Speedy Inchworm Robot Only Needs One Motor - IEEE Spectrum

Want to know what this thing is? Here's a hint: it's a miniature inchworm. And it's quite possibly the fastest miniature inchworm robot in the world, even though it uses just one single motor. The "Mission: Impossible" music might be a bit much here, but the mechanical design is pretty clever: moving segments equipped with clamps alternately retract and extend, propelling the inchworm robot forward.

Video Friday: Robot Fish Cars, Kibo in Zero-G, and Roboy Says Hi - IEEE Spectrum

Of all the robotic kids we've had the pleasure of meeting, Roboy somehow manages to be one of the least creepy. Even if he is, you know, skinless. But hey, at least he looks friendly-ish, doesn't he? Maybe not-spend-time-with-him-alone-in-the-dark-friendly, but robot babies are always a work in progress.

BigDog Throws Cinder Blocks with Huge Robotic Face-Arm - IEEE Spectrum

BigDog has grown an arm out of its face, and it's using it to throw cinder blocks across a room. Uh, wow. Boston Dynamics hasn't posted much in the way of additional information on this, besides the following caption on the YouTube video: BigDog handles heavy objects.

AirBurr MAV Navigates by Bouncing Off Walls and Floors - IEEE Spectrum

A lot of UAV research is focused on making flying robots that can navigate by themselves using sophisticated sensor systems, intelligently avoiding crashing into things. This is a fantastic goal to

MIT Teaching PR2 to be Better at Not Failing - IEEE Spectrum

If there's one thing that robots are consistently fantastic at, it's failure. Robots are absolutely wonderful at completely screwing up even the most basic of tasks. But the problem isn&#3

Startup Spotlight: Kinova Creating Robot Arms That Improve Lives - IEEE Spectrum

This is the second post in our Startup Spotlight series featuring new robotics companies from around the world. We're inviting representatives from the companies to describe their technologies a

Bat Wing Robot Helping Us Figure Out Why Bats Are Awesome - IEEE Spectrum

Bats are awesome. At least, roboticists think so, and for good reason: bats are spectacular fliers, and we've got a lot to learn from them. Problem is, bats are bats, and bats, being bats, are m

Meet Pneupard, Osaka University's Air-Powered Cheetah Robot - IEEE Spectrum

Roboticists around the world are in the process of reverse engineering the anatomical construction of cheetahs and other cats in an attempt to develop faster and more agile legged robots. The latest project, dubbed the Pneupard, hails from Osaka University.