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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."

31 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Wait, so... by jcr · · Score: 4, Funny

    They sent robots to Hollywood?

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  2. My experience by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is that people in academia that work on robotics are much like cockroaches.

  3. Hey!! We are *NOT* a cockroach society! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I resent that you characterize our society as "cockroach". Geez, just because the robots were able to assimilate and blend in --I mean, it really did look exactly like Cindy Margolis-- how were we supposed to know that she was a robot!

    And besides, the article says ... actually, I haven't read the article yet ... hang on, let me read this ... oh, umm ...

    Er, never mind.

  4. No, not overlords by TheMeuge · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am not going to go to the obligatory "robotic overlords" reference, except to note that in human society, a determined and united groups of individuals have caused masses of people to perform actions that contradict their instincts, common sense, or any boundaries and taboos set by their parent societies.

    One conclusion one can draw from this study, coupled with historical precedent in human societies, is that animals come evolutionary pre-programmed to join groups and be subjugated by the rules of said groups, despite better (or alternate) judgment.

    1. Re:No, not overlords by turing_m · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "...is that animals come evolutionary pre-programmed to join groups"

      Depends on the animal. In social animals, yes. In others (e.g. tigers, bears, moose, spiders), communication will be restricted to mating rituals and that sort of thing. Those methods of communication can of course be mimicked and often are by other species (or sub-species) for their own gain. e.g. orchids and insect mating behavior, moths with "eyes" on their wings etc.

      --
      If I have seen further it is by stealing the Intellectual Property of giants.
    2. Re:No, not overlords by GaryOlson · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...united groups of individuals have caused masses of people to perform actions that contradict their instincts, common sense...
      Why did I think of the user interface for Microsoft Office 2003 when I read that?
      --
      Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
    3. Re:No, not overlords by jd · · Score: 2, Funny

      Damn, you can't fit lions before tigers and bears because they're social. Gah! Talk about life not imitating art.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    4. Re:No, not overlords by Kingrames · · Score: 3, Funny

      "I am not going to go to the obligatory "robotic overlords" reference"
      Good! I'm sick of that meme.

      I, for one, welcome our new non-obligatory overlord referencing overlords. ...shit.

      --
      If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
  5. So does that mean by evanbd · · Score: 4, Funny

    That when the humans and the robots destroy each other in a nuclear war, it will be up to the cockroaches to continue the battle against the robot cockroaches?

  6. 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.

    --
    Ignore this signature. By order.
    1. Re:Pied Piper anyone? by QuantumG · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yes, that's what the research showed.. the cockroaches will follow the robots 60% of the time. RTFA.

      More interesting, I thought, was that the researchers seemed pissed off when the journalists asked the kind of "how would you apply this?" questions that you just asked.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.
    2. Re:Pied Piper anyone? by timeOday · · Score: 4, Funny

      the cockroaches will follow the robots 60% of the time.
      My cat will follow a ball of yarn 90% of the time.
    3. Re:Pied Piper anyone? by MrNaz · · Score: 2, Funny

      Slashdotters will make up statistics based upon wildly inaccurate supposition and blatantly false assumptions 100% of the time.

      --
      I hate printers.
  7. This... by ale_ryu · · Score: 5, Funny

    May be the only case in which the phrase "it's not a bug, it's a feature!" is not applicable... or is it?

    --
    Check out my blog!
  8. We're not interested in people. by gv250 · · Score: 5, Funny
    From TFA:

    The results also apply only to cockroaches, Dr. Halloy said. "We are not interested in people," he said.
    He programmed his robot to play with his cockroaches, and he is not interested in people. Sounds like a /. reader to me.
  9. but can't you see the tiny robots? by xPsi · · Score: 2, Funny

    Scientists have gotten tiny robots to not only integrate into cockroach society but also control it So I guess (except for the cockroach part) it's a lot like life in the United States
    --
    i\hbar\dot{\psi}=\hat{H}\psi
  10. Cocked Roaches and Buggery!? by davidsyes · · Score: 3, Funny

    So, will they command it to bugger the bugs they bugged? I guess it will bug the shit out of them... real buggery-like...

    Sounds kinda... insectstuous....

