Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MIT Robot Walks On Water

Posted by timothy on from the just-not-evenly-distributed dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at MIT have solved the mystery of how water striders propel themselves across water surfaces and in the process have created a robot called Robostrider that mimics the behavior. With cool stuff like this, it's no wonder MIT is number one in engineering."

283 comments

  1. Yes but... by egg+troll · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can it turn that water into wine?

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
    1. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, its "time has not yet come" (John 2:4b)

    2. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or perhaps, being from MIT, it only thinks it walks on water!

    3. Re:Yes but... by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 4, Funny
      Can it turn that water into wine?
      No, but I bet it was given birth by a virgin.
    4. Re:Yes but... by Alien+Being · · Score: 3, Funny

      I doubt it could even turn Boston harbor and the Charles river into water.

    5. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now THAT was a good come back!

    6. Re:Yes but... by fussman · · Score: 1
      as my python interpreter would say...


      File "robot", line 12, in water2wine
      NotImplementedError: 'Thy robot unholy...'

      --
      Support Israeli punk bands. Man Alive.
    7. Re:Yes but... by syphax · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Now that you mention it, Professor Bush actually has looked into the fluid dynamics of wine, as well.

      He's a cool guy- I took a fluids class he taught a few years back. He's one of those people who can use mathematical intuition to understand physical phenomena.

      --
      Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible Emotional Stories
    8. Re: Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In a stunning display of their prowess MIT student researchers crafted a
      robot that walks on water much like the water striders of the insect
      world. (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/nr/2003/robostrider .html)
      Immediately there after Christians from Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and
      other southern states raised protest over the new "iconic robo-Christ".
      One outspoken preacher exclaimed "They know nothing... Jesus' legs
      weren't that skinny! NO! not that skinny at all!" whilst wiping his brow
      feverishly; "How could Jesus have walked with legs that skinny. It is
      truly absurd!". In response an MIT spokesman said "The experiments are
      part of research supported by the NSF (Nation Science Foundation) for
      investigation into what is called Denny's Paradox. It is a complex fluid
      dynamics problem and has nothing to do with religion." The newly formed
      "No Robotic Christ" Organization (NRC) released a statement shortly
      after the MIT announcement. It read "The NRC finds it appalling and
      abhorrent that government moneys are being spent to develop a robotic
      replacement for Christ. This will not stand. This aggression toward our
      Lord Jesus. This will not stand. We demand that this research be stopped
      and that government funding of this project be canceled immediately. We
      further demand that funds equivalent to the moneys already spent be
      ear-marked for education of the MIT student body to the fact that Jesus
      Christ is the only entity that can walk upon water." In further debate
      an MIT professor retorted "There is a whole variety of insects that walk
      on water the water strider is but one of these." The NRC responded
      quickly with "Faith is not based on reproducible evidence but on faith
      alone." The NRC then announced the opening of phone lines to take
      collections for a "Save the Children from the Robotic Christ Fund".

      [2 days pass]

      The NRC held a sit-in protest today at the Stratton Student Center on
      MIT campus. One NRC protester exclaimed "They're a trying to poison the
      minds of youth in this here school and we's aiming to stop it." Grasps
      erupted from the crowd of protesters earlier today as an MIT student
      passing the protest suddenly fell down and doubled over after an
      argument with one protester. Calls of "See the wrath of God!" and "Have
      mercy oh Lord!" were heard from the protesters. As other students and
      authorities rushed to the red-faced, teary-eyed, convulsing student he
      was found only to be laughing hysterically and unable to draw breath. ...

    9. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      awesome, and the fact that you have christ in your name Score:6, Funny

    10. Re:Yes but... by Channard · · Score: 0

      No, only with the optional Booze-o-tron $500 upgrade.

    11. Re:Yes but... by DaneelGiskard · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Thanks for the great laugh, I needed that :)

    12. Re:Yes but... by hendrix69 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      It's those kinds of comments that warrent more than 5 points for funny. That one was about 9 on my scale.

      --
      The power of Christ compiles you!
    13. Re:Yes but... by aspelling · · Score: 0

      Dating a couple girls from MIT it's not a surprise :-)

    14. Re:Yes but... by frission · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I remember my supervisor telling me once before a demo that we had to do (in respect to showing the stuff from the demo that would actually work):

      "I can walk on water...you just have to tell me where the stepping stones are"

    15. Re:Yes but... by sahala · · Score: 1
      You mean there's more than one?

    16. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In soviet russia, it turns wine into water.

  2. Remarkably by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    This robot is being worshiped by geeks much like Jesus.

    1. Re:Remarkably by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      its made by gooks.

  3. Case of the Mondays by MhzJnky · · Score: 3, Informative

    Slashdot had a case of the mondays and frogot itself

    --


    "Failure is not an option, it's part of the standard package"
    1. Re:Case of the Mondays by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 0
      Slashdot had a case of the mondays and frogot itself
      No, it's not a dupe - the previous story did not mention the robotic water striders created at MIT.
    2. Re:Case of the Mondays by Saeger · · Score: 5, Informative
      Actually, it did. The 2nd link talked about the MIT strider bots.

      --

      --
      Power to the Peaceful
    3. Re:Case of the Mondays by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 1
      Actually, it did. The 2nd link talked about the MIT strider bots.
      OK, my bad... although Slashdot didn't explicitly mention the robots last time, which is why it looked like new info to me. Are you seriously suggesting that you actually expect us to read the articles!?
    4. Re:Case of the Mondays by PetWolverine · · Score: 2, Funny

      When you come in on Monday and you're not feeling real well, does anyone ever say to you, "Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?"

      Shit, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked saying something like that, man.

      With thanks to this guy.

      --
      I found the meaning of life the other day, but I had write-only access.
    5. Re:Case of the Mondays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a necessary evil. It was a slow news day and SCO was DDOS'd. With no new entertainment from the Information Minister an attempt has been made to satisfy geeks with a discussion of intentionaly implemented bugs.

    6. Re:Case of the Mondays by Saeger · · Score: 5, Funny
      Are you seriously suggesting that you actually expect us to read the articles!?

      Just the interesting ones. :)

      You can skip the SCO-soap-opera updates and other fluff, but make sure you keep up to date with the ROBOTS, man, or they'll take over!

      --

      --
      Power to the Peaceful
    7. Re:Case of the Mondays by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 1
      ... make sure you keep up to date with the ROBOTS, man, or they'll take over!
      I get the funny feeling that some people around here might welcome that.
    8. Re:Case of the Mondays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      SCO was not DDOS'ed, not by any stretch of the imagination. The pages are serving up just fine, as quick as can be. Served by a server running Unix code written by red-blooded god-fearing proud American programmers. The same code that was stolen from us and being illegally run on millions of lesser Linux boxes worldwide. You can thank SCO for your silly toy's uptime, little boy.

    9. Re:Case of the Mondays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You were obviously not logged in this weekend or earlier today. Most likely the attack stopped as per ESR's request so that SCO would have a communications channel through which they could further incriminate themselves.

    10. Re:Case of the Mondays by NuShrike · · Score: 1

      No, since the editors don't either. Timothy strikes again!

    11. Re:Case of the Mondays by magores · · Score: 1

      Jesus Christ!

      I followed your sig (I'm always up for a game)... and the amount of cookies required is enough to allow me to host my own Church of the God-like Spider-Thingies Bake Sale

    12. Re:Case of the Mondays by schmink182 · · Score: 1

      In all fairness, I haven't noticed a dupe on Slashdot for an awful long time. They've certainly gotten better. Kudos to Taco and the gang.

    13. Re:Case of the Mondays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who the hell doesn't have all cookies enabled in their browser these days. What are you, paranoid? Oh wait...

    14. Re:Case of the Mondays by shdragon · · Score: 1

      Instead of just bitching about it in typical slashdot trendiness, why not HELP OUT by subscribing & submitting these things to the online editor/dupe checker? I know that after the April Fool's day bit with the dupes they have cracked down HARD on fixing the duplicates in addition to cross-referencing these to older "similar to" stories.

      --
      "...we dont care about the economics; we just want to be able to hack great stuff."
    15. Re:Case of the Mondays by tsa · · Score: 1

      About time. It's been quite a while since we had a good dupe.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    16. Re:Case of the Mondays by jpmorgan · · Score: 1
      That's okay, I've got insurance.

