AIST has developed a male version of its Actroid-F, introduced last year. Actroids imitate the movements of people they are watching, and are currently being placed in hospitals, to observe how people react to their presence. (DigInfo TV)
Robots clean rivers and sort waste, monitor ecosystems, and inspect renewable-energy infrastructure. But even the greenest robot has an environmental footprint.
EPFL engineers have designed acoustic cavities that convert sound waves into thrust, propelling small robots and ultralight aerial vehicles without on-board actuators or electronics.