Tiny robots that can turn into any shape - from a replica human to a banana to a mobile phone - are being developed by scientists in the United States. The new science of claytronics, which will use nanotechnology to create tiny robots called catoms, should enable three-dimensional copies of people to be "faxed" around the world for virtual meetings. A doctor could also consult with a patient over the phone, even taking their pulse by holding the wrist of the claytronic replica, reports New Scientist. And the nano "clay" could be carriedaround, shape-shifting into virtually anything when required.
Your claytronic mobile phone could turn into a hammer for a spot of DIY and then a pair of shoes to go jogging. The creator, Dr Todd Mowry, director of Intel's research labs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said: "You could have a little lump of this stuff you carry around and it could be a million different things. It's like the world's ultimate Swiss army knife." His partner, Dr Seth Goldstein, of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, said: "It's absolutely going to work." Intel's robotics expert, Jason Campbell, added: "The more you look at it, the more likely itseems we will be able to manufacture these things. "I think there's a good chance we'll get to see it. Now whether that's five or 20 years, I don't know." However, progress been slow. So far, the group has been able to get four catoms - or claytronic atoms - to act together, but at more than 4cm in diameter, they are considerably larger than the nano-sized robots required to make the clay.
View: Full Article | Source: The Scotsman
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Posted on Friday, June 10 - 2005
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Reference : Super Science & Technology, Weird Science
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Last ice age happened in less than a year
Magnets may make the brain grow stronger
Scientists claim dark matter discovery
Sci-fi weapons from tomorrow, today
Worlds oldest known DNA discovered
The higher you are, the faster you age
Worlds first bionic fingers unveiled
Japan to put humanoid robot on moon by 2015 ?
Hadron Collider on verge of breakthrough ?
Is graphene the new silicon?