It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, June 20, 2025
Researchers at IIT have demonstrated that a humanoid robot can fly
Researchers in Italy achieved a first flight of iRonCub3.. The robot was able to lift off the floor by approximately 50 cm while maintaining its stability. A research paper has been published in Nature Communications Engineering today
Researchers in Italy at Italian Institute of Technology achieved a first flight of iRonCub3. The robot was able to lift off the floor by approximately 50 cm while maintaining its stability.The result has been possible thanks to thermodynamics and aerodynamics studies, combined with robotics and AI-powered control systems.
Genoa (Italy), 18th June 2025 – The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) has reached a groundbreaking milestone in humanoid robotics by demonstrating the first flight of iRonCub3, the world’s first jet-powered flying humanoid robot specifically designed to operate in real-world environments. The research team studied the complex aerodynamics of the artificial body and developed an advanced control model for systems composed of several interconnected parts. The overall work on iRonCub3, including real flight tests, took about two years. In the latest experiments, the robot was able to lift off the floor by approximately 50 cm while maintaining its stability. The achievement paves the way for a new generation of flying robots capable of operating in complex environments while maintaining a human-like structure.
The aerodynamics and control studies have been described in a paper published today in Nature Communications Engineering, an open access journal from the Nature Portfolio. The research was carried out by roboticists of IIT in Genoa, Italy, in collaboration with the group of Alex Zanotti at DAER Aerodynamics Laboratory of Polytechnic of Milan – where a comprehensive series of wind tunnel tests were performed – and the group of Gianluca Iaccarino at Stanford University – where deep learning algorithms were used to identify aerodynamic models.
The robot flight demonstration represents the latest milestone of the Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence (AMI) Lab at IIT in Genoa, led by Daniele Pucci. Their research aims to push the boundaries of multi-modal humanoid robotics, combining terrestrial locomotion and aerial mobility to develop robots capable of operating in unstructured and extreme environments.
iRonCub3 is the technological evolution of previous prototypes and is based on the latest generation of the iCub humanoid robot (iCub3), developed to be teleoperated. It integrates four jet engines, two mounted on the arms and two on a jetpack attached to the robot’s back. Modifications to the iCub hardware design were required to support the external engines, such as developing a new titanium spine and adding heat-resistant covers for protection. The robot combined with the jet engines weighs about 70 kg, while the turbines can provide a maximum thrust force of more than 1000 N. This configuration enables the robot to hover and perform controlled flight maneuvers even in the presence of wind disturbances or environmental uncertainties. The exhaust temperature can reach 800 degrees.
“This research is radically different from traditional humanoid robotics and forced us to make a substantial leap forward with respect to the state of the art,” explains Daniele Pucci. “Here, thermodynamics plays a pivotal role — the emission gases from the turbines reach 700°C temperature and flow at nearly the speed of sound. Aerodynamics must be evaluated in real-time, while control systems must handle both slow joint actuators and fast jet turbines. Testing these robots is as fascinating as it is dangerous and there is no room for improvisation.”
The AMI research team focused on the platform’s dynamic balance, which is made particularly complex by the robot’s humanoid morphology. Unlike conventional drones, which have symmetric and compact structures, iRonCub3 has an elongated shape, with masses distributed across movable limbs and a variable center of mass. This required the development of advanced flight balance models that consider the robot’s multibody dynamics and the interaction between jet propulsion and limb movements. Moreover, the movable limbs significantly complicate the aerodynamics, which change with every motion of any of the robot’s limbs.
The researchers at IIT have performed extensive wind tunnel experiments, advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and developed AI-based models capable of estimating aerodynamic forces in real time.
“Our models include neural networks trained on simulated and experimental data and are integrated into the robot’s control architecture to guarantee stable flight” explains Antonello Paolino, first author of the paper and PhD student in a joint program between the IIT and Naples University, who spent a semester as visiting researcher at Stanford University.
