microrobotics
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Harvard shrank its insect-inspired microrobot to the size of a penny
Harvard researchers have made the tiny Harvard Ambulatory Microrobot (HAMR) even tinier. The next-gen HAMR-JR is one of the smallest and fastest microrobots to date.
DARPA's insect-sized SHRIMP robots could aid disaster relief
DARPA's efforts to propel military technology forward often manifest in a diverse fashion, spanning everything from drone submarine development to a biostasis program that aims to buy more time to rescue soldiers on the battlefield. The SHRIMP program, short for SHort-Range Independent Microrobotic Platforms, is another potentially life-saving initiative that is being designed to navigate through hazardous natural disaster zones.
Sperm microscope may help nanobots navigate human bodies
Scientists have developed a microscope that allows them to track sperm movements in 3D, which could benefit the understanding of both fertility treatment and micro-robotics. The device is made up of inexpensive components including LEDs and an image sensor -- like the one found in a mobile phone -- and uses holography and image reconstruction algorithms to precisely track the motion of sperm heads and tails.
Micro machines experience thrill of victory, agony of defeat at Mobile Microrobotics Challenge
It's time to take a glimpse into the future -- the future of what will someday be swimming in your bloodstream. Video highlights from the 2010 NIST Mobile Microrobotics Challenge have started trickling out, and we're mighty impressed. Through various events, like the 2mm dash, universities and institutions competed to determine whose tiny contraptions would reign supreme. Various competitors won various prizes, with the French CNRS team spanning that 2mm distance in an amazing 32ms, while Swiss team ETH Zurich showed its prowess at slotting 100µm pins (human hair sized) into impossibly small holes. That's a picture of one of the competition arenas above, and we think you'll want to see the video of ETH's tiny bulldozer doing its thing after the break. In a few years we figure these little suckers will be doing something like this in your body, but instead of assembling puzzles they'll be overcoming natural defenses and removing your will to live.
HexBug's robotic creatures are the creepy crawlers of the future
Okay, so it isn't as artsy as making gooey bugs in a miniature oven, but HexBug's little micro-robotic tchotchkes are a good time in their own right. The digital entomologists at HexBugs decided to unleash the new Ant Micro and Nano Newton at New York City's Toy Fair, and for some peculiar reason we were quite enamored with watching these autonomous, high speed creatures run around the carpeted show floor. Powered by two button cell batteries, $11.99 Ant Micro has front and rear touch sensors that allow it to maneuver around objects in its path and it's hard, colored transparent exoskeleton casing was durable enough for the little guys to crash into a wooden plank and reverse course. The $9.99 tiny motor powered, 12-legged Nano Newton holds a special place in our heart, and the Jolly Rancher sized caterpillar vibrates uncontrollably and is able to flip itself over and walk forward. HexBugs will also sell different Habitat sets so the creatures can run around on their own without adult supervision. Luckily for you, these little guys weren't camera shy -- check the pics below! %Gallery-85583%
