The battle for the best humanoid robot has been heating up lately with companies like Agility Robotics, Neura Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, Reflex Robotics, and of course Tesla developing their own versions of robots that will hopefully not take over the world but help humans in their tasks. Chinese robotics company Kepler has launched the newest version of their Forerunner humanoid robot and it wants to give these other companies a run for their money.

Designer: Kepler

The Forerunner K2 is actually the fifth generation model of the original Forerunner and they say it has been updated to tailor fit commercial applications. It has undergone “extensive software and hardware enhancements” to challenge the latest robots in the market, notably Tesla’s Optimus which has received mixed reviews. This is mostly due to a “stunt” gone wrong wherein people though the black-and-white robots were moving autonomously at an event but were in fact controlled by humans behind the scenes.

Well the latest Forerunner, it now has “52 degrees of freedom” and has a totating and tilting head module which lets it move more naturally. Well, as naturally as a humanoid robot can move for now. Each hand can support up to 11 degrees of active and passive freedom and they can carry up to 15 kg. Battery life is still the same as its predecessor, with the 2.33-kWh battery lasting up to 8 hours before it powers down.

Tesla is expected to deploy its Optimus robot to production lines by next year so companies like Kepler are working doubly hard to create robots that may have better reviews than the former. The Chinese company is currently testing their Forerunner K2 at different customer facilities and later on deploy it in more companies to do things like handling of products, quality control, inspection, etc. As long as there are no robot wars, we’ll happily look at how this humanoid robot competition goes along.

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reating a mini robotic arm with Arduino and 3D printing is an exciting way to merge electronics and design. This project invites enthusiasts into the world of robotics, blending creativity with hands-on technical work. It’s ideal for those eager to dive into the realms of motion control and automation, using accessible components and open-source technology. The core of the project is the Arduino Nano, a compact microcontroller that coordinates the movements of four SG90 servo motors. These motors are controlled through potentiometers, offering precise adjustments to the arm’s motion. By adjusting the position of each potentiometer, you can direct the servo to move in a specific direction, making the control feel intuitive and satisfying.

Designer: FABRI Creator

To build this arm, you’ll need several essential components. Beyond the Arduino Nano, four SG90 servo motors serve as the muscles of the arm, providing the torque required for smooth movements. These motors are driven by the signals from potentiometers, which read user inputs and translate them into specific positions for the servos. The project also requires electronic parts like resistors and capacitors for the PCB, ensuring stable and efficient operation. A DC jack connector allows for easy power connection, supporting a 5V 3A adapter or a standard PC power supply, ensuring the arm has a reliable power source. With a breadboard for prototyping and a custom PCB for permanent assembly, you can seamlessly organize all connections, creating a clean and efficient setup.

But here’s where the magic truly happens: 3D printing. Using software like Fusion 360, you get to design the structural parts of your robot arm, optimizing the form and function to your specific needs. It’s not just about the technical specs—it’s about bringing your vision to life in a tangible, tactile way. The parts, printed with durable PLA filament, take shape layer by layer, transforming digital models into physical components. The design smartly minimizes the need for supports during printing, making it efficient and less wasteful. The result is a sleek, lightweight arm that looks as good as it functions, embodying the intersection of art and engineering.

Programming the Arduino is where the project gains its soul. With a bit of code, you can teach the arm to follow your commands, offering both manual and automated control modes. In manual mode, the potentiometers give you direct control over each servo, letting you guide the arm’s movements with finesse. Automated mode, on the other hand, takes it a step further—allowing you to record sequences and replay them, turning the arm into a precise tool for repeating tasks. This duality of control means you can create everything from a delicate touch for small tasks to a mechanical memory that runs on its own.

As you bring it all together, the assembly process becomes a meditative practice in precision and patience. Soldering each component onto the PCB, carefully routing wires, and securing the servos in place requires focus, but the reward is a beautifully crafted piece of tech that feels like a personal accomplishment. The attention to detail in organizing cables and ensuring smooth motion paths doesn’t just keep things tidy—it elevates the overall aesthetic and functionality of the arm. It’s a reminder that design is as much about what you don’t see as what you do.

