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Soft robots may not be in touch with human feelings, but they are getting better at feeling human touch. Cornell University researchers have created a low-cost method for soft, deformable robots to detect a range of physical interactions, from pats to punches to hugs, without relying on touch at all. Instead, a USB camera located inside the robot captures the shadow movements of hand gestures on the robot’s skin and classifies them with machine-learning software.

Gartner predicts that by 2023, more than one-in-ten workers will seek to trick artificial intelligence (AI) systems used to measure employee behaviour and productivity. Such systems have seen a significant uptick in use in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Later this week the Bank of the Future/Automation in Banking will be the theme of The Banking Scene Afterwork-seminar. One of the presenters is Sidney Madison Prescott, VP Global Intelligent Automation initiative at music streaming powerhouse Spotify. Recently she also spoke about her experiences in automation and RPA at the UiPath reboot Work Festival.

Army-funded researchers discovered how to make materials capable of self-propulsion, allowing materials to move without motors or hands.

USC researchers have developed a new method to counter emergent mutations of the coronavirus and hasten vaccine development to stop the pathogen responsible for killing thousands of people and ruining the economy.

Through 2023, demand for robotic goods-to-person (G2P) systems will quadruple to help enforce social distancing in warehouses, according to Gartner. With G2P systems, the robots deliver the goods to a person who remains in one place.

Researchers of the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) have developed low-cost artificial robotic skin with high-performance, vision-guided sensing, opening the doors to large-scale tactile sensing technology. They claim this artificial skin brings robots closer to ’touching’ human lives’

International fulfillment company Distribution Management has connected its robots and IoT devices to a standardized Aruba wireless network. This enables digital transformation initiatives to support the company’s rapid growth and increasing customer demand.

Preceding the intended IPO this year, UiPath this week announced it has closed a $750 million Series F funding round at a post-money valuation of $35 billion. The round was co-led by existing investors Alkeon Capital and Coatue. Other returning investors include Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, IVP, Sequoia, Tiger Global, and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.

Badger Technologies has introduced the Badger UV Disinfect robot, an autonomous ultraviolet (UV) disinfecting robot designed to combat COVID-19 and high-risk pathogens commonly found in grocery, food-service and retail environments. The latest in the lineup of autonomous robots, the Badger UV Disinfect robot is equipped with advanced UV-C technology developed by UltraViolet Devices Inc. (UVDI), a provider of air and surface disinfection solutions.