As a result, iRonCub3 is equipped with AI-powered control systems that allow it to fly while handling high-speed turbulent airflows, extreme temperatures, and the complex dynamics of multi-body systems.
The advanced aerodynamic modeling developed by IIT demonstrates that it is possible to maintain posture and stability even during non-stationary maneuvers, such as sequential engine ignition or changes in body geometry.
These studies can be transferred to other robots with unconventional morphologies, representing a unique case compared to classical drones, whose balance relies on symmetry and simplified control strategies that often neglect the robot’s own aerodynamics and thermodynamics.
The final design of iRonCub3 is the result of an advanced co-design process, specifically developed to integrate artificial intelligence and multi-physics into the design of flying robots. These techniques, which are innovative in the field of robotics, allow for the simultaneous optimization of both body shape and control strategies, considering the complex interactions between aerodynamics, thermodynamics, and multibody dynamics.
Co-design was used to determine the optimal placement of the jet turbines to maximize control and stability during flight. Advanced design techniques were also employed to manage the heat dissipation generated by the engines, thus ensuring the structural integrity of the robot even under extreme operating conditions.
The robot has been completely re-engineered to withstand the harsh conditions associated with aerial locomotion, introducing major improvements focused on precision actuation, enhanced thrust control via integrated sensors, and advanced planners for coordinated takeoff and landing.
Throughout the design process, numerous iterative adjustments were made based on the results of advanced simulations and experimental testing, leading to the robot’s current configuration. This approach has allowed the team to overcome the limitations of traditional methodologies and represents a step forward in the automatic and integrated design of complex robotic systems.
The first flight tests of iRonCub3 have been conducted in IIT’s small flight-testing area, where the robot was able to lift off the floor by approximately 50 cm. In the coming months, prototype testing will continue and will be further enhanced thanks to a collaboration with Genoa Airport (Aeroporto di Genova), which will provide a dedicated area that will be set up and equipped by the Italian Institute of Technology in compliance with all required safety regulations. The area will host future experimental campaigns.
Applications of flying humanoid robots like iRonCub3 are envisioned in a variety of future scenarios, such as search-and-rescue operations in disaster-struck areas, inspection of hazardous or inaccessible environments, and exploration missions where both manipulation capabilities and aerial mobility are essential.
iRonCub3 is the technological evolution of previous prototypes and is based on the latest generation of the iCub humanoid robot (iCub3), developed to be teleoperated. It integrates four jet engines, two mounted on the arms and two on a jetpack attached to the robot’s back
The robot flight demonstration represents the latest milestone of the Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence (AMI) Lab at IIT in Genoa, led by Daniele Pucci. Their research aims to push the boundaries of multi-modal humanoid robotics, combining terrestrial locomotion and aerial mobility to develop robots capable of operating in unstructured and extreme environments.
QUT robotics researchers have developed a new robot navigation system that mimics neural processes of the human brain and uses less than 10 per cent of the energy required by traditional systems.
In a study published in the journal Science Robotics, the researchers detail a new system which they call LENS – Locational Encoding with Neuromorphic Systems.
LENS uses brain-inspired computing to set a new, low-energy benchmark for robotic place recognition.
“To run these neuromorphic systems, we designed specialised algorithms that learn more like humans do, processing information in the form of electrical spikes, similar to the signals used by real neurons,” Dr Hines said.
“Energy constraints are a major challenge in real-world robotics, especially in fields like search and rescue, space exploration and underwater navigation.
“By using neuromorphic computing, our system reduces the energy requirements of visual localisation by up to 99 per cent, allowing robots to operate longer and cover greater distances on limited power supplies.
“We have known neuromorphic systems could be more efficient, but they’re often too complex and hard to use in the real world – we developed a new system that we think will change how they are used with robots.”
In the study, the researchers developed LENS, a system that was able to recognise locations along an 8km journey but using only 180KB of storage – almost 300 times less than other systems.
LENS combines a brain-like spiking neural network with a special camera that only reacts to movement and a low-power chip, all on one small robot.
