Why we need rescue robots to seem brave and vulnerable

From WALL-E to R2D2 and the Iron Giant, pop culture is full of courageous, selfless robots that assist humans and tug on our heartstrings. But can real-life robots that respond to disasters and head into dangerous situations ...

How robots can help in the fight against toxic algae

Harmful algae blooms in lakes are a major environmental problem, producing extremely dangerous toxins that can taint water supplies or harm other organic life—including people. Biologists can test water safety by collecting ...

What physicists can learn from shark intestines

In 1920, inventor Nikola Tesla patented a type of pipe that he called a "valvular conduit," which was built to draw fluid in one direction without any moving parts or added energy, and has applications ranging from soft robotics ...

Robo-bird teaches young zebra finches to sing

How do young zebra finches learn to sing? A research team led by researcher Katharina Riebel has developed a "RoboFinch" to study just that. She and colleagues in the "Seeing voices" research consortium have spent the past ...

Video: The Sample Transfer Arm: A helping hand for Mars

The mission to return Martian samples back to Earth will use a European 2.5 meter-long robotic arm to pick up tubes filled with precious soil from Mars and transfer them to a rocket for an historic interplanetary delivery.

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