Shape-Shifting Robot Assembles Itself, Chases Kids in Motorbikes [Robots]

University of Pennsylvania roboticists—who talk like robot versions of Alan Alda—have developed modular artificial creatures capable of recomposing themselves in case that they are destroyed—effectively taking the first step towards global annihilation, thank you very much. Happily for Humanity, they are far from T1000, and closer to Jerry Lewis, as the (quite funny, yet sad) end of the video shows.

Composed of 15 modules arranged in groups of five, each of CKbot’s clusters have a module with a 20fps camera, a blinking LED, and a accelerometer to reconstruct the entire robot, tied by magnets. Each of the other 12 modules have an embedded computer, proximity sensors, and a servo motor with 180 degrees that allows for a rotational range of about 180 degrees.

When the main mini-Voltron-wannabe gets destroyed and the clusters are disconnected, they self-right up themselves detecting its orientation according to gravity (don’t keep looking like an idiot and start running now.) Once they are on position, the cameras search for the unique LED patterns, and then two closers start to approach to each other at glacial speeds (by this time, you should have reached the weapons storage and grab a shotgun, five machine guns, and a grenade launcher.) When the two first modules connect, the start searching for the third one (you may fire now) until the finally assemble again, forming a single entity that would inevitably destroy you if we didn’t tell you the steps above. Yes, somewhere in the future, this advice will save your life. [New Scientist Tech]