      Old Glory Robot Insurance. For when the metal ones come for you.

    17. Re:Case of the Mondays by sharkey · · Score: 1
      frogot itself

      I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds nasty. And quite possibly painful, too.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    18. Re:Case of the Mondays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reminds me of the George Carlin saying:

      "I guarantee you that while your watching a quiet one a noisy one will fucking kill you!"

    19. Re:Case of the Mondays by mink · · Score: 1

      And they will.

      --
      Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
  4. Here's an Idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Maybe MIT could send some of their engineering surplus down to Brazil since they appear to have a deficiency...at least in their space program.

    :>)

  5. Stick to it-ness. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    And yet they haven't made a robot that can walk up walls like a gecko.

    1. Re:Stick to it-ness. by AntiOrganic · · Score: 1

      Now that's just silly.

    2. Re:Stick to it-ness. by RedHat_Linux_Man · · Score: 1

      And yet they haven't made a robot that can walk up walls like a gecko.

      Actually...
      Here is a slashdot article about one such robot

  6. monkeys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    second post!!! eat it rookie biatches.... so theres water robots now? creepy

  7. Fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    4 Jesus H Asscroft.

  8. Hrm? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Funny

    Robo-Jesus? Is that you?!!!

  9. DUPE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    God, you guys are incompetent bastards.

    Do the editors read their own site or do they just sit around their parents' basements, whackin' off to pron all day?

    1. Re:DUPE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do the editors read their own site or do they just sit around their parents' basements, whackin' off to pron all day?

      I like rhetorical questions.

    2. Re:DUPE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
      I like rhetorical questions.
      Do you?
  10. Eh?? by whereiswaldo · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It's no mystery why water spiders can walk on water. All the engineers had to do was ask these 3rd graders a question.

    1. Re:Eh?? by dollargonzo · · Score: 4, Informative

      it's no mystery as to how they stay afloat. the big question was how they propel themselves

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
    2. Re:Eh?? by thelen · · Score: 4, Informative

      The question is about propulsion, not weight-to-surface tension ratios sufficient for flotation. This research gives a better explanation of the mechanism by which the water skimmers move with such great efficiency (namely by created subsurface vortices with their middle pair of legs) and puts to rest the notion that it is attributable to the waves themselves created by a rowing action.

    3. Re:Eh?? by reboot246 · · Score: 1

      "the big question was how they propel themselves"

      I would have guessed warp drive. Have you ever seen how fast those little buggers can move?

    4. Re:Eh?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      3rd graders aren't slant-eyed chinks, like these fuckers apparently are. They are much smarter.

    5. Re:Eh?? by uradu · · Score: 2, Insightful

      > The question is about propulsion, not weight-to-surface tension ratios sufficient for flotation

      Unfortunately the article doesn't make that very clear. They could spell out that the issue is locomotion, not flotation. At first I thought, what the h3ll, it's obvious that they're floating because they're not breaking the surface tension. But then they kept talking about moving and skimming and swimming, so it dawned on me that they're talking about how the walker generates forward motion on a near friction-less medium. That's where the vortices come in, quasi as a surface to push against.

    6. Re:Eh?? by extrasolar · · Score: 1

      Pardon my ignorance, but WTH is a subsurface vortice and what does that have to do with moving?

    7. Re:Eh?? by The+Only+Druid · · Score: 2, Informative

      In oversimplified english, sub-surface vortices are swirls in the water immediately below the surface of the water.

      --
      "Stumble before you crawl"
  11. Point of note by NoTheory · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually there are several people who thing that MIT's direction in AI has gone seriously awry. Marvin Minsky (though somewhat stodgy), has pointed out that MIT's focus in robotics is no longer on figuring out how to make things that do stuff for people, but on subhuman gadgets.

    So, yeah they may be number one, but in a way, they've let down the old guard of AI researchers.

    Still, this is quite cool.

    --
    There are lives at stake here!
    1. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Call me a spelling Nazi, but I have heard about your vs you're and its vs it's. But THINK vs thing? Cmon!

    2. Re:Point of note by Dachannien · · Score: 2, Insightful

      As one of many in the "new guard" of AI researchers, I say that Minsky's ideas, while important in their historical perspective, overshadow the vast possibilities of artificial and computational intelligence by overemphasizing their importance due to the fame and mystique surrounding the name "Minsky".

    3. Re:Point of note by dollargonzo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      problem is, minsky spends too much time debunking good theory than creating new ones. let's take an example. minsky proved that 2-layer neural networks were not capable of generalizing to many tasks. the proof is indeed notable, but then came *gasp* three layer neural networks, and minsky's point was irrelevant. i think he is just pissed that his ideas were mostly abandoned by AI researchers.

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
    4. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its spellt "Come on," not "Cmon," mister spelling nazi.

      </grammar nazi>

    5. Re:Point of note by timeOday · · Score: 1

      This story has nothing to do with AI.

    6. Re:Point of note by Plac3bo · · Score: 1

      *spelled*

      How many "spelling nazi's" does it take to write one correct statement?

      BTW, I won the Spelling *Nazi* B in 1st grade :P

    7. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's "spelled" in U.S. English and "spelt" in traditional English.

      Perhaps you should consider spell-checking your posts before correcting someone.

    8. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were human cognitive capabilities.

    9. Re:Point of note by lawpoop · · Score: 1

      How about the fact that AI from a top-down approach (i.e. trying to make a human-like brain) has been failing miserably for the past 50 years, and that building small, simple things has been pretty successful, and is the very mechanism that nature used to make the human brain (making small, incremental improvements on simpler systems).

      --
      Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
      -- Pablo Picasso
    10. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe you were trying to say "I have won"

      The word have is used with a past participle to form the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses indicating completed action. You might be good at spelling, but your grammar certainly sucks.

    11. Re:Point of note by Saeger · · Score: 1
      This story has nothing to do with AI.

      Sure it does; robots and AI go together like ... chaw-gee and poe-gee.

      How would you teach a striderbot to stride? Top-down minksy style? Or bottom-up adaptive genetic-alg style?

      --

      --
      Power to the Peaceful
    12. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pretty successful? You obviously don't know much about robotics research. Do you think Mark Tilden is a god? How about Rodney Brooks?

    13. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I love /.! At least this poster has the general idea if not the details.

      Minsky said that a single layer perceptron (just a linear discriminator) could not learn XOR. If you plot a 2-input XOR it's obviously not linearly separable. And it's not just the extra layers but rather the activation function at each perceptron that had to change.

    14. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Funny
      How many "spelling nazi's" does it take to write one correct statement?

      Why the apostrophe in "nazi's"?

    15. Re:Point of note by NoTheory · · Score: 2, Interesting

      This is a reply to the above two posts

      as someone who's interested in computational neurodynamics, i've got ambivielent feelings about alot of the stuff minsky says, but i can't help but sympathize with him to some degree on this subject. Robots are cool, robots are useful, but the stuff that comes out of MIT's AI lab, has lost focus on the original goal of what he and the pioneers of the area were after.

      Heading off in a different direction isn't bad, in fact, i think a lot of these devices are quite interesting, but take just one of these two paths to the neglect of the other seems kind of sucky. So, i disagree that with minsky that this stuff is useless, but i agree with him that it's a shame that the people working (loosely) on the computational problems about the mind/brain aren't in MIT engineering anymore.

      --
      There are lives at stake here!
    16. Re:Point of note by cemaco · · Score: 1

      Making computers think like people is overrated. We already have something that can do that! Us....

      Devices with less complex intelligences modeled on insects, could carry out simple orders and report back. That kind of thing could be useful, would be less frocked with dangers and more likely to be achieved in the near future.

    17. Re:Point of note by The+Spelling+Nazi · · Score: 0, Funny

      Call me a spelling Nazi, but...

      Hey, are you trying to impersonate me or something?
      No words for you! Come back 1 year!

    18. Re:Point of note by hippiechimp · · Score: 1

      He probably confused the idea of adding an apostrophe on for things like 10's, et. al.

    19. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I think some of your facts are wrong..

