'Dumb' robot ants
are alarmingly smart (and strong) working together
Everyone knows robot ants can't move a
rubber tree plant. Oh shoot, they can!
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As
described in a new paper in the journal Nature, the ants can communicate with
each other, assign roles among themselves, and complete complex tasks and
overcome obstacles together. That means that while simple compared to much more
complex autonomous agents, these origami-inspired robots can solve complex
challenges, such navigating uneven surfaces or, yes, moving comparatively huge
objects.
The robots, which are T-shaped and called Tribots by
researchers at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne,
a Swiss research institute, have infrared and proximity sensors for detection
and communication. Made of foldable thin materials, they're also easy to
manufacture. The actuated robots can jump and crawl to explore uneven surfaces.
"Their
movements are modeled on those of Odontomachus ants," says Zhenishbek
Zhakypov, the first author of the Nature article. "These insects normally
crawl, but to escape a predator, they snap their powerful jaws together to jump
from leaf to leaf."
The
Tribots perform a similar move through an origami design that combines multiple
shape-memory alloy actuators. In addition to catapulting itself, a single robot
can also crawl and roll thanks to these actuators.
But
the secret sauce isn't in the hardware. Rather, it's the cooperation the
autonomous robots display. During tasks, each ant is assigned a specific role.
For example, explorers may detect physical obstacles, such as objects or
cavities. The explorers communicate the information to the rest of the group so
that an assigned leader can give instructions to worker ants, which work
together to pool their strength.
"Each
Tribot, just like Odontomachus ants, can have different roles. However, they
can also take on new roles instantaneously when faced with a new mission or an
unknown environment, or even when other members get lost. This goes beyond what
the real ants can do," says Paik.
"Since
they can be manufactured and deployed in large numbers, having some
'casualties' would not affect the success of the mission," adds Paik.
"With their unique collective intelligence, our tiny robots are better
equipped to adapt to unknown environments. Therefore, for certain missions,
they would outperform larger, more powerful robots."
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