Tag Archives: Robots/Drones

This lightweight + durable drone can fold down and fit into a small case when not in use!

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A super lightweight drone designed to operate in the most extreme environment and difficult terrain. In a way perfect for explorers who are curious to discover the unknown.

Explorers will go any length trying to satiate their curiosity, and any tool that aids them in this quest is more than welcome. While DJI is the preferred choice for most action sports or adventure activities – it’s time we ask for a drone that’s made specifically for exploration of the nook and crannies of the face of the earth. Yes, I’m talking about the explorers who take all the pain to bring home some of the most breathtaking shots from the jaw-dropping hidden landscapes of the planet.

The Drone Explorer aims to fulfill that little void which demands a drone that’s ultra-resilient, lightweight, has a longer battery life, and can carry advanced camera equipment in the most extreme weather and climatic conditions. Film-making crews who discover and bring to us the majestic never before seen footage of caves, forests, rock walls and more. This drone pushes the limits further, going into dangerous places that have still not been explored due to human limitations. Places like uninhibited islands, rainforests infested with dangerous creatures, or caves that are too risky to venture out into.

All this is possible with the drone’s terrain observation sensors, prior danger warning systems, and high-class connectivity for live streams. Keeping in mind the ease of carrying, the drone has a minimal foldable form factor – so small you can put it inside a small case without even knowing it is there in your backpack. The four propellers fold via hinged structure and fit inside a small carry bag too. Perfect for exploration and research activities with minimal fuzz.

Since the drone has to explore narrow caves or the rough rainforests – for instance – the aerodynamics need to be on point. This is fully proofed with the body line and aerodynamic shape for a stable flight no matter what the conditions or terrain. For complete protection from the elements, the Drone Explorer is made out of lightweight and durable titanium. It gets waterproof coating to make sure it doesn’t have an off day on a rainy afternoon!

Designer: Design One

These robot rangers are designed to help efficiently restore and rehabilitate forests!

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With climate change moving at warp speed, we have to come up with solutions to repair the after-effects just as much as the solutions to slow it down in the first place. Floods and forest fires have been more rampant this year than ever before, restoring these natural habitats is crucial to help the surviving animals as well as to bring balance back to the ecosystem. Industrial design student Segev Kaspi designed a conceptual crew of robotic forest druids that will each play a role in rehabilitating forests through seed planting, data analysis, and more.

The futuristic and almost intimidating-looking robots are a team of three designed to support reforestation efforts and sustainable forest management. Called Rikko, Dixon, and Chunk, they will each have a specific role to play to make the process efficient.

The robotic foresters operate in systems that change in accordance with the forest’s needs and can work either individually or in groups. Each robot is assigned a defined role in managing and preserving the forest. Their roles and design language reflect a long process of studying the work of rangers in an attempt to gain an in-depth understanding of this important job.

The first robot is ‘chunk’, who is responsible for sawing, pruning and mowing. Then there’s ‘dixon’ who takes care of planting and reforestation of seedlings and cuttings. Last but not least is ‘rikko’, who gathers, monitors and analyzes data from the forest. Kaspi has brought the three conceptual robots to life through drawings, computer renderings and physical models.

Kapsi brings together two opposing worlds – nature and technology – to stimulate conversation on rising atmospheric CO2 and the importance of rehabilitating our forests, all the while proposing a possible solution to the problem.

Designer: Segev Kaspi

Amazon just launched a (slightly) creepy Home Robot that can follow you around your house and responds to voice commands

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This absolutely wouldn’t fly if it was a Facebook product.

Earlier today at Amazon’s hardware event, the company launched a whole slew of products including upgraded Echo devices, Ring doorbells, a fitness tracker, and even a thermostat… although one product immediately stood out – Amazon’s $1000 home robot named Astro.

Modeled as a WALL-E-ish robot with dog-like proportions, the Astro can follow you around the house, respond to your voice commands, allow you to video-chat with friends and family, and even monitor your house while you’re asleep or away, tying in with their Ring video doorbell’s alert services. The robot sports a large screen for a face (with ring-shaped emotive eyes), runs on wheels (so it can’t climb stairs for now), and even comes with two nifty little cup-holders built into its rear so it can carry your water, coffee, soda, or beer around, being an attentive little butler-dog-sentinel that’s designed to be cute and approachable… unless you’re an intruder, of course.

