(Robotics) New Robot Adapts To Injuries

A newly designed robot can sense and recover from unexpected damage, an ability that is sure to prove handy in dangerous terrain, researchers announced today.

Often when exploring new terrain, such as on another a planet, researchers cannot predict what a robot might encounter. So they designed a machine that can improvise in response to unexpected injuries.

Referred to as Starfish, the new four-legged robot creates a model of itself and revises that model to respond and adapt to injury by synthesizing new behaviors.

Starfish first walks around on a flat surface in order to observe its own motions using sensors. With the information it gathers, it’s able to create a virtual version of itself in an internal computer model.

Each time it moves, it updates this model and uses it to generate future motion. For example, when the researchers shortened one of its legs, the robot was able to shift its gait.


SOURCE:
LiveScience.com

This is a very cool development.

With this kind of technology robotics can enter a whole
new level of use.


Comments, Opinions?

The video in the article is really worth watching for an idea of the capabilities of the robot at the moment. It's funny when it flips itself aswell, does the computers code cover "Oops" .

This is a real advance, making robots more autonomous can only increase their application.

It is slightly disconcerting however, although I remember an automaton isn't a living thing, I can't help feeling that the robots who have this ability have a certain self-awareness that the robot can use to further it's own means. I know it sounds naive but it's something that raises alot of questions.

Nice find iori_komie .

I know what you're getting at, and no, I can't see it accidentally getting self aware.

When I was reading the article I though "Ok, so it can sense when it's damaged... so can your basic modern Ford"... but the fact that it keeps an internal image of itself and determines how to react when damaged is quite the feat of programming.

I can't see it being much use earth bound as of yet, especially not for any profit seeking company, but for an organization that lives off of grants... thats very usefull.

It sort of mimics the basics of injury of natural life. Not exactly... but it's something akin to nursing a wound.

Technological advancement wise, not a big leap, but as for how we use current standing technology, it's a huge leap.