A global consortium of partners, led by marine research organization ProMare, is building an unmanned, fully-autonomous ship that will cross the Atlantic on the fourth centenary of the original Mayflower voyage in September 2020.

IDTechEx Launchpad will showcase innovations from 12 start-up companies at the IDTechEx Show! held in Santa Clara Convention Center, CA, USA (www.IDTechEx.com/USA). All winners will be showing a new working prototype or product, many for the first time.

Human-robotic partnerships are at the heart of European Space Agency's exploration strategy, which includes preparing for scenarios like this by sending robotic scouts to the Moon and planets, hand-in-hand with astronauts controlling them from orbit.

Airbus and LM Industries, the world's first and only digital manufacturer, have announced the formation of Neorizon to provide disruptive and innovative products with an initial focus on local mobility and autonomy.

Sensitive synthetic skin enables robots to sense their own bodies and surroundings - a crucial capability if they are to be in close contact with people. Inspired by human skin, a team has developed a system combining artificial skin with control algorithms and used it to create the first autonomous humanoid robot with full-body artificial skin.

In this article series we explore various trends in camera hardware technology, primarily focusing on trends that relate to autonomous driving.

Flies aren't exactly endearing to humans. We rightly associate them with less-than-appetizing experiences in our daily lives. But there is an unexpected path to redemption: Robots. It turns out that flies have some features and abilities that can inform a new design for robotic systems.

A step closer to integrated artificial muscle and nervous tissue, researchers develop an intelligent, shape-morphing, and self-healing material for soft robotics and wearable electronics.
 


Army researchers tested ground robots performing military-style exercises, much like Soldier counterparts, at a robotics testing site in Pennsylvania recently as part of a 10-year research project designed to push the research boundaries in robotics and autonomy.

Researchers have created a miniature robot that can crawl with inchworm-like motion. The underlying technology could one day transform industries from aviation to smart wearables.

IDTechEx are on the hunt for Senior Business Development Managers, based in the US. As an area of imminent growth for the company, this position is an excellent opportunity for experienced and enterprising individuals to contribute to the success of the company.

By measuring the body length, width and height of free-living southern right whales photographed by drones, researchers were able to develop a model that accurately calculated the body volume and mass of the whales.

Mini robots that can roll, fly, float and swim, then morph into a single machine? Together they form Shapeshifter, a developing concept for a transformational vehicle to explore treacherous, distant worlds.

UPS subsidiary UPS Flight Forward Inc has received the US government's first full Part 135 Standard certification to operate a drone airline. The company will initially expand its drone delivery service further to support hospital campuses around the country, and to provide solutions for customers beyond those in the healthcare industry.

A multidisciplinary robotics team is designing autonomous systems for 3D printers on robotic arms attached to mobile, roving platforms.

Invasive species control is notoriously challenging, especially in lakes and rivers where native fish and other wildlife have limited options for escape. Using biomimetic robots to understand and modify animal behavior demonstrates how robotic fish can be a valuable tool in the fight against one of the world's most problematic invasive species, the mosquitofish.

Mechanical engineers have created the first robotic fish proven to mimic the speed and movements of live yellowfin tuna.

Just like our senses of hearing and vision, our sense of touch plays an important role in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. And technology capable of replicating our sense of touch - also known as haptic feedback - can greatly enhance human-computer and human-robot interfaces for applications such as medical rehabilitation and virtual reality.

Human hands are remarkably skilled at manipulating a range of objects. We can pick up an egg or a strawberry without smashing it. We can hammer a nail. One characteristic that allows us to perform a variety of tasks is the ability to alter the firmness of our grip, and engineers have developed a two-fingered robotic hand that shares this trait.