Latest news with #TrussLinks
NDTV
29-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
'Cannibal' Robot That Can Grow, Heal By Consuming Other Bots Developed
In what appears to be a scene straight out of a dystopian sci-fi movie, scientists at Columbia University in New York have developed a robot capable of growing and healing by consuming other robots. Researchers say the development marks a big step in the creation of self-sustaining machines that can lead to an entirely new dimension of autonomy for artificial intelligence. "It is possible to form machines that can grow physically and become more capable within their lifetime by consuming and recycling material from their immediate surroundings and other machines," the study published in the journal Science Advances highlighted. The so-called cannibal robot works through a process called "robot metabolism", allowing it to self-assemble and increase its performance by adding new bits, or discarded old parts that have run out of battery or no longer serve a function. The researchers showed how Truss Links -- a robotic magnet stick inspired by the Geomag toy, self-assembled into two-dimensional shapes, which could later morph into three-dimensional robots. These robots then further improved themselves by integrating new parts, effectively "growing" into more capable machines. "Truss Links can be used to build modular robots. Modular robot systems comprise multiple parts called modules, links, or cells that can self-assemble or be assembled to achieve an objective. The Truss Link is the basic building block of our modular robot system," Also Read | Japan's Toll System Crashes For 38 Hours, 24,000 Still Voluntarily Pay The Fees Though the development of self-sustaining robots is still in a nascent stage, the researchers say the creation of Truss Links is a step toward a future where robots can adapt and improvise "instead of being purpose-built with the vain hope of anticipating all use cases". "True autonomy means robots must not only think for themselves but also physically sustain themselves," Philippe Martin Wyder, lead author and researcher, said in a statement. "Just as biological life absorbs and integrates resources, these robots grow, adapt, and repair using materials from their environment or from other robots." 'What can go wrong' Reacting to the news of self-sustaining robots that might become the norm in the future, social media users were divided on their use case. "Why we need this? What is the purpose of that in our world?" wrote one user while another added: "Oh lovely, real life replicators! What can go wrong?"
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Cannibalism Could Let Robots Self-Repair
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a move that brings science fiction closer to reality, researchers have developed a new kind of robot that can "grow," "heal," and even improve itself by using parts from its environment—or even by cannibalizing other robots. Unlike most of today's machines, which are built as fixed, closed systems, these new robots are designed to physically change and adapt, much like living organisms. The process—dubbed "Robot Metabolism"—allows robots to absorb and reuse components from their surroundings, giving them the ability to evolve over time. "True autonomy means robots must not only think for themselves but also physically sustain themselves," said lead author Philippe Martin Wyder, a researcher at Columbia Engineering and the University of Washington. Stock image of one toy robot "eating" another. Stock image of one toy robot "eating" another. EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock / Getty Images Plus Published in the journal Science Advances, the study introduces a system built around a modular robotic component called a Truss Link. Each Truss Link is a bar-shaped unit with magnetic connectors that can expand, contract, and attach to other modules. On their own, these units are simple. But when combined, they can self-assemble into complex, functional robots. In experiments, the researchers showed how Truss Links formed flat shapes that transformed into 3D robots. These robots could then add new pieces—either scavenged from the environment or taken from other robots—to improve their abilities. In one example, a robot shaped like a tetrahedron attached an extra piece to act like a walking stick, increasing its downhill speed by more than 66.5 percent. "Robot minds have moved forward by leaps and bounds in the past decade through machine learning, but robot bodies are still monolithic, unadaptive, and unrecyclable," said Hod Lipson, co-author of the study and director of Columbia's Creative Machines Lab. "Biological bodies, in contrast, are all about adaptation—lifeforms, can grow, heal, and adapt. In large part, this ability stems from the modular nature of biology that can use and reuse modules (amino acids) from other lifeforms. "Ultimately, we'll have to get robots to do the same—to learn to use and reuse parts from other robots. You can think of this nascent field as a form of 'machine metabolism.'" Truss Links self-assembled into a tetrahedron. Truss Links self-assembled into a tetrahedron. Creative Machines Lab The team envisions a future where robots are part of self-sustaining ecosystems. Instead of relying on humans for maintenance, robots could grow stronger and smarter by incorporating whatever materials are available—much like how living things grow by consuming nutrients or other organisms. "Robot Metabolism provides a digital interface to the physical world and allows AI to not only advance cognitively, but physically—creating an entirely new dimension of autonomy," Wyder explained. Initially, such adaptable machines could be used in challenging environments like disaster zones or outer space. However, Lipson adds a note of caution: "The image of self-reproducing robots conjures some bad sci-fi scenarios. But the reality is that as we hand off more and more of our lives to robots—from driverless cars to automated manufacturing, and even defense and space exploration. "Who is going to take care of these robots? We can't rely on humans to maintain these machines. Robots must ultimately learn to take care of themselves." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about robots? Let us know via science@ Reference Wyder, P. M., Bakhda, R., Zhao, M., Booth, Q. A., Modi, M. E., Song, A., Kang, S., Wu, J., Patel, P., Kasumi, R. T., Yi, D., Garg, N. N., Jhunjhunwala, P., Bhutoria, S., Tong, E. H., Hu, Y., Goldfeder, J., Mustel, O., Kim, D., & Lipson, H. (2025). Robot metabolism: Toward machines that can grow by consuming other machines. Science Advances, 11(29).
