to advance laboratory automation

Japanese scientists develop ‘98 percent accurate’ robotic grasping system

by

Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have developed a novel 6D (six degrees-of-freedom) pose dataset designed to improve robotic grasping accuracy and adaptability in industrial settings. They used an Intel RealSense depth D435 camera in their experiments. 

The dataset, which integrates RGB and depth images, demonstrates significant potential to enhance the precision of robots performing pick-and-place tasks in dynamic environments.

Accurate object pose estimation refers to the ability of a robot to determine both the position and orientation of an object. It is essential for robotics, especially in pick-and-place tasks, which are crucial in industries such as manufacturing and logistics. [Read more…] about Japanese scientists develop ‘98 percent accurate’ robotic grasping system

MIT reveals bug-sized flying robot that could help pollinate plants

by

By Adam Zewe, MIT News

With a more efficient method for artificial pollination, farmers in the future could grow fruits and vegetables inside multilevel warehouses, boosting yields while mitigating some of agriculture’s harmful impacts on the environment.

To help make this idea a reality, MIT researchers are developing robotic insects that could someday swarm out of mechanical hives to rapidly perform precise pollination. However, even the best bug-sized robots are no match for natural pollinators like bees when it comes to endurance, speed, and maneuverability.

Now, inspired by the anatomy of these natural pollinators, the researchers have overhauled their design to produce tiny, aerial robots that are far more agile and durable than prior versions. [Read more…] about MIT reveals bug-sized flying robot that could help pollinate plants

Scientists develop ‘self-powered tactile sensors for robotics and wearables’

by

Scientists at the Chung-Ang University in South Korea say they have developed “self-powered tactile sensors” for robotics and wearables, adding that they have also uncovered “advanced manufacturing strategies” for piezoelectric and triboelectric tactile sensors.

Piezoelectric and triboelectric tactile sensors, crucial for applications in robotics and wearable devices, face challenges in flexibility and environmental resilience.

In a new study, researchers have developed innovative manufacturing strategies to enhance sensor performance by optimizing material properties and fabrication techniques. [Read more…] about Scientists develop ‘self-powered tactile sensors for robotics and wearables’

Opinion: The fundamental automation systems driving our universe

by

It was Nikola Tesla who said that if you want to understand the universe, “think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration”.

That statement, in itself, doesn’t really explain anything at all to the average person like me. Maybe a scientist can make something of it, but even for scientists, such answers are incomplete. In fact, I would argue that the biggest questions all remain unanswered.

I mean questions such as, for example, What happened before the Big Bang? [Read more…] about Opinion: The fundamental automation systems driving our universe

Can robots learn from ‘machine dreams’?

by

Scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory used AI-generated images to train a robot dog in parkour, without real-world data.

Parkour is a non-competitive physical discipline where participants move through an environment using their bodies to overcome obstacles – basically like navigating an obstacle course.

CSAIL’s LucidSim system demonstrates the potential of GenAI – generative AI, or generative AI – for creating relevant robotics training data, enabling expert-level performance in complex tasks like obstacle navigation and stair climbing. [Read more…] about Can robots learn from ‘machine dreams’?