Duke micro-bots learning to dance, probe cellular architectures

We won't even front: Duke's quasi-invisibility cloak is far cooler than this, but a team of microscopic robots sure have the potential to do more good than a glorified figment of someone's imagination. Bruce Donald, a Duke professor of computer science and biochemistry, has teamed up with a few other mad scientists in order to create ridiculously tiny robots that can dance on objects smaller than a pin's head. According to Mr. Donald, they are "almost 100 times smaller than any previous robotic designs of their kind and weigh even less." Sure, watching these critters do the tango is undoubtedly entertaining, but he's hoping to collaborate with the medical center in order to "probe the molecular and cellular architectures of very small things such as cells." We appreciate the dedication to mankind and all, but don't pretend like you don't goof off with these guys on your coffee breaks, Bruce.

[Via Slashdot]

[David @ Jun 4th 2008 12:00AM]

Im in ur cellz, probin ur mitochondrionz

[hemmy @ Jun 4th 2008 12:14AM]

lulz

[Dillon @ Jun 4th 2008 1:06AM]

I dunno, they look more like meat cleavers. So I would expect them to be in your cellz hackin at your endoplasmic reticulumz.

[ecobore @ Jun 4th 2008 4:34AM]

They will take over our brains and control us from within! We will become slaves to our microscopic robot masters! No master, I didn't really type that. I onl....... arghhh.....

[David @ Jun 4th 2008 6:51AM]

Signs to look out for are an irrational obsession with spatulas and waltzing to Strauss

[Phred @ Jun 5th 2008 5:00AM]

I, for one, welcome our little tiny, rug-cutting robotic overlords.