      If I remember correctly Minsky showed that a two layer linear neural network is not very capapable recognizer (and two 2-layer linear networks == one 2-layer linear neural network,(matrices: AB = C)). From which he made the wrong assumption that neural networks with non-linear neural responses wouldn't be very good either.

    20. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      die

      --grammar nazi

    21. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Understanding how brain works at the signal processing/mathematical level and how emergent features such as self-organizing and learning etc. happens is very important.

      • Human brain is the best AI which we know
      • Imporved medical treatments
      • Brain implants: for medical purposes and extending limits of brain
      • Because of the evolution the way the computation is done in brain is probably: highly error tolerant, effiecient both in terms of computational resources and used energy.
      • Advances in the theory (mathematical models) and practice (measuring how brain works) have been promising during 90s
    22. Re:Point of note by qewl · · Score: 2, Informative

      Why the apostrophe in "nazi's"? Yea, you're also forgetting that the question mark should be inside the quotes there!

      --

      (\_/)
      (O.o) This is Bunny. (> <)
    23. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 2, Informative
      He probably confused the idea of adding an apostrophe on for things like 10's, et. al.

      Which is also wrong. You don't need an apostrophe before a plural s unless there is some chance of confusion. There isn't when adding an s to a figure, so you don't need one there.

    24. Re:Point of note by marko123 · · Score: 1

      Marvin Minsky when he is angry? ... sorry, wrong Marvin.

      --
      http://pcblues.com - Digits and Wood
    25. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Why the apostrophe in "nazi's"? Yea, you're also forgetting that the question mark should be inside the quotes there!

      No it shouldn't, as what I'm quoting does not include the question mark. This is called the "logical quoting style". I know many Americans migrate punctuation inside quotes regardless of context, but I don't, and in British style it is standard.

    26. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      You have to be shitting me.

    27. Re:Point of note by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Is this like a lightbulb joke ?
      None. "spelling Nazi's" don't exist and therefore can't write correct statements.

    28. Re:Point of note by hippiechimp · · Score: 0
      I wouldn't say that it's entirely wrong. Here's something from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg:
      Finally, the apostrophe is used in one other way. Although the apostrophe is never used to make a word plural, it is used to make letters and numerals plural: Although I received C's and D's in many of my college classes, I always received A's in my business classes. My sister received straight A's throughout her college career. My score sheet showed that I had six 5's and three 4's.
    29. Re:Point of note by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 1

      minsky proved that 2-layer neural networks were not capable of generalizing to many tasks. the proof is indeed notable, but then came *gasp* three layer neural networks

      Isn't it possible that Minsky's proof convinced the AI research community to abandon development of 2-layer networks and move forward into 3-layer networks?

    30. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      I wouldn't say that it's entirely wrong. Here's something from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg:

      Okay; perhaps I'm going a bit the other way just because I get annoyed at the more common [ab]use of apostrophes in word plurals. So my policy (and I'm an editor, so I get to enforce it in my books) is to use it only when necessary, not just in case. I don't think it is necessary for plurals of figures, but I'll accept that as not wrong.

    31. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      Post script: here's someting from the Oxford Guide to Style, 2002, Section 5.2.2:

      Do not use the apostrophe when creating plurals. This includes names, abbreviations (with or without full points)...
    32. Re:Point of note by Zarquon · · Score: 1

      Blame the MLA.. it specifies punction go inside quotations and parens, even if it does not logically belong there.

      Then blame the school system for insisting on using it.

      --
      "'Tis great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults, greater to tell him his." --Poor Richard's Almanac
    33. Re:Point of note by Gorbie · · Score: 1

      Yeah. And who needs spelling nazis when you have punctuation nazis.

      Next up...the sentence structure nazis

    34. Re:Point of note by ashultz · · Score: 1


      Hell, Minsky himself was a big letdown when I finally took his class. Guy had a good idea once. He still has it. Now... what?

      Not that I'm really excited by a lot of the AI lab projects, but Minsky no longer gets to criticize anyone.

    35. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      Blame the MLA

      I'd never heard of them (I'm not American). Looking at their site, I see they seem to be proclaiming styles for academic works; if so deliberately messing around with quotes for aesthetic reasons at the expense of logic seems perverse. I go with the Chicago Manual mostly, or Oxford, depending on context (British author, British style, etc).

    36. Re:Point of note by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      Yeah. And who needs spelling nazis when you have punctuation nazis.

      That was my point. (Though I'll happily join a discussion on the finer points of punctuation should the subject come up.)
      Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

    37. Re:Point of note by femto · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Why is it that so few people realise the value in proving something to be false?

      The research/reward system discriminates against those who debunk myths. If you prove something to be false you can't patent it and make a pot of money off it. Meanwhile, your hard work has eliminated 'red herrings' allowing others to advance more quickly. Those 'successful' people then take out patents, arrived at more quickly as a consequence of your results, and prevent you from reaping the fruits of your own labour.

      To add insult to injury, other (small minded?) people then denigrate you for being 'unsuccessful'.

    38. Re:Point of note by Gorbie · · Score: 1

      Sounds Fun! In truth, I was hoping to revive the memories of sentence structure diagrams that are lying dormant somewhere deep in the neural pathways. Cest la vie :)

    39. Re:Point of note by dollargonzo · · Score: 1

      i wholeheartedly agree with you, except for the fact that minsky's proof was done not out of good will to the AI community, but to try to show that what he was doing was useful, and what they were doing was pointless.

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
  12. Hmm by batkins · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    How about a Beowulf cluster of Robostriders?

    1. Re:Hmm by PetWolverine · · Score: 1

      Can you run Linux on it? Or to echo a recent Ask /., can you run Mac OS X on it?

      --
      I found the meaning of life the other day, but I had write-only access.
    2. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about a Beowulf cluster of AOL Sued For Over-Zealous Blocking?!

      Oops... posted under wrong article.

      I mean a Beowulf cluster of Infrared Telescopes!
      I mean a Beowulf cluster of Light Bulb Replacements!
      I mean a Beowulf cluster of MIT Robot that Walks On Water!

      I like Beowulf clusters there cool I wanna make a Beowulf cluster out of CEREAL!, the less suitable the cereal is for networking/processing the cooler it is (eg. soggy raisin bran more cooler than shreddies)! I uh... I uh... ugh I've become a troll! Sorries.

    3. Re:Hmm by AntiOrganic · · Score: 1

      1. Create Beowolf cluster of Robostriders
      2. ???
      3. Congratulations. Your posts are nothing but a Slashdot gimmick.

    4. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This "1,2,3" joke doesn't make sense!
      Oh wait I get it! #3 is ironic.

  13. Well, sure... by Faust7 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the water's polluted enough, anyone can walk on it.

    --
    The coolest voice ever.
    1. Re:Well, sure... by robbyjo · · Score: 1

      If the water's polluted enough, anyone can walk on it.

      Yeah, like after pouring a decent amount of concrete mix in it...

      --

      --
      Error 500: Internal sig error
    2. Re:Well, sure... by etresoft · · Score: 1

      It sounds like someone knows MIT or at least has taken a stroll along the Charles river.

  14. I heard of this ages ago. by rokzy · · Score: 1, Informative

    I think in the print edition of new scientist a couple of weeks ago. ffs catch up.

    robot news is boring. please set up a robot category so I can filter it.

    1. Re:I heard of this ages ago. by 1u3hr · · Score: 2, Informative
      ffs catch up.

      They did; this is the rerun.

      Posted by michael on Friday August 08, @08:55PM
      from the good-junkyard-wars-challenge dept.
      capt.Hij writes "There is an interesting article at the Christian Science Monitor about how water skimmers are able to move the way they do. This new theory debunks the previously accepted theory and answers why smaller, younger water skimmers are also able to move the same way as their elders: 'As he looked into the question, he adds, he learned that the reigning explanation leaves an unsolved puzzle: If these tiny insects propel themselves in the way many researchers think they do, then baby water striders should go nowhere fast.'" There's also a BBC story with pictures.
    2. Re:I heard of this ages ago. by fafaforza · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Even The Economist from 2 weeks ago (with fish on the cover) had a story about this.

  15. Sure number one in engineering... by Gortbusters.org · · Score: 2, Funny

    but dead last in babe-filled orgies!

