termites are what motivated this whole project we learned about these termites
project we learned about these termites
project we learned about these termites these centimeters long insects that
these centimeters long insects that
these centimeters long insects that together build mounds that can be 40
together build mounds that can be 40
together build mounds that can be 40 feet or more tall and we said that’s
feet or more tall and we said that’s
feet or more tall and we said that’s amazing that shows that these large
amazing that shows that these large
amazing that shows that these large numbers of independent agents you know
numbers of independent agents you know
numbers of independent agents you know all with limited sensing and then no
all with limited sensing and then no
all with limited sensing and then no central control that they can together
central control that they can together
central control that they can together build very large-scale complicated
build very large-scale complicated
build very large-scale complicated structures that’s fantastic now how
structures that’s fantastic now how
structures that’s fantastic now how would we do that how would we build and
would we do that how would we build and
would we do that how would we build and program robots so that they build
program robots so that they build
program robots so that they build according to these same kinds of
according to these same kinds of
according to these same kinds of decentralized principles but together
decentralized principles but together
decentralized principles but together produce particular things that we asked
produce particular things that we asked
produce particular things that we asked them for this video is sped up five
them for this video is sped up five
them for this video is sped up five times because the robots actually move
times because the robots actually move
times because the robots actually move very slowly they’re capable of moving
very slowly they’re capable of moving
very slowly they’re capable of moving faster but we have them moving very
faster but we have them moving very
faster but we have them moving very deliberately now they’re being very
deliberately now they’re being very
deliberately now they’re being very careful to get everything right sort of
careful to get everything right sort of
careful to get everything right sort of measure twice cut once so here we’ve
measure twice cut once so here we’ve
measure twice cut once so here we’ve sped up 15 times the robots are actually
sped up 15 times the robots are actually
sped up 15 times the robots are actually moving at about two-and-a-half feet a
moving at about two-and-a-half feet a
moving at about two-and-a-half feet a minute so the main window is showing
minute so the main window is showing
minute so the main window is showing sort of a 3/4 view of the three robots
sort of a 3/4 view of the three robots
sort of a 3/4 view of the three robots building the structure in the lower left
building the structure in the lower left
building the structure in the lower left is an inset showing a top view of the
is an inset showing a top view of the
is an inset showing a top view of the same thing so if you’re a human asking
same thing so if you’re a human asking
same thing so if you’re a human asking these robots to build you something you
these robots to build you something you
these robots to build you something you start by giving them something like a
start by giving them something like a
start by giving them something like a picture of what you want you give them
picture of what you want you give them
picture of what you want you give them basically a blueprint and a computer
basically a blueprint and a computer
basically a blueprint and a computer takes that and annotates that with the
takes that and annotates that with the
takes that and annotates that with the equivalent of traffic rules that gives
equivalent of traffic rules that gives
equivalent of traffic rules that gives the robots guidelines on how they’re
the robots guidelines on how they’re
the robots guidelines on how they’re allowed to move through the workspace
allowed to move through the workspace
allowed to move through the workspace each one has its own brain it doesn’t
each one has its own brain it doesn’t
each one has its own brain it doesn’t know what the other ones are doing
know what the other ones are doing
know what the other ones are doing they’re not getting directions from any
they’re not getting directions from any
they’re not getting directions from any any central command and they they also
any central command and they they also
any central command and they they also each have all their own sensing they can
each have all their own sensing they can
each have all their own sensing they can only tell what’s going on right around
only tell what’s going on right around
only tell what’s going on right around themselves they’re working together in
themselves they’re working together in
themselves they’re working together in the sense that they’re all working to
the sense that they’re all working to
the sense that they’re all working to build the same structure but they’re
build the same structure but they’re
build the same structure but they’re working independently each one is acting
working independently each one is acting
working independently each one is acting on its own if you got rid of one of
on its own if you got rid of one of
on its own if you got rid of one of these robots that wouldn’t affect what
these robots that wouldn’t affect what
these robots that wouldn’t affect what the other two were doing if you got rid
the other two were doing if you got rid
the other two were doing if you got rid of two of the robots the third one would
of two of the robots the third one would
of two of the robots the third one would be able to keep going and finish the job
be able to keep going and finish the job
be able to keep going and finish the job by itself the long-term vision of the
by itself the long-term vision of the
by itself the long-term vision of the system like this is to do automated
system like this is to do automated
system like this is to do automated construction and settings where humans
construction and settings where humans
construction and settings where humans can’t easily do it so for instance if we
can’t easily do it so for instance if we
can’t easily do it so for instance if we want to send astronauts to Mars it’s
want to send astronauts to Mars it’s
want to send astronauts to Mars it’s very hard very dangerous and expensive
very hard very dangerous and expensive
very hard very dangerous and expensive to send astronauts to build there it
to send astronauts to build there it
to send astronauts to build there it would be ideal if we could send a team
would be ideal if we could send a team
would be ideal if we could send a team of robots on ahead to build them a
of robots on ahead to build them a
of robots on ahead to build them a habitat so that would be waiting for
habitat so that would be waiting for
habitat so that would be waiting for them when they show up
them when they show up
them when they show up of course that’s again a very long-term
of course that’s again a very long-term
of course that’s again a very long-term vision something that might be shorter
vision something that might be shorter
vision something that might be shorter term still on the order of years but
term still on the order of years but
term still on the order of years but maybe not decades is to have a system
maybe not decades is to have a system
maybe not decades is to have a system like this build levees out of sandbags
like this build levees out of sandbags
like this build levees out of sandbags to protect against flooding classically
to protect against flooding classically
to protect against flooding classically the times when you want to use robots
the times when you want to use robots
the times when you want to use robots instead of people our situation is
instead of people our situation is
instead of people our situation is described by the 3ds dirty dangerous and
described by the 3ds dirty dangerous and
described by the 3ds dirty dangerous and dull and something like you know
dull and something like you know
dull and something like you know building with sandbags and a flood zone
building with sandbags and a flood zone
building with sandbags and a flood zone is is all of those things right now we
is is all of those things right now we
is is all of those things right now we send in the National Guard so if we
send in the National Guard so if we
send in the National Guard so if we could have robots do that for us you
could have robots do that for us you
could have robots do that for us you know that can help us keep people out of
know that can help us keep people out of
know that can help us keep people out of harm’s way again not these specific
harm’s way again not these specific
harm’s way again not these specific robots not these exact algorithms but
robots not these exact algorithms but
robots not these exact algorithms but you can imagine how systems like these
you can imagine how systems like these
you can imagine how systems like these could be adapted to build walls out of
could be adapted to build walls out of
could be adapted to build walls out of sandbags to protect against flooding
”
Be First to Comment