Here is a software framework developed at Fraunhofer IPA used for “Cartesian motion control for robotic mobile manipulators.” Twist Control supports synchronization of the movements of several actuators. It allows performing the desired motion while taking into accounts additional constraints.
Bio-inspired robots are nothing new. Plenty of researches work on building robots inspired by nature. This Octopus-inspired robot is capable of swimming and grasping items. This soft robot can also crawl along the seafloor and use its arms to respond to its environment without any additional computing.
Here is a robot mannequin that can morph into any shape, allowing fashion stores and design studios to develop products using one tool. Such a solution enables shoppers to order clothes online, send in their exact measurements, and have perfect fit clothing items delivered to their home.
Here is a cool toy for Doctor Who fans that can be controlled using a smartphone. This Smartphone Operated Desktop Dalek connects to your phone via Bluetooth. You can light up its parts and turn its head. You will need 4 x AA batteries to run this toy.
Meet the Mosquito: a 3D printed modular drone that you can assemble and customize for your missions. It has different flight modes and comes with return to launch functionality. The drone offers you up to 20 minutes of flight time. You can take a selfie with your drone and have it follow you.
Meet the FreeMotionHandling Sphere from Festo: an indoor flying object with a gripping mechanism that can maneuver in any direction and pick up / drop off items. It uses two cameras and indoor GPS technology to react to its surroundings.
Meet the 3D Cocooner from Festo: a robotic system that can spin complex structures in space. It uses a UV-curing resin to turn soft thread into a sturdy rod. The system comes with a high-speed handling system that can be controlled precisely in the space.
Robots building structures and sculptures is nothing new. But would it make sense to use them in a design studio? The RISD Glass Robotics Studio explores that idea. It is about combining industrial robots and gravity fed additive manufacturing.
Our cars and buses are going to become driverless in the future. In fact, many companies are working on these solutions. Residents of Trikala, Greece, already have access to a driverless bus. It can carry up to 10 people at a time. The bus has GPS and sensors to follow a circular route. A manual control mode is available in case of an emergency.
Here are 3D printed robots made of both solid and liquid materials that can be programmed to perform tasks. As researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) explain, these dynamic robots are 3D printed in a single step and do not require any assembly.
