Japanese tech company H2L has created a capsule-like device that allows anyone to remotely control a robotic avatar just like in James Cameron’s namesake blockbuster.

Imagine sitting comfortably in one of those state-of-the-art massage chairs and being able to perform most of your daily house chores by remotely controlling a robotic avatar. it sounds like sci-fi, but according to Japanese company H2L Inc., it’s a much more realistic concept than most of us realize. Designed to be used in combination with a chair or bed, H2L’s so-called ‘Capsule Interface’ is equipped with a muscle displacement sensor, speaker, and display that allow the user to transmit bodily sensory information to a robot and use it to perform a variety of tasks. For example, by simply moving your feet slightly, the robot will walk; similarly, by simply moving your hands slightly, the robot will lift or push objects for you.

Read More »

Scientists at a robotics laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) in central China’s Hunan province recently unveiled a tiny insect-like drone suitable for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Revealed to the general public on CCTV 7 (China Central Television’s military channel), the tiny drone featured flapping wings and hair-thin legs, making it almost indistinguishable from real insects. They have the potential to revolutionise various industries and applications thanks to their tiny size, which allows them to access virtually any space and blend into all sorts of environments undetected. Although marketed primarily as a perfect candidate for military reconnaissance missions, many believe that it could be used by the Chinese government for surveillance purposes.

  Read More »

Engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a transformer-like drone that can easily switch from aerial to ground driving mode in midair.

Dubbed ATMO (aerially transforming morphobot), the innovative drone developed by Mory Gharib and Ioannis Mandralis of Caltech is capable of something that the aerospace industry has been struggling to deal with for probably more than 50 years – midair transformation. Using a single motor to move a central joint that alters the orientation of its four thrusters, ATMO can seamlessly transition from a flying drone to a Rover-like vehicle before it touches the ground. This midair transformation is critical because rough and unpredictable terrain can cause the transformation system to malfunction. Interestingly, the round shrouds that protect the drone’s four thrusters also act as wheels when the gadget is in drive mode.

Read More »

South Korean car manufacturing giant Hyundai has developed an intriguing parking robot that can park your car better than any human valet ever could.

Car companies have invested billions of dollars into advanced automated parking solutions to relieve human drivers of the stress of parallel parking or backing up into tight spaces. Some systems have turned out better than others, but unless you’re willing to pay a fair bit extra for such an advanced system, you’re stuck with your own human parking skills. But what if there was a way to have your old or cheap car parked automatically without even having to keep the engine running? South Korean company Hyundai has developed an ingenious parking robot that can glide under virtually any kind of car, lift its wheels, and then park it perfectly in a designated parking spot.

Read More »

Chinese robotics company Unitree showcased the fighting capabilities of its G1 robot model in what was advertised as the world’s first-ever humanoid robot fighting competition.

Remember Real Steel, the 2011 sci-fi flick starring Hugh Jackman as a struggling ex-boxer turned robot fighting coach? It was set in the “near future”, but who would have thought that we would really have robot fighting competitions just over a decade later? Just last week, Unitree, a robotics company based in China’s Zhejiang Province, held a unique kickboxing competition to show the capabilities of its G1 robot. Standing only 130 cm (4ft 3in) tall and weighing 35 kilograms (77lbs), the G1 is a small, lightweight robot capable of smooth, fluid movements, and displaying impressive balance and recovery ability. And what better way to showcase these features than having G1 robots go at it as part of the world’s first ever robot fighting competition?!

Read More »

China’s Chery Automobile brand recently introduced Mornine, a humanoid robot designed for use in car dealerships, at one of its Malaysian dealerships.

Originally designed as a digital character meant to connect with the young generation by leveraging concepts like the metaverse and social media, Mornine evolved into a humanoid robot that can interact with customers in the real world. Technically known as the AiMOGA Robot, Mornine uses a multimodal sensing model that allows it to accurately perceive the gestures and commands of humans it interacts with, as well as navigate the environment it functions in. Its robotic body incorporates automotive-grade technology and a bionic motion system that allows upright movements and accurate hand gestures. For decision-making, Mornine uses Deepseek’s large language models, which allow it to understand natural language and deliver personalized responses.

Read More »

Norwegian robotics company 1X recently announced the NEO Gamma, an AI-powered bipedal humanoid robot that can perform multiple household chores, such as carrying laundry, cleaning windows, and vacuuming.

We’ve seen some important breakthroughs in robotics over the last few months, including STAR1, the world’s fastest bipedal robot, or SE01, a bipedal robot famous for its smooth walking, but in terms of day-to-day utility, the offerings have been lacking. But that is all about to change according to Norwegian Robotics company 1X and its most advanced creation yet, the NEO Gamma, a humanoid butler capable of performing various household chores like cleaning vacuuming, and even serving tea. To make it seem more human, the company teamed up with Shima Seiki, a Japanese manufacturer of knitting machines, to create a soft and smooth suit that conceals the robot’s metallic body.

Read More »

A video that has been doing the rounds on Chinese social media appears to show a humanoid robot malfunctioning and erratically “attacking” the crowd at a festival in Tianjin.

