SKIRMISHER

Folks at the University of Washington have been working on underwater robots that no longer require control from humans — the Robofish can communicate with one another underwater.
They could cooperatively track moving targets underwater, such as groups of whales or spreading plumes of pollution, or explore caves, go underneath ice-covered waters, or into) dangerous environments […]

The RoboCup Soccer Competition has a new category — nanobots.
Each smaller than a grain of salt but no less able than their normal-sized counterparts, the football-kicking nanorobots will compete in three events: the 2-millimeter Dash, the Slalom Drill, and the Ball-handling Drill. They are controlled remotely and use magnetic fields or electrical impulses sent across […]

These BrushBots created by Christian Cerrito run around their “canvas” on toothbrush legs,
Released on top of a piece of paper, the BrushBots zoom, careen, and spin around the interior of a simple wooden frame in wild and unpredictable patterns. The user then drops ink, paint, or liquid water colors onto the blank page, providing the […]

Wouldn’t it be nice if they sold this shit so we can let it run around the lawn? Will make kids very happy.

Just one of the things you’ll find at the Fluid Power International trade fair.

I was struck by the size of the incision and injury created just to get inside the body. It felt antiquated.
– Frederic Moll, founder of Intuitive Surgical, on how he first realized robotic surgeons will do the job better and more efficiently than humans.
{Photo: The METI Human Patient Simulator}

These self-assembling modular robots may be clunky and not very smart right now, but they already show you doom in your future.

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{Intriguing: First, kill all humans}

Robotic sculptures by Stephane Halleux — made from the finest knick-knacks of everyday shit.

{Quirky: Christopher Conte’s microrobots will fire microbullets up your ass when you’re not looking}

He tilts his head, he smiles, he moves his eyes, he puffs up his cheeks and chest, he freaks you out when there’s only you and him in a dark smelly room. Gakutensoku, considered as Asia’s oldest “modern” robot, has recently been revived by replacing its old inflatable rubber tubes with computer-controlled pneumatic servo system […]