Scientists harness the wind as a tool to move objects

Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have developed a novel technique using jets of air to manipulate objects remotely, promising advances in robotics and other fields.
VIDEO: Flamethrowing robot dog available for just over £7k

US-based Throwflame have launched a fire spitting robot dog, Thermonator, built on Unitree’s Go2 bot with applications including wildfire prevention, agriculture and entertainment.
Why can’t robots outrun animals?

Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada are examining the remarkable movement capabilities of animals to advance robotics technology.
Flying bot can also form a wheel and roll

University of Tokyo engineers have built a novel flying bot that consists of deformable multilinked multirotor sections that can maneuver in the air as well perform a rolling locomotion on the ground.
‘Whale tail’ cycloid propeller could boost marine propulsion

Swedish-Swiss automation giant ABB have designed a new form of propulsion for ships, Dynafin, which mimics the movement of a whale’s tail to boost efficiency by up to 22% compared to conventional propellers.
Three-legged asteroid hopper bot tested in zero gravity

Researchers at ETH Zurich have tested their asteroid and moon exploration bot from the SpaceHopper project in simulated zero gravity conditions aboard a parabolic flight.
Stair-climbing vacuum bot bags over $2m in crowdfunding

US-based Migo Robotics has so far raised $2,299,075 from 2,616 backers on Kickstarter for their stair-climbing bot Ascender, currently priced at $849 each.
South Korean robotics company unveil wheeled humanoid

South Korea’s Rainbow Robotics just revealed RB-Y1, a humanoid with wheels instead of legs, a top speed of 2.5m/s and the ability to perform many complex tasks in various work environments.
Chinese humanoid talks with human, sorts objects

Chinese robotics firm UBTECH have integrated Baidu’s AI chatbot into their humanoid named Walker S, enabling it to converse and follow directions to perform tasks like folding clothes and sorting objects.
World’s first pothole prevention bot tested in Hertfordshire

Earlier this month, Robotiz3d, University of Liverpool and Hertfordshire County Council tested their Autonomous Road Repair System (ARRES) PREVENT robot, which identifies cracks and fills them in to help stop potholes forming.