    --
    --------
    Free your mind.
    1. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by Gherald · · Score: 0

      > number one in engineering... but dead last in babe-filled orgies!

      Of course dude, such things are mutually exclusive

      --
      The unofficial /. digest
    2. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by tapin · · Score: 4, Funny
      but dead last in babe-filled orgies!
      That's okay, they've got water striders gone wild! available on the "More pictures" page.
    3. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thank you, Captain Ovious.

    4. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thats what grandparent said to great grandparent, he just didn't phrase it "Captain Ovious")

    5. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by Efreet · · Score: 1

      You've obviously never heard of Steer Roast.

      --
      This sig wasn't worth reading, was it.
    6. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by sprekken · · Score: 1
      Hah! Damn that's funny. From the link provided, the steer roast looks like some library gathering where MIT guys sit around a table and masturbate to porn then watch a bunch of guys mud wrestling each other.

      What the hell does this have to do with hot-ass babe filled orgies?

      BTW: Orgy is a term to describe lots of people (girls mostly :)) getting together to fuck, suck, and fuck some more.

    7. Re:Sure number one in engineering... by Efreet · · Score: 1

      Sorry about this, I just grabbed the first link I found. But let me assure you, that half the amature strippers are female, as are about half the attendees.

      Here are some better sites:

      http://web.media.mit.edu/~mkg/day_to_day/picture s/ 2003/steerRoast.html

      http://www.geocities.com/jetandspike/pixrst98/

      http://www.andystevens.com/photos/sr99/

      MIT was accidentally listed as one of Playboy's top 10 party schools one year, when the reporters went to Steer Roast, and didn't stick around for the rest of the time. MIT doesn't party often, but when it does...

      http://web.media.mit.edu/~jofish/pictures/2002/s te er.roast.2002/

      --
      This sig wasn't worth reading, was it.
  16. Dupe by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 0

    http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/08/0 8/1157208&mode=thread&tid=134

    1. Re:Dupe by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      Same topic, not a dupe.

      We don't need people going on dupe patrol.

    2. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Xian Science Monitor defends creationism and intelligent design. That counts as biased in my book.

    3. Re:Dupe by man_ls · · Score: 1

      For a paper with an overt religious adjenda, the CSM is exceptionally unbiased in its stories when it does print one. Granted, it may only print stories that support its viewpoint, but said stories are presented factually.

    4. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It must also be said that a paper that defends evolutionism and dumb chance is biased, as well. If white is biased, then black is too.

    5. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I can't figure this out. I'm an apathetic agnostic (by which I mean that I care so little about religion and the question of the existence of deities that I can't even bother to call myself an atheist) and I generally find the Christian Science Monitor to be one of the more reputable publications here in the US of A. Maybe people see the word "Christian" in the title and fly off the handle?

      Take a look at it, for crying out loud. The CSM is not some kind of slobbering fundamentalist rag. It's a mainstream news and information source. On the front page, I can't see a single article that could be even remotely construed as fundy jibber-jabber (Pete Sampras is retiring?) The way a lot of Slashbots react to it, you would think they were referring to something like WorldNetDaily, a site which drips with xenophobic, anti-minority, anti-gay, anti-non-Christian, borderline-fascist rhetoric.

      People who are inclined to bash the Christian Science Monitor should at least take a look at it before they flame away. They might be surprised.

    6. Re:Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Darn straight! I demand equal time for my theory that humans descended from space aliens that interbred with bivalve molluscs. Every time they publish a piece on human history that doesn't give credit to homoxenopteriomorphic theory they reveal their bias!

    7. Re:Dupe by Phroggy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Maybe people see the word "Christian" in the title and fly off the handle?

      I'd bet some people see "Science" in the title and confuse it with the Church of Scientology.

      --
      $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
      $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  17. I predict... by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... somebody will soon use the word 'overlords', and it won't really be funny.

    1. Re:I predict... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      I touched her overlords, and she was filled with ecstacy. My overlords were quivering in anticipation, but I quieted them with a drink and a slap. I protected myself with my Overlord and walked to her; her overlord yawning as a canyon opens for the brute force of a river. As our overlords neared, a strange thing happened... [to be continued by the next AC to take up the torch]

    2. Re:I predict... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You needed a microscope to check the status of your overlord?

    3. Re:I predict... by The+Munger · · Score: 1

      'Overlords'... Yeah, you're right - I'm not laughing.

      --
      Refuse to make a statement in your sig!
    4. Re:I predict... by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 1
      And I, for one, welcome our MIT overlords. As a trusted Slashdot personality, I can be useful in rounding up other Slashbots to toil in their underground...........oh wait....the story's about robotic waterstriders?

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
  18. It can walk on water so what ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    after a few beers i can float all the way home.

    1. Re:It can walk on water so what ? by Gherald · · Score: 0

      > after a few beers i can float all the way home.

      Yes but in everyone else' mind you'll be bumping into everything.

      --
      The unofficial /. digest
  19. Science vs. Religion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Yup, looks like science is finally catching up to something religion could do over 2003 years ago.

    1. Re:Science vs. Religion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      The only minor differences, of course, being that the MIT thing actually happened, and that no little boys had to be molested in the process.

      [smartass mode off]

    2. Re:Science vs. Religion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Over 2003 years ago? Jesus was born approximately 2003 years ago (some estimates have it at a few years short of that, even). Furthermore, his supposed "walking on water" trick took place significantly after the time he was born.

    3. Re:Science vs. Religion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean science is finally catching up to the science fiction written some 2000 years ago.

    4. Re:Science vs. Religion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While we're at it, let's also thank religion for such other positive world contributions as 9/11, the Holocaust, the Crusades, Oklahoma City, etc. Sorry, bub, but while religion says that the moon hangs "in the firmament", science has actually put people on it. Here's hoping you remain consistent and non-hypocritical; the next time you get sick I suppose you will pray for better health instead of visiting that heathen doctor with his devil-science medicine.

  20. MIT by Dachannien · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, this particular research project is very cool.

    However, since it was mentioned in the original post, I will say that USN&WR's rankings are flawed, and do not necessarily reflect the quality of research taking place at a particular institution. In fact, a significant portion of their rankings are based on name recognition alone, which has nothing to do with quality of research.

    1. Re:MIT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      USN&WR's rankings are flawed

      Possibly in general. but not in the case of MIT. :P

    2. Re:MIT by Hal-9001 · · Score: 1

      Possibly even in the case of MIT. There is no question that MIT is a good engineering school, but MIT is not the best school for everyone, including some of the U.S.'s brightest budding engineers.

      --
      "It take 9 months to bear a child, no matter how many women you assign to the job."
  21. Dupe by Saeger · · Score: 5, Informative
    This water strider story was posted two weeks ago, but because the way it was worded this time, the focus of the posts will probably be on robots (and dupe flaming) rather than the Christian Science Monitor being remarkably unbiased. :)

    --

    --
    Power to the Peaceful
  22. Jebusbot by 010_digital_100 · · Score: -1, Troll

    Crucify Him!!!

    --
    1. Re:Jebusbot by PetWolverine · · Score: 3, Funny

      Actually, if you RTFA, while the bot has been seen walking on water, it has not yet been conclusively demonstrated to be a religious figure among other robots. Therefore a crucifixion would at this point be premature, as it would not make the water-walking bot a martyr to solidify and justify the faith of millions of robot minions for millennia to come.

      --
      I found the meaning of life the other day, but I had write-only access.
    2. Re:Jebusbot by 010_digital_100 · · Score: 0

      Sorry, I forgot that the robot must be tempted by Microsoft in the desert for 40 days and proclaim that "linux will inherit the desktop" before they crucify him.

      --
  23. obJesus by DChristensen · · Score: 1

    easy--they just know where the rocks are...

    --

    --
    Mac OS X--Unix without the assholes^Whassles.

    1. Re:obJesus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      your a idiot

    2. Re:obJesus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      That's "You're an idiot"
      Fricking Americans!

  24. Mirror by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    In case the site is slow, here's a mirror to the link in the article.

  25. apes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Apes, apes, apes, apes, apes, apes!