By the time the project is complete, you’ll have a fully functional mini robotic arm capable of manual and automated control. The combination of 3D printing and Arduino brings a level of customization that lets you adapt the design to your needs, making it a perfect entry point into robotics. This DIY project is less about building a one-time gadget and more about being an entry-point into the world of STEM and Design. It demonstrates how accessible and versatile modern technology can be, offering a fulfilling way to explore the world of robotics, whether you’re a seasoned maker or just starting out… and once you’re done you can quite literally pat yourself on the back with your new robot arm!

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It’s too easy to underestimate golf as a sport, but the ability to hit a small ball with an equally small stick and have it roll into a hole miles away is no easy feat. It requires no small amount of skill, focus, and concentration, all of which could be undone by the stress of having to mind things not directly related to playing the game, such as carrying all those golf clubs. You can always hire people to carry those for you, a.k.a. caddies, but that might not always be a feasible option. We’re at an age where not just vacuum cleaners but also cars can already drive themselves, so why not have a trolley do that as well? And with some AI magic, it can even be your golf coach, too!

Designer: Futurewave, Botronics

That is the kind of liberating experience that the iXi robot golf trolley is promising. It is an extremely minimalist four-wheeled robot designed to carry your bag of golf clubs and follow you wherever you go. Although it could raise concerns about the potential loss of human employment, the self-driving robot offers players more freedom of movement and convenience without having to worry about needing someone to do that work. It allows them to simply focus on the task at hand: playing golf. It’s like having your own personal caddy, without the potential source of distraction.

Although iXi does have sensors and intelligence to follow its human owner, its AI also serves a second purpose. It can analyze the player’s swing and offer insights that could help improve their gameplay. It’s pretty much like what those golf smartwatches try to offer, but with a better view of the player’s posture and swing thanks to cameras and sensors. Maybe someday, iXi will even be able to offer the right club to use and have it ready even before the player reaches for it.

iXi’s intelligence is perhaps hidden by its extremely simple design, a platform with four wheels, a post to support a golf bag, and a handle that holds the screen controller. This design was made by choice, of course, as it makes it easy for the trolley to fold down into a compact form for easier transport. It could save you not only space but also money in the long run, without losing the peace of mind that comes with not having to carry a heavy bag of clubs on your shoulder every time you have to move to the next spot.

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Four years ago, a father-son duo won the Grand Prize in the global LEGO competition Music To Our Ears! for their LEGO rendition of the Daft Punk Pyramid Stage from Coachella 2006. Although the MOC (My Own Creation) won the award, it wasn’t selected by LEGO’s internal team to be turned into a box set. However, the duo responsible for the design are hoping to Get Lucky by submitting this entry One More Time, and they’re banking on support from Around The World to help turn this one-off piece into a set that LEGO and music enthusiasts can buy and play with!

Designer: Robotrock

Not many people knew that Daft Punk’s 2006 Coachella set would be the last time they headlined the event. When the duo took the iconic pyramid-shaped stage back in 2006, they set what’s still considered a gold standard in Coachella performances – something that even nearly 2 decades later is difficult to match. However, being the elusive robots they are, Daft Punk never really decided to pull off such a feat again, and they disbanded in 2021, after 28 years together. The Coachella Pyramid is an iconic part of music history, and Robotrock – the moniker behind the LEGO set – did full justice to it with their 2,000-brick recreation of this moment.

The set features the two artists on a colorful pyramid-shaped stage, with lights inside the pyramid glowing as the duo performed music. The two artists are perched on their platform, dressed in their robot-shaped garb, while working on the mysterious electronic console that helps them produce, remix, and perform their music.

