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Papers & Evaluations Latest coverage

Papers & Evaluations with links to supporting source material.

556 selected reportsLast 30 days 491 recordsAll coverage 2,632 records

updated

Signal archive — Page 28

2026-09-21Mon541–556 records
  1. Michigan Robotics — Research news82

    Small robot propulsion: low-power twisting enables hopping, swimming

    Researchers at the University of Michigan and UCLA have developed a new propulsion mechanism for small robots using low-power twisting of elastic rods. This method enables hopping and swimming motions by utilizing snapping mechanics. The mechanism works on challenging surfaces such as slippery cloth and grass-covered ground, producing frog-like motion. The study, published in Science Advances, was co-led by Khalid Jawed and Xiaonan (Sean) Huang, and demonstrates the potential for miniature robots to maneuver over uneven or slippery terrain.

2026-09-17Thu
  1. MIT — Robotics82

    Robotic lab sets up and runs optics experiments on demand

    MIT researchers have developed a reconfigurable robotic lab that autonomously assembles, tunes, and dismantles optical experiments. The system uses robotic arms, 3D-printed component housings, and a cloud-based interface to enable remote operation. It can build and fine-tune a laser cavity in under 30 minutes, demonstrating the potential for fully automated optical experiments.

  2. International Journal of Robotics Research — Journal metadata82

    Skeleton-guided geometry-aware auto-labeling for robotic grasping: From 4-DoF learning to 6-DoF execution

    This research introduces a novel algorithm for generating grasp keypoints using straight skeletons to identify high-potential regions for stable grasping. A fully automated pipeline enables large-scale annotation without human intervention, and a new architecture, SkelGG-CNN, is introduced for 4-DoF grasping. The method is extended to 6-DoF grasping using a generalized quasi-3D skeletonization algorithm, achieving high accuracy on multiple benchmarks and real-world experiments. The framework enables efficient training of lightweight models for real-world deployment.

2026-09-16Wed
  1. ETH Zurich — Robotics research news82

    Robotic help in high-risk twin pregnancies

    Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a robotic platform with a magnetically controllable endoscope to improve the safety and precision of fetal surgery for twin pregnancies with shared placentas. The system uses magnetic fields to bend the endoscope, enabling better access to blood vessels, and combines panoramic imaging with real-time navigation. The technology has been tested in an animal model and is now being refined for human clinical use.

2026-09-14Mon
  1. MIT — Robotics85

    New method enables AI for safety-critical situations

    MIT researchers have developed a new technique that helps generative AI models meet strict safety and task-specific constraints without sacrificing output quality. The method, called HardFlow, reformulates constraint satisfaction as a trajectory-optim, allowing models to explore more freely during generation while ensuring final compliance with hard constraints. It is tested on robotics, control, and computer vision tasks, consistently outperforming existing methods in constraint satisfaction and solution quality.

2026-09-09Wed
  1. New Atlas — Robotics72

    Will a cyborg cockroach paramedic save your life in the future?

    Researchers at the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales have developed 'paraborgs'—cyborg cockroaches equipped with drug-delivery systems for search-and-rescue missions. These insects can navigate through rubble, locate survivors, and administer medication using remote control and spring-loaded needles. While the technology shows promise with high success rates in tests using silicone and pig skin, human trials have not yet been conducted.

2026-09-08Tue
  1. New Atlas — Robotics78

    Frog Muscle Put to Use in Swimming Robotic Manta Ray

    Researchers at the Shenyang Institute of Automation have developed a wireless, light-controlled robotic manta ray powered by native frog muscle tissue. The biological actuator, derived from the gracilis muscle of a bullfrog, produces contractile forces up to 9.4 N and enables untethered control through near-infrared laser stimulation. The robot achieves speeds of up to 2.7 cm/s and demonstrates maneuverability in water, with potential applications in environmental monitoring. Challenges include limited tissue lifespan and reliance on external energy sources.

2026-08-27Thu
  1. Michigan Robotics — Research news68

    Michigan Robotics at IROS 2026 in Pittsburgh

    Michigan Robotics is participating in the 2026 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) in Pittsburgh, presenting research on topics such as robotic leg prostheses, tensegrity robotics, and soft robot control. The event includes workshops, papers, and opportunities for networking and exploring Pittsburgh.

