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 MIT CSAIL researchers, combines 3D scene reconstruction with embodied representation and closed-loop control.
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”.
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 required for flying microbots.
Robot, know thyself: New vision-based system teaches machines to understand their bodies Neural Jacobian Fields, developed by MIT CSAIL researchers, can learn to control any robot from a single camera, without any other sensors.
MIT researchers developed a powerful system that could help robots safely navigate unpredictable environments using only images captured from their onboard cameras.
SPROUT is a flexible robot built by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Notre Dame researchers to assist in disaster response. Emergency responders can use the robot to navigate and map areas under rubble to plan rescue operations.
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 manufacturing and warehouse settings where robots would work alongside and assist humans.
The robot can support the person’s full weight, lifting them from sitting to standing and vice versa along a natural trajectory. And the arms of the robot can catch them by rapidly inflating side airbags if they begin to fall.
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 and squeeze into small spaces. Robotics engineers are among the top 20 job types on a growth trajectory, according to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 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 enable robots to learn a wider set of skills.
