Robotic exploration of the planet Mars is the goal of two space missions launched in 2003. Their aim was to use robots and a host of instrumentation to take samples of soil and rock and to analyse them for evidence of life. The NASA project, which landed on Mars in January 2004, has put the two...

Dutch company Insentec has developed a robotic solution for milking cows. Using a standard industrial robot and machine vision, Insentec's Galaxy product is a fully automated milking station that is available to cows 24 h a day. Some 100 systems are already in use on farms around Europe.

Reports from Industrie 2004 in Paris, the exhibition that took place alongside the International Symposium of Robotics (ISR), highlights the development of synchronous robot control, identifies innovation in the area of laser welding by robot, outlines the need for high payload robots.

The French commissariat for atomic energy (CEA) has developed the Surgicobot to assist surgeons in performing high risk maxillo‐facial and orthopaedic operations. The solution makes use of Virtuose, a CEA‐developed haptic system that provides a force‐feedback function to prevent the...

Purpose – To provide a concise briefing on a robot hand. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is to present briefly the development and features of a robot hand by the Shadow Robot Company for one of its customers. Findings – Finds that the robot hand replicates the characteristics...

Purpose – Aims to review the CLAWAR 2004 conference on climbing and walking robots. Design/methodology/approach – Selects key papers from the conference and presents a brief outline of the research undertaken and the conclusions reached. Findings – The CLAWAR conference covered every...

Purpose – Aims to provide a summary of global robot statistics as presented in World Robotics 2004 , a new publication prepared jointly by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). Also aims to highlight the trends displayed...

Purpose – Aims to determine how robotics is used in white goods manufacture. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews production specialists at BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgerate about the application of robots to dishwasher manufacture at the company's Dillingen plant in Germany, and reviews...

Purpose – Aims to determine how robotics is used in white goods manufacture. Design/methodology/approach – Assesses robot applications at several white goods manufacturers, examining the challenges posed and the achievements made. Findings – The white goods sector offers diverse...

Purpose – Aims to determine how BMW's use of robots in car manufacturing is evolving. Design/methodology/approach – Presents the latest applications of robots at BMW's Regensburg plant where the new small 1‐series car started production in 2004. Findings – Finds that robots are being...