SpinLaunch tests NASA and Airbus payloads
By Charles Carter, 12/10/22 US startup SpinLaunch has tested NASA, Airbus, Cornell University and Outpost payloads in the latest flight of their 10,000G electric powered centrifuge launch system. This was the tenth flight test of their 200kg-class satellite launcher, taking place on 27th September, although it was first time partner payloads have been mounted to […]
Lightweight multi-purpose robot tractor
By Charles Carter, 11/10/22 Norwegian startup Autoagri has developed a lightweight, multi-purpose robot tractor that aims to reduce costs, soil compaction and carbon footprint. The company unveiled their IC-Series machine in May last year, taking orders for pilot units for use in agriculture and other sectors in October 2021. How does it work? The IC-Series […]
Sustainable vegan cactus leather
By Charles Carter, 10/10/22 Mexican startup Desserto has created a sustainable vegan leather made from cactus proteins and fibres. As well being a no-slaughter leather, the company claims the nopal cactus needs no irrigation water, is a very efficient natural carbon sink and doesn’t pollute waterways like the conventional leather industry. How does it work? […]
Hull cleaning bot: lowers emissions and protects biodiversity
By Charles Carter, 08/10/22 South Korean startup SLM has created a cleaning bot, CHIRO, that removes the build up of plants and organisms on a ship’s hull, reducing friction, lowering emissions and protecting biodiversity. Known as biofouling, the accumulation of aquatic species is a major cause of bio invasions as ships transfer organisms across the […]
Tesla reveals humanoid bot Optimus
By Charles Carter, 01/10/22 Tesla revealed two working prototypes of its humanoid bot Optimus during a live AI event on Friday. To begin with, the company will use the bot in their factories to automate dangerous, repetitive and boring task, before widening out the applications. They are aiming to have Optimus on general sale to […]
Bipedal bot achieves 100m world record
By Charles Carter, 29/09/22 Engineers at Oregon State University (OSU) have achieved the 100m Guinness World Record for a bidpedal bot using the Cassie platform built by OSU spin out Agility Robotics. The bizarre looking two-legged machine with no torso, head or arms, powered across OSU’s Whyte Track and Field Center in a cool 24.73 […]
Six-armed apple harvester
By Charles Carter, 25/09/22 Innovators at US startup advanced.farm are developing an automated apple harvester that uses computer vision and suction cups to pick almost 30 pieces of fruit a minute. They are transferring technology from their more established robotic strawberry picker to solve apple harvesting challenges, through a $460k 3-year R&D grant from the […]
Automated sneaker repair service
By Charles Carter, 21/09/22 Innovators at Nike have developed a robotic sneaker repair service that scans, cleans and patches up old sneakers to help reduce waste. B.I.L.L. (Bot Initiated Longevity Lab) is currently being piloted free of charge to shoppers in Nike Town London. It is one aspect of Nike’s initiative to embrace the circular […]
Microplastic-eating bionic fish
By Charles Carter, 02/11/22 The Natural Robotics Contest built a prototype of this year’s winning entry from Eleanor Mackinstosh: Gillbert, a bionic fish that eats microplastic by filtering it from ingested water using mesh gills. Eleanor’s idea was to mimic how fish swim and extract oxygen from water to help clean up microplastic pollution in […]