DARPA Planning Liquid Robots

moon_monkey writes "According to New Scientist, Darpa is soliciting proposals for so-called Chemical Robots (ChemBots) that would be soft, flexible and could manoeuvre through openings smaller than their static structural dimensions. They suggest that it could be made from shape-memory materials, electro- or magneto-rheological materials or even folding components."

Artificial muscle required

[LiquidCoooled]

The small creatures discussed can only get through places where their bone structure allows.
Its inpractical for a mouse to get through somewhere that involves breaking its own bones (unless a mouse is chasing it!).
Make boney robots with flubber muscles and batteries and you are onto a winner.
No flex required in the skeleton.

Re:Idea management by Blockbuster

[peragrin]

you do realise the entire internet was designed as a hardened system to help communication in face of a massive nuclear strike.

What starts with an expensive cold military purpose becomes a tool for every day use.

There are very few things the military does that won't have practical everyday applications in 20 years.

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A Fundamental Problem with Robotics

[LifesABeach]

The designs for Robots of various types, and uses have been around for years. Hollywood is by no means a bastion of creativity. But the main problem that seems to be overlooked by most Wanna-Be Robot Inventors is the POWER SUPPLY. I would think that the DARPA folks would first want do some fundamental research, and solve the problem that is the choke point for all Robotics projects.

Re:Artificial muscle required

[amRadioHed]

I believe DNA is the preferred programming language. But be warned the amoeba specs are more complicated than C++, they have the largest known genome of any creature.