The headlines are stark: “Robots will steal your job.” Machines are already revolutionising medicine and replacing shop assistants. They are expected to take over 11m jobs by the 2030s, according to Deloitte, the consultancy. Advocates wax lyrical
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.