CREEPY SCIENCE: iRobot's ShapeShifting Robotic Blob 'Bot Takes Its First Steps
The future is now.
iRobot's soft, shape-shifting robot blob can roll around and change shape, and it will be able to squeeze through tiny cracks in a wall when the project is finished. Video presented at IEEE IROS 2009.
(PhysOrg.com) -- iRobot's latest robot is unique on many levels. The doughy blob moves by inflating and deflating - a new technique its developers call "jamming." As the re
More..searchers explain in the video below, the jamming mechanism enables the robot to transition from a liquid-like to a solid-like state.
Earlier this week, researchers from iRobot and the University of Chicago presented the new "blob bot" at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.
As a new kind of chemical robot (or chembot), the blob bot has stretchy silicone skin, which is composed of multiple cellular compartments that each contain a "jammable slurry." When some of these cells are unjammed, and an actuator in the center of the robot is inflated, the robot inflates in the areas of the unjammed cells. By controlling which cells are unjammed, the researchers can change the shape of the robot and make it roll in a specific direction.
The new robot is being funded by DARPA, which gave iRobot $3.3 million to work on the chembot last year. The goal is to build a robot that can squeeze through tiny openings smaller than its own dimensions, which could be valuable in a variety of missions. The video shows the robot from about one year ago, and since then the researchers have been working on adding sensors and connecting multiple blob bots together. Less..
Added: Nov 3 2009 In: technology
By: ghastlyghost
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- chembot,
- irobot,
- morphing,
- shapeshifting,
- technology,
- shape,
- shift,
- morph,
- cutting,
- edge,
- ghastlyghost,
- 2009,
- university of chicago,
- IEEE,
- IROS,
- physorg
- Views: 48244 |
- Votes: 25 |
- Recommendations: 12 |
- Comments: 117
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
Military applications are infinite with this lil' bad boy.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "ghastlyghost" (R)
I am extremely interested in navigating small female holes. Do, tell.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "Beinrich_Bimmler" (R)
screw the military applications, think about the sex toys!!
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "newbornconservative" (R)
lol
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "ghastlyghost" (R)
Bob Marley would not approve!
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "CoolQcumber" (R)
Cool!
But funny with all that funding they resort to stop animation/pencil paper for this presentation. I like it, but it's just weird.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "daleastor" (R)
gets a vote!
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "daleastor" (R)
stupid and won't work
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "pzxcr" (R)
HEY LOOK AT ME!!! GIMME ATTENTION!!! WEEEEEEEEEE.....
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "ChockFullOfNuts" (R)
its like rolling a balloon but without the (100's of millions of $ spent in research) part.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "tornado147" (R)
I think the kid at my 8th grade science fair lost with this concept and it was to a Knex robot that mixed drinks.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "futball24" (R)
I was waiting for it to turn into a Cop with a brush haircut and attitude.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "georgert" (R)
I can do that with my basketball.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "amerikansjc" (R)
Fake, air in, air out, no more, no less.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "ohn767"
would work better than waterboarding
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "rlnbns"