2026-08-14Fri
  1. New Atlas — Robotics68

    Robotic tiles autonomously Lego-snap into floating smart structures

    Researchers at MIT have developed FloatForm, a system of robotic tiles that can autonomously assemble into floating structures. Inspired by ant colony behavior, the system uses magnetic latches, sensors, and thrusters to reconfigure dynamically, addressing challenges like hydrodynamics and slipstreams. Potential applications include emergency response, public space, and infrastructure on water.

2026-07-28Tue
  1. Robotiq — Blog68

    Physical AI: The DARPA Legacy & the Road Ahead — From Face-Plants to Foundation Models

    This article explores the legacy and impact of the DARPA Robotics Challenge, which aimed to develop robots capable of performing complex tasks in disaster scenarios. It discusses key lessons learned, including the importance of shared autonomy, mechanical design, and reliability in robotic systems. The piece also examines the long-term impact of the DRC on industry and research, emphasizing how it shaped the development of physical AI and its current applications.

2026-07-09Thu
  1. MIT — Robotics82

    New flapping robot swims and flies like a diving bird

    Engineers at MIT and EPFL have developed a flapping-wing robot, or FAAV, that can swim underwater and then flap into the air, mimicking the movement of diving birds. The robot, weighing less than 300 grams, can transition between water and air using optimized wing size, flapping frequency, and tail angle. The study, published in Science, could enable new aerial-aquatic drones for oceanographic research and environmental monitoring.

2026-06-09Tue
  1. Michigan Robotics — Research news72

    An earthworm-inspired robot to inspect complex pipelines

    University of Michigan researchers have developed SPPIRO, an untethered soft robot inspired by earthworms, capable of navigating complex pipelines with varying diameters and sharp turns. Equipped with Kresling origami actuators, onboard sensors, and a self-mapping system, SPPIRO can inspect pipelines at speeds up to 9.5 mm/s vertically and 6.5 mm/s horizontally, outperforming existing untethered soft in-pipe robots. The robot uses liquid-metal-based sensors and an onboard camera to detect defects in enclosed pipes, though challenges remain in maintaining stability and accuracy in certain conditions.

2026-05-14Thu
  1. Clearpath Robotics — Blog72

    Powered by Clearpath: Research Highlights from ICRA 2026

    Clearpath Robotics highlights research presented at ICRA 2026, showcasing how their robots are used in autonomous navigation, human-robot interaction, and agricultural applications. The papers demonstrate methods for far-field image-based mapping, social preference learning for crowd navigation, and shared control for UGVs in orchards.

2026-04-01Wed
  1. Sanctuary AI — Research and announcements72

    Sanctuary AI Demonstrates Zero-Shot In-Hand Manipulation on Hydraulic Hand

    Sanctuary AI has demonstrated zero-shot in-hand manipulation using their proprietary hydraulic hand, autonomously reorienting a lettered cube ten times without dropping it. This showcases successful simulation-to-reality transfer, overcoming challenges in simulating dexterous hands and highlighting the company's advanced robotic hardware and policy training capabilities.

2026-03-16Mon
  1. Universal Robots — Official announcements72

    Universal Robots and Scale AI Launch Imitation Learning System to Accelerate AI Model Training, Bridging the 'Lab-to-Factory' Gap

    Universal Robots and Scale AI have unveiled the UR AI Trainer, an imitation learning system designed to accelerate AI model training by capturing high-fidelity, synchronized robot and vision data. This system enables direct lab-to-factory AI training using UR robots with Direct Torque Control and force feedback, addressing challenges in data capture and hardware fragmentation. The collaboration also includes a large-scale industrial dataset and showcases real-world robotic foundation model performance.

2025-04-01Tue
  1. Sanctuary AI — Research and announcements68

    Sanctuary AI Leads the Industry in Controlling Advanced Hydraulic Hands Using Reinforcement Learning

    Sanctuary AI has demonstrated advanced manipulation skills using reinforcement learning to train dexterous policies for their high-performance hydraulic hands. The system successfully reorients objects in the real world under gravity and with added weight, showcasing the effectiveness of their approach. This represents the first successful transfer of such policies to five-fingered hands, highlighting the company's proprietary technology and hardware capabilities.

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