Biomimetic Robotics News

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OSU Engineers Test Locomotion Abilities of Two-Legged Robot

In a rolling, outdoor field, full of lumps, bumps and uneven terrain, researchers at Oregon State University last week successfully field-tested for the first time the locomotion abilities of a two-legged robot with technology that they believe heralds the running robots of the future.

30 Apr 2015

Ultra-Sensitive, Wearable Sensors to Help Make Robots More Human

Most people are naturally adept at reading facial expressions -- from smiling and frowning to brow-furrowing and eye-rolling -- to tell what others are feeling.

30 Apr 2015

Dash Robotics to Begin Commercial Launch of Bio-Inspired Robot using $1.4 Million in Funding

Dash Robotics, makers of hand-held, bio-inspired robots that are easy and fun for anyone to build, has secured $1.4 million in a round of seed funding led by IronFire Capital.

24 Apr 2015

Postures Birds Use to Avoid Obstacles During Flight May Help Program Drones to Avoid Similar Obstacles

Navigating through a cluttered environment at high speed is among the greatest challenges in biology - and it's one virtually all birds achieve with ease.

24 Apr 2015

Yale Robotics Engineers Collaborate on Study of Superior Grasping Ability of Primates

Scientists are coming to grips with the superior grasping ability of humans and other primates throughout history.

21 Apr 2015

ONR Demonstrates Swarming Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

A new era in autonomy and unmanned systems for naval operations is on the horizon, as officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced today recent technology demonstrations of swarming unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) -- part of the Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) program.

15 Apr 2015

Robotic Predators Can Also Spook Zebrafish

In the world of the tiny zebrafish, the predatory red tiger oscar is the stuff of nightmares. And while the species has no natural reason to fear robots, researchers at the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering have published the first study showing that, in a side-by-side comparison, a robotic predator can spook zebrafish just as well as the real thing. Their results may help advance understanding of fear and anxiety in animal populations, including humans.

7 Apr 2015

Software Architecture Enables Reflexive Consciousness for Walking Robot Hector

A year ago, researchers at Bielefeld University showed that their software endowed the walking robot Hector with a simple form of consciousness. Their new research goes one step forward: they have now developed a software architecture that could enable Hector to see himself as others see him.

1 Apr 2015

New Phenomenon Makes Dielectric Elastomer Joint Promising for Flapping Wing of Robotic Birds

Dielectric elastomers are novel materials for making actuators or motors with soft and lightweight properties that can undergo large active deformations with high-energy conversion efficiencies. This has made dielectric elastomers popular for creating devices such as robotic hands, soft robots, tunable lenses and pneumatic valves -- and possibly flapping robotic wings.

1 Apr 2015