“This system demonstrates how neuromorphic computing can achieve real-time, energy-efficient location tracking on robots, opening up new possibilities for low-power navigation technology,” Dr Hines said.
“Lower energy consumption can allow remotely operated robots to explore for longer and further.
“Our system enables robots to localise themselves using only visual information, in a way that is both fast and energy efficient.”
Dr Fischer, ARC DECRA Fellow, said the key innovation in the LENS system was a new algorithm that exploited two types of promising bio-inspired hardware: sensing, via a special type of camera known as an “event camera”, and computing, via a neuromorphic chip.
“Rather than capturing a full image of the scene that takes in every detail in each frame, an event camera continuously senses changes and movement every microsecond,” Dr Fischer said.
“The camera detects changes in brightness at each pixel, closely replicating how our eyes and brain process visual information.
“Knowing where you are, also known as visual place recognition, is essential for both humans and robots.
“While people use visual cues effortlessly, it’s a challenging task for machines.”
Professor Michael Milford, director of the QUT Centre for Robotics, said the study was representative of a key theme of research conducted by the centre’s researchers.
“Impactful robotics and tech means both pioneering ground-breaking research, but also doing all the translational work to ensure it meets end user expectations and requirements,” Professor Milford said.
“You can’t just do one or the other.
“This study is a great example of working towards energy-efficient robotic systems that provide end-users with the performance and endurance they require for those robots to be useful in their application domains.”
This research will help to identify people who can successfully perform a wide range of procedures, namely military personnel, as they often are sought to undertake complex tasks.
Results from the study could offer new training approaches to help make people more resilient to effects of stressors, such as sleep deprivation or task interruption.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – A team of cognitive psychologists from the Michigan State University Department of Psychology have received a $860,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research to develop assessments for identifying people who are good at performing complex procedural tasks, even under challenging conditions like sleep deprivation and frequent interruptions.
“If we develop the right tools, we can identify people who are going to be better at performing a wide range of procedures. This is important because Navy personnel are increasingly called upon to do lots of different tasks as military systems become more complex,” said Erik Altmann, lead investigator of the study and professor in MSU’s psychology department. “The goal is to get the right person in the right job at the right time.”
This multiyear study will look at individual differences in placekeeping, which is the cognitive ability to remember what step you are on in a procedural sequence. The researchers will also test whether incorporating task interruptions during training can help personnel develop cognitive strategies for placekeeping during deployment, when personnel may be sleep-deprived.
“We know that under conditions of sleep deprivation, people make more procedural errors, especially when they’re interrupted in the middle of a task. Procedural errors can be catastrophic, so the Navy is interested in reducing them,” said Altmann.
The research team, which also includes cognitive psychologists Kimberly Fenn and Zach Hambrick, has been funded since 2016 by the Office of Naval Research, with past studies looking at multitasking and the effect of sleep on cognitive performance.
The results of this study could improve personnel selection and classification in the Navy and in other fields where procedural accuracy is critical; results also could suggest approaches to training that make people more resilient to effects of stressors like sleep deprivation and task interruption.
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Toronto, ON – Extreme weather events driven by climate change have profound consequences for the sexual and reproductive health of young refugees in Uganda, according to a new study published last month in Global Public Health. The study reveals that extreme weather events worsen resource insecurities and increase sexual and reproductive health risks for youth in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, one of the world’s largest humanitarian settings.
“The study powerfully illustrates the interconnectedness of climate stress and youth sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian settings,” says lead author Dr. Carmen Logie, Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and Canada Research Chair in Global Health Equity and Social Justice with Marginalized Populations, as well as Adjunct Professor at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). “Refugee settlements are facing not just environmental hazards, but cascading threats to young people’s health, safety, and future.”
The study’s authors include researchers at the University of Toronto who worked in collaboration with the Uganda Refugee and Disaster Management Council (URDMC), a community-based organization that protects the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons in Uganda. Youth aged 16 to 24 living in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement were engaged in walk-along interviews, which involved walking with research staff to a place where they access food, water and sanitation resources for the interview to be conducted. Interviews were also conducted with service providers working closely with the youth.
