Category: robotics/AI – Page 471
This robot mimics humans, cleans washbasins, completes multiple tasks
By using sensor-embedded sponges and data, Vienna researchers quickly trained robots to clean washbasins.
Thanks to researchers at TU Wein in Vienna, the promise of housecleaning robots is one step closer. The team has developed a self-learning robot to mimic humans to complete simple tasks like cleaning washbasins.
While this might sound mundane, the development is very significant as hard coding a robot to move a sponge over the complex curved edges of a washbasin would be a monumental task. To this end, the research team found a hack by blending observation with tactile data from human teachers to train robots to copy the same task.
EvoBOT completes first tests at Munich Airport
With its unique design consisting of two wheels and gripper arms, evoBOT keeps itself balanced while performing a range of tasks.
EvoBOT, a uniquely shaped autonomous mobile robot, recently completed its first test runs at the Munich Airport.
Argonne to help drive AI revolution in astronomy with new institute led by Northwestern University
Part of a groundbreaking effort to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is a key collaborator in the newly launched NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky (SkAI, pronounced “sky”), led by Northwestern University.
Jointly funded by a $20 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Simons Foundation, SkAI aims to revolutionize how researchers explore the universe by developing innovative AI technologies capable of handling the vast data generated by astronomical surveys.
Argonne receives funding for artificial intelligence in scientific research
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory funding as part of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Scientific Research program.
Supported by DOE funding, two projects will drive innovations by improving how data is processed and protected, leading to faster and more secure discoveries.
Artificial magnetic muscles can support tensile stresses up to 1,000 times their own weight
A research team, led by Professor Hoon Eui Jeong from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST has introduced an innovative magnetic composite artificial muscle, showcasing an impressive ability to withstand loads comparable to those of automobiles. This material achieves a stiffness enhancement of more than 2,700 times compared to conventional systems. The study is published in Nature Communications.
Soft artificial muscles, which emulate the fluidity of human muscular motion, have emerged as vital technologies in various fields, including robotics, wearable devices, and biomedical applications. Their inherent flexibility allows for smoother operations; however, traditional materials typically exhibit limitations in rigidity, hindering their ability to lift substantial weights and maintain precise control due to unwanted vibrations.
To overcome these challenges, researchers have employed variable rigid materials that can transition between hard and soft states. Yet, the available range for stiffness modulation has remained constrained, along with inadequate mechanical performance.