http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/ Engadget Comments for Sugar cube-sized swarm bots could build Transformers, bring destruction upon us all http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
Think about it. You’re at home, maybe trying to surf, and your PC informs you that there’s a new version of Adobe Reader available, and while you’re getting it, you really, really should buy the full version. Two minutes later, your firewall opens a popup telling you it just did what you bought it to do – blocked an intrusion attempt. Then it starts running a defrag, which you configured to only run when you aren’t using your PC but which seems to run whenever it feels like, slowing your system to a crawl. Think robots will be any different?

Initiate robo-snake linking protocol.
Error 3612: linking protocol mismatch.
Downloading update………
Error 34677J: Server not found.
Initiate human termination routine.
ImageRec is v2.0298. Version 2.0299 required.
Low battery warning. Entering power save mode.

At the very worst, robots will be mostly useless.
]]>Mar 14th 2008 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
But seriously can they sweeten my coffee.]]>Mar 14th 2008 10:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
I think there is indeed something inherently wrong with the current software design. Programmers don't build self-sustaining, replicating software modules. Code that adapts itself to the environment is seen as something that should be prevented to almost all costs. This has as a consequence that those software entities do not inherit all the properties that biologically systems have. The latter are able to respond to a lot of different situations, they adapt to their environment (open-ended evolution), etc. etc. Why does an operating system not run faster and faster over time, when it learns to know the hardware it runs upon and the users it works with better and better? To restart a computer is already an insane thought from a biological point of view. :-)

I will be working in the European project "Replicator" as a researcher. It will use the same microrobots as the Symbrion project. It will be very challenging to implement concepts that deviate from this traditional way of programming. But, we have one big advantage: the hardware. Microrobots are very good thought vehicles and can function as a breeding ground where "embodiment", "grounding" and "distribution" comes very natural. IMHO this notions are essential to build promising systems (see even contemporary philosophers).

Kind regards,

Anne]]>Apr 3rd 2008 8:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 12:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 9:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
Sorry had to do it... I just watched SG1:AoT, it was awesome but we should know better than to make replictors]]>Mar 14th 2008 10:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubix]]>Mar 14th 2008 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 15th 2008 3:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
I, for one, welcome our nano overlords.]]>Mar 14th 2008 11:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 1:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 7:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/Mar 14th 2008 10:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/14/sugar-cube-sized-swarm-bots-could-build-transformers-bring-dest/
Although maybe I have too many times.]]>Mar 15th 2008 1:01AM