“These youth shared that resource scarcity is an issue within the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement,” says co-author Frannie MacKenzie, Research Officer at FIFSW. “Extreme weather events intensify these vulnerabilities and expose youth to unprecedented sexual and reproductive health risks that have profound impacts on their lives.”
The study found that drought and flooding-related resource insecurities increased refugee youth’s exposure to sexual and gender-based violence and engagement with transactional sex. During droughts, youth often travel long distances at night to collect water, increasing their risk of violence. Droughts and floods reduce crop yields and food rations, pushing youth into early marriage and transactional sex to access food. These climate related pressures are placing refugee youth, particularly young women, at a heightened risk of unplanned pregnancy, HIV and STIs, and menstruation management challenges.
The study’s researchers call for urgent integration of climate-informed strategies to address sexual and reproductive health at community, interpersonal, and socio-political levels, with specific attention to the gendered impacts of resource insecurity.
“Integrating climate-resilient sexual and reproductive health interventions is essential,” says co-author Simon Odong Lukone, Field Coordinator at URDMC. As co-applicant and co-author Dr. Moses Okumu, Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explained: “There is an urgent need for humanitarian systems and programs to address sexual and reproductive health needs in the face of climate stressors”
Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights.
New test could save lives from deadly fungal infection which spiked during pandemic
A new lateral-flow test could one day save lives across the world through early detection of a deadly fungal disease which dramatically spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The test is being developed for mucormycosis, caused by inhaling the spores of Mucorales fungi, which are ever-present in our environment and harmless for most of us. It is a rare disease, once considered only to affect people with compromised immunity, such as patients undergoing cancer treatment or organ transplants. Before 2019, just over 900,000 cases had been reported globally, mostly in low-and-middle-income countries.
However, COVID-19 caused a worldwide increase in cases of the infection known as rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) or “black fungus disease”, with a particularly dramatic spike in India. This life-threatening and disfiguring disease is most common in people with poorly managed diabetes. This can lead to a combination of high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) and low blood pH (acidosis), which is found in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis. This impairs immunity to fungal pathogens leaving people far more vulnerable to Mucorales infections.
The second wave of the pandemic created a “perfect storm” of conditions for ROCM to spread rapidly in some regions. The combination of COVID-19 infection, a high background prevalence of diabetes that is poorly managed, and the overuse of corticosteroids to control viral lung inflammation led to a spike of over 40,000 cases of ROCM in a single two-month period in India. The speed of infection and lack of rapid diagnostic tests for the disease resulted in over 3,500 deaths, and severe facial disfigurement in many of the survivors.
Now, Professor Chris Thornton, a scientist at the University of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology has created a novel lateral-flow test which can detect mucormycosis much faster than existing diagnostic techniques. Currently, invasive biopsy samples are cultured in a laboratory, with long turnaround times and poor sensitivity. The new test gives an instant result, using biofluids from the patient. Although still at prototype stage, a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, has shown the lateral-flow test to be swift and accurate in identifying the disease.
Professor Thornton, co-author of the study, said: “Mucormycosis is an horrific disease, which spreads rapidly in the body and can leave people horribly facially disfigured, and is often fatal. Early diagnosis is crucial for the best outcome. This study shows that our new test is quick and effective. These exciting results are a critical milestone in the development and validation of the test which we aim to commercialise in the next three years.
The test, which works by a specific antibody binding to a signature molecule secreted by Mucorales fungi to give a positive result, has been developed by Professor Thornton’ s University of Exeter spin-out company ISCA Diagnostics. The company has previously created a highly successful lateral-flow test for another deadly fungal disease, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, with take-up in hospitals in over 32 countries.
The study was conducted in partnership with colleagues at Besançon University hospital in France. They tested the device in patients with mucormycosis, patients with other fungal infections, and patients without fungal infections. The test detects mucormycosis in 30 minutes with a high level of specificity and sensitivity.
