NEW CHEMBOT PROTOTYPE CONTINUES TREND OF VAGUE DISTURBINGNESS

We’ve covered a couple different proposals for DARPA’s Squishbot Chembot program, including a blobbot powered by air and a robotic amoeba powered by chemicals. This latest Chembot prototype is a collaboration between iRobot, MIT, and Harvard, and like its Chembot compatriots, the system of movement it employs is quite simple: by selectively inflating compartments on its exterior, the robot can roll itself forward. Ultimately, this robot would be powered by chemical pressure (instead of compressed air), achieved through thermal expansion or phase transition or “smart fluid” (whatever that is).

It goes without saying that I find this whole program extremely cool and innovative, but also a little bit, I dunno, freaky. I think it’s because these Chembots strike some sort of Uncanny Valley chord with me… Not in terms of their resemblance to a human (obviously), but in a more general sense: they appear biological while being artificial. And this pseudo-biological construction and behavior comes across in a not great way, like space alien brain slug laying eggs in your eyeballs biological. I think it’s the way it pulses or something.

But maybe that’s just me.

I do think that robots like these have a lot of potential, specifically because they are so different. DARPA thinks so too, of course, but it’s fun to think about what kinds of non DARPA-y applications a Chembot might have… Like, I dunno, maybe blobbing around inside my couch looking for loose change, or landing a starring role in a horror movie or something.

[ MIT CSAIL DRL ] VIA [ Hizook ]