“This project began in 2020 as a fun father-son collaboration, growing into something epic as we found ourselves needing a creative escape during lockdown,” says Robotrock. “Both huge Daft Punk fans, this build is a fusion of 2 passions. I spent my teenage years listening to Homework on my Walkman, while my son’s 1st favorite baby song was Get Lucky. It felt only natural to blend our love for Daft Punk’s music with our love for LEGO. My then 8-year-old son started with a prototype built from the bricks we had at home, and I expanded on it digitally.”

The centerpiece of the design—a rotating box of transparent bricks inside a pyramid—is powered by a motor, with a set of lights dangling inside to recreate that iconic Daft Punk Alive 2007 pyramid. This 2000-piece set was a real challenge. Lego bricks aren’t typically used to create triangular shapes, so we had to get creative in finding ways to make all those angles fit together.

LEGO builders are very meticulous, and abide by a strict code of conduct to ensure bricks aren’t used in ‘illegal’ ways to create MOCs or My Own Creations. Here, Robotrock points out that LEGO doesn’t have an official Daft Punk retail set, which means the helmets being shown in the MOC can’t be bought off the shelf. Although this would mean they’re an ‘illegal’ creation, Robotrock points out that there’s a technical legality in their design since Pharrell’s upcoming LEGO biopic, Piece By Piece, features LEGO minifigures of Daft Punk too!

The LEGO Ideas Daft Punk Coachella Pyramid is currently a submission on the LEGO Ideas forum, where fans and enthusiasts can vote for their favorite fan-made LEGO creations. With enough votes, the LEGO Ideas team reviews the design and decides whether to turn it into a retail box set or not. As a massive Daft Punk fan myself, I sincerely hope they do! You too can vote for the LEGO Ideas Daft Punk Coachella Pyramid on the LEGO Ideas website here.

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Not all robots have to look, well, robotic. There is a growing number of robots that are inspired by real life creatures (sometimes, even humans, but that’s a whole other discussion) or so called bio-inspired bots. The latest winner of the Natural Robotics Contest is inspired by a pretty unlikely animal: the insect-eating mammal called the Pangolin.

Designer: Dorothy and Dr. Robert Siddall

A high school student from California named Dorothy designed a robot whose main goal is to dig and plant seeds. Since pangolins are naturally digging animals, why not use it to create a robot that can help populate areas with more trees? The winning concept was turned into an actual prototype called the Plantolin by the partner research institute. More than just looking like a pangolin, it uses features from the mammal and incorporate it into the functions of the robot.

The Plantolin roves around on two wheels and just like the pangolin, it balances on its long, movable tail. Each of the wheels has an electric quadcopter drone motor. The digging is done by these two front legs with the tail tilting down once it starts to provide leverage. Once there’s a hole already, the robot drives over it and poops out a yew tree seed bomb nugget (containing both seeds and soil).

It’s a pretty interesting way to re-populate a space with more trees. It will probably be faster and will need minimal human intervention when it’s programmed right, so no need to train actual pangolins to do the job.

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The shopping cart, also known as a trolley or buggy, is one of the most essential tools people use inside stores, especially supermarkets, both for customers as well as store workers. Despite its importance, its design has basically remained unchanged in almost a century, even when that design doesn’t really take the comfort of users in mind. Yes, the four wheels and the spacious metal basket can hold your groceries and take them from one point to another, but they are difficult to control, heavy, and more importantly, unable to climb up or go down the stairs. This prototype tries to address those pain points to make dealing with groceries and packages easier, safer, and more accessible.

Designers: Geonwoo Park, Hyungeun Park, Wooyong Park, Dongjae Lee, Murim Kim, Seung Jae Lee (Seoul National University of Science and Technology)

Shopping carts are so iconic that they have literally become icons in digital stores that don’t have anything to do with wheeling physical objects around. Despite that popularity, they’re not exactly the easiest tools to use and offer only the bare minimum convenience so that we don’t have to carry our groceries. Considering their cheap and mass-produced designs, it’s no surprise that many have damaged wheels that make them difficult to turn. These wheels also don’t let you drive the cart up or down places that don’t have inclined planes for them to roll on.

