While much research explores improving robot capabilities, there is a deficit in researching how robots are expected to perform tasks safely, especially in high-risk problem domains. Robots must earn the trust of human operators in order to be effective collaborators in safety-critical tasks, specifically those where robots operate in human environments. We propose the human-robot red teaming paradigm for safety-aware reasoning. We expect humans and robots to work together to challenge assumptions about an environment and explore the space of hazards that may arise. This exploration will enable robots to perform safety-aware reasoning, specifically hazard identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation, and safety reporting. We demonstrate that: (a) human-robot red teaming allows human-robot teams to plan to perform tasks safely in a variety of domains, and (b) robots with different embodiments can learn to operate safely in two different environments -- a lunar habitat and a household -- with varying definitions of safety. Taken together, our work on human-robot red teaming for safety-aware reasoning demonstrates the feasibility of this approach for safely operating and promoting
Cell adhesion proteins are transmembrane proteins that bind cells to their environment. These proteins typically cluster into disk-shaped or linear structures. Here we show that such clustering patterns spontaneously emerge when the protein sense the membrane deformation gradient, for example by reaching a lower-energy conformation when the membrane is tilted relative to the underlying binding substrate. Increasing the strength of the membrane gradient-sensing mechanism first yields isolated disk-shaped clusters and then long linear structures. Our theory is coherent with experimental estimates, suggesting that a tilt-induced clustering mechanism is relevant in the context of cell adhesion proteins.
Four nearby white dwarf stars have been discovered hiding in plain sight beside brighter red dwarf companions。 Hubble's ultraviolet observations finally revealed the long-hidden stellar remnants, including one just 25 light-years away that took nearly three decades to confirm。 The findings match long-standing predictions and suggest our corner of t
Researchers solved the mystery of how soft lithium dendrites crack the hard ceramic inside solid-state batteries, triggering short circuits。 The breakthrough could help engineers build safer, longer-lasting batteries for smartphones, electric vehicles, and other electronics
Scientists have rewritten the story of gallium after discovering that its unusual atomic bonds re-form at high temperatures, contradicting decades of accepted theory。 The finding changes how researchers explain why the metal melts so easily and behaves unlike almost any other metal。 Beyond solving a long-standing scientific mystery, the work could
A new study suggests spacecraft exhaust could quickly contaminate the moon's most scientifically valuable regions, potentially masking ancient clues about how life began on Earth。 Researchers say future lunar missions should consider new ways to reduce and monitor this pollution before it becomes widespread
Scientists have created a silicon chip that can write dozens of DNA sequences simultaneously using electricity and water-based enzymes, offering a cleaner alternative to conventional DNA manufacturing。 The breakthrough could eventually support portable DNA-writing devices and even massive DNA data storage, although new chemistry will be needed to s
Researchers discovered that electricity can dramatically reshape how heat flows through certain ceramic materials, increasing heat conduction by almost threefold in a preferred direction。 The unexpected result could lead to much more efficient cooling technologies and energy-saving devices
With the settlement withdrawn, Google is now bound by the court's full antitrust remedies
Water’s odd behavior becomes even more dramatic when it is supercooled, but scientists have struggled to compare the many different ways of describing its microscopic structure。 Researchers at the University of Osaka used an AI model trained on computer simulations to evaluate 16 different structural descriptors。 The system identified the most effe
Celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary, NASA released a stunning Hubble portrait of Messier 3, an ancient globular cluster with more than 500,000 stars。 The remarkable cluster is helping scientists unravel the Milky Way's past thanks to its rare stars and possible origins in a long ago cosmic merger
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have discovered a surprisingly simple way to create exotic light structures called optical skyrmions using a 200-year-old optical effect known as the Poisson spot。 Instead of relying on expensive, highly engineered materials, they simply shine a laser at a tiny circular disc, producing sta
Researchers have achieved a major milestone by creating a long-sought two-dimensional quantum material and confirming its unusual conducting edge states。 The ability to control these states through strain could make the material a promising platform for future room-temperature quantum electronics
Two newly confirmed "super-puff" planets are so diffuse that they are less dense than cotton candy, despite being about the size of Jupiter。 Their rare orbital relationship and enormous, lightweight atmospheres could provide valuable clues about how some of the strangest planets in the galaxy come to exist
A newly developed material can control and "program" heat, allowing it to direct thermal radiation, switch modes, and remember its settings without continuous power。 The innovation could lead to smarter infrared sensors, better energy technologies, and memory devices that use light and heat instead of electrical charges