    Watch out for mating season. This is the REAL widow-maker. Exoskeleton-crushing sex....from a real sex-bot... I wonder how endowed this bugger is...

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  11. Bender did that kind of thing too... or will do by barwasp · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, the Futurama - news channel has a full coverage of a similar story.

  12. Squishing roaches by CustomDesigned · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do they still qualify as Overlords if I can squish them under my foot like their cockroach cousins? You can squish *lots* of them, but not all of their teeming millions before they eat you alive.
  13. 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?

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  14. Big headline simple bottomline by kyashan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mentioning robots evokes AI, but the key is that those carts are doused with cockroach sex hormones.
    Show me a girl with a miniskirt and over knee stockings and I'll follow her not 60% but 100% of the times.

    --
    "La presi e te la pagai (480.000 Lire)"
  15. Re:Despite the Humorous Overtoans, this is Amazing by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "We need to push this to it's limit. Like mammals for example."

    I worked on a dairy farm for a while that had ~100 cows. At milking time the farmer would swing open the gate and walk off into the milking shed, seeing the open gate the (old) dog would trot out and round up the cows by itself. Often there wasn't much for it to do other than stroll along behind the herd because the cows also knew the drill. Not sure how the cows knew what time it was since none of them were wearing watches but they would often gather near the gate just before 3:00 in the afternoon and wait patiently for it to be opened.

    It's a neat trick with the robots but I can't see them replacing working dogs and cooperative herds of mammals any day soon, especially since 40% of the time the robots followed the roaches behaviour rather than the other way round.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  16. 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"?

  17. Re:Despite the Humorous Overtoans, this is Amazing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They just rounded the cockroaches up, like working dogs round up sheep, just like my radio control car rounds up my dog. We just need to build a big robot to run around hearding whatever we want. If they resist, we can create robots that push and shove.... PAK CHOOIE UNF.

  18. I Am Cockroach of Borg... by morari · · Score: 3, Funny

    Lower your exoskeletons and surrender your motels. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.

    --
    "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
  19. Overheard underneath the stove by StreetStealth · · Score: 5, Funny

    (translated from pheromone language)

    Cockroach A: "I have this theory. About our new leader."

    Cockroach B: "This had better not be another one of your retarded colony conspiracies."

    Cockroach A: "Well... I don't think he's cockroach. In fact, I have reason to believe he's a robot. Put here by highly intelligent beings for some bizarre purpose... Maybe to lead us all to destruction. Maybe as a test. I don't know. But have you seen him? I mean, with your own compound eyes?"

    Cockroach B: "..."

    --
    Your mind is clear / The things that you fear / Will fade with how much you / Believe what you hear
    1. Re:Overheard underneath the stove by 4D6963 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Damn! Where are my mod points when I need them?

      There, someone gave you one, I only hope it was an Offtopic mod point you required ;-)

      --
      You just got troll'd!
  20. MOD PARENT UP by LrdDimwit · · Score: 2, Funny

    All the other cockroaches are doing it.

  21. Re:Simple... by binarybum · · Score: 2, Insightful

    umm, no. the first time that happened was when the doll was invented, and it's been going on ever since.

    --
    ôó
  22. Do they have salami in Brussels? by memorycardfull · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I don't see how the experiment described in the NYT story demonstrated anything other than cockroaches prefer dark places that smell like sex. The robots are "doused" with sex hormones. The way the experiment is presented presupposes that the hormones function to identify the robots as cockroaches to the other roaches. The conclusions drawn in the article present the behavior of the roaches in going where the robots are as imitation of peer behavior. The action of the robots is described as leading the others. It seems to me that the roaches' behavior is more simply explained by attraction to the sex hormones on the robots. Seems to me the experiment just proves that some roaches will abandon a dark hiding place for sexytime, but I am not an entomologist. I make sandwiches. I bet you would get very similar results if instead of using sex hormones, you rubbed a slice of salami on the robots. Do they have salami in Brussels? They should try it.

  23. Re:Despite the Humorous Overtoans, this is Amazing by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I've had the dog's job in a milking operation."

    I was hired to spend a month or so hacking down thistles[sic] in the pasture, I was at least two promotions away from the dog's job. :)

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.