  26. Still Need a Little Help with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Hi, thanks to everyone who took the time to help me get my Redhat installation up and running; your suggestions were right on the money, as always. Slashdotters Rule! ;o)

    Anyways, I've noticed something recently after having used Linux now for about a month; I have this overwhelming desire to hang out with fags, do faggotly things, stick foreign objects in my anus, etc. Is this normal? I woulnd't be asking about this if it weren't for the fact that my rectal bleeding is getting bad and my dog is scared of me now.

    1. Re:Still Need a Little Help with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hi there AC, glad to hear that the install went well.

      About the side effects you mention, its a perfectly normal reaction - I had the same thing happen to me once... so, so long ago now.

      Anyway, I digress - I'd be happy to help you try to sort out these "problems". I have some hardware of my own that I'd like to try out to see if i can't goop up the source of this rectal bleeding.

      If you need any more news, just mail me at mrpresident@whitehouse.gov

      Much Love!
      xxx
      George W. Bush, aka Seksi Bitchn1z

    2. Re:Still Need a Little Help with Linux by Lxy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I have this overwhelming desire to hang out with fags, do faggotly things, stick foreign objects in my anus, etc. Is this normal?

      Yeah, they fixed this in the 2.6 kernel tree. Try upgrading, you'll feel much better afterwards.

      --

      There is no reasonable defense against an idiot with an agenda
      :wq
    3. Re:Still Need a Little Help with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I BET they fixed the kernel... Always promises of kernel fixes and instead it's just always more damn cocksucking.

    4. Re:Still Need a Little Help with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For everyone who's curious, here's the definition of "cocksucker."

      +5 Informative plz kthx

  27. The real reason why by Catharz · · Score: 5, Funny

    MIT is number one in engineering.

    Robostrider is made out of a 7-Up can, stainless steel wire legs and an elastic band coupled to a pulley to power its middle legs.

    Too much 7-Up and not enough beer being consumed for it to be a fair contest. They should increase their beer consumption to that of other colleges and level the playing field.

    --
    To know that you know what you know, and that you do not know what you do not know, that is true wisdom. --Scooby Doo
    1. Re:The real reason why by mizhi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      MIT is an incubator of two things: bright engineers and alcoholics.

      --
      Humorless sig goes here.
  28. Troll, troll, troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    troll troll troll

  29. I for one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    welcome our new MIT overlords. or is it water strider? What was the topic? Ooh a shiney!

    *wanders away*

  30. very pc of them by jmarkantes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can't upset the censors.

    J

    1. Re:very pc of them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      is stridersex.com available? act now!

    2. Re:very pc of them by nEoN+nOoDlE · · Score: 1

      notice that they also barred out the eyes... now I can't positively identify which of my waterstrider cousins is in the photo.

      --
      Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
  31. In 5 Easy Steps: by Hal+The+Computer · · Score: 3, Funny

    HALtheComputer's 5 step alchemy course for the twenty-first century

    Step 1. Take a beaker full of wine.
    Step 2. When no one is looking dump the beaker out and refill it with wine. (to obtain this "no one looking" state I suggest an elaborate ruse: something along the lines of, "Look, whats that over there?")
    Step 3. Incorporate
    Step 4. Go Public
    Step 5. PROFIT !!!

    P.S. If you plan on submitting this plan to a venture capitalist you could at least spell check it first. I'm far too busy to concern myself with mundane things like spelling.

    --

    int main(void){int x=01232;while(malloc(x));return x;}
    1. Re:In 5 Easy Steps: by mlk · · Score: 3, Funny

      Why? you have a beaker full of wine in step one?

      Wine waster. No worse crime could be commited, well, maybe vodka wasting.

      --
      Wow, I should not post when knackered.
    2. Re:In 5 Easy Steps: by Hal+The+Computer · · Score: 1

      Ahh $#$##$, it was supposed to be water. Guess i should have proof read it. ;-)

      --

      int main(void){int x=01232;while(malloc(x));return x;}
  32. Oh yeah? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sure, MIT and Jebus have mastered the art of walking on water, but only /. can turn back time

  33. You make a good point, namely by dh003i · · Score: -1, Troll

    how the fuck is MIT making a robo-strider going to help anyone?

    --
    social sciences can never use experience to verify their statemen
    1. Re:You make a good point, namely by SoupIsGoodFood_42 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      How the fuck is splitting an atom going to help anyone?

      You see, science is not about only making big breakthoughs on things in you direct field of interest. A lot of it is small discoveries, that are used down the road in ways that people didn't think of when they made the discovery.

    2. Re:You make a good point, namely by Fly · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm sure no one could possibly know yet. How is grinding little pieces of glass to play with light and images going to help anyone? (He writes while wearing corrective lenses.)

      --
      end of line
    3. Re:You make a good point, namely by marko123 · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...small discoveries, that are used down the road in ways that people didn't think of...

      Excellent point. Sex toys and porn were not on the minds of the engineers when they were developing their respective techn...

      Awwr, who the hell am I trying to kid?

      --
      http://pcblues.com - Digits and Wood
    4. Re:You make a good point, namely by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Perhaps the atom is infinitely divisible. A problem better left to theorectical speculation than experimentation.

    5. Re:You make a good point, namely by I+Want+GNU! · · Score: 1
      How the fuck is splitting an atom going to help anyone?
      Well, nuclear fission, which involves splitting uranium atoms, generates massive amounts of cheap electricity in nuclear power plants. Downsides of this are that nuclear energy are not sustainable, waste disposal can be a pain, and badly run plants can lead to accidents. But, I think that nuclear power plants have surely helped economies of several industrialized nations in the past.
    6. Re:You make a good point, namely by leifm · · Score: 1

      That's exactly what someone was thinking when the multi angle feature of DVD was designed.

      --

      "Windows Me offers tremendous reliability and stability improvements..." -- Paul Thurott
  34. Sloppy video by bareminimum · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Could the video be any less clear than that? Sounds like a set-up, kinda reminds me of these two guys walking on the moon.

  35. Better name by jesler · · Score: 0

    Robostrider? I would've called it the JesusBot, or Jebot for short.

  36. WTF??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Why was this modded as Flamebait???

    I am a confused young man who needs answers about Linux and my sexual orientation, and every which way I turn, I am being greeted by silence and cold stares.

  37. I wonder ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    If it can walk on water - does it run on linux?

    1. Re:I wonder ... by gnu-sucks · · Score: 1

      No, but it does run NetBSD

  38. Jeebus! by Squidgee · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Holy crap! They made jeebus?!

  39. correction.. by linuxislandsucks · · Score: 2, Informative

    The actual measure of the number one school engineering is the school with the highest number of graduates as actual astronauts serving with NASA..

    That record past and present is held by Purdue University...

    --
    Don't Tread on OpenSource
    1. Re:correction.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And that of course has nothing to do with the fact that they have an aviation program.

    2. Re:correction.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Err, you might want to check you facts. I think MIT put out 31 astronauts, more than Purdue's 20?

      Then again the article is from June 2001.

      MIT Astronauts

    3. Re:correction.. by cybermace5 · · Score: 4, Funny

      You do realize that the space program started with unmanned craft, then insects, perhaps mice, then on to monkeys, and then Purdue graduates....

      --
      ...
    4. Re:correction.. by Dynedain · · Score: 1

      No, the university with the number one engineering school is the one that has the inventor of the digital interface for microwaves, blenders, etc as its president.

      I'll leave it as an excersise for the reader to figure it out.

      --
      I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
  40. Why does it even matter? by HanzoSan · · Score: 1



    How does this help us built better boats or water based technologies?

    --
    If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
    1. Re:Why does it even matter? by Fly · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's much to early to tell how this will help us build better boats or water based technologies. If we already knew how to apply the technology, we wouldn't be researching to understand the science of what makes it work.

      --
      end of line
    2. Re:Why does it even matter? by HanzoSan · · Score: 1



      IT said they found out how it works and applied it in experiments

      --
      If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
    3. Re:Why does it even matter? by Fly · · Score: 1

      So you agree with me? They're just figuring out how it works and how to reproduce it. Now that it's something we are beginning to understand, it is a tool that can be used when solving other problems, both theoretical and practical.

      --
      end of line
    4. Re:Why does it even matter? by mskfisher · · Score: 1

      "
      IT"?

