Enjoy This Animatronic Eyeball’s Smooth Moves

[Enza3D] shows off a surprisingly compact articulated animatronic eyeball that can be intuitively controlled with a Wii nunchuk controller. The design uses 3D-printed parts and some tiny servos, and all …read more Continue reading Enjoy This Animatronic Eyeball’s Smooth Moves

Biohybrid fish powered by beating human heart cells swims for 100 days

Researchers at Harvard and Emory University have created a biohybrid fish out of human heart muscle cells that can swim autonomously for months at a time as the cells beat. The project is a quirky sidestep on the way to eventually growing new functioni… Continue reading Biohybrid fish powered by beating human heart cells swims for 100 days

Mighty morphing melting metal robot switches from driving to flying drone

Most robots are designed for a specific job, and aren’t very adaptable. But engineers at Virginia Tech have now developed a soft robot that can morph into a range of shapes, such as driving, flying or swimming robots, thanks to a rubber skin full of a … Continue reading Mighty morphing melting metal robot switches from driving to flying drone

Dragonfly-sized drone flaps its wings more efficiently than insects

No matter how good our human designs may be, evolution has had a 4-billion-year head start, so there’s no shame in copying off Mother Nature’s homework. Engineers at the University of Bristol have done just that – and even improved on it – developing a… Continue reading Dragonfly-sized drone flaps its wings more efficiently than insects

Robo-bass used to protect native tadpoles from invasive mosquitofish

The mosquitofish is a harmful invasive species in much of the world, outcompeting and overwhelming native fish and other aquatic life. Scientists are now working on a solution to the problem, in the form of a robotic bass.Continue ReadingCategory: Scie… Continue reading Robo-bass used to protect native tadpoles from invasive mosquitofish

Falcon-inspired drone uses claws to perch and grab objects

Nature is an endless source of inspiration for robot design, so of course flying robots will borrow heavily from birds. Engineers at Stanford have now developed robotic claws inspired by the talons of a falcon that let drones perch on many different su… Continue reading Falcon-inspired drone uses claws to perch and grab objects

Microrobot fish swims through the body to vomit drugs on cancer

Delivering chemotherapy drugs directly to cancers could help reduce side effects, and soon that job could be done by tiny 3D-printed robotic animals. These microrobots are steered by magnets, and only release their drug payload when they encounter the … Continue reading Microrobot fish swims through the body to vomit drugs on cancer

Starfish larvae inspire vortex-powered microrobot

Nature is a never-ending source of inspiration for robots, whether it’s bees, bacteria, cockroaches, fish or even scallops. Now an unlikely new candidate has joined the list – starfish larvae, which use tiny hairs to create a vortex to propel themselve… Continue reading Starfish larvae inspire vortex-powered microrobot