The Astro works quite like the way your Roomba does. Multiple cameras around its base let the Astro map out your home, while a camera module on its head sits on an expanding periscope mount, allowing the Astro to see you at eye level, look above counters/furniture, and just get a better vantage point for its security systems. It stands roughly two feet high, weighs about 20 pounds, and comes with a battery docking system where it automatically goes to recharge. The tiny little robot responds to voice commands just like your smart speaker would. It ties in a bunch of Amazon services – you can video-chat through it, remotely monitor your home, ask it to follow you around, to dance to music, and even to fetch you stuff from the other room (although someone will have to physically put items in the Astro’s cup holder). Given that it can’t navigate stairs, Amazon expects you to set up Astro in the main living area, where it’ll be needed most – and where it can surveil and safeguard your entire house against intruders. You can set up specific “viewpoints” around your house and label rooms so Astro understands commands that tell it to go to specific locations. On-board cameras even come with facial recognition, allowing the Astro to differentiate between residents, visitors, and trespassers.

It’s long been rumored that Amazon was working on a home robot that would extend the capabilities of Alexa and Amazon’s other services. Tech journalists were quick to warn that it would just give Amazon yet another opportunity to monitor your home, going beyond just audio and video recordings. The Astro can move around your house, practically mapping your interiors to create a precise 3D model of your home – data that could be extremely valuable to the company in the future. People can be pretty quick to surrender their privacy and freedoms in the face of convenience, which is what makes the Astro such an interesting product to debate about. Sure, it’s modeled like a dog, sure it serves you with a whole slew of useful services and features… but who’s the real owner here? For $1000 you probably own the robot, but you surely don’t own any of the data the robot collects. In this seemingly uncomplicated equation, you’re not really the master… Amazon is.

The Astro is currently available as an invite-based limited release as the company tests the waters. Amazon claims Astro will be extremely helpful to people who rely on Amazon’s ecosystem of products and services, as well as the elderly and disabled. I, personally, have my doubts given Amazon’s relatively cavalier attitude towards complete user privacy and its history of sharing data with third parties, the police, and even government agencies.

Want something that looks cute, responds to voice commands, and can monitor your house at all times? Adopt a dog instead. At least it won’t upload your data to Amazon’s servers.

Designer: Amazon

This fleet of autonomous ‘saildrones’ use solar and wind power to collect data during a hurricane!

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Saildrone, a maritime research company and “world leader in oceangoing autonomous surface vehicles,” has launched a fleet of saildrones to collect first-of-its-kind hurricane data via advanced sensors and AI technology.

It’s been said we know more about outer space than we know about the ocean. In the grand scheme of Earth, we might not know too much about the deep blue that surrounds us, but that doesn’t mean it can’t tell us about the rest of our world. Today, a fleet of five autonomous saildrones has been launched from Florida and the Virgin Islands by Saildrone, a maritime research company, to collect data on hurricanes, spending three months at sea where the fleet will compile the first hurricane research of its kind completed by ‘uncrewed’ surface vehicles (USVs).

With news regarding climate change and tropical storms flooding our timelines, our eyes and ears are more tuned in than ever in anticipation of new data. For decades, the ocean has provided scientists with the data necessary to understand climate change, hurricanes, carbon cycling, and maritime security.

The fleet of saildrones is comprised of solar and wind-powered USVs that acquire data on climate change and weather conditions through AI technology and over 20 advanced sensors, leaving a minimal carbon footprint while exploring international ocean waters. Amounting to around 1,500 pounds, each saildrone comes equipped with a photovoltaic sail that’s designed to keep each saildrone powered up as it sails right into the eye of a hurricane.

All in an effort to understand hurricanes and global weather events, for years Saildrone has been developing the technology necessary to map the ocean floor while measuring water temperature, salinity, chemical composition. Once programmed for navigation, the saildrones can sail autonomously from waypoint to waypoint.

During their voyage, the USVs remain within a user-defined safety corridor and are monitored by a Saildrone Mission Control operator. Spanning from Arctic waters to the Atlantic Ocean, saildrones have collected data on weather and climate science from waters all over the globe.

