We have already covered a bunch of robots that can perform tasks in space. Vyommitra is a half-humanoid robot made for the Gaganyaan spaceflight scheduled for later this year. This female robot can speak two languages.
Here is an educational robot that can teach you a thing or two about the physics of gyroscope. This Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot from Thames & Kosmos can maintain its balance while walking along a tightrope.
Here is a minimally actuated continuous track robot that can change shape, actuated using 2 motors. The robot can climb over obstacles and pass over objects without touching them. It can move on rocks, grass, and other challenging surfaces.
Soft robots are nothing new but they could be quite bulky. Engineers at UC San Diego have developed soft actuators that can make soft robots more compact, portable, and multifunctional. These soft, tubular actuators have electrically controlled movement.
As the researchers explain:
The actuators are made from a type of material used for artificial muscles in robots, called liquid crystal elastomers. They are composed of liquid crystal molecules embedded in a stretchy polymer network. What’s special about these materials is they change shape, move and contract in response to stimuli such as heat or electricity
Here is another robot kit designed for AI developers. The JetRacer AI Racing Robot is made for NVIDIA Jetson Nano. It comes with acrylic pieces, metal parts, tires, and all the parts you need to get it together. Just bring your own Jetson Nano Developer kit.
The JetRacer supports DonkeyCar open source project. It can be controlled using a wireless gamepad or through the web. You can find out more about it here.
Here is a robotic 3D printer that can complete large homes in a matter of couple of days. SQ4D’s ARCS robot recently completed a 1900 square feet home in 48 hours using materials costing less than $6000. The robot delivers faster build times by eliminating and consolidating manual labor intensive tasks such as siding, framing, and sheathing.
Here is a robotic gripper that uses a technology based on sound waves to manipulate small and fragile objects without touching them. Regular robotic grippers can damage fragile items. Soft grippers have limited accuracy. The approach for this gripper is different. As ETH Zurich explains, this electronically controlled robot gripper relies:
Ultrasound waves generate a pressure field that humans cannot see or hear. Pressure points are created as the acoustic waves overlay each other, and small objects can be trapped within these points.
Here is an animatronic head with audio output that reacts to the tune of your music. The TechArtStudios Animatronic Head requires no programming. Simply load up your audio file, adjust the sensitivity settings on the back of the head, and push the button.
Arduino is a wonderful platform for learning coding. The Yahboom Arduino UNO R3 Coding Robot has a rotating camera head. It has a fast ultrasonic ranging sensor and can be controlled through your smartphone. The Roboduino robot can be programmed with Scratch or Arduino IDE (C++).
Here is a soft legged robot with a morphing body that can change shape in response to fluid flow. It has a rigid frame, 3D printed legs, and textured feet for friction. The robot changes its shape to move under water more efficiently.
