High Torque, Compact Actuation to Power the Next Generation of Humanoid Robots
High Torque, Compact Actuation to Power the Next Generation of Humanoid Robots
Link to original news: https://sonceboz.com/high-torque-compact-actuation-to-power-the-next-generation-of-humanoid-robots/
As humanoid robots transition from lab concepts to real-world applications — in logistics, manufacturing, and even home environments — the need for actuators that combine power, control, and compactness is becoming essential. Sonceboz’s Rotative Actuator rises to this challenge with a unique balance of high torque density and integrated intelligence.
Delivering 100 Nm of torque in a compact form factor weighing just 1600 g, this actuator is specifically designed to power the joints of humanoid robots with strength and fluidity. Whether lifting heavy loads in industrial settings or performing repetitive domestic tasks, it ensures reliable, precise, and silent motion.
Thanks to its integrated control electronics, this actuator offers real-time responsiveness and seamless system integration. It provides smooth torque output with natural backdrivability, enabling safe human-robot collaboration, even in unstructured environments.
By combining efficiency, precision, and compact power, the Sonceboz Rotative Actuator helps advance the capabilities of humanoid robotics, wherever dexterity, autonomy, and endurance are required.
European Robotics – a Unified Vision
euRobotics is pleased to announce the public launch of‘A Unified Vision for European Robotics’, a new strategy for innovation, growth and societal impact. It sets out the collective vision of the European Robotics community and draws on multiple sources of information from within Europe and beyond. Publication is timely – and urgent, because Europe needs robots more than ever to maintain its economic advantage and address its demographic and climate-related challenges.
Europe is a leader in robotics but the clock is ticking. A “Whole Europe” approach to research, innovation, deployment and uptake is needed, with the triangle of research, industry and policy makers all working together within a common framework to support innovation from lab bench to market in an unbroken chain, with standards and regulation aligned with market and innovation needs, and investment and fiscal policy enabling growth, not only in robotics but also within sectors that can raise productivity through the greater use of smarter robots. This requires strategic investment today; in education, skills, technology, research, deployment and uptake to maximise robotics’ economic and societal benefits.
We thank everyone who has contributed to ‘A Unified Vision for European Robotics’. With this new strategy we will start a fresh debate on the priorities for robotics in Europe.
Join us to help shape the future of robotics in Europe and achieve the goals we have set out.
INNOTEQ 2025 – Experience the future of the manufacturing industry!
🔧 INNOTEQ 2025 – Experience the future of the manufacturing industry! 🔧🤖
From 11 to 14 March 2025, the Swiss manufacturing industry will meet in Bern for the INNOTEQ – the industry’s leading knowledge, networking and dialogue platform! 🚀
🔹 Discover innovative solutions
🔹 Experience the products and services of leading companies
🔹 Exchange and networking with industry experts
The Robotics & Systems section of the swissT.net will also be represented with a joint booth!
🤖 💡 Here you can find out how robotics can increase the marketability of your products. Get inspired and immerse yourself in the future of automation! ✨
Swiss quantum computing startup ZuriQ has raised $4.2 million in seed funding to enable trapped-ion quantum computer architecture to scale.
The ETH Zurich university spinout aims to overcome fundamental scalability barriers associated with current trapped-ion systems, which rely on one-dimensional qubit chains.
ZuriQ’s approach uses a combination of electric and magnetic fields to enable two-dimensional ion movement, addressing the limitations of traditional architectures. This positions the company to scale toward systems capable of handling thousands of qubits, paving the way for practical, large-scale quantum computing.
“The space for few-qubit devices that act as toy models is already saturated,” said ZuriQ chief technology officer Pavel Hrmo. “Devices with 20-40 qubits won’t drive large profits. We need to focus on long-term scalability and demonstrate that our platform can grow the number of ions in two dimensions faster than our competitors.”
While ZuriQ’s method required rethinking the fundamental computational building block from scratch, it retains compatibility with established control techniques widely used within the trapped-ion research community.
ZuriQ’s approach originated in the labs of the research university ETH Zurich. The company is on track to demonstrate its first prototype later this year, showcasing a reconfigurable two-dimensional grid with dozens of ions.
ZuriQ plans to commercialize its technology through direct sales and cloud-based access to its quantum computing systems. These systems are designed to target industries that demand high data privacy, such as pharmaceuticals and financial services.
