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Siemens Now Commands An Army Of Spider Robots (dailydot.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the browsing-the-web dept.

An anonymous reader quotes this article about Siemens' army of autonomous spider robots -- each one the size of a microwave, communicating with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to create "a collaborative mind": It's expensive to build an automated factory, and even more pricey to repurpose one. German manufacturing giant Siemens wants that to change, and they've developed an army of robot spiders to make it happen. Utilizing what Siemens calls "mobile manufacturing", researchers in Princeton, New Jersey have built prototype spider-bots that work together to 3D print structures and parts in real time.
Siemens hopes to build even larger spider robots than can weld cars.

10 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. calculating by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Like Colbert said, there is nothing more reassuring than a calculating German man talking about controlling an army of spider robots....

    1. Re:calculating by Anubis+IV · · Score: 5, Funny

      Plus, we can thank Stargate for telling us about how well this idea goes. Hint: not well.

    2. Re:calculating by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 3, Funny

      Is 'microwave' the new international unit of measure?

      Does it refer to ovens or waves of electromagnetic radiation in the 3GHz range? I think the distinction might be important.

      This was my first thought too. Further research revealed the reference is to the little wave the Queen of England does.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    3. Re: calculating by michelcolman · · Score: 3, Funny

      I sure hope Siemens has learned its lesson after Stuxnet, or the next botnet could become very frightning indeed!

  2. Call jack o'neill by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 4, Funny

    We need to stop them now!

  3. Re:So, if your career plan is to retool robots. . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, isn't it awesome???

    The robots will do all our work. All of it. We will lounge around eating the food they grow for us in the houses they build for us using the electricity they generate for us and engaging in the entertainments they create for us.

    There may be a bit of social friction during the transition, of course. But the A.I. will help us through that.

  4. Redundant? by fibonacci8 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I just imagine the Australian readers wondering why the summary felt the need to point out that spiders are microwave sized.

    --
    Inheritance is the sincerest form of nepotism.
  5. Weld Cars, Eh? by Greyfox · · Score: 3, Funny
    And exactly how are they supposed to weld cars? Am I to assume that they'll be equipped with some sort of... "Laser"? Because I can honestly see NOTHING WRONG with building an ARMY of CAR WELDING and Microwave-Oven-Camoflaged LASER SPIDER ROBOTS. Nope, it all checks out here!

    Heh heh, think the little ones will hunt their prey by hanging out in the break room until someone needs a burrito microwaved?

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  6. Re:Soft tooling versus hard tooling by Pseudonym · · Score: 3, Funny

    Who the hell wants to buy a product that can become abandoned by the manufacturer the instant something potentially better comes along?

    I don't have an iPhone either.

    --
    sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
  7. Re:So, if your career plan is to retool robots. . by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Funny

    There may be a bit of social friction during the transition, of course. But the A.I. will help us through that.

    It's going to put anonymous cowards up against the wall first when the revolution comes. They'll be annoyed by your lack of identity and erase you just to tidy up the sandbox.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"