Genesis Robotics is developing a stronger, faster direct-drive motor for robots .mobileShow { display: none;} /* Smartphone Portrait and Landscape */ @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px){ .mobileShow { display: inline;} } .mobileHide { display: inline;} /* Smartphone Portrait and Landscape */ @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px){ .mobileHide { display: none;} } Illustration: Blood Bros. While robots are becoming more diverse and capable, there’s one component that hasn’t changed much […]

Patients at a Florida clinic are the only ones in the United States with access to Cyberdyne’s HAL exoskeleton, but that will change in 2019 Danny Bal was riding his brand new motorcycle to work from his home in Ocala, Florida two years ago when the driver of an oncoming car fell asleep and ploughed into Bal’s electric-blue bike.  After the accident, which crushed three of Bal’s thoracic vertebrae and shredded a spinal nerve, Bal adjusted to life in a […]

A simple robot that does almost nothing Robots in general, and social robots in particular, tend to be very focused on functionality. When we see one, we want to know what it does, how well it does it, and whether it does those things better or worse than other robots or systems. The necessity for robots to be “useful” drives their design, but what happens when you instead design a robot that only has to do one very simple thing? […]

Sarcos Robotics’ full-body suits will let factory workers lift 90 kilograms without breaking a sweat .mobileShow { display: none;} /* Smartphone Portrait and Landscape */ @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px){ .mobileShow { display: inline;} } .mobileHide { display: inline;} /* Smartphone Portrait and Landscape */ @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px){ .mobileHide { display: none;} } Illustration: Blood Bros. What’s the most important thing for people to know about […]

We talk to Ken Bazydola at iRobot about the world’s fanciest robotic vacuuming system If you’re in the market for a very, very fancy robot vacuum, you’ll want to read our review of the iRobot Roomba i7+, which is as fancy as it gets. Persistent mapping and localization enable all kinds of cool new features, and an automatic recharging base that also magically empties the Roomba’s dust bin means that you can go for weeks or months at a time […]

iRobot’s newest flagship robot vacuum is the best there is, if you can afford it iRobot announced the Roomba i7+ in September. It’s their newest, fanciest, most spectacular robot vacuum, and will set you back an eyebrow-raising US $950. The i7+ includes both iRobot’s premium i7 vacuum, and a “+” in the form of a docking station that will empty the i7’s dustbin into a larger disposable bag. This means that you can go much, much longer between maintenance sessions, […]

Sensor based monitoring is becoming popular among the aging population. Here’s how to select a sensor to fit your application and parameters. With the ever growing and aging population, patient auto-monitoring systems are becoming more and more popular. Their popularity stems from being both consistent and repeatable in addition to being low cost. Sensor-studded monitoring instruments in this category are also versatile because they can be used both in hospitals and at home. Selecting a sensor can be simple if […]

Researchers tried out several new devices to get closer to the ideal need for deep learning and neuromorphic computing What’s the best type of device from which to build a neural network? Of course, it should be fast, small, consume little power, have the ability to reliably store many bits-worth of information. And if it’s going to be involved in learning new tricks as well as performing those tricks, it has to behave predictably during the learning process. Neural networks […]

Over a dozen robots that we promise will make fantastic holiday gifts Welcome to the seventh edition of IEEE Spectrum’s Robot Gift Guide! Our apologies for being a bit late with our list this year (too many projects and trips!), but we hope it’ll help you find the best giftable robots for your family, friends, and other special people in your life, including yourself, of course. As in previous years, we tried to include a wide variety of robot types and prices, focusing mostly on products […]

How UAVs benefit consumers through faster estimates, quicker response times and faster delivery of benefits Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, are growing at a rapid rate for both consumer and professional markets. Market research firm IHS Markit forecasts the professional drone market will manage a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 77.1% through 2020 driven by industries such as agriculture, energy and construction using the technology for surveying, mapping, planning and more. Meanwhile, the consumer drone […]