The $4.2 million seed round was led by Founderful, with participation from SquareOne, First Momentum Ventures, OnSight Ventures and QAI Ventures. The funding is expected to accelerate ZuriQ’s efforts to overcome the scalability challenges limiting current trapped-ion quantum computers.
swisstech for AI & Technology at CES 2025 fosters innovation with 32 innovative startups
SWISSTECH AT CES 2025: Hall G Level 1 BOOTH # 61033 EUREKA PARK Hall D Level 2 BOOTH # 50435 GLOBAL PAVILION
ZURICH, Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Switzerland Global Enterprisehttps://www.s-ge.com/, the official Swiss agency for export and investment promotion, and Presence Switzerland, the Swiss government marketing and communication agency, announced today that swisstech https://www.swiss.tech/ will be presenting 32 new high-tech Swiss innovation start-ups at CES 2025, focusing on exciting advancements in Artificial Intelligenceand new technologies in the fields of AI and Robotics, AR/VR/XR, Cleantech, EdTech, HealthTech, ICT, and Lifestyle. CES 2025 will be held January 7-10, 2025 in Las Vegas.
With the theme, “Step into the future: Experience Swiss AI innovation,” swisstech will present two dedicated pavilions at CES at the Venetian featuring Switzerland’s leadership in Artificial Intelligence, innovation, and its thriving business ecosystems. An example is the recent debut of one of the fastest computers in the world, the new ethical supercomputer Alps, which strongly contributes to research infrastructure.
Switzerland’s leadership in ethical and cutting-edge AI innovation will take center stage at CES 2025. Representing two of the nation’s top research hubs, the ETH AI Center (https://ai.ethz.ch/) and the EPFL AI Center (https://ai.epfl.ch/), startups will showcase their pioneering work in responsible, transparent, and transformative AI solutions. These institutions are shaping the future of AI by fostering collaboration across industries, academia, and entrepreneurship. Visitors can also engage with dynamic workshops and live demonstrations from 32 innovative Swiss startups, such as identic.ai, E-Skimo, Mimic Robotics, Magnes, Wearin, Beekee, and including Neural Concept and SonixApp, highlighting how Swiss ingenuity continues to drive global technological advancement.
BOOTH 1: Swisstech Eureka Park, Booth #61033 (Venetian Expo, Hall G, Level 1) AI & Robotics:
Absolute Magnetics: patented encoder technology enables robust, accurate, stray-field immune angle detection at an unmatched price-performance ratio https://absolute-magnetics.com/.
E-Skimo™: takes ski mountaineering to new heights with electric-assist power, reducing uphill effort and making skiing accessible for all https://e-skimo.swiss/.
MaXerial: trains AI with 1 click – builds and deploys custom models instantly, no coding required https://www.maxerial.io/.
MimicRobotics: develops scalable AI models for universal robotic manipulation, automating most complex/tedious manual labor tasks from retail to manufacturing https://www.mimicrobotics.com/.
Neural Concept: 3D AI platform fully unlocks the potential of Engineering Intelligence, which places AI and data at the core of the product design process by transforming how engineers work, solving complex design challenges while allowing them to reduce development times by up to 75% https://www.neuralconcept.com/.
Rimon Technologies: Digital Walter is an AI assistant that captures and retains expert knowledge in manufacturing to ensure operational continuity https://www.rimon.tech/.
Wearin: smart wearable tech for hazardous jobs. Detects incidents, monitors stress, and enhances safety with real-time alerts and AI insights https://wearin.tech/.
Scrona: sets new standards in micro manufacturing with ultra-precise, high-speed digital printing – world-record holders in miniature printing technology https://www.scrona.com/.
CleanTech/Renewable Energy:
Aerospec: Aerosol InfraRed (AIR) monitor autonomously analyzes particulate pollution’s composition and sources, delivering cost-effective insights to improve air quality https://aerospec.ch/.
Enerdrape: panels transform underground spaces into renewable energy sources, enabling sustainable heating and cooling without drilling https://enerdrape.com/.
GraphEnergyTech: unlocks graphene’s potential with Graphene Conductive Paste that boosts efficiency, durability, and affordability in solar cells and electronics https://graphenergytech.com/.
Perovskia Solar: world’s most efficient, custom-designed indoor/outdoor solar cells power devices, even in low-light conditions https://perovskia.solar/.
Lifehive: protecting honeybees with heat-based technology that eradicates Varroa and viruses – effective, safe, and chemical-free https://www.lifehive.ch.
