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Robot Piloted by a Slime Mold

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Tue Feb 14, 2006 01:34 AM
from the blob-of-borg dept.
Robotics Science
TeknoHog writes "Robotics researchers from the UK and Japan have linked up a slime mold to remotely control a six-legged robot. The mold, which is naturally light-sensitive, is able to hide the robot in dark corners, and the scientists expect to further this technology for use in smaller, autonomous units. There is also a preprint of the research paper available from the University of Southampton."
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  • oh, never mind

      • Re:well, i for one welcome our... lost stuff? (Score:5, Funny)

        by soft_guy (534437) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:57PM (#14717343)
        ``Honey, where's the hammer?''

        That's your problem. You only have one. My dad taught me (by example) that if you can't find a tool, it means you don't have enough instances of that tool and you need to buy another one. Once you have thirty or so hammers, you won't have any trouble finding one around the house within 5 minutes or so.

        Same goes for socket sets, screw driver sets, drills, etc.
        [ Parent ]

  • I must say... (Score:5, Funny)

    by tcopeland (32225) * <tom&infoether,com> on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:37AM (#14713873) Homepage
    My, that was a yummy slime mold! [rattysghost.com].

  • That's nothing (Score:4, Funny)

    by aussie_a (778472) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:38AM (#14713878) Journal
    I know a slime mold that has a PhD in literature. [gpf-comics.com]

  • Klaus-Peter Zauner's most recent publication. (Score:4, Informative)

    by wilburdg (178573) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:43AM (#14713891)
    If you're interested in the subject, check out Klaus-Peter Zauner's publication: Robot Control: From Silicon Circuitry to Cells [soton.ac.uk]

  • is there some reason that... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Dance_Dance_Karnov (793804) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:44AM (#14713893) Homepage
    a photocapacitor or some other light sensitive electronics wouldn't suffice?

    • Re:is there some reason that... (Score:4, Interesting)

      by nick_davison (217681) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:49AM (#14713913)
      a photocapacitor or some other light sensitive electronics wouldn't suffice?

      Simple:

      "Robot controlled by light sensitive electronics seeks corner" gets a quick nod before someone realises eight year olds have been doing it with the basic Lego Mindstorms kit for years.

      "Slime mold remotely controls six legged robot" gets the quirky and weird headlines. Quirky and weird headlines can be claimed as public interest. Public interest can be parlayed in to additional funding for your otherwise unfundable project.

      So, whilst it's not really any more exciting, it does get the trivia audience - which gets the funding. Thus, for PhDs who can't get Google to hire them, it's essential to use a cockroach or slime mold or something similarly quirky to keep you in tweed jackets and leather elbow patches.
      [ Parent ]

      • Re:is there some reason that... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by jheath314 (916607) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @03:42AM (#14714159)
        IMHO, the whole point was to do it with a biological interface.

        Think about it... a slime mold, while naturally light-avoidant, won't naturally know how to manipulate robotic appendages. Rather than sneering dismissively, you might realize this is a significant step forward to creating hardware and software that can directly interface with your nervous system. Such technology has many awesome as well as frightening implications.

        [ Parent ]

        • wikipedia says... (Score:5, Informative)

          by jamesh (87723) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @06:39AM (#14714690)

          Slime Moulds [wikipedia.org] are basically single celled organisms, and while they can achieve some interesting feats, they don't have a nervous system that could in any way be called central.

          Fascinating things though... never knew anything about them before just now :)

          [ Parent ]

  • Not impressed! (Score:5, Funny)

    by gasmonso (929871) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:44AM (#14713894) Homepage

    The mold in my shower has been doing this kinda stuff for years!

    http://religiousfreaks.com/ [religiousfreaks.com]

  • Living brain controls flight simulator (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:45AM (#14713900)
    Similar study last year. Experimental "brain" (25,000 living neurons, taken from a rat's brain and cultured inside a glass dish) interacts with an F-22 fighter jet flight simulator through a specially designed multi-electrode array and a desktop computer

    http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/11/02/brain.dish/ [cnn.com]