Designer: Saildrone

This autonomous robot acts as a passenger guide while disinfecting the public transport system!

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An autonomous fleet of AI robots that disinfects precarious surfaces of public transport systems like metro coaches, and also guides passengers in and out of the station through the least crowded pathways.

The ongoing pandemic has radically shifted our perspectives when it comes to cleanliness and personal hygiene. No matter how hard we try to avoid the crowd, at some point in time, we have to head in the hot zone – public places in particular or use public transport. Such locations are the breeding ground for viral infections and COVID-19 of course. This is where autonomy can help so that nothing is left to chance and pathogens breeding in the hard-to-reach surfaces are cleansed for good.

Meet the CLEANSE robot designed by Yifeeling Design for sanitizing public places such as metros or malls. This autonomous robotic rig moving on independent driven wheels greatly reduces the risk of air-borne diseases in public transportation – subways in particular. It sets into action as soon as the metro train arrives at the station by first guiding the passengers to the exit through the station by analyzing the least crowded locations and choosing the path accordingly.

Another fleet of CLENASE robots disinfects each coach during the metro train’s halt at the station – ensuring that every nook and corner of the transportation system is free from any chances of the next batch of riders getting infected. This smart mechanism is paramount in ensuring not even a single passenger gets infects and further spreads the infection to other random people.

The smart robot is loaded with sensors and cameras to navigate during the course of its cleaning and passenger guiding regime. In the guiding role, the passengers can choose their destination from the interactive display on top of the robotic machine. For the cleansing role, the CLEANSE robot is loaded with a mop and brush underneath to get rid of dirt and dust on the walking surface.

To disinfect the other surfaces it sprays the disinfectant from the front and side nozzles. When it runs out of juice, the robot automatically hooks onto the charging bay at the station to get ready for its routine tasks!

Designer: Yifeeling Design

Intriguing and Inventive Robot Designs that prove artificial intelligence is here to stay + make the world a better place!

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Artificial Intelligence has catapulted in recent years, and the advancements being made in this field make me feel as if it won’t be long before we have robots walking amongst us all the time! There was a point in time when the only forms of robots that we could see were toys or vacuum cleaners, or if we were lucky an AI-enabled lawnmower in some tech-trendy individual’s backyard! But we have come a long long way since then. From a basketball-playing Japanese robot at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics to a Microsoft-powered robot that cleans up littered cigarette butts on the beach – the potential and scope of robots grow exponentially day by day. The world at large is slowly moving away from the perception of robots as evil beings who want to take over the Earth, and accepting that they may have vast and undeniable utility in even our day-to-day lives. Whether programmed for fun or functionality, robots are always intriguing to watch and examine! And, we’ve curated some really innovative ones that completely blew our minds away!

At the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, world-class athletes were showcasing their talent, but a robot stole all the limelight during a basketball game between the U.S. and France. Demonstrating the early stages of the machine-dominated dystopian future, the seven-foot robot developed by Toyota engineers scored a perfect three-pointer and half-court shot. The eerily designed robot took to the center stage at halftime break during a showdown game.  The Toyota engineers created this free throw shooting robot in their free time over the last couple of years – and at the game – the smart machine beat human players shot for shot. It perfectly landed an easy free throw, a three-pointer, and a flawless half-court shot (just like Stephen Curry) in tandem to wow the crowd!

In collaboration with OTTOBO Robotics, product and car designer Berk Kaplan developed a concept design for a task robot that integrates smart technology to streamline ergonomics and package-carrying flexibility. During the beginning stage of the concept design phase, Kaplan first conducted his own research to settle on the overall mood and personality of the robot. Following the research period, Kaplan sat down to sketch outlines of his robot in development, toying around with practical elements and aesthetic touches. The first proposal envisioned the robot with both a hard outer shell and inner core, giving it a tough, hardworking personality and weighty body. Where the first proposal found durability in a tough exterior and interior, the third proposal from Kaplan wrapped the robot in a soft outer shell to cover the robot’s soft interior core. The second proposal, which Kaplan and OTTOBO Robotics ultimately chose as the concept design’s final form, conceived the robot with a soft outer shell and hard inner core for a cushioned tactile experience, outfitting the robot with a friendly and approachable disposition.

