Robotics

An agreement signed by Kongsberg Martime and Statoil with Eelume, will accelerate technology, which will significantly reduce costs related to subsea inspection, maintenance and repair operations. NTNU and Sintef have conducted research on snake robotics for more than 10 years. Eelume is now developing a disruptive solution for underwater inspection and maintenance in the form of a swimming robot. The idea is to let these robots do inspection and...

A robot invented by researchers in the University of Georgia College of Engineering could change the way power lines are inspected, providing a safer and most cost-effective alternative. Currently, line crews have to suit up in protective clothing, employ elaborate safety procedures and sometimes completely shut off the power before inspecting a power line. It can be difficult, time-consuming and often dangerous work.

A robot assistant lifeguard called EMILY is making waves by helping migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea safely. In the wake of unrest, over 500 refugees have drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Turkey to Greece. Members from the Texas A&M TEES Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue (CRASAR) and Roboticists Without Borders gathered at the Greek island of Lesvos to assist the local Coast Guard and lifeguard organisations to...

Scientists report in the journal ACS Nano a self-powered, transparent smart skin that is simpler and less costly than many other versions that have been developed. Endowing robots and prosthetics with a human-like sense of touch could dramatically advance these technologies. Toward this goal, scientists have come up with various smart skins to layer onto devices.

University of Twente's Robird will make its first flights at an airport location in February. Weeze Airport in Germany, just across the Dutch border near Nijmegen, will serve as the test site for this life-like robotic falcon developed by Clear Flight Solutions, a spin-off company of the University of Twente. The Robird is designed to scare away birds at airports and waste processing plants.

A study shows that drones which investigate sensitive water bird species in the wild can be used in a way that has little impact on their natural movement, according to research by the University of New England. Dr Paul McDonald from the School of Environmental and Rural Science said his team wanted to know the impacts drones have on easily disturbed animals.

  A collaborative research team has found humanoid robotics and computer avatars could help rehabilitate people suffering from social disorders such as schizophrenia or social phobia. It is thanks to the theory of similarity, which suggests that it is easier to interact socially with someone who looks, behaves or moves like us.

Hitachi has announced the development of 'EMIEW3', a humanoid robot, and its 'remote brain' robotics IT platform. EMIEW3, capable of autonomously approaching customers requiring assistance, was developed to provide necessary services and guidance in stores and public facilities.

University of Bristol scientists are researching how drones can be used to speed up landmine clearance to demonstrate how large, football pitch-sized areas can be mapped quickly. The research, led by Dr John Day of the Interface Analysis Centre in Bristol’s School of Physics, is funded by Find A Better Way, the charity founded by England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

The number of drones employed by European emergency services could be on the rise following the European Emergency Number Association’s (EENA) annual conference in Prague, Czech Republic, this week.