Swistor: advanced ultracapacitors for instant power and long-lasting performance boosting efficiency in consumer electronics, data centers, and industrial systems https://www.swistor.com/.
EdTech:
AckTao: cybersecurity meets 3D gaming – no downloads needed, fully customizable, LMS compatible, and fun for all https://acktao.com/.
Beekee: standalone portable device that creates digital classrooms anywhere, enabling a class full of learners to access educational content without internet or power https://beekee.ch/.
Swip: screen-free gaming experience that keeps kids active and engaged, building skills with real-time feedback and interactive play https://www.spin-and-play.com/en.
HealthTech:
Calopad: world’s thinnest FDA-certified wearable for targeted, side-effect-free deep heat and cold therapy for pain relief and recovery https://www.calopad.com/.
Magnes: NUSHU smart shoes combining AI-driven gait analysis with real-time vibrotactile feedback to empower patients with neurological disorders to walk more confidently https://www.magnes.ch/.
Nutrix: launches gSense, a digital AI remote monitoring health platform and CES Innovation Awards® 2025 winner CortiSense, the first non-invasive stress hormone monitoring sensor for at-home use, boosting mental/metabolic health, https://nutrix.tech/.
Senbiosys: VELIA smart ring blends elegance with breakthrough sensor technology, delivering precise, personalized insights to elevate your self-awareness https://www.veliaring.com/.
ICT/Enterprise:
Csky.ai: secure, real-time AI transcription and automated reporting with absolute privacy – your data stays on your device https://www.csky.ai/.
IdenticAI: instantly turns product photos into 3D and AR for e-commerce, cutting costs by 70% and boosting customer engagement and sales https://identic.ai/.
Sonix: first AI-powered, zero-latency voice chat for gamers combined with a 3D avatar digital skin marketplace to elevate fan engagement https://www.sonixapp.com/.
Switzerland:
Swiss Impact (Embassy of Switzerland in USA): Discover Switzerland’s positive impact in the United States in the fields of innovation, economic relations, sustainability, culture, and international partnerships https://swissimpactusa.com/.
BOOTH 2: Swisstech Venetian Global Pavilion Booth #50435 (Venetian Expo Level 2 Hall D) AI & Robotics:
Algorized: people-sensing software platform for presence detection and vital signs monitoring for any UWB radar sensor https://www.algorized.com/.
Ecorobotix: transforms agriculture with AI-driven precision sprayers that cut chemical use, conserve resources, and boost crop yields – better for farmers and the planet https://ecorobotix.com/en/.
Hemargroup: turning electronic visions into Swiss precision realities – your pathway from prototype to production excellence https://www.hemargroup.ch/en/.
AR/VR/XR:
Sensoryx: precise sub-millimeter custom 3D tracking for improved accuracy for the metaverse https://sensoryx.tech/.
CleanTech/Renewable Energy:
GreenGT: NGT75 fuel cell system delivers 75kW of efficient, adaptable energy with compact, customizable design, empowering OEMs with sustainable power solutions https://greengt.ch/.
EdTech:
Swip: screen-free gaming experience that keeps kids active and engaged, building skills with real-time feedback and interactive play https://www.spin-and-play.com/en.
ICT/Enterprise:
Global ID: next-gen private biometric authentication with multi-view finger vein recognition technology https://globalid.swiss/en/.
Hypergate: mobile Kerberos Single Sign-On (SSO) for Android – secure and seamless authentication for on-premises and hybrid environments https://hypergate.com/.
Lifestyle:
AVAtronics: harnessing AI to reduce noise and enhance speech for a quieter, more harmonious world https://www.avatronics.com/.
About Switzerland Global Enterprise Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) https://www.s-ge.com/ is the official Swiss organization for export and investment promotion represented in 30 countries all over the world. S-GE supports Swiss SMEs in their international businesses and helps innovative international companies settle in Switzerland. S-GE relies on a unique network of national and international partners that allows them to create added value for their customers and prosperity for Switzerland. For more information, see: https://www.s-ge.com/.
About Presence Switzerland Presence Switzerland (PRS), part of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), promotes Switzerland’s image and strengthens its international presence. It fosters understanding and showcases the country’s diversity and strengths through campaigns, global projects, digital marketing, and hosting visits. PRS also manages Switzerland’s participation in major events like World Expos and tech fairs. For more information, see: https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/organisation-fdfa/general-secretariat/presence-switzerland.html
About swisstech swisstech is a private-public initiative supported by Presence Switzerland, Innosuisse, Swissnex, and Switzerland Global Enterprise. The swisstech campaign aims to raise Switzerland’s profile as a world-leading innovative location for business and to increase the visibility of its deep tech and state-of-the-art companies as well as of its research excellence abroad. For more information, see: https://swiss.tech/
Two Swiss universities are launching the Swiss Robotics Association (SRA) at the Robotics Day in Basel tomorrow.
