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Robots

Today

The robots surround the soccer ball.

Why the world needs lazier robots

Machines need to get better at ignoring stuff because right now the energy they guzzle to process all the data they receive makes them a global warming risk.

  • Samanth Subramanian and Emily Wright

This Month

Stacked Farm is planning to rapidly expand how much fresh produce it harvests.

Australia’s next robot farm wants to grow your burger garnish

Investors have lost billions on vertical farming start-ups, but a Gold Coast business says it has a model that stacks up, luring investment from Tribeca and Tayside.

  • Tess Bennett

Robot puts a sock in it for world’s biggest gadget fest

CES – formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show – starts officially on Wednesday, but already a theme has emerged, and it doesn’t take AI to figure out what it is.

  • John Davidson
Most new technologies have both benefits and costs, and sometimes the latter outweigh the former.

AI’s next big (risky) thing: Special agents to organise your life

Tasks that would have taken a month can now be done in an hour, but people will be exposing a lot more digital information, raising privacy and security concerns.

  • Gerrit De Vynck

October 2024

Footage online appears to show an Optimus model talking to an attendee at the event and having a discussion about where it lives and where it was trained.

Elon Musk’s robots were remotely operated by humans at Tesla event

Optimus’ conversation was so authentic, it prompted speculation the machine may have had external help. The billionaire did not reveal that staffers oversaw interactions.

  • Updated
  • Ed Ludlow
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August 2024

Robotic Hand Holding Service Bell In Plate Against Grey Background Robot chef, automated kitchen
iStock

The robochef revolution poised to take over restaurants

Robot-driven kitchens are delivering profit margins that traditional restaurateurs can only dream of, and their spruikers argue that human chefs will benefit too.

  • Matt Oliver and Daniel Woolfson

June 2024

Adam Taras, with supervisor Dr Don Dansereau, completed the research as part of his Honours thesis.

Aussie experts can stop your smart-device cameras spying on you

When photos snapped by a robot vacuum cleaner of a woman on the toilet went viral, the smart home sector knew it had a problem; Aussie academics claim to have solved it.

  • Alana Piper

May 2024

A Chinese soldier tests a machine gun on a robot dog at military exercises in Cambodia.

China’s army tests gun-toting robot dog

The new military tech was made by a start-up with funding from major venture capital firms.

  • Ryan McMorrow
Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic says Australia has been short of a coordinated plan for the development and use of robotic automation.

‘Inflection point in history’: Government unveils robotics plan

Science and Industry Minister Ed Husic has a plan for Australia to use and export more AI-infused robots to boost national productivity and industry.

  • Paul Smith
The scene of the Rio Tinto train crash and derailment last week.

Rio makes safety change after double-impact derailment

Iron ore giant Rio Tinto reopened the rail line damaged in a train crash as the Mining and Energy Union seeks to highlight a pattern of alleged safety failures.

  • Brad Thompson

March 2024

An autonomous tractor at Treasury Wine’s Barossa South vineyard. Brett Pringle (left) from Robotics Plus and Angus Davidson, vineyards manager.

How these top companies are using AI every day

From sensing the water needs of grapevines to avoiding iron ore spills in the Pilbara, artificial intelligence is helping Australia’s major companies become more efficient.

  • Christopher Niesche

January 2024

LG’s Signature OLED T is translucent, until an internal curtain is pulled up to make it black.

Translucent TVs and home-helper robots set 2024 gadget agenda

LG and Samsung both showed off TVs that become translucent at the press of a button, allowing it to blend more seamlessly into a room.

  • Updated
  • John Davidson

December 2023

SoftBank Robotics is best known for its humanoid service robot, Pepper, but it also makes machines for food delivery, cleaning and logistics.

Japan’s SoftBank swoops on ASX-listed shopping centre cleaning minnow

A division of the investments conglomerate has made a $57 million offer for Millennium Services, and wants to help it deploy robots to help service clients.

  • Nick Bonyhady

November 2023

The GOAT G1 automatically returns to its charging station when it’s done. Or not. Depending on the terrain.

This $3000 robot will mow your lawn while you sleep

A new robot from Ecovacs can automatically cut your grass for you, but only if you’ve mowed it first.

  • John Davidson

September 2023

  • Exclusive
  • AI

The new $3b robot factory shooting for the moon

Advanced Navigation, a Sydney deep-tech company backed by Malcolm Turnbull, is scaling up a factory that helps NASA navigate when there’s no GPS.

  • John Davidson
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AI will create a range of opportunities for investors.

AI to rapidly disrupt Australian economy: Deloitte

Roughly a quarter of the Australian economy will be hit hard and fast by generative artificial intelligence disruption as highlighted in a report by economists.

  • Poppy Johnston

July 2023

Human shaped robot Ameca of British manufacturer Engineered Arts interacts with visitors in Geneva, Switzerland

‘Why would you think that?’ Robots swear off world domination

In the world’s first human-robot press conference, AI-driven machines sought to allay fears about job losses (and world domination).

  • Updated
  • Emma Farge

June 2023

Prosper Robotics’ Alfie robot.

Gamers in the Philippines are making beds in London

While AI can write humanlike essays, machines can still barely walk or pick up a cup because there is no data to help them copy our biomechanical movements.

  • Parmy Olson

May 2023

Liesl Yearsley has spent six years building AI technology she says she can trust to be good.

AI valuations are staggering, says Australian tech entrepreneur

The world has gone mad for AI companies, but a low-profile Aussie entrepreneur is years ahead of the curve. She is already making robots – and NASA space pals.

  • Paul Smith
  • Analysis
  • AI
Phoenix the general purpose robot.

Meet the AI humanoid robot that is already stacking shelves

Depending on your perspective you will either be delighted or terrified to meet Phoenix, the humanoid robot, who his creators say, is here to help.

  • Paul Smith

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/robots-jkh