Tag Archives: robotics

Cute fluffy robot pet is designed to provide emotional support

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Most of us probably think of robots as industrial arms that assemble cars, rolling discs that clean up floors, or menacing skeletal figures out to destroy humanity. Of course, there are also a growing number of robots that would normally be classified as toys but can actually behave like mechanical pets, down to their adorable and sometimes mischievous behaviors as well. Robot dogs like Sony’s Aibo have made headlines before, and there are some like robot cats recently as well. This particular furry robot, however, eschews typical animal forms to offer a simpler but cuddlier robot that can’t really do much other than make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Designer: Casio, Vanguard Industries

Truth be told, not everyone will find Moflin cute and cuddly. It’s definitely a furry critter, one that’s like a very fat and big hairy caterpillar with two beady eyes or a rodent so fat you can’t even see its legs, which could trigger some people. It even wiggles and curls around like a worm. On the upside, it won’t be going around and tripping up like a dog or cat, so maintenance is simpler as well.

Unlike robot dogs and cats that try to mimic their flesh and blood counterparts, Moflin is meant to just provide joy and comfort with the feeling of something (subjectively) cute and furry cuddling up to you and seemingly responding to your love and care. It’s pretty much similar to having a stuffed toy, except it’s more dynamic and feels a bit more alive, which could actually make some people feel a bit uneasy.

Of course, Moflin has a smidgen of everyone’s favorite AI, and each robot is supposed to have its own unique personality developed through your daily interactions. It also has the semblance of emotions expressed through movement and sounds, such as trembling when stressed or whistling when happy. That said, the actual emotions the robot is “feeling” can only be read through the companion smartphone app. For the sake of immersion, Moflin’s charger isn’t just some cable or wireless charging pad but an oval bowl that looks like a bed made especially for it.

Moflin actually went on crowdfunding back in 2020, but Casio is now making it more generally available for around $400. The catch is that, at least for now, it’s only available in Japan, and there is no word yet on whether it will be wiggling its way into people’s arms globally.

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Motorskins’ SELK Technology Is Bringing Textiles To Life For A Smarter Future

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MotorSkins is revolutionizing the way we interact with technology with their cutting-edge SELK technology. This innovative system exemplifies the powerful fusion of ambient computing and programmable matter, promising to profoundly transform our relationship with both the digital and physical worlds.

Designer: Motorskins

SELK technology is the flagship innovation from MotorSkins. It integrates soft robotics, fluid logic, and software/API into a cohesive and intelligent system. This sophisticated multilayered textile structure, known as programmable matter, has the ability to sense, react, and adapt to its surroundings. This makes SELK not just a piece of technology, but a dynamic and interactive material.

In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, ambient computing is emerging as a visionary concept for the future. It imagines a world where technology is seamlessly integrated into our environment, working effortlessly and becoming an inherent part of our daily lives. Complementing this vision is the field of programmable matter, which involves engineering materials to dynamically change their properties, such as shape or function, in response to user input or environmental changes.

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MotorSkins’ SELK technology sits at the intersection of ambient computing and programmable matter. This technology transcends traditional interfaces, offering a tactile, responsive medium that not only coexists harmoniously with its environment but actively enhances it. By incorporating SELK’s smart textile actuators into everyday products, MotorSkins showcases a forward-thinking approach to material science. These actuators transform static objects into interactive, adaptable interfaces, allowing materials to respond intuitively to user inputs and environmental changes.

The company is applying SELK technology to create dynamic orthoses in the healthcare sector. These orthoses, made from SELK’s versatile material, combine simplicity in design with enhanced functionality and performance. This wearable interface adapts to the user’s movements, providing support and flexibility where needed.

In the automotive industry, SELK technology is set to revolutionize car interiors. Imagine a car cabin that adjusts to your needs, with buttons, comfort features, and haptic feedback appearing only when required. This leads to safer and more intuitive interactions between drivers and their vehicles.

MotorSkins is also exploring how SELK can improve human-machine interfaces, creating more ergonomic workspaces and interactive, responsive environments. By merging programmable matter with the principles of ambient computing, MotorSkins is not just developing advanced tech interfaces; they are fundamentally reshaping the way we interact with technology.

These efforts predict a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, enhancing our experiences in natural and unobtrusive ways. Motorskins’ innovative work demonstrates how design and technology can synergistically improve human life, making our interactions with the world more intuitive and connected.

