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Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. RoboCup 2024: 17–22 July 2024, EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE ICSR 2024: 23–26 October 2024, ODENSE, DENMARK Cybathlon 2024: 25–27 October 2024, ZURICH Enjoy today’s videos! Figure is making progress toward a humanoid robot that can do something useful, but keep in mind that the “full use case” here is...... Read Full article on HadNews

China is known for its groundbreaking infrastructure projects that push the boundaries of what is possible, and the video titled "China Is Building What America Never Could 😱" takes viewers on a journey through some of the most awe-inspiring mega projects in the country. From massive railway stations to futuristic cities and cutting-edge airports, China is setting new standards in engineering and design. The video showcases projects like the Jing-Jin-Ji East Railway Station, with its vast size capable of handling thousands of passengers per hour. This station is a testament to China's commitment to cutting-edge infrastructure and high-speed ...... Read Full article on HadNews

A robot is chatting to an elderly British man in his bedroom. The robot has a cheery demeanour and a pleasantly high-pitched voice. The robot – perhaps because of the man’s age – starts asking him about his memories of the second world war: “Please tell me what was the most difficult thing you and your family had to go through?” The elderly man goes on to talk about how his father was in the Royal Air Force and they didn’t see him for almost four years. But why was a robot bluntly asking him about what may have been one of the most traumatic experiences he’s ever had? The robot’s behaviour was the product of the Caresses project (Cult...... Read Full article on HadNews

The 6+ Hours Live Autonomous Robot Demo video showcases Digit, a cutting-edge autonomous robot, in action. The video features Digit performing various tasks autonomously for over six hours, giving viewers a glimpse into the future of robotics and technology. Throughout the video, Digit demonstrates its capabilities by completing tasks with precision and efficiency. From navigating obstacles to picking up objects, Digit showcases its advanced capabilities and impressive functionality. The live demonstration provides a real-time look at Digit’s performance, highlighting its ability to operate autonomously in a variety of environments. Th...... Read Full article on HadNews

Robots have become an integral part of our world today, with companies like Amazon deploying over 750,000 mobile robots across its operations worldwide. Boston Dynamics and Tesla’s Optimus are just a few examples of the amazing capabilities of robots in today’s society. The number of innovative companies in the robotics space is increasing rapidly, with new advancements and projects emerging regularly. From humanoid robots helping with everyday chores to robot workers in factories, the possibilities with robotics are endless. Labs and universities are constantly conducting groundbreaking research to teach machines in cheaper and faster...... Read Full article on HadNews

The United States has just released the most advanced robot that can do anything – the Flir Cobra Robotic System by Endeavor Robotics. Weighing in at 166.25 kg, this Swiss army knife of robotic platforms is designed for explosive detection, ordinance disposal, and surveillance missions. With a lift capability of 390 lb, grip strength of 1100 lb per square inch, and a maximum speed of 8 mph, the Flir Cobra is a versatile and reliable partner in any situation. Its ability to operate for up to 10 hours on a single charge makes it a valuable asset in the field, ensuring it is always ready when duty calls. Additionally, the Vision 60 by Gho...... Read Full article on HadNews

The video “NEXT GENERATION Robots That IMPRESSED Chinese Engineers!” showcases innovative and cutting-edge robotic creations that have left a lasting impression on Chinese engineers. From agility robotics to news-reading androids, each robot represents a significant advancement in technology and artificial intelligence. The robots featured in the video, such as Ivy, RoboThespian, and Cosmo, not only push the boundaries of robotics but also redefine human-robot interactions. The video highlights the remarkable capabilities of each robot, from agility and adaptability to emotional intelligence and personalized interactions. Whether it’s ...... Read Full article on HadNews

Rechargeable batteries are great for storing energy and powering electronics from smartphones to electric vehicles. In cold environments, however, they can be more difficult to charge and may even catch on fire. I’m a mechanical engineering professor who’s been interested in batteries since college. I now lead a battery research group at Drexel University. In just this past decade, I have watched the price of lithium-ion batteries drop as the production market has grown much larger. Future projections predict the market could reach thousands of GWh per year by 2030, a significant increase. But, lithium-ion batteries aren’t perfect...... Read Full article on HadNews

In a breakthrough that paved the way for unlimited carbon-free energy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers successfully tested a novel high-temperature superconducting magnet capable of generating a world-record 20-tesla magnetic field strength, a crucial milestone for enabling practical fusion power plants. Nearly three years after achieving this test, MIT researchers have now published a comprehensive analysis validating their record-smashing superconducting magnet technology, a key step toward commercial reactors that could provide unlimited clean power “Overnight, it basically changed the cost per watt of a fusion...... Read Full article on HadNews

Building a DIY Surgical Robot: An Innovation in Medical Technology Have you ever watched a robotic-assisted surgery and thought, “I wish I could operate a machine like that?” Well, now you can, thanks to DIY enthusiasts who have taken on the challenge of building their own surgical robots. Inspired by the expensive costs of purchasing and maintaining professional surgical robots, these individuals have taken matters into their own hands to create their own versions using used medical instruments. The journey begins with acquiring a surgical instrument, like a Suture cut needle driver, from a used medical device vendor on eBay. These in...... Read Full article on HadNews

My colleagues and I have built a robot composed of many building blocks like the cells of a multicellular organism. Without a “brain” or a central controller in the system, our robot, dubbed Loopy, relies on the collective behavior of all of its cells to interact with the world. In this sense, we call Loopy a robotic swarm. But Loopy can also be seen as a single robot since all the cells are connected; therefore, Loopy is also “a swarm of one.” This research could lead to adaptive robots that tailor their shapes and movements to their environments – for example, in environmental cleanup applications. Loopy is a primitive form of multicellu...... Read Full article on HadNews

Bionic humanoid robots are no longer just science fiction, they are becoming a reality in the Chinese city of Dalian, Liaoning Province. The EX Future and Science Museum has recently opened, showcasing incredibly lifelike and realistic humanoid robots created by EX Robots. These robots are so accurate that they can create a replica of any visitor to the museum with frightening realism. The museum not only houses these incredible robots but also has a research and development department, as well as a bionic robot assembly line. The robots are designed to be as realistic as possible, with details like the pattern of veins, lines on the p...... Read Full article on HadNews

need to live in space, including air, food, and water. In this full episode of Superstructures, National Geographic takes viewers on an epic journey to uncover the engineering secrets of the International Space Station. From revealing the challenges faced by engineers to get the ISS into space, to uncovering the intricacies of the modules and laboratories that make up this extraordinary feat of human engineering, viewers will gain a new understanding of what it takes for humans to live in space. Costing an astonishing $150 billion, the ISS represents the ultimate extreme home in a space where human beings were not meant to live. The video ...... Read Full article on HadNews

Nasa’s space shuttle operated in low-Earth orbit for 30 years before its retirement in 2011. However, the US space agency’s replacement for this vehicle, Orion, returned to the conical capsule design familiar from the Apollo missions. This was because Nasa intended that this newer craft be used for exploring targets in deep space, such as the Moon. But in recent years, we have seen a return of the spaceplane design. Since 2010, the US Space Force (and formerly the US Air Force) has been launching a robotic spaceplane called the X-37B into low Earth orbit on classified missions. China has its own military spaceplane called Shenlong. T...... Read Full article on HadNews