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Robots are generally designed to perform a single, specific task. But now a team from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), led by CSAIL director Daniela Rus and former CSAIL postdoc Shuhei Miyashita, is developing a system that allows a "Primer" robot to don various exoskeletons to give it different capabilities.
The core of the origami-inspired system is the Primer robot, which is a cubical robot that is controlled by magnets and can move about by shaking and buzzing. To carry out more complex tasks, including walking, rolling, sailing, or gliding, the Primer can hop onto a flat sheet of plastic that folds into specific shapes when heated, providing the Primer with a self-donning robotic wardrobe. When finished with its job, the Primer can then hop into a dish of water to dissolve the exoskeleton.
Currently, the Primer has the following exoskeletons on hand,
-Walk-bot, which allows the Primer to walk about
-Wheel-bot that allows Primer to move about twice as fast as the Walk-bot
-Boat-bot, which can float on water and carry a payload twice its weight
-Glider-bot that allows the Primer to, well, glide through the air
Which exoskeletons should follow?
(Score: 2) by jcross on Friday September 29 2017, @02:17PM
I realize this is like a demo of what could be in the future, but I'm fairly sure that the robot isn't self powered, and all the energy and control logic is coming from the special table under it. I've watched enough Penn and Teller to be suspicious of thick tables, and it kind of feels like they're trying to sell this as autonomous when it isn't. Also the videos look sped-up to me, and it's a pet peeve of mine that "documentary" videos are often sped up or slowed down with no indication that that's the case, let alone the magnitude of the time stretching. Again, it's like they're trying to sell this as a speedy and life-like robot when it's nothing of the sort. I'd mind a lot less if they'd be more up front about these kind of dodges.