Termite-Inspired Robots Build Large Structures Autonomously

Feb-16-14 Taking inspiration from the hive behavior of termites, researchers have developed a team of small robots able to build a structure much larger than themselves with just a few basic commands.

The robots built brick-like structures by relying on environmental cues and a set of simple commands to help them determine where to lay the next ‘brick’, a specialized block designed for the robots. As described by Justin Werfel of Harvard’s Wyss Institute: “Each of the robots is doing their own thing, there isn't a brain in the sky.”

The robots were programmed with a series of rules to follow that guided them to add a brick to reach a higher level, turn around or navigate through the structure. They worked autonomously, with no more outside guidance, and did not need to keep track of the specific number of bricks in the structure or how many other robots they were working with. This ability could allow the TERMES robots to build structures on other planets or moons, where remote control is difficult, as well as closer to home, such as laying down sandbags before a flood.

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