Computers Sculpt Hopping Gelatinous Robots
These bloblike bots have been optimized for speed
Robotics
AI Teaches Robots the Best Way to Pack a Car, a Suitcase—Or a Rocket to Mars
Robots that can fit multiple items into a limited space could help pack a suitcase or a rocket to Mars
Robotics ‘Revives’ a Long-Extinct Starfish Ancestor
Engineers and paleontologists teamed up to reconstruct an ancestor of starfish from the Paleozoic era and figure out how it moved
AI Designs Little Robots in 30 Seconds, and They Keep Sprouting Legs
An AI used to build artificial neural networks can also create autonomous robot bodies with remarkable speed
Above-Elbow Bionic Arm Can Control Every Finger
Researchers have created the first nerve-controlled prosthetic hand that can be used in daily life
This Insect-Sized Robot Can Carry 22 Times Its Own Weight
The four-legged miniature machine is powered by tiny explosions
How to Roll a Joint Perfectly, according to Science
Scientists used a smoking machine—complete with a 3-D-printed mouthpiece—to figure out how to get the most cannabinoid per puff.
Shape-Shifting, Self-Healing Machines Are Among Us
Electronics that can bend, stretch and repair themselves could potentially work in applications ranging from tougher robots to smart clothes
The In-Credible Robot Priest and the Limits of Robot Workers
Some jobs just need the human touch to work, even with automated assistance
Robotic Bees Could Support Vertical Farms Today and Astronauts Tomorrow
The buzzy industry of robotic pollinators is setting its sights on indoor farms for urban—and extraterrestrial—environments
New Robot Hand Works by Feel, Not Sight
These simple sensors let a robot function by touch alone, allowing it to manipulate objects from a soup can to a rubber duck
Soft ‘Electronic Skin’ Mimics Our Sense of Touch
A flexible, conductive membrane that can pass sensory information to the brain and muscles is a step towards artificial skin