Professor Laurence Millon, Head of Molecular Diagnostics for Invasive Fungal Infections at Besançon University hospital said: “Mucormycosis is incredibly difficult to diagnose requiring lab-based techniques, but the availability of a rapid point-of-care lateral-flow test for the disease will make its detection quicker and cheaper. Its simplicity makes it ideally suited to countries which lack access to diagnostic facilities.”
The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university that combines world-class research with high levels of student satisfaction. Exeter has over 30,000 students and sits within the Top 15 universities in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 and the Complete University Guide 2025. Exeter is also ranked in the top 200 globally in both the QS World Rankings 2025 and THE World University Rankings 2025. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), more than 99% of our research was rated as being of international quality, and our world-leading research impact has grown by 72% since 2014, more than any other Russell Group university.
CLEVELAND – A recent study published by researchers at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine revealed that Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine (WS-TCM), when integrated with in vitro fertilization (IVF), significantly improves patient-reported levels of stress, pain, and anxiety within a single treatment session. The researchers are also among the first to describe the real-world integration of WS-TCM treatments such as acupuncture within a fertility clinic at a U.S. academic medical center.
The retrospective study, conducted at UH Connor Whole Health and the UH Fertility Center, analyzed 1896 WS-TCM treatments provided during 202 embryo transfers for 146 patients from 2019 to 2022. Patients undergoing IVF who received WS-TCM treatments, including acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary guidance, and herbal medicine, experienced measurable symptom relief. The study found clinically meaningful improvements following a single-treatment with average reductions of 2.2 units in anxiety, 2.1 in stress, and 1.4 in pain on a 10-unit numeric rating scale.
Findings support the use of WS-TCM for providing symptom relief for patients navigating the heavy emotional and physical challenges of IVF. Over 25 percent of patients in the study sample had documented mental health diagnoses, with anxiety being the most common. Thus, integrative treatments like WS-TCM may enhance patient experience during IVF treatment. This evidence adds to a growing body of research supporting the efficacy of acupuncture and other WS-TCM modalities for improving IVF success rates.
Researchers found that 88.6 percent of IVF cycles included WS-TCM treatment on the day of embryo transfer. Additionally, 64.9 percent of cycles featured treatments in the weeks leading up to embryo transfer. As WS-TCM practitioners continue to be integrated within U.S. fertility centers, this study provides comprehensive data on when treatments occurred, how many treatments were provided, and what specific acupuncture points were utilized to address the needs of women undergoing IVF.
The UH Fertility Center is among a growing number of academic medical centers nationwide implementing integrative therapies into reproductive health services. This collaborative care model enables personalized, whole-person support for every step throughout fertility treatment.
“During the IVF journey, patients seek the best possible clinical outcomes, but also comprehensive support to help manage the stress and anxiety that often accompany treatment. Our study demonstrates that acupuncture and whole-systems TCM can serve as a valuable tool to decrease pain, stress and anxiety – ultimately contributing to both improved outcomes and a more positive, holistic patient experience,” said Dr. Christine Kaiser, DACM, Lac, Principal Investigator of the Study and the Connor Endowed Director of Reproductive Well-being at UH Connor Whole Health.
“Our patients often ask how complementary therapies impact IVF outcomes, and this study is a critical step toward providing high-quality data to guide those decisions,” added Dr. Rebecca Flyckt, MD, co-author of the study and Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UH. “Collaborative research like this helps us to better support patients not only medically, but emotionally and physically throughout their fertility treatments.”
This study was supported by the Connor Family Foundation.
You can read the article, “Clinical Delivery of Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine and Impacts upon Patient Reported Outcomes during IVF,”by clicking here.
Reference: Lu R, Rodgers-Melnick SN, Flyckt R, et al. Clinical Delivery of Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine and Impacts Upon Patient Reported Outcomes During IVF. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. 2025;14. doi:10.1177/27536130251349116
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About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 21 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and National Taiwan University College of Medicine. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebookand Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.
Journal
Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health