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Robot dog with wheels for feet can climb stairs and fences, do tricks

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Boston Dynamics’ nightmarish BigDog is finally behind us, but that doesn’t mean we’re past seeing visually headless robot dogs every now and then. Spot has become the blueprint for these smaller and more agile quadruped machines and, to be fair, it has led to quite a few interesting designs and useful applications. Despite that, there are still a few design issues that need to be addressed, particularly when it comes to the robot’s mobility on any terrain or elevation, especially stairs and fences. That’s the kind of puzzle that this new quadruped robot is solving, ironically with wheels instead of flat feet, and it’s starting to behave almost like a stereotypical dog when it comes to climbing over things it probably shouldn’t.

Designer: Unitree

It sounds almost counter-intuitive to put wheels on a robot’s feet to help it move better, but that’s exactly what will make the Unitree Go2-W a head-turner. Technically, those wheels allow it to move anywhere, practically like an all-terrain four-wheel drive, rolling over smooth floors, rough roads, or inclined surfaces like ramps with precision and agility. But if you think those wheels will give it trouble on stairs, you definitely haven’t been paying attention.

Going up any stairs is no sweat off its non-existent brow, as not only can it lift its feet like a normal (robot) dog, but the wheels actually give it a leg up, pardon the pun. The wheels not only give it a bit more grip but also help boost it up by rolling up on the vertical edge of the stairs. Like with organic dogs, going down stairs or from high places is naturally easier, just rolling off the steps or simply falling off the edge and bouncing back up.

What makes the Go2-W even more special is its ability to climb over fences, almost like a real, naughty dog. It stands on its two hind feet to prop itself on top of the ledge with its front legs. It then uses those rear wheels to hoist itself up, and it’s quite cute to watch it struggle a bit, again like a real dog.

The Unitree Go2-W can do one other trick that almost no other robot dog can. It can do “handstands” and, of course, roll around upside down on its front “feet.” These are definitely impressive abilities, though some will question their practical use. The proper accessories could help the headless dog explore places that are too dangerous for humans to deliver payloads or simply analyze the area. And no one will probably mind being able to teach the dog new tricks, presuming you don’t get too uneasy with such robot dog designs.

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Quadruped robot can pick up cigarette butts on beaches

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You’re walking along a beautiful beach when your senses are suddenly marred by cigarette butts just lying along the sand. Anyone who has ever visited the beach has probably had that experience as these are among the most common trash we see lying around. Using humans to clean it up is of course the most practical but it can be a tedious and slow process.

Designer: Dynamic Legged Systems at the Italian Institute of Technology

In this age of robotics, we can of course get them to clean this up. VERO or Vacuum-cleaner Equipped Robot is one such device that has been developed for this very purpose. It is a dog-like quadruped robot that uses vacuum nozzles on its feet and is equipped with depth cameras and uses a neural network. It is based around the the AlienGo robot from Unitree.

The vacuum is mounted on the back of the robot with hoses going down the legs and with 3D-printed nozzles that can suck the butts as near the ground as possible without the robot toppling over. It is able to use the depth camera mounted on the robot’s chin and the neural network to not only detect the butts but also to chart a path towards and around it.

The VERO is tested not just on sand but also on stairs and uneven surfaces in Genova where the lab is located. It is not that quick yet but is still better than humans manually picking up butts since the latter will eventually get tired and fed up. There may be other potential use cases for a robot like this like inspecting cracks in buildings and bridges, placing nails and rivets, and even spraying weeds in crop fields.

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Sparkles is the Spot cosplay version to show off the Choreographer software

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Aside from actual dancing people, one of the things that we love to see on the Internet is dancing animals. From penguins to monkeys to cats and dogs, we love seeing these cute animals bust a move. Of course some of these are computer-generated but if they’re cute enough, we’d still watch it. So when a furry blue dog started dancing on our screens, we probably stopped scrolling and watched, even though it was obviously not a real dog but a robotic dog.

Designer: Boston Dynamics

We thought that this was a new robot dog from Boston Dynamics but it was actually their trusty ole Spot but with a fluffy, blue skin. Sparkles was unleashed on the internet to celebrate International Dance day last April 29. We got a dancing duet from both Spot and Sparkles but the latter was just the former but in a costume just to make things a little more fun. This custom costume was designed so Spot the original robot dog can “explore the intersections of robotcs, art, and entertainment.”

