Tag: Robotics

A robot banishes harmful algae slicks to the ocean floor. And, according to an Australian research team, oil spills could soon be hoovered up by mini-robots. Key here: a new filter with small, air-filled pouches, coated with a water-resistant nanolayer of graphene oxide. It separates oil with 95% purity and can be extensively reused. The 3D-printed, electrically-operated mini-robot complete...

Optimised shipping routes lead to reduced emissions. CO2 emissions can also be spiked by algae on ships’ hulls and changes in flow behaviour. Now, a startup in Singapore is specialising in the removal of algae on container ships and other types of vessels. A robot inspects the extent of the damage, using patented technology to generate clear images even...

In future, milli-spinners could help treat blood clots. Now, a Canadian research team has turned its attention to kidney stones. The research team’s soft robot, made from gelatine, contains magnetic particles and the enzyme urease. Once the 1mm thin, 12mm long robot strip has entered the urinary tract via a catheter, it can be moved into place in the...

In future, an automatic device could service human blood vessels. Industrial infrastructure also needs regular monitoring. Flying support is nothing new, but now a Swiss startup has developed a maintenance drone with 360° aerial mobility, which can get just about anywhere. It’s all possible thanks to two tiltable propellers installed at the side and an additional rotor at the...

In future cables could transport useful items autonomously. Blood clots (detectable by smartphone) are anything but useful. These ball-shaped tangles of protein strands trap red blood cells and cause strokes and heart attacks. Now, a Californian-based research team has designed a milli-spinner, introduced into the bloodstream via catheter, to treat them. The team developed a hollow pipe with elongated...

New Zealand is betting on autonomous gondolas for local transport. Meanwhile a US research team has developed a flexible robot to carry objects through the air along tracks. The robot is a rope made from liquid crystal elastomers, twisted in on itself like a corkscrew and joined at both ends. If treated with infrared light, the area exposed contracts,...

Mini-robots could rid the ocean of microplastics. In Switzerland, a research team is turning to similar technology to analyse water quality, though the outer shell of its mini-robots is made from protein-rich, low-fat fish food. For movement, inspiration came from the so-called Marangoni effect: the robots move across the surface of the water by expelling gas. It is created internally...

Vital functions can be checked through video calls. As for the digestive tract, doctors conducting endoscopies can be greatly aided by AI analysis. Soon, however, gastroscopic examinations could take place at home. Cue a Silicon Valley startup and its remotely controlled capsule. Fluid is consumed, after which the capsule is swallowed and left to float in the stomach. The...