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Robots Assimilate Into Cockroach Society

Posted by Zonk on from the good-to-see-the-robots-making-new-friends dept.

sufijazz writes "Scientists have gotten tiny robots to not only integrate into cockroach society but also control it. 'This experiment in bug peer pressure combined entomology, robotics and the study of ways that complex and even intelligent patterns can arise from simple behavior. Animal behavior research shows that swarms working together can prosper where individuals might fail, and robotics researchers have been experimenting with simple robots that, together, act a little like a swarm.' The BBC also has a video story on this."

3 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Pied Piper anyone? by cp.tar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wonder, if robots can actually control swarms, could we perhaps make them lead the swarms not to world domination, but to some sort of... mishap?

    There's gotta be some way to get rid of them.

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  2. So... by Kjella · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...does this mean that the robots have passed the Turing test for cockroaches? I guess probably not yet, but if we can create robots that can act like the real thing - well that's pretty much the definition of it isn't it?

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    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  3. Re:Let's get this out of the way. by Dusty101 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If we can now, indirectly control them, shouldn't read:

    "I, for one, welcome our new insect minions"?