Small Droplet Robots Create Smart Liquids

Dec-21-12 Small “droplet” robots, about the size of a ping pong ball and able to swarm together, could one day be used to help clean up oil spill or self-assemble in space.

Developed by a team at the University of Colorado, the robots are actually basic building blocks that can be taught to work together and modified for a variety of uses. The droplet robots swarm to create a “liquid that thinks,” and the team hopes to develop a robot skill set that will allow the droplets to self-assemble and swarm intelligently in order to perform complex behaviors, such as assembling parts of a space telescope or containing an oil spill.

More Info about this Invention:

[POPSCI.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO]

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