3D mapping drone fires lasers from a mile away (video)

The MIT Technology Review has unearthed a new laser-based 3D mapping robot that can produce results similar to those obtained from $100,000 systems at about a fifth of the cost. Funded by the US Army, researchers at the Stevens Institute … Continue reading

Walky robot understands iPhone gestures, football fanaticism (video)

Hey there sailor, we imagine you’ve been doing your fair share of button mashing what with a certain new bit of software out and about, but how would you like a whole new control paradigm? Taking up Steve Jobs’ war … Continue reading

Swarm robot project sounds ominous, uses open source

Why would you want to build a 100-strong swarm of mini robots? Well, aside from having them as your minions, you might be able to learn about “artificial self-organization,” and “control in large robotic groups,” which should come in useful … Continue reading

KAIST’s HUBO shows off some newfound dexterity, hides emotions behind ill-fitting motorcycle helmet

Sometimes when we see the seemingly slow advance of Honda’s ASIMO, the inherent limitations of WowWee toys, or the purposefully limited one-off research projects of universities, we start to give up hope of being super best pals with a humanoid … Continue reading

NSF backs development of laser-guided robot wheelchairs

It’s been well over a year since we last saw the laser-guided, self-docking wheelchair developed by folks at Lehigh University, and now the team is back with an altogether more ambitious project. According to associate professor John Spletzer, the recipient … Continue reading

Autonomous Roombas do Pac-Man right (video)

We’ve seen mixtures of Roomba and Pac-Man before, but nothing like this. A team of developers have hacked five floor-cleaning bots to create a sort of OCD version of the game, with the Pac-Man bot sucking up little white rectangles … Continue reading

iRobot creates new business unit for healthcare robotics

Well, it doesn’t have a Roomba that will check up on your vitals just yet, but it looks like iRobot is betting on healthcare robotics in a fairly big way, with it taking advantage of the recent TEDMED conference to … Continue reading

Robovie rescue bot hunts high and low for lost princesses (video)

If you’ve been feeling blue because you haven’t got enough green to keep the old bank account in the black, we’ve got just the tonic for you, dear friend. There’s nothing that gets us all perked up and cheerful quite … Continue reading

Schools of robotic fish to collect data, stomp out human threat

Robotic fish. The phrase alone sends shivers of excitement down our collective spines here at Engadget. Undoubtedly, Michigan State University assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering Xiaobo Tan feels similarly, as he has designs on creating an army of … Continue reading

Laziness on the move: robot plays Rock Band on the iPhone

Why confine your nerdy sloth to your living room, where large robots mime fake guitar and serve you sloppy mixed drinks? Take that zest for the sedentary life with you on the road by having one of your robot ninjas … Continue reading