Palletrone’s solution is to do away with those problematic wheels completely. Instead, it uses a rather large drown to lift a platform that will hold your groceries and boxes. There’s also a cage around the drone to protect humans from those powerful and dangerous propellers. Think of it like an upside-down basket with the drone inside, flying to keep the platform off the ground.

The description might sound simple, but there’s definitely a lot complicated technology involved. For one, the Palletdrone always flies at around the person’s chest height, which means that it will also ascend or descend as the person goes up or down stairs. It also doesn’t tilt so that the contents on top of it don’t slide off. Finally, it moves and turns as the person pushes or pulls it, so the experience is more or less exactly like a shopping cart minus the wheels. And it can do all this by knowing if the force being exerted is being done by a human or from the weight of the objects on top of it.

This floating and hovering “cart” sounds dreamy and very useful both for shoppers as well as personnel who have to bring goods from storage to the aisle. That said, the design is far from perfect, let alone presentable and aesthetic. For one, everyone who has ever used a drone will know how noisy they can be, especially one of this size. For another, the current Palletrone is only able to carry less than 3kg of cargo, which is significantly less than a family’s typical grocery bag. It’s a start, though, and one that finally addresses one of the biggest inconveniences when going to the supermarket by boldly giving the decades-old shopping cart a do-over.

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Robot vacuum cleaners and mops are common sights these days, but despite all the advancements they’ve made in terms of technology, their basic shape has remained unchanged since the first-ever Roomba. They’re almost all circular, though the are some that have taken on rounded square forms, a shape that was dictated by the limitations of old technologies that don’t seem to be relevant today. This standard design, however, still carries over other limitations, like squeezing into tight spaces or cleaning corners. Perhaps it’s time to rethink that old and outdated design, which is what this concept tries to do in order to cater to homes with smaller, cramped spaces and messy floors.

Designer: Subin Kim

The initial design of robot vacuums was made primarily for the robot and not the humans. The circular shape made it easier for the machine to turn and correct its direction, something that was all too common given the very basic technologies from decades past. Today, however, most robot cleaners have no problem navigating the most cluttered floors, so there’s now an opportunity to rethink that basic shape.

mini is a concept design that stretches the robot vacuum into a more rectangular form, technically more pill-shaped with its rounded sides. The idea is that this robot can better squeeze itself into narrow spaces, like those between walls and furniture, or hug edges to properly brush and vacuum areas that even the most sophisticated circular robot can’t reach. In small apartments or tiny homes, that is more often the case, so such a design is more useful than the majority of round or square robots.

The design can actually be even more efficient than standard robot vacuums because it can change its orientation depending on the area of the floor to be cleaned. In its vertical mode, it can easily clean out narrow gaps, but then it can rotate and switch to horizontal mode if there’s a wider space available for it to move. Such a feat would require AI and advanced sensors, both of which are readily available on most robot cleaners today.

mini’s design does mean it won’t be able to turn quickly, but that can be handled by better obstacle detection and smarter navigation. Although it might not work perfectly in practice, the concept does challenge the status quo and encourages a design that really puts the user at the center, rather than simply turning such robot helpers into technological showcases.

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Some see them as annoyances and others consider them as privacy and security risks. That said, flying drones, just like their quadruped terrestrial counterparts, will inevitably be a part of our near future. That does mean there will be more mass-produced drones, more than what we already have today, and the materials used to make them aren’t always accessible or sustainable. But just as plastic is being replaced in other design industries, there’s also an opportunity to test other materials that are just as suitable for these flying robots. One experiment does exactly that, and it chooses a rather unexpected option that’s much loved in the design industry: wood.

Designer: Deepak Dadheech

Wood is not something you’d immediately associate with electronics, let alone robotics, but it is finding its way to more appliances and gadgets. In those cases, the material is prized for its sustainability and aesthetics, the latter of which isn’t exactly a priority among unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs like drones. That said, not all wood is created equal, and one particular type could very well be suitable for the demands of a drone.

