For decades, the idea of humanoid robots on the battlefield has belonged squarely to science fiction. They stalked through dystopian futures in The Terminator, filled the ranks of armies in Star Wars, ...

The Pentagon today announced a robot competition, putting out a call for the type of full-service bot that could go into a dangerous emergency situation, perform multiple tasks and complete a mission.

Researchers at DARPA are seeking to create smoother relations between robotic systems and humans, and because nothing enhances communication like good manners, they’re developing a kind of “finishing ...