Robots

Growing use of AI reveals the need for global sustainability initiatives

Decoding dead stars’ “heartbeats”, Why do females live longer? DNA controller for molecular robots, Earliest twin quasars found. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus July's SciCom Coffee with A*STAR's Lisa Chong and get the early bird price to be in Asia Research News 2025.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are small robots with human brain organoids, new findings about the ancient Denisovan culture, and how to create the perfect environment for bad bacteria.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how to reach your 100th birthday, a (slightly unnerving) robot covered in human skin, and a feline urine test.

The first-ever Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy, organised jointly by Lingnan University in Hong Kong and Yuanpei College of Peking University (PKU), held a seven-day Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Camp-cum-STEM Competition from 22 to 28 June. Thirty of the best students from both universities formed five teams to compete on various innovative and entrepreneurial smart green technological projects. After a tight race, the project “Sustainable Green Building” team won the championship prize, and the chance to be nominated for the Lingnan University Entrepreneurship Fund, and will be put up for an application for seed or incubation funds.

- Research on tortoise-inspired robots by DGIST Professor Dongwon Yun’s team selected as cover paper for prestigious international journal Advanced Intelligent Systems - Acknowledged for originality and excellence of the robot energy efficiency enhancement technology mimicking the gait and postural patterns of tortoises

Researchers from Tohoku University and Kyoto University have succeeded in developing a DNA–based molecular controller. Crucially, this controller enables the autonomous assembly and disassembly of molecular robots, as opposed to manually directing it.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how to analyze sweat without getting sweaty, man’s best (robot) friends, and a satellite made from an innovative material: wood.

To overcome issues associated with real-life testing, SUTD researchers successfully demonstrated the use of digital twin technology within robot simulation software in assessing a robot’s suitability for deployment in simulated built environments.

Zika virus vaccine targets brain cancer, 120-year quest to farm lobsters, Arctic nightlife bursts with sound, Eating a robot, Molecular orientation is key & New treatment for ALS and dementia. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Japanese researchers have broken new ground by creating an edible robot and examining the unique experience of eating it while it moves. This robot, made of gelatin and sugar, pushes the boundaries of how we interact with food and technology. The study delves into the sensory and psychological aspects of consuming a moving robot, offering fresh perspectives on the convergence of robotics with culinary arts and medical applications.

Magnetic nanorobots delivering nerve cells to targeted tissues could potentially be used to repair damaged brain tissue, as well as other organs.

Researchers have developed a proof-of-concept system that allows robotic experiments to run without any human intervention.

Researchers have combined machine learning with robotic process automation to speed up and simplify a time-consuming process.

Touch sensors that don’t even need direct contact offer new sensitivity for robotic 3D structure recognition and wireless transmission of data.

We may not think about it while doing it, but our nervous system is directing our bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and more to move as efficiently as possible at varying speeds. Replicating this in robots is notoriously difficult. But now, Tohoku University researchers have created a model that makes this possible, thanks in large part to an innovative algorithm.

Unleashing stem cells from dog urine, Electronic Tongue, Tapping into human motion energy, How neurons network, and A radical use for plastic bags. Plus Communicating science two decades on. 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 a dragon-like robot that can fight fires, how having a pet can avoid cognitive decline, and how an illusion can help us learn motor skills.

- Professor Kyung-In Jang’s research team at DGIST has developed a complex taste sensor that mimics the gustatory system and detects saltiness, sourness, bitterness, and sweetness in real-time. - It is expected to be applied in various fields, including the food, cosmetics, and medicine industries

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a motorized tentacle you can wear on your finger, a star that came from a long way away and a long time ago, and a new champion in the competition for the fastest robo-quadruped.

"Amaterasu" particle: a new cosmic mystery, Geckos inspire robotic device, Targeting cancer while protecting healthy cells, Honey, I shrunk the bear, Two species lost to science spotted again. Plus New Science Communication Resources. 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 how eels can transfer DNA, older babies falling for tricks that younger ones do not, and a crystal layer deep in the Earth.

- The team successfully developed an imperceptive surface electromyography (sEMG) sensor that can be stably used in the silicone liner within the socket of a robotic prosthetic leg - The sensor transmits electromyographic signals wirelessly in a stable manner from a walking amputee to a robotic prosthetic leg for better control - Research results were published in the prestigious academic journal npj Flexible Electronics

Researchers develop a technique to allow fragile objects to be transferred and released by robotics, without damage, while using a gecko inspired adhesive.

A research team led by Osaka University used 125 physical markers to understand the detailed mechanics of 44 different human facial motions. The aim was to better understand how to convey emotions with artificial faces. Beyond helping with the design of robots and androids, this research can also benefit computer graphics, facial recognition, and medical diagnoses.

- An enhanced control technology for robotic upper and lower limbs has been developed through the development of a new type of hybrid bionic nerve interface that integrates a regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) and a peripheral nerve interface (PNI) - The technology is expected to play an important role in the neuroprosthetic rehabilitation of amputee patients and the peripheral nerve interface - The study’s results have been published in the esteemed academic journal “Advanced Science”

- A demonstration was held on September 21 at the Goheung Drone Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do - This anti-drone radar, developed only with domestic technology, has the world’s highest level of technology... K-defense proudly making its inroads in the world

To quickly and accurately characterize prospective materials for use in solar energy, researchers built an automated system to perform laboratory experiments and used machine learning to help analyze the data they recorded. Their goal is to identify semiconductor materials for use in photovoltaic solar energy, which are highly efficient and have low toxicity.

Insect cyborgs may sound like something straight out of the movies, but hybrid insect computer robots, as they are scientifically called, could pioneer a new future for robotics. It involves using electrical stimuli to control an insect’s movement. Now, an international research group has conducted a study on the relationship between electrical stimulation in stick insects' leg muscles and the resulting torque (the twisting force that causes the leg to move).

- Team led by Professor Choi Hong-Soo at DGIST enhances the effects of magnetic hyperthermia and particle penetration into cancer cells through the chain disassembly mechanism of magnetic nanoparticles induced by magnetic fields and magnetic propulsion. - Expected to play a major role in targeted drug delivery for cancer treatment through research related to magnetic carriers. - The research findings have been published in ACS Nano, a top-tier journal in the field of materials science.