Bamboo, in particular, is known for being lightweight yet also durable, especially when it comes to its tensile strength. Unlike hardwood, which could splinter and break on impact, bamboo can absorb a bit more strength. It’s also in high supply or easily renewable, unlike other trees that take a longer time to mature. Because of these properties, it could make for a good substitute for both plastic and carbon fiber, as the Bamboo hexacopter drone demonstrates.

Of course, the whole drone isn’t made of bamboo. In addition to the circuitry and brushless motors, the propellers are still made from plastic. Only the main frame, legs, and arms use bamboo, which is the largest use of plastic or carbon fiber in drones anyway. For only around $12 worth of bamboo, you can have a drone that weighs only 350g, half that of typical plastic builds.

The question, however, is whether such a strategy will actually be effective or if it will have too many compromises for the sake of sustainability. The Bamboo Drone does fly indeed and it can, in theory, carry light payloads like tools, emergency supplies, or scientific instruments. How it will fair against strong winds and light rain has yet to be tested, and that will really determine how suitable bamboo will be for a fleet of drones.

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In the prehistoric past, man’s survival relied on preserving as much energy as possible by using the least amount of effort possible to complete a task. Today, that might sound a little like laziness, but it was that spirit of necessity that gave birth to many of humanity’s greatest inventions, from cars to smartphones to this rather ingenious walking wooden table. A product of passionate craftsmanship, computer wizardry, and creative imagination, the Carpentopod and its 12 crawling legs could be the semi-automated table you’ve dreamed of that will bring your snack and drink at your command, or a sci-fi nightmare come to life that will haunt your waking hours.

Designer: Giliam de Carpentier

Given our advancements in robotics, you might think that making a table walk would be a trivial pursuit, but unlike a wobbling and bouncing quadruped, a table needs to be stable and level if it’s to be useful. The biggest puzzle to this project, therefore, is designing legs that would move the table without jiggling and potentially spilling its contents. To solve this, computer software was used to generate thousands of leg linkage variations and have them compete with each other based on certain criteria. In other words, a kind of machine learning to create the best leg design that can move smoothly in a horizontal direction.

The result is a design that looks like a fusion of Theo Jansen’s iconic Strandbeest mechanism and the movement of multi-legged creatures like centipedes. The table moves with no less than 12 legs in four groups, as each leg can only do a third of the walk cycle on the ground. As you can imagine, the assembly of this wooden machine is no trivial task. The leg linkages themselves were CNC’ed from laminated bamboo for the sake of precision. All in all, There were more than a hundred bamboo parts involved in the construction, each of which was sanded and lacquered.

The Carpentopod isn’t just a mechanical wooden sculpture, however. There are motors used to move the legs, specifically the smooth, brushless motors used for automated curtain products. There’s also plenty of electronics involved, though the majority of them are for controlling the table remotely. Curiously, these non-wooden parts are all hidden inside a central hollow compartment, almost like the belly of the beast, so to speak. The table can be controlled using a custom wand-like remote not unlike a Wii-mote.

It’s definitely mind-blowing how the table can walk so smoothly without toppling things on top of it or spilling their contents. There’s still a bit of shaking, of course, but still within safe ranges. One can only imagine how the basic design of the Carpentopod could be improved with some sensors and automation, delivering your food while you sit on your couch and then parking itself away once its job is done.

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Narwal introduced its latest robotic vacuum and mop, the Freo Z Ultra, at IFA 2024. This new device brings advanced cleaning technology to homes, offering intelligent features for thorough and efficient cleaning. It uses the TwinAI Dodge Obstacle Avoidance system, allowing it to navigate around objects precisely and recognize over 120 household items in real-time. Whether furniture, cables, or pet waste, the robot efficiently avoids obstacles while cleaning all areas.

Designer: Narwal

The design is clean and minimal, with curves that allow it to blend into various home environments. The key feature of the Freo Z Ultra is its dual RGB camera system, which captures up to 1.5 million data points per second. This wide-angle system enhances the robot’s ability to recognize objects and move through spaces without making contact. The high-definition cameras provide detailed visuals, ensuring they can adjust to different surroundings and avoid even small objects.

