My Top Ten Robotics Blogs

About three weeks ago, blogs.com asked me to submit a top ten robotics list to their site. So, I agreed to do this because, for RobotNext, I read many other robotics blogs to keep up with the latest news. Of...

Syndicated 2010-03-08 17:37:13 (Updated 2010-03-08 17:35:57) from RobotNext

By Imitating Insects, Microbots Demonstrate Hive Behaviors

Robot researchers constantly use nature as a model for new robotic developments. Here is another example of this in these microbots. In particular, the application to robotics has to do with the idea of swarm behaviors. Insects such as ants...

Syndicated 2010-03-08 16:21:28 (Updated 2010-03-08 16:25:35) from RobotNext

Robot Butler Serves Up Snacks: Is This a Problem?

A robot butler can't be a bad thing, can it? After all, we would all like to be waited on by a servant, especially one that can be shut down if it gives you any problems. So, just make sure...

Syndicated 2010-03-07 16:47:30 from RobotNext

MIT Touches the Future with Next Generation Tactile Robotic Skin

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is using an advanced sensor system to develop the next level of robots. By incorporating Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC) technology into a robot's skin, MIT hopes to build a robot that can interact with humans...

Syndicated 2010-03-01 15:51:53 from RobotNext

GM, NASA Build Robot Named R2

Robonaut2, or R2, as it is known, is the most advanced dextrous robot yet developed. Built by NASA and General Motors, this robot will be able to work along side an astronaut or an autoworker. The idea is to have...

Syndicated 2010-02-16 18:38:25 from RobotNext

Robot Assassins

Robots are being used in a war-like situation, in a country we are not at war with, and controlled by civilians in a spy agency thousands of miles away. This is the new world of terrorist wars. At some point,...

Syndicated 2010-02-12 17:18:29 (Updated 2010-02-12 17:18:30) from RobotNext

Mars Rover Spirit Update

In an update of the Mars rover's situation, the flight controllers have indicated that the plans will switch to surviving the upcoming Martian winter rather than trying to extricate Spirit from the sand trap where it is stuck. The story...

Syndicated 2010-01-26 19:48:43 from RobotNext

Robot From Castrol Can Kick Soccer Balls at 200 km/hr

This is for all FIRST robotics teams looking for ideas to design a kicker for this year’s competition: Don’t try this one! It probably won’t pass inspection. Castrol has built (or in this case, over-built) a robot to break the...

Syndicated 2010-01-26 18:35:40 (Updated 2010-01-26 19:49:16) from RobotNext

Robotic Insects Could DASH to the Rescue

The Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod (DASH) is being outfitted to locate victims that are trapped in rubble. RobotNext posted a blog on this invention back in October 2009. This is a cockroach-inspired robot that can move quickly and speedily like...

Syndicated 2010-01-22 19:59:05 from RobotNext

Spherical Robots Practice Formation Flying in Space

NASA has this experiment onboard the International Space Space to test the concept of robot flying in formation and performing other manuevers in space. The NASA website explains, “Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) are bowling-ball sized spherical...

Syndicated 2010-01-21 21:09:57 (Updated 2010-01-21 21:11:11) from RobotNext