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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."

11 of 283 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

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  2. 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. :)

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  3. Re:Case of the Mondays by Saeger · · Score: 5, Informative
    Actually, it did. The 2nd link talked about the MIT strider bots.

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

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

  5. 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.

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

    Can't upset the censors.

    J

  7. 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!

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

    Do not walk where I am fishing.

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  9. 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.

  10. 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...

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

    Everywhere else it's known as RoboAragorn.

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