robots

The South Korean Hanwha Eagles baseball team has added a section of robots to help improve the mood at baseball games. Over the past five years, the team has consistently been in last place and has lost over 400 games.

A team of MIT researchers created a phase-changing material built from wax and foam that could be used to build deformable surgical robots. These robots could switch between hard and soft states without damaging organs or vessels as it travels through the body.

University of Maryland researchers are using the legs of insects as inspiration to create new micro-robots that will be able to travel uneven terrain quickly. The team is also working to have the robots jump and clear obstacles in their way.

In December 2013, Google acquired 8 robotic companies that specialize in manipulation, vision and humanoid robots. One of those companies is a spinout of MIT, Meka, and they are creating ‘sociable’ humanoids that safely work next to humans in various environments.

Scientists at Harvard University have created robots that use sensors, a few set of rules and environmental signals to build pyramids and other structures. The team was inspired by termites and their ability to work self-sufficiently without communication or a leader.