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Phase-Changing Material Created For Robots

Posted by samzenpus on from the bend-it-shape-it dept.

rtoz writes In the movie Terminator 2, the shape-shifting T-1000 robot morphs into a liquid state to squeeze through tight spaces or to repair itself when harmed. Now a phase-changing material built from wax and foam, and capable of switching between hard and soft states, could allow even low-cost robots to perform the same feat. The material developed by MIT researchers could be used to build deformable surgical robots. The robots could move through the body to reach a particular point without damaging any of the organs or vessels along the way. The Robots built from this material could also be used in search-and-rescue operations to squeeze through rubble looking for survivors.

4 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. LOL ... by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Funny

    and capable of switching between hard and soft states

    Or, as penis implants for old men. ;-)

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:LOL ... by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Of the suggestion uses, this one stands out the most.

  2. You know... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just because it was cool in the movie doesn't mean we have to build one.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  3. Re:um... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think you meant publication and grant-whoring for a professor.

    "... developed by [Professor] Anette Hosoi... and her former graduate student Nadia Cheng, alongside researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization and Stony Brook University... working with robotics company Boston Dynamics..."

    oh, shit, Anette is a female name. of course i didn't mean grant-whoring, i meant... uh... grant-solicitation? oh, no, wait, that isn't any better. hmm.