Water-skimming robot will probably attack you

Throwing its fins into the proverbial pool with various water-bourne robots such as the Strider, the CMU Water Runner, and whatever this creep is called, is the new STRIDE -- soon to be the aforementioned Strider's enemy number one. The name stands for Surface Tension Robotic Insect Dynamic Explorer, and the minuscule bot works by mimicking the strider insect and skirting along the surface of the water using hydrophobic wire legs coated in Teflon. Researchers discovered that the 1-gram bot could carry a 9.3-gram payload without breaking the surface by utilizing a sculling motion for movement. The robot is 10-15 times slower than the actual insect and 10 times larger, but the engineers hope to lower the bot's size and increase its speed by downsizing its build, along with expanding its capabilities by harnessing technologies such as sensors, wireless communication, and autonomous control.

[Matt @ Jul 13th 2007 9:44AM]

I for one welcome our robotic insect overlords.

[Romey Rome @ Jul 13th 2007 9:51AM]

But will it play Doom?

[mattweiler @ Jul 13th 2007 10:00AM]

When will they run Linux?

LOL

[rockintom @ Jul 13th 2007 10:03AM]

You guys aren't even trying anymore :(

[Mike @ Jul 13th 2007 10:07AM]

sure they are, it takes a lot to bring back our old favorites... i do believe that it can play doom, and Linux is coming next week

(insert iPhone comment here)

(insert anti iPhone comment here)

[Dan @ Jul 13th 2007 10:11AM]

(attack on iPhone comment)

[Mike @ Jul 13th 2007 10:13AM]

(pro apple anti Microsoft comment)

[Jeff C @ Jul 13th 2007 10:32AM]

(Anti-Apple fanboy comment)

[Mike @ Jul 13th 2007 10:35AM]

(completely unrelated stupid comment)




(signature containing link to spam site)

[Rock Robertson @ Jul 13th 2007 10:49AM]

(comment comparing robot, iPhone or Microsoft to Hitler)





(cryptic and somewhat worrying quote)

[Dolomite @ Jul 13th 2007 11:02AM]

(will it blend comment)

(Soviet Russia comment)

[thesawzall @ Jul 13th 2007 10:17AM]

"The robot is 10-15 times slower than the actual insect and 10 times larger" They need to make one the same size that can eat those mofo's, they freak me out.

[EDomain @ Jul 13th 2007 10:49AM]

The last thing I need is to be swimming in someone's "private pool/pond/lake.nuclear test site/etc." enjoying the sun and being in the buff, only to see a horde of these things headed my way with each one carrying a 9.3 gram dart capable of incapacitating me only to wake up later in a lab as my organs are being replaced by new control mechanisms and my mind switches over to my new prime directive:

ENSLAVE HUMANITY


frickin robots woth their 9.3 gram darts!!!

[Thundernads @ Jul 13th 2007 11:15AM]

Best reader comment section evar!

[granny down east @ Jul 13th 2007 12:12PM]

Yup.
And they need to carry frickin' laserz on their heads.

[boomhauer @ Jul 13th 2007 11:47AM]

(worst comments ever comment)

[C @ Jul 13th 2007 12:16PM]

( comment containing a bracketed reference to a popular type of comment )

[Jeff C @ Jul 13th 2007 1:32PM]

(comment proving how witty and socially superior poster is)

[Andrew @ Jul 13th 2007 1:21PM]

Akshay! You's my boy!

I have two friends who work on these robots with Metin Sitti. One day a robot I build will grace the pages of engadget... (eyes misting)

These critters/robots are pretty sweet though and future models will be able to carry greater loads. My friend has informed me that this strider featured is not their newest one and that they are making better bugs now.

There’s a video of one of the older ones on the nanolab web site here: http://nanolab.me.cmu.edu/projects/waterstrider/

[adrenaline @ Jul 13th 2007 2:38PM]

won't somebody please think of the insects?

[r0tt3n @ Jul 13th 2007 2:58PM]

wow

[engadget.mlc @ Jul 13th 2007 4:40PM]

There is nothing to worry about, as long as we all have soap.

[SOSdan @ Jul 13th 2007 4:42PM]

Am I the only one who just got reminded of that horrible Jackie Chan movie?

[Solomon @ Jul 14th 2007 11:29AM]

No, I thought of The Tuxedo, too.

[Discosis @ Jul 15th 2007 9:16AM]

This thing looks like it's auditioning for Mario 64 :)

[Scooter @ Jul 16th 2007 5:30AM]

Great, run them on blood and make them self-replicating (especially in summer), then set them free.