Evan Ackerman

2 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. The Handcrawler combines two important functions for robots: grabbing and getting around. When we think of grasping robots, we think of manipulators of some sort on the ends of arms of some sort. Because of course we do—that’s how (most of us) are built, and that’s the mindset with which we have consequently optimized the world around us. But one of the great things about

3 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. The Palletrone responds to your touch and can carry cargo across any terrain. Seoul Tech Where’s your flying car? I’m sorry to say that I have no idea. But here’s something that is somewhat similar, in that it flies, transports things, and has “car” in the name: it’s a flying cart, called the Palletrone (pallet+drone), designed for human-robot interaction-based aerial cargo transportation. [embedded content] The

3 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Zipline’s Platform 2 is now well past the prototype stage. Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE ICSR

2 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Four decades after the first IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Atlanta, robotics is bigger than ever. Next week in Rotterdam is the IEEE ICRA@40 conference, “a celebration of 40 years of pioneering research and technological advancements in robotics and automation.” There’s an ICRA every year, of course. Arguably the largest robotics research conference in the world, the 2024 edition was held

3 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. This robotic leg is powered by electro-hydraulic muscles and can automatically adapt to uneven terrain. Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October

4 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Google DeepMind’s robot gives amateur humans a real challenge. Google DeepMind Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE

5 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Robots pair up on each side of a sheet of metal to form a segment of a toroidal tank. Machina Labs In the 1960s and 1970s, NASA spent a lot of time thinking about whether toroidal (donut-shaped) fuel tanks were the way to go with its spacecraft. Toroidal tanks have a bunch of potential advantages over conventional spherical fuel tanks. For example, you can fit

2 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. When it comes to dancing, humans like me are now doomed. Thanks, Disney! Disney Research Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October

4 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Alex will be looking for a job in manufacturing, food processing, or maintenance. Boardwalk Robotics Boardwalk Robotics is announcing its entry into the increasingly crowded commercial humanoid(ish) space with Alex, a “workforce transformation” humanoid upper torso designed to work in manufacturing, logistics, and maintenance. Before we get into Alex, let me take just a minute here to straighten out how Boardwalk Robotics is related to

2 min read Evan Ackerman is IEEE Spectrum’s robotics editor. Stop that, it’s too silly. Deep Robotics Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion. ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE ICSR 2024: 23–26 October