Distributed Biomorphic Bots for Space

from the let's-let-them-do-the-work dept.
Gordon Worley writes "There is a n article up at SPACE.COM about robots being built to explore Mars. The one described in the article is distributed and reminds me very much of the work done by Mark Tilden [of Los Alamos], though not enough details are given to decide how closely. " Read More for details on BiRoD — Biomorphic Robot with Distributed power. Description of BiRoD — Biomorphic Robot with Distributed power — from the Space.com piece: "As a micro-beast of burden, BiRoD features the latest innovations, such as muscle wires, chemical energy storage, mechanical conversion concepts and sensors….Muscle wires are used in the robot, made of a melding of nickel and titanium, to produce a memory alloy. 'They have a nice property. When you heat it up, it changes its structure. When muscle wire contracts it produces a force, and you can use this action for moving the robot,'…'The big deal is that there's nothing under the hood. No gears, no levers, no transmission, no motors — that's what makes it light and reliable…' "