Xiaomi, a Chinese tech company, recently unveiled more 3D renders of their own Quadruped robotic creation, CyberDog. Currently, the bio-inspired, four-legged robot has been engineered as a robotic companion whose future technical capabilities are still in development. In a recent press release from Xiaomi, it’s said that CyberDog comes complete with “AI interactive cameras [and sensors], binocular ultra-wide-angle fisheye cameras, and Intel ® RealSense™ D450 Depth module, and can be trained with its computer vision algorithm.”

Oliver is a collaborative robot that can operate both automated and manual delivery services. Smart technology equips Oliver with the know-how to handle autonomous delivery outings most likely contained within indoor spaces like warehouses and office buildings. Goods can be placed inside of Oliver the same way items are carried by utility carts and additional packages can be attached to Oliver’s rear trailer. Once the goods are packed away, a touchscreen display allows users to orient Oliver and schedule their deliveries. The vertical carrying space automatically rises at each delivery destination to make the unloading process more manageable. Besides automated delivery services, Oliver can operate as a conventional utility cart if users would prefer to deliver their goods on foot.

This robot may look like the Mars rover, but it’s a unique cigarette bud collecting bot designed to clean up the litter on beaches. Called the BeachBot (BB), this cute little four-wheeled machine was developed by Edwin Bos and Martijn Lukaart of TechTics. The duo got livid with the amount of trash (cigarette butts in particular) on the Scheveningen Beach in Holland and wanted to design a robot that could help clean up the mess. That’s how the 2.5-feet wide BeachBot came into existence, looking to navigate the beaches on its bloated wheels that don’t create any marks on the sand. The battery-powered bot has an AI brain that uses image-detection software to identify the butts and then pick them up with its gripper arms. The collected trash is then stored in the onboard compartment to dispose of later.

The KODA Robot Dog holds the title for being the first high-end domestic robot-dog running on a decentralized blockchain network, with its ‘own brain’ – an 11 teraflop processor capable of A.I. machine-learning. The dog-type quadruped robot relied on a decentralized network to share data and optimize behavior, making all KODA dogs smarter by relying on a hive-mind of sorts. “For example, a KODA dog in Phoenix can use the knowledge it automatically receives from other KODAs that are based in colder climates, like Anchorage, Alaska or Toronto, Canada”, Harden mentions to Yanko Design. “Without ever having set foot on ice, the KODA in Phoenix will learn how to avoid slipping. This includes warning its owner as well.” Armed with that incredibly powerful software, Whipsaw’s design took an interesting-yet-logical decision of ensuring the KODA robot dog (as intelligent and capable as it was) still retained a friendly, cute demeanor.

Keunwook Kim designed Post-Plant, a collection of non-humanoid robots that respond to and move through non-verbal, physical interaction. Following a period of researching how humans can read emotion from non-verbal cues, Kim gathered that arousal (dynamic energy), valence (intrinsic attractiveness), and stance (visual disposition) can each be interpreted as signs for emotional analysis. Applying this information to Post-Plant, Kim’s non-humanoid robots do not express emotion through facial expression, but through movement and changing forms. Built into each one of his Post-Plant robots, Kim incorporated a motor interface that combines an input and output system, registering when the robot is touched and responding with movement.

Imagine if R2-D2 got a 2021 makeover? Well, BEBOP Design did something like that…they took the concept and gave it a sleek makeover to give us all Information Robot! This is an autonomous robot designed specifically for the Korean startup Zetabank that aims to make human lives safer and healthier with the help of robots. Zetabank has a range of robots and this is their second collaboration with BEBOP. The company’s mission is to improve our lives using artificial intelligence. Their Disinfectant Robot, Hospitality Robot, and Untact Robot are all designed keeping in mind how they can maximize utility and bring practicality to make our day-to-day more efficient. Continuing that legacy is Information Robot which is created as a service platform for digital interactions building upon the Hospitality Robot’s intelligence. These digital interactions are enhanced by the robot’s autonomous movement in various commercial and residential spaces.

