In 2011, robot sales hit about 160,000 units, translating to $8.5 billion in sales—this was by far the highest level recorded for any single year. Employment isn’t for humans only—there are currently 1.1 million working robots in the world. Today, robots sort through construction waste for reusable materials, and the even play a major role in automobile production. In fact, 80 percent of car production is completed by machines. By using artificial intelligence, Hyundai Motors reduced delivery time by 20 percent and increased inventory turns from 3 to 3.4. “Baxter” is a humanoid…

Boston Dynamics has made us cringe more than once in the past with their BigDog and LS3 robotic abominations in the past. This time, they’ve gone too far and we’re all officially creeped out. If you’ve seen any of the Terminator movies, you should be afraid. This is it without Arnold’s skin covering it. The funny part is that PETMAN is being billed as “an anthropomorphic robot designed for testing chemical protection clothing.” Before you start thinking that it sounds reasonable, keep in mind that this is a project that is funded by a “Robotics Challenge” put out by DARPA. For those not familiar with…

The flight of the dragonfly is unique in the animal kingdom. It’s complex four-wing mechanics give it significant advantages over traditional two-wing flyers. By moving two sets of wings independently of each other, the dragonfly is able to enjoy much more maneuverability and speed control. It’s no wonder so many robotics designers have tried to replicate this design in their flying robots. Unfortunately, the flight mechanics of the dragonfly are decidedly difficult to replicate. Although many have tried to perfect their design, few have managed to create anything more than a clumsy…

If there’s one thing that can be said about Boston Dynamics, it’s that they never cease to amaze us with the capabilities of their robotic creations. “BigDog” has been the topic of past posts here and this one may be the most awesome capability yet. Maintaining balance is one of the biggest challenges facing legged-robot designers. It seems easy for us and other animals to walk, climb, and jump because the portion of our mind that controls this is mostly subconscious. We don’t have to think, “left foot forward, balance on it, lift right leg, move it forward…” It just happens. In robotics, each movement…

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) have been working on the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) for years. This creepy, “thinking” robot is designed to help troops carry equipment on terrain that is normally not suitable for vehicles. The latest advancements are demonstrated below, showing improved maneuverability, voice commands, stability controls, and recovery abilities. When it falls, it can get back up. Fortunately, it doesn’t fall very often even in difficult terrain. In this video, they demonstrate the ability…

I was at the library the other day checking out some books (yes, real physical books that are printed on paper with ink) and it was like a massive wave of confusion washed over me when I realized: Where are all of the librarians?  I soaked in the view of where the counters and employees once stood, now replaced by several machines and touch-screens.  As I stepped up to one of the check-out machines, I was prompted to scan my library card by an automated voice instead of a friendly librarian. I do not comprehend the whole concept of the seemingly increasing popularity of self-checkout methods.  These…

The Tek Robotic Mobilization Device developed by Istanbul, Turkey-based AMS Mekatronic, bridges the gap between bulky wheelchairs with the inherent problems that come with them and mechanical engineering that will give many paraplegics more and easier access to their world. The idea is brilliant in its simplicity to the point that one wonders why something like this is new. Using a combination of balancing mechanisms, manual attachments and pulleys, and robotic engineering, the AMS team has reduced the horizontal size of mobility devices while solving other challenges such as mounting…

There have been many innovations in recent months that have blown us away from the world of robotics. If there’s one common theme between the Smart Bird and other robots that have gone from our dreams (or nightmares) to reality in recent months is the constant embracing of natural movement and style when creating movement. The same can be said about DARPA’s “Cheetah” which recently broke the speed record for legged robots. At 18mph, this machine will both amaze you and possibly scare you in a Japanese horror movie way. …

If this is the future of retail, I’ll be shopping online more often. Takashimaya, a department store in Tokyo, is working with Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro from Osaka University to demonstrate their concept of the next generation of retail merchandising. The timing couldn’t be better – the female mannequin is pushing their Valentine’s Day promotion as its first target. Ishiguro is known as the master of lifelike robotics and is best known for his work on the incredibly realistic Geminoid line of androids. This is the first time his work has been applied for commercial purposes. “I see this as the future…

Quadrotor technology developed at the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception (GRASP) lab at the University of Pennsylvania is able to fly with better accuracy than anything we’ve seen to date. Their ability to run complicated formations is both beautiful and terrifying. The beauty is obvious. They may sound like bugs and look exceptionally creepy as they do flips and run tight formations (the figure-8 is amazing), but they are “geek beautiful” in ways that few robotic devices have achieved. They are terrifying because the possibilities are endless. When possibilities are…