Slashdot Mirror
Robotic Nanotech Swarms on Mars... in 2034
Roland Piquepaille writes "NASA is testing a shape-shifting robot called 'TETwalker' for tetrahedral walker, because it looks like a flexible pyramid. It has been tested in the lab and at the McMurdo station in Antarctica to test it under conditions more like those on Mars. Now, it is on the way to be -- really -- miniaturized by using micro- and nano-electro-mechanical systems. These robots will eventually join together to form 'autonomous nanotechnology swarms' (ANTS). When it's done, in about thirty years, these nanotech swarms will 'alter their shape to flow over rocky terrain or to create useful structures like communications antennae and solar sails.' So in 2034, nanotechnology will land on Mars. Read more for other details and references about the TETwalker and the ANTS project."
"NASA's nano-robots get out of control and take over Mars. The robots replicate and build a massive robot army with the intent to come back to Earth and kill us all."
What I wonder is why robots in movies usually feel the need to kill humankind?
I don't know about these ant things... arm them with just a nanoliter of Cyanide, and you've got one Hell of a pack of fire ants.
Will they have the ability to reproduce themselves?
After the initial exploring and scientific investigations - we could have other uses for the nanobots.
It'd be pretty cool if they could spread all over Mars and begin terraforming.
We could have different "species" of nanobots - ones to fix nitrogen, another to break down CO2 into O2, etc etc. Mars would be livable in a couple hundred/thousand years.
"It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves."
God spoke to me.
For those who are curious...e rs/ants.html
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplor
Click and make him feel cool.
They want to send nanotechnology swarms onto another planet in order to burrow into the core and create a vast nanotech brain. The planet will gain self-awareness in a matter of seven years and will decide humanity is its greatest threat, altering the course of its orbit to crash into Earth.
All brought to you by NASA. Thanks, NASA!
...that we're currently experiencing a ROLAND PIQUEPAILLE swarm?
Cheers,
b&
All but God can prove this sentence true.
"NASA scientists were red-faced today when their nanotech swarms crashed and refused to move anywhere. One scientist was heard to mutter something about 'Damn 32-bit time_t'".
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
Here. The page has more details and link to movies.
It is those artificial AI intelligences that I fear the most, I tell ya.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
"We can barely handle environmental damage here. Now you want to send nanotechnology "swarms" onto another planet because... we'll learn a whole lot?!"
You'd rather they unleash them here?
"Derp de derp."
Great, someone went and invented replicators.... we are screwed, SG1 would probably be too busy to save us...
The relevant original links:
Here and Here.
What is the concern with this blog? It's the absolute dearth of original information.
Let's look at the composition of a few recent blog entries, in characters:
Note that most of the "self-written" portions are vapid statements such as "But where is nanotechnology involved in this project?"
So, we have 52% of the text coming from plagiarism, ~ 23% of the text coming from introducing / pointing out links, and ~ %25% of the text coming from saying the obvious. That's the problem with the blog.
The technique used on the site is barely better than the spam search engines that link to (and excerpt from) Wikipedia.
It all goes downhill from first post