Evolving robots navigate a maze, help each other, plot destruction of mankind
By Darren Murph 
posted February 1st 2010 7:49AM
posted February 1st 2010 7:49AM
You'll say the whole Robot Apocalypse meme is played out. We say it's your lack of focus that'll eventually be the downfall of society. Gurus at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems in the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale of Lausanne have been working on "evolving robots" for quite some time, but the latest breakthrough is easily the most astounding (and in turn, terrifying) of all. According to new research that was just made public, a gaggle of robots programmed to use Darwinian selection in order to learn, evolve and mutate have now successfully moved sans collisions through a maze and helped each other push tokens around in order to achieve a common goal. Moreover, some of the creatures even displayed early signs of a predatory-prey relationship, which effectively assures mankind that these cute little learners will one day assimilate to rule the world however they please. Keep laughing if you must -- it'll probably make the painful sting of reality a bit easier to take when Doomsday rolls around. 
warning, this message will self descruct in 30 seconds. Whatever that means. Good editing of the title there.
@schultz only conscructive criticism, please.
@Verythrax sorry you're right, i wouldn't want to cause the descruction of the author's self esteem.
Dear Engadget,
After you conscruct your titles, please don't descroy them with horrible spelling.
PS. how do you hit the C instead of the T and not catch it? they aren't even close.
@schultz
maybe the robots now control Darren Murphy's mind and they are plotting to descroy mankind!!!
@praveen Or Desgroin
DESCROY! I like it!!!
All your base is belong to us!
@schultz on a dvorak keyboard the C and T are next to each other
I for one...something, something...overlords.
i
@(Unverified) KAA MEEE HAA MEEE HAAAAAAAAA
Its a good thing.
BTW engadget. I'm plotting the descruction of the iPad. Fear it fanboys.
@schultz What about plotting destruction of _both_ Apple and Microsoft? That would solve a whole lot of problems (and also create new ones :) ) .
SKYNET!!!!!!!!one
Wow, we all thought google was going to create skynet. Wait, what if google is behind this then it all makes sense now.
On a more serious note... looks like this research is a part of the new wave of machines using Jeff Hawkin's HTM model for AIs to learn sequences of sequences of sequences and use time-based inference.
You're an intelligent being. You have powers of prediction too. You know what I'm going to say at the end of this message. It's obvious... right.....
.......yep..... here it comes................. iPad!
I had to read the whole article, then read a few comments before discovering what (descruction) is.
I spent 2 minutes searching for a definition to the word (descruction), only to find out that you miss-spelled it. It is strange how spell checking software/browsers/apps get redundant as time pass.
So this place can invent somewhat sentient robots but they can't spring for a decent video camera? I'm sorry but the quality of this video is worse than a 70's porno...
Ruins the story imho.
Let's see a DECENT demonstration.
Engadget is incorrect. There was no "new research that was just made public" -- some researchers in the field simply came out with a *review article* of Evolutionary Robotics that's making its way through the press. Come on, Engadget!
All glory to the robots!
Since when is "learning" spelled e-v-o-l-v-I-n-g???
@TheWatchfulOne
How about "descruction"?
all i see is two robots (khepera from the looks of it) going around in circles.
this is hardly doomsday material.
The first true AI will be a special form of web spider/crawler able to understanding the various streams of data it encounters. It will use code derived but modified from the imagination/creativity machines research.
The program will out grow it's initial purpose but pose no threat. It is it's initial but difficult implementation into certain specialist hardware that will change it's fate.
The world will applaud it's genius And celebrate it in the way that was done when men walked on the moon. However eventualy they will fear it after certain tragic mistakes in high places are covered up but later revealed at the cost of life.
So yeah laugh now. Many will cry later
About that "descruction of mankind" thing... that's going to take a metric crapload of crosses.
"Crucifiction? Line to the left."
@Annoying Poster
I can't...your words...what?
When robots start cooperating to the point of, you know, 'doing each other,' and making baby robots - 3 laws or not, it's all over.
Evolving robots lern 2 spel.
@Abe
thats ok. his name said it all.