United Kingdom

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a stretchable strain sensor that has a combination of sensitivity and range, allowing it to detect even minor changes in strain with greater range of motion than previous technologies. The researchers demonstrated the sensor’s utility by creating new health monitoring and human-machine interface devices.

Individual ants are relatively simple creatures and yet a colony of ants can perform really complex tasks, such as intricate construction, foraging and defense. Recently, Harvard researchers took inspiration from ants to design a team of relatively simple robots that can work collectively to perform complex tasks using only a few basic parameters. 

Exploring a new way to teach robots, Princeton researchers have found that human-language descriptions of tools can accelerate the learning of a simulated robotic arm lifting and using a variety of tools.

This year Rocking Robots again reported on trends and developments in AI, robotics and RPA. Especially the eventreports attracted a lot of viewers. In this overview we recap the videos that typify the year 2022:

Guardforce AI, provider of integrated security solutions, AI and Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS), has signed a definitive agreement with Shenzhen Kewei Robot Technology Company to acquire certain of Kewei’s robot business-related assets in China.

In the changed post COVID-19 business landscape, the global market for Robotic Lawn Mowers estimated at US$881. 7 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$2. 3 Billion by 2027, growing at aCAGR of 14.

The size of the global welding robot market is currently estimated at US$7.6 billion, but is expected to nearly double by 2027, with a projected size of US$14 billion. This is evident from the report “Global Robotic Welding Industry”.

North American robot sales in the first nine months of 2022 reached record levels, with all indications pointing to 2022 ending with the highest number of robots sold in a year for the second year in a row. According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), from January to September 2022, North American companies purchased 35,804 units valued at $1.875 billion, up 24% for units ordered and 27% for revenue over the same period in 2021.

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) returns to CES 2023 to push the boundaries of head-to-head autonomous racing and showcase the future of autonomous mobility. The IAC will have a significant presence throughout CES 2023 with the Autonomous Challenge @ CES at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 7.

Dutch startup Fectar has developed an app that teaches Ukrainian children to recognize mines. This first-ever interactive augmented reality (AR) hologram lesson was created for explosives education. The lesson stems from the question soldier Charles Valentine asked himself: “How can we help the Ukrainian people to demine their country if 30% of the ammunition fired has not exploded but is still there?”