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Modular Robot Reassembles Itself When Kicked Apart watch!

youtube.com — A robot developed by roboticists at the University of Pennsylvania is made of modules that can recognize each other and reassemble when kicked apart. When physically damaged, the T-1000 is capable of reforming itself in seconds, closing up bullet holes and reattaching limbs. Ooops, sorry :) The last sentence is from a different story.

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  • covertress, on 04/29/2008, -3/+28Very cool... and you have to love a roboticist who wears Vans. ;)
    • Joffroi, on 04/29/2008, -4/+9It is cool, a little slow considering it takes about 10 minutes to resemble when only kicked apart 2 feet. But its a start.
      • cranium, on 04/29/2008, -0/+12In that amount of time Sarah Conner left town, got her nails done, and is halfway through her second margarita.
    • StevenJV, on 04/29/2008, -0/+43That's all the time in the world when the thing is on Mars. If it takes 2 weeks you're still saving a lot of time when you would have to start all over.

      Imagine NASA or ESA then sends new parts, new attachments to the robot on Mars, tells it to link up, boom, self-assembly for new technology or tools. Same with replacing worn on parts, etc, etc. Big implications
    • JettaMan, on 04/29/2008, -1/+1Ok, that's cool but are there any practical applications for this? It would be neat to see a useful product.
      • gfsqualljc, on 04/29/2008, -1/+1From what little research i have done as looking for ideas for an EE final project, there isnt much practical application for it. Ive seen some two-three part modular robots that will separate and all do different tasks, then rejoin and move around as one. Ive also read a paper on a bridge builder robot that has two modules that find each other on different sides of some small gap, then use a couple of lines and make a small light weight rope bridge to move some kind of cargo across, however its not so efficient for anything full scale. There is also a really interesting modular chair video somewhere. basically its a normal chair that breaks apart and reassembles itself. worth a watch if youre into robotics.

        tl;dr no, not useful at all
        • Gir53457, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3I'll have you eat your conclusion when I build Voltron.
    • chaoswings, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1It takes so long to put itself back together you may as well do it yourself....didn't it occur to them to add wheels?
    • Zlorp, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3Why? because its cool to wear skateboard shoes when you've never in your life touched a skateboard?
      • Ranvier, on 04/30/2008, -0/+1Yeah, ***** those guys wear shoes because they're comfortable and like the way they look.
  • friendlyman, on 04/29/2008, -21/+193I, for one, welcome our new Modular Robot overlords
    • Yazilliclick, on 04/29/2008, -27/+8not funny anymore...
      • heliox, on 04/29/2008, -4/+27I, for one, welcome our humorless overlords.
        • poopsmcgee, on 04/29/2008, -15/+3I, for one, welcome our copypasta overlords
          I, for one, welcome our copypasta overlords
          I, for one, welcome our copypasta overlords
          I, for one, welcome our copypasta overlords
    • noahhoward, on 04/29/2008, -10/+33I, for one, am ready to welcome the first overlord that puts a stop to these memes.
    • Daedalus81, on 04/29/2008, -2/+11I, for one, welcome our new Modular Ro.. *CRASH* ...oh, never mind.
      • Aerandir, on 04/29/2008, -1/+2I knew it, Robots use Vista, thus, crashed.
    • moocow1452, on 04/30/2008, -0/+2Assembly not required!
  • kh99, on 04/29/2008, -0/+121No disassemble!
  • KaiSe7eN, on 04/29/2008, -0/+51***** regenerative zombies
  • ajcronk, on 04/29/2008, -2/+48Queue T1000 music.
  • DiggFellow, on 04/29/2008, -2/+24Just FYI, the feet in the film belong to John Conner... uhoh
  • Shadowgamers, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3Isn't this a variation of that robot that can add parts to itself that was done a long long time ago?
    On the other hand, this is pretty ***** awesome.
    • Borgcube636, on 04/29/2008, -0/+2Its...I...I feel sorry for it when the guy kicks it... :(
  • RobotLeAwesome, on 04/29/2008, -2/+8oh *****.
  • friendlyman, on 04/29/2008, -1/+19Reminds me of the Iron Giant http://youtube.com/watch?v=ytcEWAZOXnQ
    • yayaja67, on 04/29/2008, -0/+7that's exactly what i thought when i saw it! bonus points for the you tube link
    • craigyjack, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4dude! my exact thoughts as well.
  • WolverineBlue, on 04/29/2008, -2/+48T-1000, it can reassemble itself... feels a bit Terminator-ish. (dugg for the ending)
  • pe5t1lence, on 04/29/2008, -0/+14Creepy little bugger, I hate how it wriggles!
  • snagglefoof, on 04/29/2008, -0/+102I love the laughing at the end. Really lightens the mood.
    • jesuswuzanalien, on 04/29/2008, -0/+5Yeah I was starting for fear for my life for a second there.
    • Bklynadam, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2I second that. the end is hilarious. After 20 minutes of the robot reassembling itself, it topples and has to start all over . . .
  • tester80, on 04/29/2008, -3/+5WTF is John Connor when you need him?
  • jair428, on 04/29/2008, -2/+4That'll win the high school science fair!
  • WhiteNoise, on 04/29/2008, -3/+106"After a successful self reassembly the system stands up and continues its task"...Of killing us all.
    • wrillo, on 04/29/2008, -1/+110... of face planting itself into the floor
      • elrac, on 04/29/2008, -0/+71People who laughed at that will be the first ones killed.
        • SamuelHenderson, on 04/29/2008, -0/+11Ahh damn, I laughed pretty hard when that happened.

