Robots have been used in the past to spy on wild animals. John Downer’s video shows a robot ostrich chick that gives a bird’s eye view of a couple of ostriches raising their young. These robots are designed to make the right moves not to be rejected by these gorgeous animals.
In the past few years, we have covered plenty of soft grippers that enable robots to handle fragile items. The RBO Soft Robotic Hands take it to the next level. They are flexible, made entirely out of silicone rubber and actuated pneumatically.
Remember Qoobo? It is a pillow with a robotic cat tail that can relax your mind. It reacts differently depending on how you stroke it. A tiny version of it is now being released. The Petit Qoobo is available to early supporters for under $90 (9,000 JPY). It is available in 4 colors.
Expected to ship by October. The above video shows it in action.
Here is a cool robot from Vanessa Weiß that can perform all kinds of moves with an inverse kinematic model. It is powered by an Arduino Uno and servomotors and has 3D printed parts. The below video shows it dancing:
Meet Moxi: a hospital assistant robot designed to make life easier for clinical staff. It can gather supplies, deliver lap samples, fetch items, remove soiled line bags, and complete other tasks. It is designed to work side-by-side humans and can complete tasks autonomously.
Drones are getting smarter and more agile all the time. While they can be highly maneuverable, not all can apply force omnidirectionally. This video from aslteam shows a new approach that allows an omnidirectional vehicle to exert a wrench in any orientation while maintaining efficient flight configuration.
Meet the HeroWear Apex Suit: a back-assist exoskeleton device that takes load off your back. It weighs 3.4 pounds and can take over 50 pounds of strain off your back. The Apex has a modular design and can be adjusted to fit male and female workers.
Meet the MELTANT-β: an avatar robot designed to get things done in challenging conditions. It is ideal for working in dangerous environments such as oil plants, polluted areas, and high/low temperature conditions.