The footage, shot during the Tianjin Winter Gala Festival on February 9th, shows one of several Unitree H1 humanoid robots seemingly attacking a spectator who had extended their hand out for a handshake. Instead of responding to the gesture, the robot displays erratic arm movements and aggressively rushes toward the crowd before being pulled back by security guards and what looks to be a robot supervisor. The H1 robot appears to calm down before the video cuts off, but its violent outburst has raised concerns about the use of these autonomous machines around humans.

Read More »

Developed by the American-Polish company Clone Robotics, Protoclone is a unique humanoid robot that features a skeleton based on 206 human bones, 1,000 artificial muscles, and a water-based cooling system.

Clone Robotics first attracted attention online back in 2021, when it released a series of videos showcasing its artificial muscle system based on the McKibben pneumatic muscle. Back then, the company only had a functional robotic arm capable of grabbing and handling various objects, but it recently released footage of its first humanoid robot, dubbed Protoclone. The twitching, human-like figure suspended in mid-air is a far cry from the uncanny valley, in fact, it doesn’t even look capable of standing on its own two feet, but its muscle and skeletal are certainly intriguing. The metallic skeleton replicates 206 human bones, and the so-called “Myofiber” muscle system features 1,000 artificial muscles.

Read More »

Scientists at China’s Zhejiang University recently announced that their Black Panther robot has achieved a constant speed of 10 meters per second, a world record for quadruped robots.

Black Panther has been in development at Zhejiang University’s Hangzhou International Science and Technology Innovation Center since 2018, but over the first six years, scientists struggled to exceed the speed of 6 meters per second. In early experiments, once the robot went over this speed threshold, it suffered severe damage, such as ruptured “calves” and in some cases, the entire torso disintegrated. However, after numerous trials and attempts to mimic the joint and muscle structures of various animals and even humans, researchers managed to make important modifications, such as adding springs between the leg joints to cushion impact, and earlier this year Black Panther reached a record speed of 10m/s.

Read More »

China’s capital city of Beijing is all set to host an interesting half-marathon that will set thousands of human runners against dozens of bipedal robots developed by some of the world’s leading robotics companies.

This coming April, the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town) will be hosting an interesting running event for both humans and human-like robots. 12,000 people are expected to take part in the event alongside dozens of bipedal robots developed by major robotics companies, including Tesla, Boston Dynamics and 1X, making this one of the strangest half-marathons in history. Participating robots will need to have a human-inspired appearance, be between 0.5 and 2 meters tall (so no giant mechs allowed), and have the ability to run or at least walk on two legs. The winners, be they human or robot, will receive prize money depending on their performance.

Read More »

A young Chinese woman has been getting a lot of attention for her ability to act as an android using a special costume, robotic movements and an expressionless face.

At a time when companies are investing billions into robotics and artificial intelligence to make robots appear more human, one young woman is trying her best to impersonate a robot. Known as “robot girl” on Chinese social media, the young woman first attracted attention last August, during the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing, where along with another female model she posed next to a hyper-realistic humanoid robot, confusing the hell out of the audience, most of whom didn’t know which one of the exhibits was human and which was a robot. She has since gained a lot of notoriety in China and is now a popular content creator and the country’s leading “robot girl”.

Read More »

Chinese robotics startup Engine AI recently launched a new humanoid robot that stunned everyone with its natural human-like gait which many attributed to CGI.

Major robotic companies around the world have been trying to replicate the smooth human gait in their humanoid robots for decades, with relatively modest results, but last October, Chinese company Engine AI unveiled the SE01, its most advanced humanoid robot yet. Featuring an advanced end-to-end neural network system, the SE01 robot learns to walk like a human in a simulation, getting feedback for how well it does and constantly improving over time. It is powered by dual processors from Nvidia and Intel and features three stereo cameras that help it navigate and interact with complex environments.

Read More »

Viral videos shared on Chinese social media show human law enforcement patrolling the streets alongside AI-powered spherical robots capable of detecting and stopping crime.

A couple of months ago, Chinese robotics company Logon Technology unveiled the RT-G  autonomous spherical robot, a “technological breakthrough” designed to assist and even replace humans in dangerous environments and situations. Capable of operating both on land and in water, the spherical robot can allegedly reach speeds of up to 35km/h and withstand impact damage of up to 4 tons. In a promotional video, the RT-G can be seen operating in water, rough terrain, and mud, but what really caught people’s attention was its urban use, that of a sort of patrol robot capable of identifying criminals and immobilizing them thanks to its suites of advanced AI-powered software. It all seemed like a marketing stunt, but less than two months since the clip went viral, RT-G robots have been spotted patrolling alongside human law enforcement.

Read More »

Chinese robotics company Robot Era recently unveiled Star1, the world’s fastest bipedal robot capable of reaching and maintaining speeds of up to 8 mph (12.98 km/h).

Photos and videos of a sneaker-wearing robot running through the Gobi Desert went viral on Chinese social media last month, inspiring all sorts of humorous comments from the public, but few people realized they were watching the world’s fastest humanoid robot in action. Developed by Robot Era, a Chinese robotics company, STAR1 is powered by high-torque motors and AI algorithms and can tackle all sorts of surfaces and environments, including sand and grassland. Its advanced motors help the robot move efficiently, while high-speed sensors and communication modules let it process information about its surroundings in real-time, but what really helps put it above other bipedal robots in terms of speed is old-fashioned human footwear.

Read More »