      What the heck was that, Ctrl+M-I-T?

      --
      0x0D 0x0A
    5. Re:Why does it even matter? by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It doesn't matter, I'd hire this person to the exclusion of his peers at MIT. Why? It's creative, I didn't think about it, and I can use someone whose brain works like that.

      I can hire coders & designers easily. They're a dime a dozen. I can hire GOOD -> excellent coders or designers more difficultly by talking to friends of friends etc, but they exist and are plentiful enough. To hire someone that will build a rediculous thing that no one has really seen before, carry that design through to completion, and make headlines...that person I'd pay a lot of money to. He'll make me filthy rich if I'm nice to him.

    6. Re:Why does it even matter? by AntiOrganic · · Score: 2, Funny

      I don't know about water boats, but knowing MIT students you'll probably see these things floating in a few water bongs.

    7. Re:Why does it even matter? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      "difficultly"

      "rediculous"

      And you're allowed to hire people?

    8. Re:Why does it even matter? by tchristney · · Score: 1

      We've already applied this technology - they're called oars. The key differnce is that the water strider has almost zero displacement, hence is able generate a large velocity compared to a displacement hull.

  41. I for one ... by Hal+The+Computer · · Score: 1

    Welcome our telepathic and precognitive overlords who can forsee when we are about to make a joke about


    Wait, I can't post that, must resist the urge to ...

    ^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^H^H ^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^ H^H^H ^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^H^ H^H^H^H^H^H

    Oh fine I'll post something on topic:

    You too can actually learn from the Brisbane Insects and Spiders Home Page

    --

    int main(void){int x=01232;while(malloc(x));return x;}
    1. Re:I for one ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      STOP USING THE DAMN CTRL-Hs.^UPlease use CTRL-U instead.

  42. Kathleen Fent, whore/slut, dead at 12 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll


    I just heard some sad news on TV - Famous whore and slut Kathleen Fent was found dead in her Michigan home this
    morning. There weren't any more details, other than the theory that she choked on CmdrTaco's one-and-only pubic
    hair. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss her - even if you didn't enjoy her teethy blowjobs,
    there's no denying her contributions to our cocks. Truly an American icon.

  43. I bet it walks on Charles river by meshko · · Score: 4, Funny

    Charles river (the river that MIT stands on) is always covered by a film of oil which is approximately one inch thick. You don't have to be a freaking rocket scientist to build a robot which walks on *that*.

    --
    I passed the Turing test.
    1. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by mindstrm · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Cool. Go build one. Scientific fame awaits you.

      The problem is not floating, the problem is walking... propulsion....

    2. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by rtv · · Score: 1

      Hmmm. The oil is on top because it's less dense and therefore probably more difficult to walk on than the water.

      Yes I know the parent is a gag, but this is pedant^d^d^d^d^dslashdot.org after all.

    3. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      More difficult? Not if you create a device that floats on water but sags in oil.

    4. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not true.

    5. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by misterpies · · Score: 1


      Aside from the fact that that's completely untrue (ask all the folk who sail and row on the Charles -- as I have done), it would be much harder to "walk on oil" than water. Water striders are kept afloat by surface tension, and oil, especially light oils that float on water, has much lower surface tension than water.

      But in any case, all MIT students need to is wait until February when the Charles generally freezes over. Shouldn't be hard to walk over that.

      --
      The author of this post asserts his moral rights.
    6. Re:I bet it walks on Charles river by TheLink · · Score: 1

      Why? Say you're a lightweight creature on a rubberlike super-slippery surface, the way you'd push yourself forward is to push diagonally backwards AND downwards at an optimal angle. With experience you'd figure out what stroke is optimal for what situation.

      I'm actually not too sure about the vortices being a critical part of the propulsion method, they may just be a result of the propulsion method.

      --
  44. won't scale by lplatypus · · Score: 0

    *sigh* unfortunately this water-walking technology only works for an insect-sized robot, right? How cool would it be if the surface tension of water was that strong for human-sized creatures!

  45. will scale, somewhat by rebelcool · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The scale of water bugs goes from .5" to 10", its more of a function of keeping the surface area of the 'legs' in proportion with the weight and balance of the rest of the body.

    --

    -

    1. Re:will scale, somewhat by Vaughn+Anderson · · Score: 1
      its more of a function of keeping the surface area of the 'legs' in proportion with the weight and balance of the rest of the body.

      So if I wanted to design a water bug that could hold 15 people, a few coolers full of beer, a stereo system and a 90 hp outboard motor, then my bug would roughly have the displacement of a patoon boat...

      Why not just make a boat?

  46. ALSO #1 IN UGLY GUYS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    (AND GIRLS)

    MIT, where everyone is UMOC.

  47. I don't care who your father is... by bstadil · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do not walk where I am fishing.

    --
    Help fight continental drift.
  48. 3-link Swimmer by frantzdb · · Score: 2, Informative

    Just to save everyone the trouble, the third robot the fluids lab appears to be working on is a 3-segment swimmer.

  49. Great Idea! by BurKaZoiD · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    With cool stuff like this, it's no wonder MIT is number one in engineering.

    Number one compared to what?

    Maybe it's because they're in bed with Microsoft that makes them so smart?

    --


    Spread the RC luvin'
    1. Re:Great Idea! by AntiOrganic · · Score: 1

      Apparently you don't recall this MIT hack.

  50. Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by grinchmaster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    On the linked page http://www-math.mit.edu/%7Edhu/Striderweb/striderw eb.html Someone has blotted out the intimate details of the waterstriders mating ritual. Is he seriously worried about offending someone, or is he worried about hosting a porn site? Who says political correctness has gone wrong... This is just pathetic.

    1. Re:Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah it is pathetic. Having said that, does anyone have the undoctored version, and if so could they email them to me at insex@hotmail.com?

      Please.

    2. Re:Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Heh, I dunno why you got modded down dude, but I gotta give you props for that one!

    3. Re:Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by RebelWithoutAClue · · Score: 3, Informative

      This guy _might_ have been trying to make a point about censorship in the world, or maybe just trying to crack a joke ? :)

      --
      "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results" - Winston Churchill
    4. Re:Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Note he also protected the anonymity of the insects by blacking out their faces.

      It's a joke!

    5. Re:Censored photos of waterstrider sex? by kanotspell · · Score: 1

      loosen the tie buddy, it's a JOKE* *joke n. 1. Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line. 2. A mischievous trick; a prank. 3. An amusing or ludicrous incident or situation. 4. Informal. 1. Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality: The accident was no joke. 2. An object of amusement or laughter; a laughingstock: His loud tie was the joke of the office. v. joked, joking, jokes v. intr. 1. To tell or play jokes; jest. 2. To speak in fun; be facetious.

  51. Next by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait


    They will figure out a way to put their penis into a vagina. lol as if.

  52. Jesus Christ! by Brian+Dennehy · · Score: 0

    Next thing you know, thousands will flock to get a glimpse of the holy robot.

  53. hahaha... by smash · · Score: 1
    Chan designed and built a mechanical water strider. Robostrider is made out of a 7-Up can, stainless steel wire legs and an elastic band coupled to a pulley to power its middle legs. Light enough not to break through the water surface, it travels half a body length per stroke. Like its natural counterpart, Robostrider's principal means of transferring momentum is in the form of vortices shed by the rowing action.
    Can anyone say "Macguyver?" :D

    smash.

    --
    I run: Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD. Just because you have a hammer, doesn't mean everything is a nail.
    1. Re:hahaha... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Can anyone say "Macguyver?"

      Ok, I'll try:
      macgyu ...
      macguv ...
      magc ... FAGGOT!

  54. Creepy... by MoeMoe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Robostrider is made out of a 7-Up can, stainless steel wire legs and an elastic band coupled to a pulley to power its middle legs.

    I'm not sure what would bother me more to see upclose in the pool, a Vietnamese Water Strider, or a 7-Up can with legs...

    --
    Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
    A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
  55. You've apparently never been anywhere NEAR MIT by j.e.hahn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    MIT students are FAMOUS for their excesses. Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, you name it. So don't kid yourself. Most MIT kids are getting way more than their RDA of beer and liquor.

