Toyota Research Institute (TRI) debuts Punyo, a soft-bodied robot designed to help with everyday tasks, whether it be lifting a water jug or closing a drawer. Its name comes from the Japanese word “punyo” (ぷにょ), which refers to something soft, cute, and resilient.
Mercedes-Benz announced a new collaboration with Apptronik to bring their Apollo humanoid robot into the assembly line. More specifically, the robots will be used in logistics to bring parts to the production line for workers to assemble, while simultaneously inspecting the components.
Engineer Aaed Musa used a 3D printer, along with a host of electronic parts, to create TOPS (Traverser of Planar Surfaces), a 12DOF quadruped robot dog. Weighing in at 29.6 pounds, it took approximately 4-months and $3,300 USD to build.
Researchers use the Husky UGV to spy on penguins in Antarctica, while John Downer Productions employed this robot pig to infiltrate that swimming pigs of the Bahamas for David Tennant’s BBC/PBS series Spy in the Ocean. Why are there pigs here? Well, legend has it that they swam to the island from a nearby shipwreck.
Aside from transparent laptops, Lenovo has other non-computer-related projects in the works, including their Daystar Bot GS. This robot dog may steal the spotlight from Boston Dynamics’ Spot, as its innovative six-legged design guarantees maximum stability and maneuverability that surpasses traditional robotic platforms.
Parkour on the rooftops of Paris may be a pastime exclusively for daredevils, but the quadruped ANYmal robot is definitely no slouch either. Researchers at ETH Zurich have trained ANYmal to smoothly navigate obstacles in an urban environment, including the tricky terrain commonly found on building sites or in disaster areas.
Figure 01 just got an OpenAI upgrade that enables the humanoid robot to have full conversations with humans, thanks to the ChatGPT maker’s large vision language model (VLM). The two companies aim to develop next generation AI models for humanoid robots by combining OpenAI’s research with Figure’s deep understanding of robotics hardware as well as software.
MIT researchers unveil an innovative 4D Knit Dress that combines several technologies to create a personalized fit and style. These include heat-activated yarns, computerized knitting, and robotic activation around each garment for a sculpted fit.
Caltech researchers have developed biohybrid robotic jellyfish, or devices that have been augmented electronics to further enhance their swimming as well as a prosthetic “hat”. The latter is used to transport a small payload while also making the jellyfish swim in a more streamlined manner.