The Thomas Blog

3D-Printed, Soft-Legged Robot Can Walk On Rough Terrains

Most soft robots can only shuffle or crawl due to their squishy bodies. This makes them great for getting into tight spaces but completely unreliable when navigating rough terrains. However, according to Endgaget, engineers from the University of San Diego have flipped the script, creating the very first soft robot that can walk on rough surfaces, climb over obstacles and wiggle into confined spaces.

Video: Tesla Is Shaking Up Its Manufacturing Process

Tesla's latest move on the shop floor is causing quite a stir in the industry. To adhere to their lofty production goals, the company is skipping the soft tooling stage and jumping straight into the production tooling stage for their Model 3 automobiles.

Cobots Are Taking Over The Shop Floor

Collaborative robots, also known as cobots, are computer-controlled robotic devices designed to assist people in manufacturng facilities. They are hitting the shop floor at exponential rates. In fact, recent studies show that the number of cobots used in just the automotive industry is expected to grow by more than 40% each year over the next five years. 

Students Will Get To Test Drive Self-Driving Technology

From GM to Google, technology companies and auto manufacturers alike are investing heavily in the development of self-driving cars. However, along with creating a new technology, they're also creating an entirely new industry – one that will need knowledgeable and technologically gifted professionals in order to drive it forward and ensure its success for years to come.

Video: Amazon Patents A Clothing Manufacturing Process

It looks like Jeff Bezos and the team at Amazon are getting busier. According to recent reports, Amazon was awarded a patent for an on-demand clothing manufacturing warehouse.

The 4 Technologies That Will Shake Up Your Supply Chain

The supply chain is going digital. In their annual industry report, Deloitte and MHI found that 80% of supply chain professionals believe that digital supply chains will overtake traditional supply chain models within the next five years.

NASA's New Robot Will Tackle Spots Rovers Can't Reach

The latest big invention from NASA might be smaller than you would imagine. Their Pop-Up Flat Folding Robot, or PUFFER, is designed to fold and contort in order to reach places that traditional roving robots cannot.  

Video: The Star Wars Fighter Jet Comes To Life

One of the coolest and most iconic vehicles from the Star Wars universe has come to life thanks Gerlinger Steel & Supply, a Northern California company. They just built a life-sized version of the TIE fighter, the symbol of the imperial fleet in the original trilogy.

You Can Now 3D Print A House In 24 Hours

Looking to buy a new home but have a limited budget?

The folks at the San Francisco-based startup Apis Cor might be able to help you. They just built an entire house within 24 hours using 3D printing. 

You can find the company's 400 square foot house in a small Russian town. The company used a mobile 3D printer to make the walls, partitions and buiding envelope for the house.

Unfortunately, not everything could be done with the help of a 3D printer — the roofing materials, wiring and thermal insulation had to be done manually.