The reason why these robot dogs danced so well is because of the Choreographer software and API that they launched a few years ago. It was created specifically for the media and entertainment customers who needed a tool that could let them train the robot dog with high-level instructions. It also allows Spot to adapt to its physical limitations and its environment when executing the moves while still prioritizing its balance.

We don’t know if Boston Dynamics plans to create even more costumes for Spot for future special occasions. Can you imagine a Halloween or Christmas themed robot dog outfit or even various pop culture cosplay setups? Of course the main point would still be to showcase Spot and the Choreographer software so it should be something cute but not too elaborate so as to hinder the robot dog’s movements.

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Monocycle robot with legs may be last-mile delivery helper in the future

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When we think of robots, more of then than not, we think of them in their humanoid design or at the very least in a dog-like form. But if you’re really experimenting with this kind of technology, you can get inspired from sci-fi and futuristic movies or TV shows. You can even be inspired by something “old” that can be adapted into a high-tech design. I’m fine with more experimental kinds of robots as long as they don’t overthrow the human race.

Designer: Joohyung Kim

A professor from the Electrical & Computer Engineering department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has come up with a robot that is inspired by the monocycle and some of those fast-moving circular robots you see in sci-fi films. The Ringbot is basically a monocycle robot that has two legs inside of it that looks like someone lying inside a ring and pedaling away. While there have been wheel-leg designs previously, this is the first one that was probably inspired by monocycles and General Grievous from Star Wars’ Clone Wars series.

The large wheel is the frame of the robot itself while the legs actually help the robot to balance itself and avoid toppling over. There are actually two indepent driving modules inside of it and each one controls its velocity so it can track a desired orientation. It can go around with the legs in the air steering and balancing it. When it does fall down, the legs will enable it to stand back up. It is also able to move and turn when stuck in tight spaces. It is able to make full rotations inside the wheel and drive it up to 5km/hour.

For now the Ringbot seems to just be something they are experimenting with. But in the future, they are looking at this robot to do autonomous last-mile deliveries in congested environments. They will be adding two additional limbs so it can carry packages and even go up and down stairs and rough terrains. Who knows, in the future you’ll get your package delivered by this monocyle robot with legs.

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Humanoid robot can make you coffee and eventually more

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It’s no secret that I’m still afraid that in the far future, robots will rise up against humans when they gain their own intelligence and realize that we’ve been treating them unfairly all these years. That probably comes from watching too much science fiction movies and series where robot overlords rule over the earth. But for now, we’re seeing amazing (sometimes scary) advancements when it comes to robotics and how they will eventually be able to work alongside humans.

Designer: Brett Adcock

The Figure-01 Humanoid Robot has been designed to help you handle some of the simple daily chores, powered by artificial intelligence. Aside from being able to do automated tasks, it is trained to be able to think, learn, and interact within human environments. It is also able to improve on its capabilities by learning from the previous tasks it is able to perform.

The humanoid robot uses some pretty powerful graphic processing units (GPU) to drive the AI learning and system, letting it process some of the complex algorithms needed to train them. The idea is for these robots to eventually fill in the gap in the labor market when it comes to things like warehouses, transportation, and retail. Of course the aim is not to replace humans but to be able to work alongside people and work within an environment with both other robots and humans.

They were able to demonstrate the current capabilities of the Figure-01 Humanoid Robot by showing how it was able to make coffee after 10 hours of training using end-to-end neural networks. I wouldn’t mind having someone else get my coffee ready in the morning by the time I wake up although I’d probably have nightmares of this humanoid robot eventually taking over my life.

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Wheeled quadruped robot can stand up to chuck boxes into bins

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While the fear that our robot overlords will eventually take over the planet is still real, we’ve seen advances in robotics that are more helpful for humanity. There are tasks that we would much rather a robot will do for us like carrying heavy things (although that may be one of the reasons why the revolution will start) to avoid injuries. We’re seeing experiments on how to train them to do even more advanced skills so they can eventually take over the world, I mean these heavy, menial tasks.

Designer: Swiss Mile

The ANYmal robot is one such robot experiment that can get around either as a dog-like quadruped or mimic a human when it stands up on its hind legs, hence its name. Last year, it learned to squat back and stand up with its motorized wheels and now they’re experimenting with it to do heavier tasks through something called “curiosity-driven learning”. Basically it gets rewarded when it is able to complete the task it’s given by figuring out how to do it by itself.

