I want you to think about how people function after breaking their leg. Although they are not able to move as quickly, they are still able to walk around by using crutches and their other foot to assist them. This is the idea that inspired engineers to create robots which can adapt to their own broken parts. Recently, I've been fascinated with robots that can continue their tasks even after malfunctions. The Particle Robot being worked on at Columbia University, MIT, Cornell University, and Harvard University is a great example of how this is possible. Each unit consists of a
Each part is only capable of simple back and forth movements independently, but to actually move, the particles must be connected. The robot is made of small, microscopic parts that are dependent upon each other to function and when one part malfunctions the rest can continue. The particles are loosely coupled and connected by magnets on very small tentacles attached along their perimeters. If the magnets were placed directly on the robot, the connection would be too rigid and the robot would not be able to move. Because they are connected by the tentacles, it allows them to stay connected even when it is moving. When all of the particles expand and contract in the right sequence, they can push and pull the whole group to a light source, which the robot can sense. Each particle broadcasts a signal that shares its perceived light intensity level with all other particles. For example, it can sense light intensities 1-10. Particles closest to the light register level 10 and farthest from the light register 1. Particles experiencing highest intensity (level 10) will expand first, and as they contract, level 9 expands, and so on. The mechanical expansion and contraction wave, a coordinated pushing and dragging motion, moves cluster toward or away from stimuli. The most interesting thing about these robots are the fact that there are so many little parts working together that when one particle stops working, the rest can keep the robot functioning. This is because the back and forth independent movements of working particles will continue to push each other even when some particles are not functioning. In other words, the broken part can depend on the rest of the working bots. Currently, locomotion is maintained even when 20 percent of the particles malfunction. The next step for the engineers is to miniaturize the components and make the robot out of millions of microscopic particles. The main problem with this is dealing with cells that are about the size of grains of sand. Watch the particles in action here!
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AuthorKatie Zelvin Archives
September 2020
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