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DRAGON | A Japanese dragon drone moves independently through the air, resembling the sinuous motion of a flying snake

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 The JSK Lab at the University of Tokyo has introduced a cutting-edge drone known as the "dragon drone," which is composed of multiple small drones capable of dynamic transformations. According to reports, this drone not only has the ability to alter its shape into various forms like squares or curved lines but also possesses the capability to autonomously determine the most suitable shape based on the space it needs to navigate. The acronym "DRAGON" stands for "Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformatiON." Inspired by traditional dragon kites, the design features a tail composed of interconnected smaller kites.  Watch on YouTube Each of the small drones is equipped with a pair of ducted fans that can be adjusted to direct thrust in almost any direction. Powered by an Intel Euclid dev kit and supported by a spine-mounted battery pack offering three minutes of flight time, the DRAGON drone's modu

M4 | The Bioinspired Robot Exhibits Flight, Rolling, Walking, and Additional Capabilities

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The new robot M4 can roll on four wheels, turn its wheels into rotors and fly, stand on two wheels like a meerkat to peer over obstacles, "walk" by using its wheels like feet, use two rotors to help it roll up steep slopes on two wheels, tumble, and more. A robot with such a broad set of capabilities would have applications ranging from the transport of injured people to a hospital to the exploration of other planets.  Watch on YouTube The robot's flexibility of motion, coupled with artificial intelligence, allows it to choose what form of locomotion will be most effective based on the terrain ahead of it. Picture the M4 exploring an unfamiliar environment: it might start by rolling along on four wheels, which is its most energy-efficient mode. Upon reaching an obstacle like a boulder, it could stand on two wheels to peer over it for a clearer picture of the ground ahead. Then, if it saw a ravine or another feature that a wheeled robot could not traverse, it could reconfi

Willow X | An outdoor robot specifically created to assist with the maintenance of your garden.

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Willow X is an outdoor robot that can complete tasks including mowing the lawn, weeding and harvesting fruit and vegetables. The robot has arms to help it execute a range of jobs, and it can carry items in its body. Willow X has AI capabilities and a 4K camera to help it detect objects and avoid obstacles.  Watch on YouTube The Willow X can last up to six hours between charges and the Willow X Pro up to eight hours. Other features of the gadget include autonomous navigation, rain detection and the ability to climb slopes with an incline up to 25% for the standard model and 35% for the Pro. Unlike many of the robot mowers on the market today, the Eeve creations don't use perimeter wires or GPS tracking but rely on vision camera systems, mapping and obstacle detection. The latest iteration of Willow is set up and controlled using a companion mobile app. And though it doesn't appear to collect clippings in a bin, it does have one built in and can use its onboard camera and AI smar

Google DeepMind is Using AI to Teach Robots to Play Soccer

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DeepMind, scientists have successfully trained low-cost humanoid robots to play 1v1 soccer. Using advanced techniques like deep reinforcement learning, the team was able to teach these robots agile skills and tactics, bringing us one step closer to having robots perform complex tasks in the real world.                                                                     Watch on YouTube The training process involved two stages, where robots first learned independent skills like getting up from the ground and scoring goals. In the second stage, these skills were combined into a single soccer-playing agent, which improved its tactics through self-play against previous versions of itself. This progress could lead to the development of advanced humanoid robots capable of performing complex tasks across various industries, such as assisting in disaster relief efforts or navigating intricate environments for search and rescue missions. Additionally, the study explores the potential of multi-a

DragGAN AI lets you reshape images by clicking & dragging

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DragGAN allows users to manipulate images in seconds with just a click and drag. This AI editing tool that leverages a pre-trained GAN to synthesize ideas that precisely follow user input while remaining on the manifold of realistic images.  Watch on YouTube DragGAN is an interactive approach for intuitive point-based image editing far more powerful than Photoshop’s Warp tool. Unlike Photoshop, which merely smushes pixels around, DragGAN uses AI to regenerate the underlying object. With DragGAN, users can rotate images as if they were 3D, change the dimensions of cars, manipulate smiles into frowns, and adjust reflections on lakes. Moreover, they can change the direction someone faces. This new technique shows that GAN models are more impactful than pretty pictures generated from diffusion models, such as those used in tools like DALLE.2, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney.  When editing images of diverse subjects, users can deform an image with precise control over where pixels go. Thus

Jizai Arms | AI Robotic Arms That Turns You Into Spider-Man

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  JIZAI ARMS is a supernumerary robotic limb system consisting of a wearable base unit with six terminals and detachable robot arms. The system was designed to enable social interaction between multiple wearers, such as an exchange of arms, and explore possible interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society.  Watch on YouTube People with disabilities often struggle with everyday tasks that others take for granted. With the robotic arms, they could regain independence and improve the quality of their life. This new technology could help them perform tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and even driving with ease. The robots can be controlled in two ways using PC software or the controller. Interestingly, the controller looks like a scaled-down copy of the main unit, with the arms attached to it. The robots can be controlled by the user or an operator. Jizai Arms has the potential to revolutionize the lives of people with disabilities, allowing them to gain independence and perform

Digit | World’s First Human-Centric, Multi-Purpose Robot made for Logistics Work

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Digit, the first human-centric, multi-purpose robot made for logistics work. Digit is designed from the ground up to go where people go and do useful work safely in spaces designed for people, starting with bulk material handling within warehouses and distribution centers. Warehouse work includes many process-automated, repetitive tasks that all too often lead to injury and high turnover, leaving costly gaps in the workforce that snarl supply chains. While automation can help fill those gaps, existing automation solutions are typically single purpose, meaning companies have to onboard and maintain dozens of different solutions for different tasks, or they require expensive customization to the workspace.  Watch on YouTube Digit is multi-purpose, so it can execute a variety of tasks and adapt to many different workflows; a fleet of Digits will be able to switch between applications depending on current warehouse needs and seasonal shifts. Because Digit is also human-centric, meaning it