Engineers have developed a low cost, low power technology to help robots accurately map their way indoors, even in poor lighting and without recognizable landmarks or features. The technology consists of sensors that use WiFi signals to help the robot map where it's going. It's a new approach to indoor robot navigation.

Royal Mail plans to scale up its use of drone technology and create more than 50 new postal drone routes over the next three years, subject to Civil Aviation Authority approval, as part of a new partnership with Windracers, the logistics drone company.

No one likes sitting at a red light. But signalized intersections aren't just a minor nuisance for drivers; vehicles consume fuel and emit greenhouse gases while waiting for the light to change. What if motorists could time their trips so they arrive at the intersection when the light is green? While that might be just a lucky break for a human driver, it could be achieved more consistently by an autonomous vehicle that uses artificial intelligence to control its speed.

Thursday 26 May 2022 - Summary of service robots; Dominant and non-dominant applications of service robots; Analysis of the drivers and barriers to the non-dominant applications; Introduction of major market players; Opportunities and market gaps of the non-dominant applications; and more!

Volocopter announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft to develop an aerospace cloud system in Microsoft Azure that will address the nascent cloud computing requirements for eVTOLs, UAM, and autonomous aviation. Once primed for commercial use, Azure will support the digital platform VoloIQ, the operating system for Volocopter's UAM services, and its subsequent transition to autonomous operations.

Nano-sized robots manipulated using a magnetic field can help kill bacteria deep inside dentinal tubules, and boost the success of root canal treatments. Root canal treatments are routinely carried out to treat tooth infections in millions of patients. The procedure involves removing the infected soft tissue inside the tooth, called the pulp, and flushing the tooth with antibiotics or chemicals to kill the bacteria that cause the infection.

Renault Trucks has announced the launch of an industry-first multimodal last mile e-mobility concept, the Renault Trucks E-Tech Master OptiModale, for cleaner, greener and more accessible urban deliveries.

Many of our daily activities involve our hands' prehensile abilities. While able-bodied people don't think twice when using a spoon or lifting a glass, these actions are nearly impossible for someone unable to grasp things with their fingers. Emovo Care has now come up with a device that is specifically designed to overcome these obstacles.

This premium article gives an introduction to collaborative robots, or 'cobots'. It will compare traditional industrial robots with collaborative robots and look at their benefits, as well as exploring the safety requirements associated with collaborative robots across different countries.

BeBop Sensors Inc announced the BeBop Sensors RoboSkin line of skin-like coverings for tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics. A true nervous system for robots at less than 1mm thick, RoboSkin is the only technology that fits all robotic body parts: limbs, fingers, feet, head, and torso, to make robots "feel" better.

For years, scientists have been attempting to engineer tiny, artificial cilia for miniature robotic systems that can perform complex motions, including bending, twisting, and reversing. Building these smaller-than-a-human-hair microstructures typically requires multi-step fabrication processes and varying stimuli to create the complex movements, limiting their wide-scale applications.

Wingcopter is delighted to announce that the Federal Aviation Administration has issued the Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for the Wingcopter 198 US unmanned aircraft. This approval marks a critical milestone in the certification process of Wingcopter's flagship eVTOL delivery drone in the U.S.

About 50% of the methane that California emits comes from dairy farms. In order to meet strict climate goals, the state has proposed ways to regulate dairy methane emissions. But these efforts run up against a big problem: There isn't currently a reliable way for dairy farmers to measure the amount of methane produced on their farm.

A robot 'chef' has been trained to taste food at different stages of the chewing process to assess whether it's sufficiently seasoned. The results could be useful in the development of automated or semi-automated food preparation by helping robots to learn what tastes good and what doesn't, making them better cooks.

Researchers are working to enhance the current gas-pressurized suits to make them more accommodating for astronauts exploring planetary surfaces.

Thursday 12 May 2022, presented by IDTechEx Technology Analyst Yulin Wang - Service Robots: Automate People's Lives and Multiple Industries - Who Are the Winners?

Recently, implementing mobile robots in warehouses for automation has been increasingly popular, and the market of logistic mobile robotics attracts millions or even billions of dollars of investments every year, according to IDTechEx's report "Mobile Robotics in Logistics, Warehousing and Delivery 2022-2042". There are some forms of mobile robotic systems that can complete the "goods-to-person" operations in a more flexible, scalable, and efficient way.

In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages. They're made of flexible, biocompatible hydrogels that use ions to carry an electrical charge. In contrast to smart skins made of plastics and metals, the hydrogels have the softness of natural skin. This offers a more natural feel to the prosthetic arm or robot hand they are mounted on, and makes them comfortable to wear.

This premium article introduces social robots and their applications, including medical assistance, education and recreation, and hospitality. It will also explore their key enabling technologies.

The Indy Autonomous Challenge racecar, a Dallara AV-21, set a new land speed world record of 192.2 MPH / 309.3 KPH at the historic Kennedy Space Center.