“There’s very little in American privacy law that wouldlimit the use of drones for surveillance,” said one witness, Ryan Calo, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Law.
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.