The SRA aims to promote Switzerland as a global leader in robotics innovation and build interactions within the Swiss robotics ecosystem, serve as a networking hub.
The association has been founded by Prof. Aude Billard, Head of LASA laboratory at EPFL, Lead of the Innovation Booster Robotics, co-organizer of the Swiss Robotics Day 2024 and one of the two Vice-Presidents of the Swiss Robotics Association, along with Prof. Roland Siegwart, Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering of ETH Zurich, researcher at the Autonomous Systems Lab, Head of Wyss Zurich Translational Centre. They are joined by Dr. Nicola Tomatis, CEO at BlueBotics (above) as President.
Switzerland is a key area for robotics research as a result of the activities at EPFL and ETH Zurich, with companies such as ANYbotics and Exotec developing autonomous robotic systems and mobile robotics firm Sevensense acquired by ABB.
Home to fine cheese, breathtaking scenery and footballing politics (FIFA HQ overlooks Lake Zurich), Switzerland’s largest city is also a financial juggernaut. The central square of Paradeplatz is its beating heart, where the Swiss banking system pumps venture capital funding into a thriving tech ecosystem; around CHF 872 million (more than $1 billion) was poured into Zurich startups alone in 2023.
“Zurich is a city of ideas, people, and capital,” says Frank Floessel, head of entrepreneurship at ETH Zurich, a public research university focused on science, technology, and engineering that “spins out” an average of 25 startups every year. “We have plenty of talent and know-how. We rank among Europe’s smartest and most innovative cities. And we have the necessary funding to transform groundbreaking ideas into market-ready solutions.”
Nanoflex Robotics
While remote surgery isn’t yet common, scalpel-wielding robots can often be found performing keyhole surgery. Nanoflex Robotics is aiming to transform emergency treatments such as a thrombectomy, the removal of a blood clot. It’s the procedure used for ischemic strokes, a worldwide leading cause of disability. “Today, the only option is to transfer the patient to a hospital capable of performing a thrombectomy—but every second the brain lacks oxygenated blood, brain cells die,” says Nanoflex founder Matt Curran. In the US, nearly a third of the population lives more than an hour away from a thrombectomy capable center. Alongside founders Christophe Chautems and Bradley Nelson, Curran has created a compact robotic platform that includes a magnetic field generator on wheels. Positioned next to a patient’s head in a cath lab, a neurosurgeon (often working miles away) can subtly change the direction of the magnetic field to bend the tip of the catheter more easily, travel through affected vessels, and restore blood flow to the brain. In 2023, Nanoflex worked with Mayo Clinic Arizona on its proof-of-concept—the medical center’s chair of neurosurgery controlled its robot in Zurich from Phoenix in a non-clinical setting. In March 2024, Nanoflex’s first robotics system was installed at the Jacobs Institute, a medical device innovation center in Buffalo, New York. It raised a total of $19.8 million (£14.4 million)—including a $12 million (£9 million) Series A round in February 2023. nanoflexrobotics.com
BTRY
The standard lithium-ion battery contains liquid electrolytes which work well at stable room temperature but less so in the freezing cold or at high heat. Working at Swiss research institute Empa, Moritz Futscher and Abdessalem Aribia discovered that stacking several thin-film cells on top of each other not only provides one-minute charging times and greater energy capacity—it also creates a battery that can withstand extreme conditions. Launching BTRY in 2023 alongside Yaroslav Romanyuk, Futscher and Aribia are now focusing on IoT applications in environments such as cold medical transport and steam plants. The trio are also looking to the skies: Some aerospace applications require batteries to function across a 200 degree Celsius temperature range. “Compared to current batteries, ours reduces the need for heating elements and safety measures,” says Futscher. Having raised CHF 1.8 million ($2.1 million) in pre-seed funding, BTRY is beginning its first pilot production tests. btry.ch
Yokoy
Frustrated with the tedium of corporate expense management, five accountants—Philippe Sahli, Thomas Inhelder, Lars Mangelsdorf, Devis Lussi, and Melanie Gabriel—founded Yokoy in 2019 (initially under the name Expense Robot). The fintech leverages AI to simplify invoicing, automating the reimbursement process by instantly matching card payments with expenses. “We felt the pain of manual work,” says Sahli. “Nobody trains as an accountant to spend hours matching receipts to company card transactions.” Twenty million expense reports and invoices later, Yokoy’s 700 global clients include Breitling, Austria Airlines, and On Running—the Swiss sportswear brand has slashed its costs by almost 79 percent since automating its spend management process, says Sahli. In 2023, Yokoy raised $80 million (£60.9 million) in Series B funding, led by Sequoia Capital. yokoy.io
Yokoy’s Thomas Inhelder, Devis Lussi, Lars Mangelsdorf, and Philippe Sahli.
