IEEE Spectrum robotics has released its weekly roundup of notable robotics videos and events. Among the highlights is the introduction of "Roadrunner," a new bipedal wheeled robot prototype that can switch between various locomotion modes, designed for enhanced navigation. Weighing approximately 15 kg, it features symmetric legs that can adapt for obstacle avoidance and movement management.
NASA has announced two ambitious missions: SkyFall, which will deploy next-generation helicopters on Mars to scout landing sites and map subsurface water ice, and MoonFall, aimed at preparing for future Artemis missions by sending drones to explore the lunar South Pole. These drones will operate independently for 14 Earth days, surveying challenging terrains.
In research advancements, a team from MIT has developed Electrofluidic Fiber Muscles, a new class of soft and flexible artificial muscles for robots and wearables, promising improved agility and integration into textiles. Additionally, the open-source quadruped robot MEVIUS2 has been unveiled, capable of climbing stairs and steep slopes.
Other innovations include a wristband from MIT that allows users to control a robotic hand through their own movements, and a cooking robot from Zhejiang Lab that autonomously processes ingredients and performs cooking tasks with high precision.
The CMU Robotics Institute is set to host a seminar by Hadas Kress-Gazit from Cornell, focusing on the role of formal methods in robotics amidst the rise of big data.
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