A significant part of the Freo Z Ultra’s functionality lies in its AI DirtSense 2.0 technology. This system automatically identifies the type of mess it encounters and adapts its cleaning method accordingly. For example, the vacuum first handles dry messes like dust or crumbs with its 12,000 Pa suction. Afterward, it switches to mopping mode to clean up liquid spills, ensuring no dirt is left behind. Separating dry and wet cleaning avoids contamination and maintains a high standard of cleanliness.

The mop system also uses AI technology to optimize its performance. The AI-Adaptive Hot Water Mop Washing system adjusts the water temperature between 113°F and 167°F (45°C and 75°C) based on the type of dirt detected. Regular dirt is cleaned with warm water, while more stubborn grime is addressed with hotter water. After each cleaning session, the system automatically washes and dries the mop, preventing bacteria growth and maintaining mop efficiency.

The Freo Z Ultra quickly maps its environment, creating a detailed 3D model in six minutes. It uses ultrasonic sensors and RGB cameras to navigate various surfaces, including corners and edges. The Smart EdgeSwing technology allows the robot to easily clean along walls and baseboards, ensuring no area is missed during the cleaning process, even in tight spaces.

The robot integrates with popular smart home systems like Alexa, Google Home, and Siri. Users can control the vacuum through voice commands or manage its settings via the Narwal app. The app allows users to customize cleaning schedules, set no-go zones, and remotely monitor the vacuum’s progress. This makes the Freo Z Ultra a versatile tool for households that value convenience and ease of use.

Privacy is another key aspect of the Freo Z Ultra. The robot operates with TÜV Rheinland Privacy Certification, ensuring that all user data remains secure. The robot’s storage and computation functions are kept offline, and any camera use requires user permission. This provides peace of mind for users concerned about data security in their homes.

Pet owners will appreciate the Freo Z Ultra’s pet-friendly features. The vacuum can detect and avoid pets as they move around the house, preventing accidental disturbances. It can also delay cleaning in areas where pets are resting, resuming once the space is free of animals. This ensures pet fur and messes are cleaned effectively without stressing pets or requiring human intervention.

The robot’s Zero Tangling Floating Brush 2.0 is designed to handle hair without tangling. This brush system sweeps 4,400 times per minute, capturing pet hair and debris without causing blockages. Additionally, the robot operates at a noise level of 71 dB, significantly reducing disturbances during its cleaning cycles. This low-noise feature makes it suitable for homes with pets or small children.

The Freo Z Ultra’s self-emptying station simplifies maintenance. The base station can hold up to 120 days’ worth of debris, reducing the need for frequent emptying. It uses hot air at 113°F to dry the collected debris, preventing bacteria buildup and maintaining a hygienic environment. The station also self-cleans and dries the mop after every use, keeping the entire system ready for the next cleaning session without user intervention.

The Freo Z Ultra adapts its cleaning approach based on the surface type. Hardwood floors use less downward pressure to avoid damage. On ceramic tiles, it increases the pressure to ensure a deep clean. The mop’s moisture level is also adjusted to suit the cleaning surface, providing optimal performance on both wood and tile. Carpets are handled with care, as the robot can automatically lift the mop when it detects carpeted areas, allowing it to vacuum the surface without interference.

The device’s powerful 12,000 Pa suction ensures that even deep-set dirt is removed from carpets and other surfaces. Users can enable Power Boost mode through the Narwal app to enhance suction when needed. This allows the Freo Z Ultra to adapt to different cleaning needs, whether tackling high-traffic areas or maintaining delicate surfaces.

Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra offers a comprehensive cleaning solution for homes of all sizes, bringing together advanced AI, privacy protections, and smart home integration. Its ability to adapt to various floor types, combined with features designed for pet owners, makes it a highly versatile tool for maintaining cleanliness with minimal effort. The robot’s low-maintenance design and intelligent cleaning systems ensure a hassle-free experience for users looking to automate their floor care routine.

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