PHOTOGRAPH: CHRISTIAN GRUND
BreezeLabs
BreezeLabs founders Patrick Helfenstein and Matthias Heuberger say that up to 90 percent of runners in the US—estimated to be about 50 million—use a wearable device to track their performance. Yet heart rate is typically the only measurement that these devices track. BreezeLabs has developed an app that monitors runners’ breathing patterns instead. It does this through a headphones’ built-in microphone, while delivering deeper cardiovascular insights. BreezeLabs’ smart filtering dampens traffic noise, with audio data fed to a trained machine learning model that estimates a runner’s breaths per second. Since launching in February 2023, it’s collected data from more than 100 test runners (“one of the world’s biggest datasets entirely consisting of breathing samples,” says Helfenstein). BreezeLabs has secured CHF 500,000 ($584,000) in funding from the University of Basel. breezelabs.ai
Univerbal
When coder Philipp Hadjimina was priced out of one-to-one Greek language lessons (“incredibly expensive in Switzerland,” he says), he built his own chatbot. Quazel launched on Hacker News in September 2022—and 50,000 users tried it within two days. Renamed Univerbal in January 2024, it had more than 250,000 downloads. Users can talk to an AI “tutor” in 22 languages through onscreen chat prompts, creating naturalistic, unscripted conversations based on large language models from Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and Open Source. “It’s always surprised me that most who want to learn a language do so via vocab games and memorizing grammar rules, but completely neglect speaking,” says Hadjimina. Founded alongside Samuel Bissegger and David Niederberger, Univerbal has raised $2 million (£1.5 million) in seed funding. univerbal.app
Oxyle
“Clean water, down to the last drop” is the mission statement of Fajer Mushtaq and Silvan Staufert, the founders of Oxyle. Launched in 2020, the ETH Zurich spin-off takes aim at per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): synthetic chemicals long used in everyday goods for their water, grease, and oil-resistant properties—and toxic to humans. “We’re driven by a shared vision to address water contamination and ‘forever chemicals,’” says Mushtaq, whose inspiration stems from encountering water scarcity during her upbringing in India. Common among nonstick cookware and water-repellent fabrics, PFAS exposure has been linked to cancers and immune system suppression. They’re also lost into wastewater and discharged into streams—ending up in drinking water. But Oxyle’s modular reactors—applied at water treatment plants and reaching up to 100 cubic meters in size—break down 99 percent of PFAS into harmless mineral components, lowering levels below regulatory limits. Machine learning then adapts treatment to real-time PFAS fluctuations. Since raising CHF 12 million ($14 million) in pre-seed funding, Oxyle has partnered with major water technology companies in Europe (including Belgium’s Waterleau) to commercialize its solution. Its future target is helping to clean US waters. oxyle.com
Silvan Staufert and Fajer Mushtaq, cofounders of Oxyle.