Eggo’s mission is simple – to give you a robot pet that is always by your side and provides a positive experience to you. This egg-shaped companion lets you raise a pet online or offline without taking away from the experience. It has a simple design, minimal interface, and an organic shape that invites interaction. Eggo moves autonomously by grasping the terrain through a camera. The smart pet also automatically goes to charge itself when the battery is low and I honestly wish my phone did the same thing. Even though it is a robot, designer Hyunjae Tak made sure to include an emotional side so Eggo can express how it is ‘feeling’ through the LED colors which are extremely important when interacting with children. It uses the inner wheel to move on its own and actually forms a unique personality according to how you take care of it just as you would with a real-life pet!

This gadget can be fixed to the wearer’s forehead, who is too busy looking down at the smartphone. You know where we are heading, don’t you? Yes, the 3rd Eye keeps a lookout on obstacles as you walk on the street, with the phone screen keeping you preoccupied. The inbuilt ultrasonic sensor automatically detects whenever your head is tilted down to check the phone and beeps a warning buzz when a hazard is detected up to a distance of one meter. This niche creation is a part of Minwook’s Innovation Design Engineering degree at London’s Royal Imperial College of Art and Imperial College. The designer sees this evolution of human beings as a sarcastic imagination for him to do something creative. He labels the evolution as “phono sapiens,” and understandably so, seeing how we are so deeply lost in the world of the internet. How do you identify a phono sapien? With their forward-leaning neck vertebrae resulting in the dreaded turtle neck syndrome!

Interesting Drone concept with 360° cameras looks like a magical floating orb from a sci-fi movie

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The reason the drone archetype exists is because it’s a tried and tested format. Four propellers on either corner (or six if you’re lucky) and a relatively aerodynamic design with legs for taking off and landing. Throw in a few cameras and sensors and you’ve got yourself a drone that’s easy to recognize. However, break this archetype and you’ve got yourself something quite unrecognizable – like the Jupiter drone concept by Anton Weaver.

Weaver’s drone has a monolithic orb-esque form that defies both gravity as well as the ‘rules’ of drone design. It uses a large single propeller, and what I imagine is an internal gyroscope to move around in the air, stay upright, and even twist and turn while in mid-air. The drone’s unusual design is further characterized by the presence of fisheye lens cameras that allow it to capture everything it sees, sort of like a levitating GoPro.

Weaver’s design focuses more on shock-value than actual physics or aerodynamics, which is precisely what makes the Jupiter drone concept fun to analyze from a design sense. The drone’s strange shape almost gives it the appearance of an all-seeing eyeball that levitates around everywhere, and according to Weaver’s visualizations, it’s the kind of drone you’d use to film the action around you – thanks to the presence of dual fisheye 4K cameras that can capture in 360°.

It comes with the battery mounted on the top (weighing a commendable 400g) and has sensors at the bottom that detect proximity, allowing it to nail the landing – because without any bumpers or feet, the Jupiter can only take-off and land on your palm. The fact that the outer shell protects the internal propeller so well makes it perfect for this, as well as acting as a general buffer as the drone flies around filming the world around you!

Designer: Anton Weaver

Honda 2040 NIKO comes with a tiny Ai assistant, taking the car from a vehicle to your friend!

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A Honda autonomous vehicle bot with a compatible AI assistant, conceptualized for the year 2040 where companionship with robotic machines is going to be a common affair.

Just imagine how overurbanization by the year 2040 will change the complexion of living. Due to increased expenses and the dreams of Generation Z, the number of single households will increase exponentially. Solitary life will be more common and interaction with Artificial Intelligence will be the solution to the widespread loneliness. Jack Junseok Lee’s 2040 Honda NIKO bot is that very friend, as in Toy Story words, ‘you’ve got a friend in him!’

This smart companion has a frontal face with larger proportions to emphasize the living character, making the interaction very lively. The animated design of the fenders with covered wheels looks like the legs of a pet animal. This creates an illusion of a seemingly moving gesture like that of a living being. Most of all NIKO has a proud stance like the Lion King while radiating that cute character of a playful puppy. According to Jack, the design philosophy of the bot is centered around creating a very lively object.

