Robot - SlashGear

Neato Botvac D7 Connected update adds multi-floor mapping, boost charge

Brittany A. Roston | Jul 31, 2018

Neato has released a software update for its Botvac D7 Connected smart vacuum, adding a pair of major new features. The vacuum itself is already available to purchase for $799 USD; existing owners will soon see an update notification from the mobile app. After updating, the Botvac D7 Connected will be able to learn the layout of more than one floor in the owner's home, as well as intelligently boost its charge to finish a job.

OpenAI trains robot hand virtually for real-world dexterous manipulation

Shane McGlaun | Jul 31, 2018

OpenAI has a robotic humanoid hand called Dactyl that it has trained entirely via simulation and has been able to transfer that simulation knowledge into the real world. Dactyl can adapt to real-world physics using techniques that OpenAI has been working on for the last 12 months. Dactyl uses the same general-purpose reinforcement learning algorithm and code as OpenAI Five.

Mayfield Robotics halts business as Kuri robot cancelled

Chris Davies | Jul 24, 2018

Mayfield Robotics, the startup developing the companion 'bot Kuri, has halted operations, another fatality in the tough home robotics space. The company, part of the Bosch Startup Platform, announced the news today, along with confirming that all pre-order deposits that had been placed for the robot will be refunded.

MIT’s Cheetah 3 robot climbs stairs with no visual sensors or cameras to help

Shane McGlaun | Jul 5, 2018

MIT has a new robot that researchers have been working on that could prove very useful in a disaster zone or environment that is inaccessible to humans. These same environments could likely have very low visibility meaning that cameras and visual sensors on the bot would be of little or no use. MIT's Cheetah 3 robot can climb stairs without the aid of any visual sensors or cameras.

Stuntronics: Watch this Disney robot do super-flip stunts

Chris Burns | Jun 28, 2018

The following robot presentation was made by Disney Imagineering - a group making some terrifyingly delightful conceptual works a reality. The project includes a number of animatronics - robots you might see at a theme park - but also high-flying stunt double-like amalgamations of metal and smarts. These creations are called Stuntronics, and they've developed their way to a place that's unsettlingly realistic, to say the least.

University of Tokyo creates flying DRAGON drone

Shane McGlaun | Jun 21, 2018

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a flying robot meant to be used indoors called DRAGON. That stands for Dual-Rotor embedded multilink Robots of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformation." They really wanted to use that DRAGON name.

Disney shows acrobatic Stickman robot doing a mid-air somersault

Brittany A. Roston | May 22, 2018

Researchers with Disney Research have been exploring the possibility of creating robots that can perform acrobatics, the company has revealed. During the 2018 International Conference on Robotics and Automation, the team introduced Stickman, a robot shaped like a "z" that can perform select acrobatic tricks. Joining that is a newly published video showing the robot in action.

Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot dog sales start in 2019

Chris Davies | May 11, 2018

Boston Dynamics is upgrading from merely terrifying us with the sight of its lifelike robots to actually selling them, with sales of its dog-like 'bot expected to start next year. The company is currently owned by SoftBank, which has already launched robots of its own, though none quite as advanced as those Boston Dynamics has developed over the years.

Watch Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot go for an untethered jog outside

Brittany A. Roston | May 10, 2018

Boston Dynamics has released a couple new videos featuring its robots, chief among them being one of the humanoid Atlas running outside without a cable tether. In addition to running on camera, Atlas also leaps over an obstacle, demonstrating how much progress the team has made over the past few years. This is the same robot that once struggled to simply walk outdoors.

Misty II personal robot recognizes faces and supports DIY skills

Brittany A. Roston | May 2, 2018

Misty Robotics has unveiled a new personal robot called the Misty II, a model with a fun design and the ability to recognize faces, among other things. Misty II is currently being funded through a crowdfunding campaign where early adopters can get a unit for pledging at least $1,499 USD. The first model was revealed back in January.

Starship has big campus plans for its robot delivery fleet

Chris Davies | Apr 30, 2018

You may soon be sharing a campus sidewalk with an autonomous delivery robot, with Starship Technologies launching a fleet of its six-wheeled self-driving 'bots in California. The startup had been operating residential trials in the US and Europe, with the robots delivering take-out food and more.

Rumored Amazon robot is the Alexa evolution we’re not sure we want

Eric Abent | Apr 23, 2018

Amazon has already worked its way into homes around the world with Alexa, but now the company might be thinking bigger. New rumors today claim that Amazon is looking to launch something technophiles have dreamed about for decades: a consumer robot for the home. Many companies have tried and failed to create domestic robots before, but if there's one company that might have the resources to pull it off, Amazon definitely tops the list.