Experience tech

Small wonder that scientists want to copy the cockroach, one of the most durable creatures around.  But Harvard roboticists are now one-upping the insect with Harvard's Ambulatory Microbot (HAMR).  The new, next-generation HAMR can walk on land, swim on the surface of water, and walk underwater for as long as needed. What gives HAMR its terrain flexibility are the multifunctional feet, made of electrowetting pads (EWP). The focus of electrowetting is reducing the surface tension in a liquid/solid interaction via electricity. That is, an electric charge makes it easier for materials to break a water surface. With its electrowetting pads submerged and activated, the HAMR can move across the surface of the water. With four pairs of asymmetric flaps and custom-built swimming gaits, the HAMR paddles in a manner that's similar to a diving beetle. HAMR’s size is key to its performance. If it were much bigger, it would be challenging to support the robot with surface ten...

Photo Credit: Honda It has played football with former US president Barack Obama and danced for German leader Angela Merkel, but Honda's ASIMO robot may have reached the end of the line. Launched in 2000, the humanoid machine resembling a shrunken spaceman has become arguably Japan's most famous robot, wheeled out to impress visiting politicians over the years. But Honda said Thursday it may scrap future generations of ASIMO, now on its seventh iteration. "We will still continue research into humanoid robots, but our future robots may not be named ASIMO," Honda spokesman Hajime Kaneko told AFP. The comment came after Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that the Japanese carmaker had terminated ASIMO and dissolved the team making one of the world's most famous humanoid robots. NHK suggested increasingly intense competition in the field as a reason, pointing to the example of US-based Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot which can jump on to ...

Mixed reality with HoloLens Mixed reality brings people, places, and objects from your physical and digital worlds together. This blended environment becomes your canvas, where you can create and enjoy a wide range of experiences. Holograms enhance the real world Interacting with holograms in mixed reality enables you to visualize and work with your digital content as part of your real world. Realize mixed reality’s promise with Microsoft HoloLens. A more natural way to interact Holograms are responsive to you and the world around you. Microsoft HoloLens enables you to interact with content and information in the most natural ways possible. Gaze Built-in sensors let you use your gaze to move the cursor so you can select holograms. Turn your head and the cursor will follow. Gesture Use simple gestures to open apps, select and size items, and drag and drop ...