The word “robot” was coined by the Czech writer Karel Čapek in a 1920 play called Rossum’s Universal Robots, and is derived from the Czech robota, meaning “drudgery” or “servitude”.
Feb 10, 2026 · A new approach developed at MIT could help a search-and-rescue robot navigate an unpredictable environment by rapidly generating an accurate map of its surroundings.
May 13, 2025 · The robot consists of a heavy, 220-pound base whose dimensions and structure were optimized to support the weight of an average human without tipping or slipping. Underneath the.
Jul 24, 2025 · A vision-based control system called Neural Jacobian Fields enables soft and rigid robots to learn self-supervised motion control using only a monocular camera. The system, developed by.
Apr 24, 2025 · MIT roboticists developed a way to cut through data noise and help robots focus on the features in a scene that are most relevant for assisting humans. The system could be used in smart.
Apr 9, 2025 · A hopping, insect-sized robot can jump over gaps or obstacles, traverse rough, slippery, or slanted surfaces, and perform aerial acrobatic maneuvers, while using a fraction of the energy.
Jul 10, 2025 · Robots are helping humans in a growing number of places – from archaeological sites to disaster zones and sewers. The most recent robotic inventions can entertain people in care homes.
Dec 3, 2025 · MIT researchers developed an aerial microrobot that can fly with speed and agility comparable to real insects. The research opens the door to future bug-sized robots that could aid in.
Jul 17, 2025 · A new training interface allows a robot to learn a task in several different ways. This increased training flexibility could help more people interact with and teach robots — and may also.
Jan 15, 2025 · New insect-scale microrobots can fly more than 100 times longer than previous versions. The new bots, also significantly faster and more agile, could someday be used to pollinate fruits and.
