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DARPA Planning Liquid Robots

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the where-is-sarah-conner dept.

moon_monkey writes "According to New Scientist, Darpa is soliciting proposals for so-called Chemical Robots (ChemBots) that would be soft, flexible and could manoeuvre through openings smaller than their static structural dimensions. They suggest that it could be made from shape-memory materials, electro- or magneto-rheological materials or even folding components."

5 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Artificial muscle required by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Informative

    The small creatures discussed can only get through places where their bone structure allows.
    Its inpractical for a mouse to get through somewhere that involves breaking its own bones (unless a mouse is chasing it!).
    Make boney robots with flubber muscles and batteries and you are onto a winner.
    No flex required in the skeleton.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:Artificial muscle required by amRadioHed · · Score: 2, Informative

      I believe DNA is the preferred programming language. But be warned the amoeba specs are more complicated than C++, they have the largest known genome of any creature.

      --
      We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
  2. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by peragrin · · Score: 4, Informative

    you do realise the entire internet was designed as a hardened system to help communication in face of a massive nuclear strike.

    What starts with an expensive cold military purpose becomes a tool for every day use.

    There are very few things the military does that won't have practical everyday applications in 20 years.

    --
    i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
  3. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by falcon5768 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not true, see here Amazon.com: Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins Of The Internet: Books: Katie Hafner While it was soon found that it would be useless in a nuclear attack, comments saying that it wasnt intended for use in one are revisionist history, even the budget allocations show, ARPANET was meant to be created to survive a nuclear attack.

    --

    "Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."

  4. A Fundamental Problem with Robotics by LifesABeach · · Score: 2, Informative

    The designs for Robots of various types, and uses have been around for years. Hollywood is by no means a bastion of creativity. But the main problem that seems to be overlooked by most Wanna-Be Robot Inventors is the POWER SUPPLY. I would think that the DARPA folks would first want do some fundamental research, and solve the problem that is the choke point for all Robotics projects.