          I'm sorry for laughing at you Mr. Reassembling Robot Man, and I'd like to remind you that as a rather inconspicuous digg personality I could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in your err... underground robot factories?
    • WhiteNoise, on 04/29/2008, -0/+15to lull us into a sense of security through ineptness.
  • PresidentSoup, on 04/29/2008, -1/+7It didn't regenerate in seconds as the video was sped up. I believe there was a robotic chair like this posted a few weeks back that did the same thing, except faster.
  • macweirdo42, on 04/29/2008, -1/+60What is it with roboticists and their apparent obsession with kicking their creations?
    • GordonV, on 04/29/2008, -0/+17When other people kick their creations, they are unprepared and mad. Thus these scientists become Mad Scientists and create devices that are prepared for kicking.
    • neotrantor, on 04/29/2008, -0/+10their just makin sure the robots still know whos boss
  • DrZocktahedron, on 04/29/2008, -11/+3Seems like a useless robot,
    the only purpose being getting kicked apart.
  • over900000, on 04/29/2008, -3/+2So how does it know which direction gravity is?
    • TheKorn2, on 04/29/2008, -1/+13Embedded Wii controller!
    • doc125, on 04/29/2008, -0/+7its made by apple
    • lalonauta, on 04/29/2008, -0/+7The enemy's gate is down.
    • anagoge, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3It plays Portal.
    • gfsqualljc, on 04/29/2008, -1/+6there are a whole bunch of ways. can use a gyroscope, accelerometers, a weight and and an angular displacement sensor, or maybe something they made themselves. when i was younger i made a protype gravity thing with a metal cube and a metal ball and some resistors. basically the resistance changed depending on what side of the cube the ball made contact with. made it based on the brain warp toy i used to have, not sure if thats how it actually worked, but thats how i thought it might. good enough when dealing with a cube and only 6 possible positions.
    • Inquisition, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4The voiceover in the video said accelerometers were used.
    • theviceroy, on 04/30/2008, -0/+1I was hoping the robot could sense gravitons.... :(
  • raydeen, on 04/29/2008, -0/+6Prototype Voltron 0.95b. Can't wait for 1.0 ;)
    • Peko, on 04/30/2008, -0/+1Chicks are like voltron. The more you hook up, the better it gets.
  • neolarthytep, on 04/29/2008, -1/+5Skynet goes online TODAY!
  • chanop, on 04/29/2008, -2/+52ROOOOOOOOOBOT HOOOOUSE!!!!
  • thegenome, on 04/29/2008, -0/+18lol love the ending
  • TheKorn2, on 04/29/2008, -1/+18"on successful reassembly, the system stands up to continue its task"...