In the video they posted showing how the ANYmal robot completed the task of putting a package into a bin, it was able to actually lift the box up and then put it where it’s supposed to go. However, it seemed to just throw it into that bin like how some baggage handlers supposedly do their task if they think no one is looking. The robot is probably thinking, “Hey, they just told me to put the box into the bin, not really to do it carefully and precisely.”

For now, the robot is still a robotics research project for things like Reinforcement Learning and Random Network Distillation. But if they do decide to actually manufacture the robots for industrial and commercial use, it would be interesting to see how the wheeled quadruped with the humanoid form can actually reduce heavy grunt work for humans.

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This NASA-backed humanoid robot may be your new best friend that will help you lift boxes

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How you feel about humanoid robots probably depends on what sci-fi and futuristic movies and TV shows you watched. As someone who considers Battlestar Galactica to be one of the best TV shows of all time, the idea of robots that are almost human scares the heck out of me. Of course the age of robot overlords is probably still a few decades away (or so we think) so for now, we can see these robots as things that can help make our workload easier. So if you’ve been wanting to have a robot officemate, this new NASA-backed robot might show up in your office one of these days.

Designer: Apptronik and Argodesign

Apollo 1 is the first of its kind as it can function on its own in a factory alongside its human counterparts. It is able to lift 55-pound boxes, load and unload them from conveyor belts, place items on shelves, and other lifting and carrying tasks. In terms of how it looks, they wanted to go for something that would not frighten their human co-workers but also not so far from the human experience. They designed something that’s not trying to look human but still feels humanistic. They wanted people like me who are hung up on the sci-fi looks of robots and who are afraid of uncanny valley feels to not feel threatened.

The Apollo 1 is made of metal, plastic, metal actuators, and silver woven fabric, the latter to give the machine a softer appearance and cover up some of the mechanical parts. Its “suit” is white, gray, and orange with its name “Charlie” tattooed on its chest. It doesn’t speak and can only communicate through an OLED screen that is turned off most of the time. It will only “talk” through the e-paper screen to share important information like battery level, current task, or to answer a question. It can also show simple messages and even “emotions and intentions”.

In case you’re looking for some “emotion” from the humanoid robot, it’s programmed to subtly “smile” if a human co-worker passes by. I don’t know if that’s a good thing, at least not for me. From the video shown above, it does have a bit of dexterity and flexibility, although there’s still a lot of room for improvement in terms of its movement and even its design. The creators say that the level of control and responsiveness from its electrical parts, as well as the swappable batteries, makes it stand out from competitors like the Atlas and Optimus.

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Crawl, walk or fly – this bioinspired robot adapts its mode of locomotion based on terrain

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Advanced robots we speak of are countless and come with their own set of expertise. None though are versatile enough to even reach the dexterity of any living species on the face of the planet. The constant pursuit to make them lifelike in a versatile set of conditions is still on and the Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics is the place to look up.

California-based Caltech has its eyes set on a dextrous robotic machine capable of adapting to unpredictable landscape and weather conditions. Though not as advanced as the Spot dog robot, the Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobot (M4) can go from an agile car on the road to a standing bot when bigger obstacles arrive, and then into a flying quadcopter when land is simply unscalable. Quite smart I must say!

Designer: Caltech

M4 robot is the brainchild of Mory Gharib, a professor of aeronautics and bioinspired engineering at Caltech, in association with Alireza Ramezani, who’s an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University. The inspiration for the Nvidia Jetson Nano CPU (affordable miniature computer) powered bot comes from animals like meerkats and walrus.

When moving forward in four-wheeled mode the rectangle-shaped robot can crouch by lowering its stance or lock rotation of the wheels to move them in pairs. In another configuration, it can climb steep slopes with ease or stand upright balanced by propellers to scout the way ahead. To turn into a flying machine, all the wheels turn sideways and align horizontally to the plane for lift-off.

According to Caltech, the bio-inspired robot employs artificial intelligence to scout the environment for its autonomous movement without any human involvement. That level of dexterity could be very useful for exploring the dusted surface of Mars or used in rescue missions. Of all the modes, the four-wheeled mode is the most energy efficient, and detailed specifications of the robot-like maximum flight time or two-wheeled locomotion time are not known right now.

Complete details of the ongoing research on M4 are available on Nature Communications and as per Alireza Ramezani who’s the corresponding author of the study, the aim of this project is to “push the boundaries of robot locomotion by designing a system that showcases extraordinary mobility capabilities with a wide range of distinct locomotion modes.”

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