    I've met MIT frat boys (yes, MIT has real frats, and real frat parties.) whose frats had "drug budgets" and an officer of Drug Procurement. I've been asked to leave frat parties because they didn't want me competing for the girls I came with.

    MIT kids are not dorky and innocent. Anyone who thinks so is in for a surprise.

    1. Re:You've apparently never been anywhere NEAR MIT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And anyone who thinks j.e.hahn has a sense of humor is in for a surprise too.

    2. Re:You've apparently never been anywhere NEAR MIT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Ha, I might even have been the guy who bounced you. (Maybe 6-7 years back? oh well, sorry for the offense)

      For what its worth, the reason that non-MIT guys would get bounced was usually not because we didn't want competition- hell, we would often get enough girls that we would call other houses to bring guys over so that the chicks wouldn't get bored and leave early. No, the reason random guys got kicked out was because they were the ones most likely to start fights and steal shit. My frat almost lost its house over such an incident.

      Also, the scene became a lot more low key after '97 when a pledge (at another house) drank himself to death. (In other words, if you saw things recently and thought they were excessive, all I can say is that you really didn't see _anything_ compared to how it used to be.

      oh well, enough of my OT reminiscing.

      Bryan

    3. Re:You've apparently never been anywhere NEAR MIT by grazzy · · Score: 0

      if they need to ask people to leave to have a chance for the girls i'll say they're quite dorky.

    4. Re:You've apparently never been anywhere NEAR MIT by tgd · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sex? I've worked right in the middle of MIT, and didn't even know that! Why the hell didn't someone tell me that when I was single!?!?

  56. what's the research about again? by jonbrewer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    several people who thing that MIT's direction in AI has gone seriously awry

    What does this have to do with AI?

    The research reported on is primarily about fluid dynamics. Robostrider is a catchy thing they've created to bring attention to the important findings. In fact, seeing as the strider is powered by a rubber band, not only does it not have anything to do with AI, it has nothing to do with robotics either.

    This doesn't mean it's not wicked cool.

    For more cool (without downloading a video), check out david hu's beautiful strider pics.

  57. Finally! by billyradcliffe · · Score: 3, Funny

    My theory that Jesus was really a robot sent from the future finally has some evidence to back it up!

    1. Re:Finally! by hippiechimp · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I respectfully disagree. I think Jesus had really small feet.

  58. Welcome! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I, for one, welcome our new water walking overlords!

  59. Only in Bree by FreakerSFX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everywhere else it's known as RoboAragorn.

    --
    This sig contains a manual self-destruct. Kindly please put your foot through your monitor in 8 seconds.
    1. Re:Only in Bree by tangent3 · · Score: 0

      Erm.. in Rivendell he would be known as RoboElessar

  60. Did it walk across the Hudson? by heli0 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    All you would need to do is teach it to hop from tire to rat corpse.

    Is there any reason for a NYC Triathlon when the swim is cancelled EVERY BLOODY YEAR? They haven't been able to swim in the Hudson for three years, just MOVE THE BLOODY RACE YOU WANKERS!

    --
    Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way...
  61. So does this anonymous reader work at AOL? by petabyte · · Score: 1

    "With cool stuff like this, it's no wonder MIT is number one in engineering."

    Am I the only one that got a major AOL vibe there? Too many ... three letter acronyms ... I can't do that Dave ...

    1. Re:So does this anonymous reader work at AOL? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well apparently building robostriders is as Easy as Dell but MIT forgot to mention that. :)

      Ah, I crack myself up ...

  62. Sorry, but I have to say it.... by magores · · Score: 1

    Damn, I love topics like this!

    Actual people giving real comments on a geek topic. THIS is why I signed up here in the first place.

    SCO posts are okay during lunch and from 2am-bedtime, but stuff like this is why I come here the other 22 hours a day.

  63. Pete...re-peat by Teahouse · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Didn't they post this story about 2 weeks ago?

    --
    "Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect."- Steven Wright
    1. Re:Pete...re-peat by AntiOrganic · · Score: 1

      Wait, so who was left?

  64. In other news... by nacturation · · Score: 4, Funny

    Researchers at MIT have solved the mystery of how teenage boys satisfy themselves several times daily and in the process have created a robot called Robostroker that mimics the behavior.

    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  65. thank god... by kaan · · Score: 1

    I thought you were going to say "yes, but can it run linux?"...

  66. MIT #1 my ass by superpulpsicle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I can count more unemployed MIT grads in today's economy than hair on my head. No, I am not bald.

    It's articles like this pointing MIT #1 that forces so many employers to fear hiring these engineers nowadays. They are so smart that if they innovate something... they are considered a waste.

  67. obFuturama by LittleBigLui · · Score: 1

    [Cut to: Lodgatorium Comfort Dome Inn: Ballroom B. The Jewbots dance around the bot-mitvah bot and Fry gets some food from the buffet.]

    Fry: So what's the deal? You guys don't believe in Robot Jesus?

    Robot #2: We believe he was built and that he was a very well programmed robot but he wasn't our Messiah.

    --
    Free as in mason.
  68. Obiligatory... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords!

  69. What mystery? by gerardrj · · Score: 1

    "Researchers at MIT have solved the mystery of how water striders propel themselves across water surfaces..."

    Umm, I learned this in 6th grade. It's a simple matter of surface tension and surface area. This was the same day I learned about the meniscus formed when you fill a glass to the brim with water.

    --
    Article X: The powers not delegated... by the Constitution...are reserved...to the people
    1. Re:What mystery? by mizhi · · Score: 1

      No, the problem solved was not how water striders stay on top of the water. It was how they make themselves go forward.

      --
      Humorless sig goes here.
  70. I think you missed my point. by SoupIsGoodFood_42 · · Score: 1
    I'm not commenting on how good nuclar energy is. In fact I'm not the biggest fan of it myself. And more has come from atomic research that just nuclear energy and weapons.

    When Rutherford split the atom, he said that the amount of energy that you'd get out of it would be so little, that it wouldn't be worth it. Plus I don't think the idea of X-ray machines popped into his head straight after he split it either.
    Both X-rays and nuclear energy came after, by differnt people. At the time the atom was split, it probably didn't mean much to anyone, there were no immediate benifits, some people probably saw it as pointless research.

  71. Hmm by chrome · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our new robotic overlords!

  72. as usual... by zr-rifle · · Score: 1

    .. free software's way ahead.

    Richard Stallman did that ages ago...

    --
    Hack your mind out of its sandbox.
  73. Well darn by Our+Man+In+Redmond · · Score: 1

    I was going to post an entry about "Jesus feet," big blocks of Styrofoam you can use to walk on water, but I can't find them on the Web. All the references to "Jesus feet" on Google seem to have some sort of religious slant to them.

    --
    Someone you trust is one of us.
    1. Re:Well darn by oojah · · Score: 0

      All the references to "Jesus feet" on Google seem to have some sort of religious slant to them.

      Funny that... :)

      Cheers,

      Roger

      --
      Do you have any better hostages?
  74. No but... by veg_all · · Score: 1

    You can overclock the little fucker to account for lesser surface tension and it'll walk across a vodka martini.

    --
    grammar-lesson free since 1999. (rescinded - 2005)
  75. Sure it runs on water... by sryx · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    But will it run on Linux!?
    -Jason

  76. MIT Team by Lost+Penguin · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    We can bet the team that can walk on water does NOT work for SCO.
    Does the robot run Linux.
    SCO embrace, extend, extort.

    --
    I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
  77. Wading robot by Lost+Penguin · · Score: -1, Troll

    Can it wade through what comes out of D. McBrides mouth?

    --
    I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
  78. Made In Taiwan by GomezAdams · · Score: 1

    MIT still Rules. I'd like to have an SUV sized one please to replace the aging swamp buggy here in the Everglades. Make the walking pads gator proof and the cabin skeeter proof. I'd like one in Rustoleum Primer and with a gun rack in the back of the cabin,

    --
    Too lazy to create a sig...
    1. Re:Made In Taiwan by MImeKillEr · · Score: 1

      I'd like one too, but include some 33" Mickey Thompson tires and a Gatlin gun from an A10 Tank Killer. That way I can take it on the road as well and use the gun as an aid in lane selection on my way to work.

