What is a robot? - New Scientist
The word “robot” was coined by the Czech writer Karel Čapek in a 1920 play called Rossum’s Universal Robots, and is derived from the Czech robota, meaning “drudgery” or “servitude”.
This fast and agile robotic insect could someday aid in mechanical ...
Jan 15, 2025 · Caption: The new design also has enough free space that the robot could carry tiny batteries or sensors, which could enable it to fly on its own outside the lab. ↓ Download …
Hopping gives this tiny robot a leg up - MIT News
Apr 9, 2025 · The robot can jump about 20 centimeters into the air, or four times its height, at a lateral speed of about 30 centimeters per second, and has no trouble hopping across ice, wet …
Humanoid robot learns to waltz by mirroring people's movements
Jan 16, 2025 · An AI that helps humanoid robots mirror a person’s movement could allow robots to walk, dance and fight in more convincingly human ways. The most agile and fluid robotic …
Robotic system zeroes in on objects most relevant for helping …
Apr 24, 2025 · Overall, the robot was able to predict a human’s objective with 90 percent accuracy and to identify relevant objects with 96 percent accuracy. The method also improved a robot’s …
Eldercare robot helps people sit and stand, and catches them if …
May 13, 2025 · They have built and tested the Elderly Bodily Assistance Robot, or E-BAR, a mobile robot designed to physically support the elderly and prevent them from falling as they …
New system enables robots to solve manipulation problems in …
Jun 5, 2025 · Their approach enables a robot to “think ahead” by evaluating thousands of possible solutions in parallel and then refining the best ones to meet the constraints of the robot and its …
A flexible robot can help emergency responders search through …
Apr 2, 2025 · The robot has a built-in camera and motion sensors so that first responders could “scope out a site, before sending rescue teams in to save survivors.” The robot operates with a …
Expanding robot perception - MIT News
Jan 28, 2025 · “I have 2-year-old twin daughters, and I see them manipulating objects, carrying 10 different toys at a time, navigating across cluttered rooms with ease, and quickly adapting to …
Helping robots practice skills independently to adapt to unfamiliar ...
Aug 8, 2024 · The robot, which has an arm attached to its back, completed manipulation tasks after practicing for a few hours. In one demonstration, the robot learned how to securely place …