The bot inside the movable vehicle will understand the owner’s emotion and current state of mind to provide empathy to them. It’ll laugh or cry with them, hear their problems and give unique solutions or thoughts. It also has storage on both sides to haul any groceries or other things if your own hands are full. When in an open position, these doors act as side tables to keep things.

This is combined with an autonomous vehicle-like bot which is bigger in size which serves as a compact commuter for short city stints to get essentials from the nearby store. Both these AI machines in a way provide the user with genuine support – just like a human would do.

Designer: Jack Junseok Lee

Warehouse-friendly robot comes outfitted with smart technology to streamline operation and optimize ergonomics!

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In collaboration with OTTOBO Robotics, product and car designer Berk Kaplan developed a concept design for a task robot that integrates smart technology to streamline ergonomics and package-carrying flexibility.

Each day, it feels like we’re getting closer to a future where robots will walk among us. Advancements in smart technology and Artificial Intelligence have streamlined and catapulted robot development to the forefront of our minds. Wrocław-based car and product designer Berk Kaplan recently teamed up with OTTOBO Robotics to develop a concept design for their smart task robot.

During the beginning stage of the concept design phase, Kaplan first conducted his own research to settle on the overall mood and personality of the robot. Following the research period, Kaplan sat down to sketch outlines of his robot in development, toying around with practical elements and aesthetic touches. The first proposal envisioned the robot with both a hard outer shell and inner core, giving it a tough, hardworking personality and weighty body.

Where the first proposal found durability in a tough exterior and interior, the third proposal from Kaplan wrapped the robot in a soft outer shell to cover the robot’s soft interior core. The second proposal, which Kaplan and OTTOBO Robotics ultimately chose as the concept design’s final form, conceived the robot with a soft outer shell and hard inner core for a cushioned tactile experience, outfitting the robot with a friendly and approachable disposition.

Once the final conceptual form was chosen by the OTTOBO Robotics team and Kaplan, 3D models were created to further develop the robot from every angle. Working with 3D models of the robot allows Kaplan to find the best ways to optimize the robot’s ergonomics and package flexibility. During this stage, more technical specifications were chosen for the robot, more specifically deciphering how smart technology would be built into the room to ensure its operability. Following this concept design phase, Kaplan and the OTTOBO Robotics team are looking forward to future production.

Designer: Berk Kaplan x OTTOBO Robotics

Berk Kaplan used 3D models after deciding on the robot’s conceptual final form to understand its shape from every angle.

Using 3D technology, Kaplan deciphered how to best optimize the robot’s package-carrying flexibility. 

After settling on its form and creating matching 3D models, Kaplan added aesthetic details like branding and logos. Production coming soon!

This medicine delivery bot carries your supplies in the last mile using a solar-powered drone

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A cute little medical robot with an onboard drone to deliver medical supplies to your doorstep as well as the window of high-rise buildings.

COVID-19 has changed the way we go on about our lives – and that too in a major way. Right from the way we conduct ourselves in public places to getting food deliveries – current times call for a super cautious approach. So it was only time before someone gave medical supplies directly to the patient’s home a good hard thought. That’s the reason the Drobo robot designed by NUONE DESIGN makes so much sense.

Rather than heading to the pharmacy to get the medicines, this autonomous robot brings home the needed supplies in a safe and secure manner. Even more vital for the elderly or patients who cannot visit the pharmacy due to underlying medical conditions. The robot has a large screen to display the instructions about the medical product that’s being hauled for a smooth and informative process.

The USP of this medicine delivery robot is its onboard drone that attaches to the back. When it is time to deliver the medicines, the drone attaches to the delivery compartment courtesy of the rails and flies straight off to the patient’s window for a hassle-free and safe hauling of vital medicines. The drone has solar panels on top to soak up the sun’s power for a flight anytime, anywhere.

This little bundle of joy is not just about delivering medicines, Drobo also recommends patients about their health by performing rapid medical tests like the COVID-19 test or checking blood oxygen levels. The data is then sent back to the physicians for instant prescriptions or other instructions for taking medicines delivered in the box.

The little robot is powered by electric energy and the onboard batteries give it an operational time of six to eight hours. When the battery is low, Drobo automatically stops by at the charging stations to juice up wirelessly for its next delivery task.

Designer: NUONE DESIGN