  • Biological sensors are and are not new... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by zappepcs (820751) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:46AM (#14713901) Journal
    The news is that people are able to now work with them. Light sensors based on silicon and other materials simple take advantage of the light sensitive properties of the material. Using a biological material is no different, other than the need to 'feed' the sensor. As this story and experiment play out, there is no ready made practical application waiting for its development. The real advance here is working with biological sensors. Such work will hopefully lead to sensors that are sensitive enough to detect humans in the wreckage of a bombed building, or cancers (as some dogs can with smell) or other such sensitivities that simply don't seem possible with non-organic materials. This probably isn't going to lead to a bio-brain for robotics, but will make them much more sensitive in the sensor domain. Imagine if a robot could see or smell the way that some insects do? This would lead to robots that are much more capable, and much more useful for all sorts of dangerous work. Imagine a robot that works in water that can find even the tiniest of leaks on an oil tanker? Perhaps a robot that can sniff out drugs in cargo planes etc. The reason for sensors that are orders of magnitude better than what is available today goes without saying, more or less. This type of work will help make it more achievable, hopefully.

    Already, they are training bees (in minutes) to sense out things that takes months of training for dogs. This type of bio-sensor systems will hopefully make such work even easier to achieve. I can see that one day, a search and rescue helicopter can drop a truck load of independent water robots that seek out and locate humans in the middle of the ocean, saving lives by finding them faster than current methods, and bio-sensors may be the ticket to such advances.

    That's my take...

  • In other news... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Txiasaeia (581598) <kungpowfriesens@gm[ ].com ['ail' in gap]> on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:47AM (#14713906)
    ...attempts to merge a gelatinous cube with a Honda Civic have been less than successful. Kobold scientists blame this frustrating failure on a lower fuel efficiency due to the inefficient wind flow design. "We'd like to take these experiments to the next level," the designers said, "but we just don't have the experience at this time."

  • meh (Score:5, Funny)

    by Clover_Kicker (20761) <clover_kicker@yahoo.com> on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:48AM (#14713912)
    Let me know when they get a robot piloted by a gelatinous cube or a gibbering mouther.

  • Employment Opportunity: (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 14 2006, @01:52AM (#14713924)
    The Liberal Party of Canada is seeking anyone or anything to be the new party Leader.
    Currently most human beings and other vertebrates have declined the oportunity.
    Perhaps dark seeking slime molds could fulfill this roll. Cephalopods could also apply.

  • Just what we need (Score:5, Funny)

    by pair-a-noyd (594371) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:07AM (#14713958)
    moldy robots lurking in dark corners.
    Am I the only one that finds this somewhat creepy?

  • One of a kind.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by aapold (753705) * on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:10AM (#14713968) Homepage Journal
    when they finally made that pilot, they threw away the mold.

    whoops.

  • Slime-controlled robot overlords can have my... (Score:4, Funny)

    by zymurgy_cat (627260) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:26AM (#14714005) Homepage
    ...mold and mildrew remover when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

  • Cue Dr. Who music. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Irvu (248207) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:35AM (#14714028)
    Dalek [wikipedia.org] "little green blobs in bonded polycarbide armour". And it's even a british research team!

  • It's not just a slime mold.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by kiyuki (954365) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:39AM (#14714035)
    It's intelligently designed!

  • Um... this sounds familiar... but from where?... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ZeusAndHades (768527) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @02:46AM (#14714046)
    This sounds like something I would find in low level dungeons in Angband...

    You hit the slime mold.
    The slime mold hits you.
    The slime mold's robot hits you.
    You hit the slime mold.
    The slime mold hits you.
    The slime mold's robot hits you.
    You miss the slime mold.
    The slime mold hits you.
    The slime mold's robot hits you.
    You are dead.
    -hit spacebar for high scores-

  • Coming soon... (Score:5, Funny)

    by zenmojodaddy (754377) on Tuesday February 14 2006, @05:30AM (#14714485)
    The future of law enforcement... Blobocop!

    Sorry, that's all I have.
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