Defense / Security

U.S. Army findings suggest human-made legged platforms should be as efficient as wheeled and tracked platforms.

Army-funded researchers discovered how to make materials capable of self-propulsion, allowing materials to move without motors or hands. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst discovered how to make materials that snap and reset themselves, only relying upon energy flow from their environment. This research could enable future military robots to move from their own energy. “This…

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced the finals of the DARPA Subterranean (SubT) Challenge will be held at the Louisville Mega Cavern in Louisville, Kentucky on September 21-23, 2021. The DARPA SubT Challenge is designed to test the ability of autonomous robots to perceive, navigate, network, and move in a variety of GPS-denied…

It’s no secret the U.S. Army wants its small unmanned aerial systems to operate quietly in densely-populated regions, but tests to achieve this can be expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive according to researchers. Miranda Costenoble, a researcher with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, now known as the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, presented work at…

RE2 Robotics’ latest patent, for a fluid rotary joint, covers a new gear and actuator combination that it said will make it easier for robots to inspect and manipulate objects underwater.

Airdata UAV and Autel Robotics have partnered to offer a one-month free trial of the AirData Enterprise fleet management software to users of the Autel EVO Series II drones.

The U.S. Army and MIT are exploring how metamaterials can help form modular robotic building blocks for transforming robots that can be reconfigured into different shapes and functions.

Remember Company Six (CO6), the Sphero spinoff working on a situation awareness robot? Well, we now have our first look at ReadySight, a one-pound throwable robot that is expected to be available in Q3 2021. It’s designed for first responders and other commercial industries. While ReadySight doesn’t look anything like Sphero’s RVR robot four-wheeler, it…

The Cave Circuit, the third stage of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, was completely virtual, enabling teams to test their software and simulated hardware configurations in difficult environments.

Thales, a “deep tech” multinational, is working with the state government of North Dakota and other partners to provide the TopSky UAS Traffic Management System to scale safe and secure drone air traffic control.

VTOL drone delivery developer and service provider Volansi said it is expanding in Bend, Ore., to take advantage of the region’s talent pool and aviation technology expertise and scale its production and operations.

Boston Dynamics said its Spot 2.1 release includes enhancements designed for ease of use and stronger integration with sensors and enterprise data systems.

The U.S. Army has awarded $1.1 million in Phase II Small Business Innovation Research funding to RE2 Robotics to develop an Autonomous Casualty Extraction system.

The General Services Administration has implemented the first robotic filing and retrieval warehouse for FBI records using AutoStore’s cube technology.

Real-Time Innovations said that robotics developers can now use RTI Connext DDS scalability and productivity tools within the ROS 2 ecosystem.

Spain-based drone maker Quaternium and fuel-injection system provider Löweheiser said they have set a new endurance record for hybrid-powered aerial drones by combining technologies in the HYBRiX system.

Exyn Technologies said its new ExynAero drone sensor system can map industrial environments in real time without a human pilot.

A team of researchers is creating mobile robots for military applications that can determine, with or without human intervention, whether wheels or legs are more suitable to travel across terrains. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has partnered with Dr. Kiju Lee at Texas A&M University to enhance these robots’ ability to self-sufficiently travel…

The Sarcos Guardian DX remote-controlled robotic system can be added to a variety of industrial mobility platforms already in use at U.S. shipyards, military bases, and depots.

Emesent said its new beyond-line-of-sight autonomy technology will increase drone safety and efficiency in mining, construction, and disaster response.

Volansi said its latest financing, led by Icon Ventures, will enable it to rapidly scale up operations and sales in the U.S. and global emerging markets.

In August 2020, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation for manufacturing and supply chains, and healthcare robotics continued to receive funding.