Terminator 2 robots may soon become reality

[calipunkrockgirl]

Squeeze bots
Remember the morphing robot T-1000 from the film Terminator 2? Could something like that ever become a reality? The folks at DARPA apparently think so. Last week they issued a request for proposals on developing so-called Chemical Robots (ChemBots), which would change shape in order to squeeze through tiny gaps.

The DARPA request states that ChemBots should be "soft, flexible, mobile objects that can identify and manoeuvre through openings smaller than their static structural dimensions". It goes on to add that, "nature provides many examples of ChemBot functionality. Many soft creatures, including mice, octopi, and insects, readily traverse openings barely larger than their largest 'hard' component."

True enough, but it seems like a very tricky challenge. Even the most sophisticated modular robot would obviously have difficulty squeezing through something smaller than its normal size.
So I wonder what the best approach might be. How about using shape-memory alloys, electro-active polymers, or even rheological substances? Are there other materials that might prove useful? And what would such a thing look like?

From: http://www.newscientist.com/blog/tec...eeze-bots.html

[strafer_praha]

Survival of the fittest, bitches. Its on!

[dreamgirl69]

I'm scared.
maybe i should move to that country... you know the one with the sick hungry kids on the tv... they cant afford robots so i should be safe there.