Nanoparticles that chat back and forth could dispense medication
For the first time, two nanoparticles have communicated with each other to complete a task, potentially making them useful for targeted cancer treatment
Waltzing robot teaches beginners how to dance like a pro
A robotic dance teacher can gently guide human novices through routines while adapting to their skill level
Parasitic robot controls turtle it’s riding by giving it snacks
Natural selection has created amazingly effective ways to move around. Robots could harness this by hitching a ride on biology’s back
How to usher in an AI future with gain rather than pain
The consent of the people will be needed if the machine learning revolution is to succeed, says Paul Marks
Squishy robotic manta ray flaps its wings to spy in the ocean
A manta-ray-inspired robot is made of soft, transparent materials so that it can go undetected as it swims around monitoring wildlife and wrecks
Robot eavesdrops on men and women to see how much they talk
Women speak more when they’re talking to a woman rather than a man, finds a robot with a fur hat that studied conversations between men, women and children
Robotic bee could help pollinate crops as real bees decline
With bee populations tumbling, an autonomous drone just 4 centimetres wide could help pollinate crops by flying from flower to flower
NASA wants to put a lander on Europa’s surface to look for life
If it goes ahead, the proposed lander mission would be NASA’s first search for life on the surface of another planet since the Mars Viking missions in the late seventies
Quantum film sensor stops delivery drones crashing into things
A sensor that uses infrared laser light and quantum film detects objects up to 20 metres away, helping drones to dodge collisions
The Wikipedia bots that are engaged in spats that never end
Bots are often used to help human editors manage changes made to Wikipedia – but they can get stuck in loops undoing each other’s edits for years