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Robotic Space Workers of the Future
Roland Piquepaille writes "In an article named "Puckish robots pull together," Nature describes the work done at the Polymorphic Robotics Laboratory (PRL) of the University of Southern California on self-reconfigurable teams of robots. There, Wei-Min Shen and his colleagues simulate the absence of gravity by creating a 2D representation of space by using an 'air-hockey table.' With jets of air flow blowing on the surface, the 30 cm-wide robots, working in pairs, evolve in a frictionless environment, pick elements such as girders to assemble structures like if they were in space. NASA will use these teams of autonomous robots to build space systems like 10 km-long arrays of solar panels and other huge spatial structures. You'll find more details, illustrations and references in this overview."
...welcome our new puckish robot overlords.
For the last time, meatbag^H^H^H^H^H^Hpeople...
Please, do not use the "R-word".
We prefer to be called Electronic-Americans.
Thank you.
end transmission.
Hmm, I just hope the robots don't stop working after they let 7 goals get by them.
But Maaa! Everyone else has a
So these robots are small pieces that come together on their own in order to form larger structures?
I have a feeling the Asgard are going to be rather pissed at us...
Maybe these scientists know more than I do...
You bet.
Smells like a troll to me.
Ludites reading /. now. What is this world coming to?
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
What happened to that pesky 3rd dimension? Y'know, it tends to complicate interactions just slightly. Not to mention air resistance, air currents, and the possibility of friction if/when the pucks come too close to the surface. Sounds like a half-baked idea to screw around with robots and leftover air hockey tables.
The unit is supposed to have been inspired by the lightsaber practice droid in star wars but it smacks more of "Bit" from tron to me... floating over the shoulder and offering advice. Now if only they can make it pulse all spiky like that, it can poke out someone's eye, too.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
"I am bender. Please insert girder."
"the girder is complete. what is this "spiral" word in your query?"
I guess its time to start slaughtering and killing about 6 billion useless people so we have space for these robots. Don't you agree?
Excellent idea! We shall start the slaughter immediately. You first, since you're the one who proposed it we're sure you won't have any objections to being killed. Come along now...
Global warming - I don't care whether...
Were talking about experimental robots that float around on an air-hockey table. Somehow, this guy manages to end up ranting about "global warming."
Isn't it about time for you enviro-spaz activist types to take your hysteria elsewhere? Go find a political or environmental site and rant there.
Thanks.
Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
what the hell is the average human useful for?
As an energy source of course.