Robots

Combining multiple sensory inputs has been a big hurdle for developing physical AI robots. Recent research at Tohoku University solves this problem using a brand new approach.

Lingnan University's science and innovation teams have achieved outstanding results at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 (SVIIF) in their first-ever participation. All 13 participating projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, and intelligent transportation, won awards, including 8 gold and 5 silver medals. One of the projects, the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), also received a special award ⸺ Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association (IFIA), making Lingnan the Hong Kong higher education institution that won the highest number of total awards and gold medals at this year’s festival.

Researchers from South Korea engineered a robotic folding sheet that can crawl across a surface as well as grasp and lift various objects.

Inspired by a simple children's toy, a jumping popper toy, researchers have unlocked a key to designing more agile and predictable soft robots. Soft robots, made from flexible materials, hold immense promise for delicate tasks, but their complex movements have been difficult to predict and control, especially dynamic actions like jumping. Now, a team from Keio University and The University of Osaka has published a study in Advanced Robotics Research detailing the physics behind the jump of thin hemispherical shells, a fundamental building block for jumping soft robots.

Cyborg jellyfish, 3D collagen, Light, light go away, AI electronic nose, FLASHing cancer, Hydrogen storage in nanoscales & Can I drink this? Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

Cosmic hide-and-seek, Controlling quantum light, Thinking face robot, Live DNA folding & Menopause-dementia link. Plus latest SciCom Coffee talk. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Jellyfish cyborgs may sound like something straight out of science fiction. But harnessing jellyfishes’ natural locomotion provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly means to monitor coral reefs, track oil spills or observe climate change. Now, a team from Tohoku University’s Department of Robotics has successfully modulated the swimming behavior of jellyfish using gentle electric pulses and generated a means of measuring it via AI. In doing so, they have created a gentle way to harness the powerful swimming mechanisms of jellyfish.

Smart neural electrode, "Rhinoceros beetle" robot, Halting the thief of sight, Together at last & Lighting hardy plants. Plus latest SciCom Coffee talk. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Autonomous driving algorithm for robot using lidar shows promise with high-bed cultivation methods

FLUID, an open-source, 3D-printed robot, offers an affordable and customizable solution for automated material synthesis, making advanced research accessible to more scientists.

A well-timed “furrowed face”—a subtle expression we instinctively recognize as “thinking”—can make androids appear less creepy and more relatable to humans.

Until now, when looking for a robot, the choice was between one that was autonomous and cordless, one that enabled high-precision manipulation, and one that could be used in extreme real-world environments. The HB-3 robot is the first that ticks all boxes.

For International Women's Day, we have prepared a list of women experts who have agreed to share their expertise with journalists. Their expertise include AI, astronomy, medicine and public health, sustainability, women’s rights, and more.

A research team from Osaka University and Diponegoro University, Indonesia has developed two new autonomous navigation systems for cyborg insects to better navigate unknown, complex environments. The algorithms utilized only simple circuits that leveraged natural insect behaviors, like wall-following and climbing, to navigate challenging terrain, such as sandy, rock-strewn surfaces. For all difficulties of terrain tested, the cyborg insects were able to reach their target destination, demonstrating the potential of cyborg insects for surveillance, disaster-site exploration, and more.

- DGIST Prof. Park Kyung-joon’s team has developed the world's first formula to optimize DDS communication performance for multi-robot collaboration and scalability in ROS 2-based robotic systems. - The research findings are presented at IEEE INFOCOM 2025, the world's leading international conference in the field.

The sticky secret of a gecko’s foot has inspired scientists to develop robots that can pick up and release fragile objects without damage.

Crossing the uncanny valley, Batteries that don’t explode, Tiny climate change fighters, Liver-friendly mushroom & Foetal defence. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Even highly realistic androids can cause unease when their facial expressions lack emotional consistency. Traditionally, a "patchwork method" has been used for facial movements, but it comes with practical limitations. A team developed a new technology using "waveform movements" to create real-time, complex expressions without unnatural transitions. This system reflects internal states, enhancing emotional communication between robots and humans, potentially making androids feel more humanlike.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a cockroach cyborg, microrobots that assemble and disassemble to perform tasks, and a sponge made of squid bones to clean up pollution.

Use of automated system in upper extremity paralysis care proves beneficial for patients and medical staff

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the genetics behind cat coat color, how AI and rat urine can help a robot fit in, and how plastic damages coral reefs.

Venice of the Pacific, Membrane transformers, Diverse meals, Nano dots and spirals & Extinct swimmers. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the rediscovery of a worm after 70 years, how internet use can help reduce depression in seniors, and the first 4-legged bot to finish a marathon.

Surgical field expansion plate allows surgeons more independence

Plesiosaurs once roamed Earth’s waters, using four equal flippers to propel their elongated bodies through the water. Fossils from these Mesozoic marine reptiles do not preserve the muscle tissue needed to explain how they maneuvered. Yet a group of researchers have harnessed a bio-inspired control system, creating a plesiosaur-like robot that reveals key insights into how they once traversed the oceans. The model could be used in the future to shed light on the movement of other extinct animals.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how our brain makes us love or hate spicy food, using maths to predict stock market trends, and a battery that can make electricity from the atmosphere on Mars.

2024 Taiwan Innotech Expo takes place from October 17 to 19 at the Taipei World Trade Center. Witness cutting-edge inventions and innovations from Taiwan and around the world.

SUTD researchers have developed an exceptionally versatile soft gripper that can easily adapt to various food manipulation scenarios. This innovative design earned them the grand prize at the IEEE RoboSoft Manipulation Competition for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), and more recently, the Best Innovation Award at the Shape Morphing Workshop during the 2024 IEEE RoboSoft conference.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the ‘holy grail’ of insulin treatments, a new species that ate like a walrus, and keeping cool in smart, adaptive clothing.

Lightweight, untethered soft robots capable of crawling, climbing, perching, and flying developed by researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, National University of Singapore and Queensland University of Technology.