“Autonomous driving and autonomous vehicles face some serious challenges in the litigious and risk-adverse American society of the 21st century. Regulators and lawmakers are well behind the development of the technology.”
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.