Tech Article

Until now, even the most advanced robot was almost certain to break down when damaged. That's because its internal computer simply doesn't know how to operate the machine after its shape has changed.

To get around this problem, the spidery robot's developers equipped their invention with eight motors and two sensors that read how the machine is tilting. The motors and sensors all provide electrical signals to the machine's software.

Using this information, the system follows a new procedure to figure out the machine's shape at any given moment. The program chooses from among 100,000 possible arrangements of parts.

From there, the computer considers a wide variety of possible next steps, and it calculates how best to move the robot forward the longest possible distance, before trying to move again.

The new strategy is a major advance in robotics, scientists say, and it's far from scary. The technology may someday help researchers create better artificial limbs that give new freedom to people who lack arms and legs. The new knowledge might also help scientists understand how people and animals figure out their own sense of place in space.

When a robot damaged it would almost always break down and stop working. Up untill now they have always done that. They came out with a new robot that can fix its-self when it breaks. The internal computers offer 100,000 possibles arragments of parts. They hope to one day make better artificial limbs for people missing arms and legs.

I think this is a great invention and a great break through for robotics. If a robot can fix its self after it breaks many people would want the product. I think it would be amazing if they could bring this idea to prostetic limbs so they could fuctioin better. This was an great invention.