PHOTOGRAPH: CHRISTIAN GRUND
DeepJudge
A trio of Google researchers are the minds behind DeepJudge: an AI-powered search for legal teams that scans hundreds of millions of documents, freeing time spent searching for paperwork accumulated across emails, memos and contracts. “We’re connecting users to the entirety of their collective knowledge,” says Paulina Grnarova, who launched the startup in 2021 alongside Yannic Kilcher and Kevin Roth. Retrieval augmented generation (RAG) technology—and DeepJudge’s proprietary large language model—surfaces the most relevant, up-to-date information via summary. Once deployed, nearly 80 percent of users within an organization regularly engage with DeepJudge—saving countless hours trawling inboxes. In June 2024, it raised $10.7 million (£8.1 million) in an oversubscribed seed funding round led by New York private equity firm Coatue. Clients using the AI-powered search tool include Swiss law firms Lenz & Staehelin and Homburger. deepjudge.ai
Decentriq
Data clean-rooms offer neutral, secure environments for organizations to share insights on markets and customers without sharing first-party data—any personal information is restricted, encrypted, and anonymized. A supplier of this is Decentriq. Its platform has been used by Publicis Groupe, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Defense and the Swiss National Bank. “We wanted to create a neutral space—a ‘Switzerland of data’,” explains Decentriq founder Maximilian Groth, who launched the startup alongside Stefan Deml in 2019. The pair have raised more than $21 million (£15.9 million), including a $15 million (£11.4 million) Series A round led by Eclipse Ventures, and a CHF 2.2 million ($2.5 million) grant from the Swiss government. decentriq.com
Riskwolf
Launched in 2020 by Thomas Krapf and René Papesch, Riskwolf’s platform leverages AI and real-time data to create so-called parametric insurance solutions. This means that payouts are based on the probability of a loss-causing event (a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, for example), rather than actual losses. A key use case is changing weather patterns, says Krampf: Kashmir apple farmers now have parametric weather coverage that pays out in days rather than months. “Traditional underwriting can have missing or outdated data histories,” says Krapf. “Conversely, we have much more affordable data and processing power thanks to the growth of cloud technology and satellite sources.” Having raised a combined CHF 3 million ($3.5 million) through an Innosuisse grant and equity investment, Riskwolf now works with insurers across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The company has also set its sights on IoT, economic data, credit risk and price indices to explore future parametric products. riskwolf.com
LatticeFlow
Beginning life as an ETH Zurich research project, Petar Tsankov, Pavol Bielik, Martin Vechev, and Andreas Krause launched LatticeFlow in 2020. Its platform automatically stress-tests AI models, analyzing how predictions are made, and finding patterns that lead to systematic errors: think blindspots and hallucinations. “Traditionally, this process is addressed in an ad-hoc, manual, and reactive manner,” says Tsankov. “We proactively uncover these, effectively enriching the data.” Clients include manufacturing firms and defense organizations, notably the US Army. The company has raised total funding of $14.8 million (£11.2 million), including a $12 million (£9.1 million) Series A round led by Atlantic Bridge and OpenOcean. latticeflow.ai
This article first appeared in the November/December 2024 edition of WIRED UK.
Updated 10/14/2024, 9.12 pm GMT: This article was updated to correct the amount of money flowing into Zurich-based startups, which was CHF 872 million, not 72 million.
Researchers from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed an articulated hand that can extend the reach of a robotic arm by detaching and crawling away on its own to grab things. The research was recently presented at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and was spotted by IEEE Spectrum magazine.
Due to their strength and speed, robotic arms are typically permanently attached to floors or other structures for added stability, which limits their reach. The goal of the research, conducted at the EPFL’s Learning Algorithms and Systems Laboratory (LASA), was to develop a bimodal robotic hand with expanded grasping capabilities, including occasional independence from the robot arm it’s attached to.
The hand can detach and reattach to a robot arm as needed. GIF: YouTube
Robot hands are usually designed with a single goal in mind: to hold onto things. To develop one that could do that and crawl around on its own like the Addams Family’s Thing, the researchers generated and refined a basic design using a genetic algorithm (which relies on biological tricks like natural selection and evolution) and the MuJoCo physics simulator to test the practicality of iterations.
The algorithm and simulations helped the researchers determine the optimal position and number of articulated fingers needed, which turned out to be five, in a similar layout to human hands. The robotic hand also uses a magnetic connector at the wrist, allowing it to attach and detach from an arm autonomously.
The robotic hand’s fingers can bend in both directions so it can crawl, but it also allows the hand to grasp two objects at once when attached to a robot arm. GIF: YouTube
The hand’s fingers can bend in both directions, allowing it to use some of them to lift objects while the rest function as tiny legs. This design also expands the usefulness of the hand while it’s attached to a robot arm. It can lift multiple objects at once without twisting the arm around to reposition unused fingers.
The hand is also considerably smaller than robots like Boston Dynamics’ Spot, which can freely locomote using four legs. Spot has already been upgraded with its own robot arm and grasper, but with an articulated hand that operates independently, it could be better equipped to explore or analyze areas Spot can’t squeeze into.
Swiss quantum computing startup ZuriQ has raised $4.2 million in seed funding to enable trapped-ion quantum computer architecture to scale.
ZURICH
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