The Flying Platform is a new flying machine developed at the Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control at ETH Zurich. Its purpose is to study the use of electric ducted fans as control and propulsion systems for flying machines in applications where size is limited and high static thrusts are required, for example in aerial vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), hovercrafts or even actuated wingsuit flight. The video below shows how the thrust vectoring is used to stabilize the vehicle.

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Wearable technology uses electric motors and springs to augment the strength and balance of the human body. It has long been the subject of military research, but now engineers believe the technology is advanced enough to find much broader appeal.

Transcript below.

In this interview, Audrow Nash speaks with Davide Scaramuzza, Assistant Professor of Robotics at the University of Zurich and leader of the Robotics and Perception Group, about autonomous unmanned vehicles (UAV) that navigate using only on-board systems—no GPS or motion capture systems.

StarlETH is a multi-purpose legged transporter robot developed at ETH Zurich’s Autonomous Systems Lab. Combining versatility, speed, robustness, and efficiency, StarlETH walks, climbs, and runs over varied terrain.

Inspired to take 3D printing technology to new heights, ETH Zurich and MIT researchers create “Rock Print” — a full-scale architectural installation on display at the Chicago Architecture Biennial until January 3, 2016.

Transcript below.

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks with Brad Nelson, Professor at ETH Zurich, about his research regarding micro and nano robotics. They discuss many of Nelson’s projects: retinal and heart surgery, crystal harvesting, and robots with simulated flagella for mobility.

The first DroneApps Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, recently assembled 150 drone professionals from Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia for a two-day exchange of ideas.

Using quadrocopters and some rope, researchers have woven together a bridge strong enough to walk across.  Made at the ETH Zurich Flying Machine Arena in Switzerland, the bridge joins two scaffolds, and is the first full-scale load-bearing structure autonomously built by flying machines.

DroneApps is a two-day forum for executives in charge of planning and leading the commercial use of drones in companies looking to increase productivity, reduce risks and conquer new markets, taking place at the SwissTech Center in Lausanne, Switzerland this September 14-15.

Transcript included.

In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks with Sergei Lupashin about Perspective Robotics’ tethered flying camera, the Fotokite Phi, which is currently crowdfunding on Indiegogo. The Phi is a portable light weight GoPro-carrying quadrocopter that flies without a vision system or GPS, and instead uses the tension on the retractable tether to determine where it is in space. According to Lupashin, the tethered leash provides a natural, easy-to-learn and accountable interface for controlling the Phi.

Two weeks after demonstrating AtlantikSolar’s first 24-hour flight, the fixed-wing team of ETH Zurich’s Autonomous Systems Lab has reached another milestone: 81.5 hours and 2316 km of continuous flight for its 6.8kg AtlantikSolar 2 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AS-2). This breaks the flight endurance world record in its class.

The AtlantikSolar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle took off on June 30th, 2015 at 11:14 o’clock to attempt the “holy grail” of solar-powered flight: the crossing of a full day-night cycle on solar power alone. More than 28 hours later, on July 1st at 15:35, the aircraft landed safely and with fully recharged batteries, thus showing AtlantikSolar’s long-endurance flight capability. This is of significant interest for large-scale disaster support, industrial inspection or meteorological observation missions, especially in the compact form of a hand-launchable 7kg UAV such as AtlantikSolar.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new algorithm for robustly controlling a tailsitter flying machine in hover position. Using the algorithm, the tailsitter is able to recover from any orientation, including upside down.

The use of robots to find victims after natural disasters is fast becoming commonplace, with well documented cases where robots have been sent into areas too dangerous for rescue workers.  While the issues surrounding robustness, control and autonomy are frequently cited as key areas for research, a  team from LIS, EPFL and NCCR Robotics is working on another important aspect, how to make flying robots easily transportable and quick to deploy.