    ....which is apparently the task of reassembling itself after it stands up and immediately falls apart again!
    • Doitdifferently, on 04/30/2008, -0/+2Hey but at least it continues it's task.
  • MrCrumbles, on 04/29/2008, -1/+16You are an incredible modular robot. I was just wondering, are you by chance a *pleasure* model?
  • puba, on 04/29/2008, -10/+4Will it blend?
    • Aerandir, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1Old meme is old AND not funny anymore.
  • Daiken, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3Kinda freaky.
  • yetAnotherCroc, on 04/29/2008, -1/+20NOOOOOO!!!! We must stop this before its to late. Once the replicators get a foot hold they are impossible to stop! And we don't even have any funky force field guns to kill them with!
    • billysmusic, on 04/29/2008, -0/+8I was surprised this was the only mention of replicators. Not many Stargate SG-1 fans?
    • blast_flame, on 04/29/2008, -0/+7Just don't tell them to "go fourth and replicate" and we'll be fine.
    • gonzo1773, on 04/29/2008, -0/+9Yes, I am in a agreement with the others. Col. O'neill would not hestitate to grab a SPAS12 and take out the whole lot of them. Besides, as least SG1 had some advanced tech available to them. What have we got? A dude kicking them? Not good for us.
    • Tigerbot5, on 04/29/2008, -0/+9Let's just send them through the Supergate now and get it over with...
    • xombiefarts, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1Just keep kicking them apart from each other. Porblem solved.
  • wejmahtin, on 04/29/2008, -3/+2Dug for docking.
    • Zaneris, on 04/29/2008, -4/+1Why'd I read that as "Dog for *****"...
      • amanilaenvelope, on 04/30/2008, -0/+1you just finished watching "Farm House Gone Wild" and you still had scene number 5 fresh in your mind. So as you were scrolling down reading peoples comments, you were busy remembering how sweet you thought it was when billy babe #2 did that thing to dog#4 at the end and then you saw his comment, you were like "Dogs for *****!!! No way!"
  • dtzitz, on 04/29/2008, -0/+6I hear they are working on a military version that has satellite communications. There should be some interesting applications from that. Anyway there was some eccentric lady talking about the other day Sally.. Susan.. Sara... anyway she seemed really upset.
  • soxnoslo, on 04/29/2008, -1/+7Looks like we'll have to get Jack and the SG1 team back together....they've killed these little bastids before...
    • Doitdifferently, on 04/30/2008, -0/+1I wondering when someone would make the Stargate reference. Very awesome.
  • bikingshaun, on 04/29/2008, -3/+2HUAR
  • azAZ09, on 04/29/2008, -1/+4Reminds me of the robot from Iron Giant.

  • tjsgigante, on 04/29/2008, -2/+1coooooool.
  • TheObviousChild, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4I'm sure when this thing ultimately becomes self-aware and it wants to destroy all humans, it won't have anything at all to do with the fact that it was repeatedly kicked apart by humans. Damn abusive creators.
  • adragontattoo, on 04/29/2008, -1/+24replicators???
  • HotSaucePanCake, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4when it starts reproducing, we are all screwed
  • poopsmcgee, on 04/29/2008, -0/+19impressed by the reassembly part

    confused by the "task" of falling all over the place
  • UrbanVoyeur, on 04/29/2008, -1/+4Just kick it the nuts. It won't feel much like reassembling.
  • i4ybrid, on 04/29/2008, -2/+11You have to be kidding..they named it the T-1000? We are so screwed!
  • joot2112, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1Is that the voice of Lev from Tales of Mere Existence?
  • GordonV, on 04/29/2008, -0/+3Anyone else hear the groan @ 1:20?
  • simondelliott, on 04/29/2008, -3/+0that's brilliant, its the first strep on the road to self creators
  • hinmanj, on 04/29/2008, -1/+51"...the system stands up, and continues it's task" *FLOP*

    HAHAHA
  • tomjm5000, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4Slowly but surely we get closer to machines that will be able to kill us.
    • leerayIG88, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1the borg?
    • dieskiddy, on 05/01/2008, -0/+0I bet you the robot the whole time as going "one day, You'll be the one getting the boot and beign filmed while you helplessly try to reassemble yourself onto to fall over again"
      or maybe he was just thinking nothing at all... due to his inability to actually think.
      We will never know.
  • wigenite, on 04/29/2008, -0/+6"he'll kick you apart, He'll kick you apart!"

    • 1upgamer, on 04/29/2008, -0/+2Washingto...washington
    • iChainsaw, on 04/29/2008, -1/+26 foot twenty ***** kills for fun.
    • YAOMTC, on 04/29/2008, -0/+1He once held an opponent's wife's hand
      in a jar of acid
      at a party
  • zunipus, on 04/29/2008, -0/+8The trouble begins, of course, when a robot is able to create more of itself from available raw materials. This is already a fear in nanotechnology where theoretically nanobots could reduce the planet to a mass of nanobot goo. With larger machines we could end up with any of the sci fi scenarios of robots either becoming a new life form. But we still have to create artificial intelligence before we need be afraid of them taking over. We are VERY far away from any real AI. All we have these days is severely retarded AI simulation.
    • Chandon, on 04/29/2008, -0/+4> This is already a fear in nanotechnology where theoretically nanobots could reduce the planet to a mass of nanobot goo.
      Yea. When you build nanobots that can self-replicate more effectively than bacteria, let me know. Until then, any such robot is basically just a lifeform that can't evolve (and that will therefore get eaten by bacteria that evolve specifically to exploit the new food source).
  • LackJudgement, on 04/29/2008, -9/+2I for one welcome our self reassembling robot overlords.
  • SimonJohnson, on 04/29/2008, -0/+2Destructive little blighter, spends ages putting itself together then destroys itself again!
  • loconet, on 04/29/2008, -0/+22lol I love the ending. Gravity 1 Robot 0
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