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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."

6 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No, we wouldn't want a robot that could squeeze through rubble to find survivors of a building collapse. No sirree.

  2. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by qwijibo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The way the request is written, there could be some non-killing applications for these kinds of robots. Search and rescue operations frequently require getting into small spaces to find out what's going on. Collecting information from an unaccessible location has many practical applications. If the espionage applications are the ones that will pay for the research, so be it. The majority of research funding goes into finding new and creative ways to eradicate the human race, but this one could also have up sides.

    The timelines are consistent with current project management methodologies - if you have no intention of completing the project, you may as well fail on an aggressive timeline. At least they haven't yet reached the point where the start date is expected to be after the completion date.

  3. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 3, Insightful
    While you're right that that would be an ideal use for such a device, that's not what they're asking for:

    PROGRAM GOALS AND MILESTONES
    The goal of this program is to develop a payload-carrying soft robotics platform that can be used in military operations to access denied territory through small openings and perform functions.
    Sure sounds more like covert ops (sneak in and blow them up) to me.
    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  4. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by jimbolauski · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Lots of money goes towards protecting soldiers, light body armor for example. When the Chinese decide to invade the US I'll be glad we have fancy killing weapons. The best way to protect our soldiers is to eliminate the enemy. It would be nice to think everyone can play together but thats not the case, I would rather have laser guns that collect dust than old m16s that can't penetrate the enemy's new body armor.

    --
    Knowledge = Power
    P= W/t
    t=Money
    Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
  5. Gah by RichMan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Variable, flexible and soft is not liquid.
        - liquid implies no strong bonding between neighboring particals, the particals are free to change their relationships with each other.

    Remote control is not robot.
        - robot is autonomous.

    This was a rant.

  6. Re:Idea management by Blockbuster by cheater512 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Human bridge over the Atlantic.