Remember the T-1000 from Terminator 2? That liquid metal robot that flowed under doors and then solidified into lethal shapes terrified me as a kid. Damn! (sorry), there was no way it could be stopped. Today, looking at the Claytronics developed at the University of California, I can't help but notice some eerie similarities. These little blue and yellow robots, which look like harmless children's toys, have been shown to be able to flow like a liquid around obstacles, then solidify into rigid structures capable of supporting the weight of an adult human. Science fiction, once again, is becoming reality before our incredulous eyes.
Toys with super powers
With their bright blue bases, yellow gears, and exposed circuitry, these 3D-printed robots look like they came straight from a child's bedroom. Yet when put together, they do amazing things. The team at Matthew Devlin e Elliot Hawkes ofUniversity of California Santa BarbaraIn partnership with TU Dresden, has created something that is more reminiscent of the X-Men than traditional robotics.
Each little robot (smaller than a hockey puck) alone doesn’t do anything extraordinary. But together? They can flow around obstacles like mercury from Terminator 2, then solidify into structures that can hold up to 68 pounds. My wife can basically jump on them and they don’t bat an eyelid. Well, they don't have eyelashes, but you get the idea.
They call them “programmable matter” or “claytronics,” and the concept has always made science fiction writers and scientists drool. Finally, someone has managed to create a working prototype.
Claytronics, if robots learn from cells
The most interesting part is that these robots were designed taking inspiration from how our cells behave in embryos. Biomimicry uber alles, always. Embryonic cells all start out the same but then organize themselves into elastic muscles, rigid bones, flexible skin, or spongy brains. As he said Otger Campàs, one of the authors of the study (that I link to you here):
Living embryonic tissues are the ultimate smart materials.
The researchers replicated three key features of the cells. First, the ability to push each other (Think about when you're on a crowded bus and you have to push your way through.) Then, the coordination through signals (in the case of robots, using light instead of biochemicals). Finally thecell adhesion, made with magnets that allow the robots to attach to each other with different levels of force.
Small robots, big results
In experiments, about 2,2 of these little robots did things that seemed to come from a science fiction movie. They organized themselves into towers and then transformed into a rigid bridge. They formed a “pusher” capable of moving a XNUMX kg barbell. They even grabbed a nail, held it in place, and transformed themselves into a wrench capable of rotating objects. The most impressive test? Thirty robots supported the weight of a 68 kg adult person as he walked on top of them. Then, on command, the structure collapsed as if it were made of mud.
Claytronics, the future is small and soft
The team is already thinking about miniaturizing the system and exploring the use of the technology in soft robots. Like living cells, each unit could stretch and change shape or size. Add a dash of artificial intelligence to further refine the interactions between the units, and the results could be revolutionary.
So far, the robot collective has only been tested with about two dozen physical units. But computer simulations with about 400 robots suggest that their physical dynamics remain the same and the system is scalable.
I don't know about you, but I can already imagine a future where home furniture reconfigures itself according to need, or tools that change shape based on use. Or maybe, in the worst case scenario, liquid terminators knocking on the door. Fingers crossed for the first option.
