robotics
Now You Can Rent a Robot Worker—for Less Than Paying a Human
Automation is reaching more companies, imperiling some jobs and changing the nature of others.
John Deere's Self-Driving Tractor Stirs Debate on AI in Farming
The automation, and control of the resulting data, raises questions about the role of human farmers.
See Little Robots Get Swole in This Virtual 'Gym'
The bizarre robots look like cobbled-together Tetris pieces. A new system "evolves" them to run, climb, and throw stuff better.
This Drone Uses Piercing Talons to Perch—or Snatch Things
What do you get when you slap 3D-printed raptor legs on a quadcopter? A robot that can land like a falcon to keep an eye on the forest.
Robots Won’t Close the Warehouse Worker Gap Anytime Soon
Even Amazon’s new AI-powered machines aren’t nearly capable enough to handle the most important fulfillment tasks.
Inside X’s Mission to Make Robots Boring
Plus: The man behind a famous paradox, the laws that will govern the metaverse, and a deadly swarm of scorpions.
These Robots Follow You to Learn Where to Go
Burro makes carts that help growers of trees and vineyards with harvests. Meanwhile, the maker of Vespa scooters wants to carry your groceries.
These Virtual Obstacle Courses Help Real Robots Learn to Walk
Researchers used specialized chips and simulation software to teach a four-legged robot to navigate stairs and blocks.
Why Robots Can’t Sew Your T-Shirt
Machines can print textiles, cut fabric, and fold clothes. But it’s hard to train them to sew as fast and precisely as humans.
Tesla Promised a Robot. Was It Just a Recruiting Pitch?
The highlight of an event aimed at AI whizzes was a human simulating a robot that might someday replace a human.
This Device Helps Paralyzed People Breathe—and Sing
Called the Exo-Abs, the robotic device uses artificial intelligence to gauge how much pressure to put on a person’s midsection.
John Deere Doubles Down on Silicon Valley and Robots
The farm-equipment giant is buying Bear Flag Robotics, which makes autonomous tractors, marking its second big tech buy in four years.
Why Scientists Love Making Robots Build Ikea Furniture
This robot can help a human assemble a bookcase by predicting what part they’ll want next and handing it over.
How Do You Make a Robot Walk on Mars? It’s a Steep Challenge
Meet SpaceBok, a little, four-legged machine that’s taking the first steps toward walking on the Red Planet’s brutal terrain.
We Asked Giant-Robot Experts to Critique Video Game Mecha
How realistic are Metal Gears and Titans anyway? WIRED asked industrial design and robotics pros how they'd operate.
Watch Drones Fly Through a Fake Forest Without Crashing
Each copter doesn’t just track where the others are. It constantly predicts where they’ll go.
Peanut the Waiter Robot Is Proof That Your Job Is Safe
Restaurants are struggling to hire people, so one Jersey Shore grill employed a machine. It confirms that humans remain indispensable.
The Dog Poodemic Is Here. Call in the Dung-Hunting Drones
Lockdown puppy madness has left sidewalks littered with feces. Robots that scan and scoop can help.
This Brain-Controlled Robotic Arm Can Twist, Grasp—and Feel
Nathan Copeland learned to move a robotic arm with his mind, but it was kind of slow. Then researchers gave him touch feedback.
Watch a Snake Robot Go for a Swim
The Hardened Underwater Modular Robot Snake has thrusters for muscles and a camera for a face. Your move, evolution.
Ford's Ever-Smarter Robots Are Speeding Up the Assembly Line
A transmission factory shows how artificial intelligence may creep into industrial processes in gradual and often imperceptible ways.
Want to Get Along With Robots? Pretend They’re Animals
Robotics ethicist Kate Darling surveys our history with animals—in work, war, and companionship—to show how we might develop similar relationships with robots.
Serve Food in Far-Away Restaurants—Right From Your Couch
A growing number of robots are operated remotely, often by workers thousands of miles away. Could it be a job of the future?
This Robot Could Help Fulfill Your Online Shopping Sprees
Ambi Robotics is using years of research in robot manipulation to teach machines how to get a grip. The secret? Giving them suction cups for fingers.