      --
      Cruising the internet on my TI-99/4A @ a whopping 300 baud!
  79. number one huh?... by KiDas · · Score: 1

    "Chan designed and built a mechanical water strider. Robostrider is made out of a 7-Up can, stainless steel wire legs and an elastic band coupled to a pulley to power its middle legs."

    It's amazing the parts they get to work with at these prestigous, expensive, high-tech universities! ;)

    --

    A distinctive mark, characteristic, or sound indicating identity
  80. Our stair-climbing water-crossing Dalek masters by Channard · · Score: 0

    With this and the stair climbing robot mentioned on Slashdot a while back there, if the Daleks get their hands on the technology nowhere will be safe from them. Stairs, islands, there will be no escape. We're well and truly up the creek.

  81. Dear MIT, please consider the following projects by mabu · · Score: 3, Funny

    * Playah Robot

    This automaton goes out to the clubs and picks up women and brings them back to your place. The Playah Robot never complains about getting stuck with the fat chick.

    * Voicemail Robot

    This robot will save you from wasting time in voicemail hell with your local utility company, diligently pressing 1 for English, 7 for other, 3 for other, and 0 to speak to a human, and after an hour and a half will notify you that a human has answered the phone and is ready to speak to you.

    * Alibi Robot

    This robot corroborates your story to your girlfriend that you were busy studying last Saturday night.

    * Beer Run Robot

    With alternate "Mountain Dew" plugin available.

  82. number one in engineering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    With cool stuff like this, it's no wonder MIT is number one in engineering.

    Oh yes, and with a sentence like this it's no wonder the anonymous reader is at MIT (unless he has an incredible sense of humour)

    1. Re:number one in engineering by BigBadBri · · Score: 0
      Follow the link - it's officially No. 1 in America.

      This is the country where they can't even engineer cars to go round corners, so being number one isn't much of a challenge ;-/.

      --
      oh brave new world, that has such people in it!
  83. Where have I heard that before? by Spunk · · Score: 1

    With cool stuff like this, it's no wonder MIT is number one in engineering.

    Now that sounds awfully familiar... So Easy To Use, No Wonder It's Number One

  84. Arise, ye sons of M. I. T.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    ...in loyal brotherhood;
    The future beckons unto thee
    And life is full and good!
    Arise, and raise your steins on high
    Tonight shall ever be
    A mem'ry that shall never die
    Ye sons of M. I. T.!

    One more, thy sons, O M. I. T.
    Return from far and wide
    And gather here once more to be
    Renourished by thy side;
    And as we raise our steins on high
    To pledge our loyalty,
    We join thy sons of days gone by
    In praise of M. I. T.!

  85. This proves it. by haa...jesus+christ · · Score: 0

    Jesus was...

    a ROBOT!

    (and he built my hotrod)

  86. HAHAHAHA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Did you just suggest that I *pay* money, to fix *their* site?

    a) if I'm doing the work, I better be receiving money, not spending it

    b) this is the internet, where everything is free

  87. same guy who did robosnail by Giant+Killer · · Score: 1

    believe it or not, but robostrider was brian chan's undergrad thesis. he is now working on robosnail, and was recently featured on cnn. it now looks like they took the article down, but his personal website with all that stuff is here.his personal research info, not linked off his main page, is here.

    oh yeah, he was my roommate when he was working on the robostrider. brian is fascinated by insects and such. we had a foot long 3/4" diameter millipede as a pet. one day it got loose.

    he also forges traditional japanese swords. one day he came back from doing poorly on a test, and embedded it it 2 feet in the wall. luckily, no one was on the other side at the time.

    1. Re:same guy who did robosnail by fugu · · Score: 1

      I thought he put the sword in the wall after he realized he missed the date for the grad housing lottery? ;)

  88. Gecko robots by jdfox · · Score: 2, Informative

    And yet they haven't made a robot that can walk up walls like a gecko.

    No, MIT haven't made a wall-walking gecko-robot yet, but Berkeley have, and so have DARPA.

  89. Ob. Simpsons quote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I, for one, eagerly await our new robot deities. As long as they don't short out.

  90. Jesus! by Pvt_Waldo · · Score: 1

    What next?

  91. FLASH! MIT center of the universe! by jbottero · · Score: 1

    Yup, those smart guys at MIT! Just discovered SURFACE TENSION! Amazing, simply amazing! Why, the boneheads at all the other schools must be beating their heads on the wall in envy!

  92. Mystery solved by MIT researchers? by rulethirty · · Score: 1

    Researchers at MIT have solved the mystery of how water striders propel themselves across water surfaces I have an old Biology book (1994) that explains why water striders are able to stay afloat on top of the water (due to the interaction amoungst water molecules - van der Walls forces) as well as how they can move along the surface. I think the author should have been a little more careful in his wording of this article.

    1. Re:Mystery solved by MIT researchers? by Zeriel · · Score: 1

      The earlier article made note that the MIT research disproved the old theory, which was sketchy anyway--apparently, under the old theory, there was no explanation for how baby water striders could move as fast as their parents.

      --
      "America has done some terrible things. But I know that Americans don't cheer when innocents die." -Dave Barry
    2. Re:Mystery solved by MIT researchers? by rulethirty · · Score: 1

      You're right, just discovered it's actually "subsurface vortices" and not what was previously the school of thought. :oP

  93. Best in *USA* perhaps... by avennis · · Score: 1

    A Canadian ranking. Are there any that pit the two countries universities against each other?

    --
    "Fast, Cheap, Good. Pick two."
    1. Re:Best in *USA* perhaps... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      oh thats cute - look at the little americans trying to showing off their college to the real americans - don't worry little canada we know your there - we won't forget you, you egg shaped head commedians.

  94. Did he really censor a pic of copulating insects?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...If that's the case and not meant as a joke, then this PC business is getting out of hand!!

    I'm referring to:

    http://www-math.mit.edu/%7Edhu/Striderweb/mating .j pg ..on the page of water strider pics...

  95. good point by dh003i · · Score: 1

    but still, to give such a high honor to such a useless invention is silly.

    PS: How is splitting an atom going to help anyone? I don't know, maybe has something to do with nuclear power.

    --
    social sciences can never use experience to verify their statemen
    1. Re:good point by SoupIsGoodFood_42 · · Score: 1

      Please see this post.

  96. The end times are near by nitpick1 · · Score: 1

    And the nuber of the Beast was 01010101

  97. Problem with USN&WR's "diversity" stats by jeremycec · · Score: 1
    According to Webster's: "minority: ...the smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole."

    Yet, the US News & World Report ranking of colleges shows statistics in which "minorities" comprise more than 50% of the student population.

    It seems to me, a group is not a "minority" if it constitutes 98-99% of the population at an institution (especially in the case of the historically black colleges).

    I also enjoyed the page listing the schools with 100% acceptance rates. Woohoo! Just sign and enter!

    1. Re:Problem with USN&WR's "diversity" stats by flooey · · Score: 1

      According to Webster's: "minority: ...the smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole."

      Yet, the US News & World Report ranking of colleges shows statistics in which "minorities" comprise more than 50% of the student population.

      It seems to me, a group is not a "minority" if it constitutes 98-99% of the population at an institution (especially in the case of the historically black colleges).

      The minority being referred to in those articles would be the portion of the US population as a whole (which was 75.1% white in 2000 according to the US Census Bureau). So an institution with 99% minorities would mean 99% of the students belong to the "not white" ethnic group, which is a country-wide minority.

      Of course, that link also shows the US as 50.9% female, leaving /. with, more than likely, a heavily minority membership!

  98. MOD PARENT REDUNDANT by Darth+Fredd · · Score: 1

    There's 2 or 3 earlier comments saying "its so simple"!

    Remember, it's not the fact they can "float" due to surface tension..

    ITS HOW THEY FRICKEN MOVE!!!

    (oh, and I "learned this" in 3rd grade. So ha.)

    --
    "The most looniest, zaniest, spontaneous, sporadic Impulsive thinker, compulsive drinker, addict"
  99. Professor Bush!?! by secondsun · · Score: 1

    Professor Bush?! Sit it is too early to stumble across those two words together.

    --
    There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.