Flexible Robot Can Change Colors

A reader tips news of a robot designed by Harvard University researchers that can change colors to blend into its surroundings (abstract). The robot also has a soft, flexible body, and is driven by air pumped into cavities in its legs. "The team thinks the devices could have a variety of different uses. Lead author Stephen Morin said the soft machines had similarities with organs or tissues and could have medical applications. He explained: 'The idea is that if you have a system that can simulate muscle motion very well and a system that can transport fluid, by combining those you can fabricate that device to fit a specific surgical problem.' The team also said the machines could have a future in search and rescue. Prof Whitesides said: 'For that kind of application, having it be able to advertise itself, for example, in a way that stood out against the dark would be a good thing.'"

Skynet

[docilespelunker]

Potentially terminator now has cloaking. We are so doomed! Or at least those who live in the future are doomed. Since that doesn't presently include me, I think I shall enjoy a friday night beer and no doom:O)

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[Johann Lau]

also relevant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GioWiMxRHLQ [youtube.com] :P

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[icebike]

I'd also like to know how a tethered end-effector qualifies as a robot. To my way of thinking, that's just a tool, more advanced than a wrench perhaps, but A robot is a mechanical device that can perform tasks automatically. Directing every movement via a tether seems a bit of a stretch.

Adding color seems a pointless exercise when a all you have to do is follow the cord to find out where it is.

Minority Report

[tinkerton]

I'd pick that movie. It had cheap throwaway spiderlike robots that were launched in large amounts in an apartment buildig. They could squeeze through tiny openings and reach any place and this allowed them to search a whole building.

The robots in this article are just proof of concept of course. So easy to dismiss, as you can see by all the "nothing new, it's been done" posts on here - or anywhere for that matter.

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[AwesomeMcgee]

I always kind of liked a good game of doom with a beer on friday night..

Military

[Zibodiz]

Come on, we all know this is just active camouflage for the military.

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[icebike]

'Oh, public release of obsolete military tech.' was my first thought.

Agreed that this doesn't sound very likely for making something MORE discernable.

Oh come on.
What military do you know that uses little slow crawling 12 centimeter devices tethered by a cord with no internal power supply? What would be the use case for that?

The military's adoption of robot tech is limited to rather robust bomb/IED disposal roles and aerial surveillance/attack roles, all of which carry on board power supplies and are radio controlled, and big enough to at least carry a camera.

This isn't obsolete, its not even developed to the point of being useful yet.

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[Beorytis]

After the military funds propel the development forward a bit, then the color-changing sex toys will hit the market.

I ate it. Oops.

[ackthpt]

I was sitting in a pub and it made itself look like a pretzel.

Does it turn blue?

[www.sorehands.com]

Does it turn blue and look like a police call box?

Politics (?)

[Penurious Penguin]

"The team thinks the devices could have a variety of different uses" - with a few adjustments and a teleprompter app, they could take over the government!

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[hedgemage]

I,for one, welcome our new robo-chameleon overlords.

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[AmberBlackCat]

Call me when the cordless version is available.

Hm

[gadzook33]

Did anyone else feel like they basically were like, ok hold up! And then someone came out and painted the robot?

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[MrYingster]

My thoughts exactly. Sure, the part that we see is moving and blending in to its environment, but if the whole system can't be self contained and camouflaged as well, it's rather pointless. However, this is just a tech demo, so maybe we'll see truly autonomous robots that can blend in and hide from their human masters in a few years...

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[SGDarkKnight]

FTA: "Currently, the fluid is pulled in from a reservoir, but in the future it could be incorporated into the robot's body."

Most pathetic robot of all time?

[georgeaperkins]

This really is be the most pathetic robot I've ever seen. Seeing it hobble along like the adams family hand - I waited expectantly. Then, it fell pathetically before having ink flow through a tube like life support. Laughable! They might as well have walked up to it and painted it. Makes ASIMO's stair fails look slick. Can anyone share with me some more pathetic robots to brighten my Friday afternoon?

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[Myridon]

They keep using this word "robot". I think it does not mean what they think it means. It seems to be, at best, a sort of hydraulic/pneumatic marionette. If its pneumatic cricket conscience can help it wish upon a star, perhaps the Blue Fairy will turn it into a real robot.

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[Penurious Penguin]

Quite funny! But perhaps you are proving their worth. As I proposed above, I foresee a place in politics for these rascals. The colors are already correct, and as you mentioned, they are "pathetically" immobile and unimpressive, not to mention robotic. They're bulbous at the center, and groveling on hands and knees too. But for the sake of your Friday afternoon, I can oblige you. Simply activate your television.

Not even feasible!

[scorp1us]

First, the bot is clear, with tubes in it. You 'change colors' by running a colored fluid thought the tubes. So now you have to tether the bot to whatever is mixing and pumping the pigment for the fluid. And wires in the case of camouflage to send back what color you're trying to match. If you just gave it LEDs and an radio, you'd have something wireless, tubeless and not needing to carry fluid (which is heavy)

These are the ideas I have every day that I don't even bother to pursue because they are just so

Oh, yeah, wow

[wonkey_monkey]

I can change colour too, if I carry a bucket of paint with me and stop to dip my head in it.

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[Anonymous Coward]

I refuse to believe that without a video on YouTube.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Oh, so like a cuttlefish

[taktoa]

I've kept a pet cuttlefish for the last year or so in my aquarium - they have the ability to change their color and texture on demand. Video evidence here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqaKxm6rMUs#t=158s [youtube.com]

should change the title:

[schlachter]

Clear tube can take on any color when it is filled with liquid of that color.

Calling it a robot that changes colors seems a bit outlandish.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Big Deal...

[flyneye]

"can change colors to blend into its surroundings"

Remote controls have been doing that since invention.