Slime-powered robots slithering your way

by Marc Perton posted Feb 14th 2006 at 3:52PM

We've seen robots controlled by bugs, so it seems only logical that scientists would continue their quest down the de-evolutionary chain to find ever simpler and more easily enslaved creatures to lend their brains to their creations. And that process may well have reached its apotheosis with the bot recently unveiled by Klaus-Peter Zauner of the University of Southampton, which is controlled by a bright yellow slime mold. The single-celled organism naturally moves away from light and toward moist places, and was able to control a six-legged robot when light was focused on a sensor. Since the slime mold is able to grow to several feet in size, we assume Zauner is working on applications that go far beyond the lab, which will inevitably result in a light-controlled slime-bot army slowly slithering its way to world domination.

Filed under: Robots

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Wonderflex @ Feb 14th 2006 4:31PM

..and for half the year Alaska will be our only safe haven. It will be a lot like the Pitch Black movie. When the lights are out, and the weather is most, you're toast. When the sun's out wer're all free.

Neutral

pbase @ Feb 14th 2006 4:47PM

Can't light-sensing diodes already do this? So what's the purpose of using organics? Just to show that it can be done?

Neutral

gnome @ Feb 14th 2006 5:03PM

I for one welcome our new yellow slime-mold overlords.

Neutral

God @ Feb 14th 2006 6:07PM

I wish I was advanced enough to control a robot like that slime. I bow to such genius.

Neutral

Tom Sweeney @ Feb 14th 2006 6:42PM

Wow, Ghostbusters 2 anyone?

Slime has so many uses.

Neutral

Fire Hazard @ Feb 14th 2006 6:48PM

4 words "ugly walking coffee table"

Neutral

Raymond @ Feb 14th 2006 7:12PM

There are times when I wish I could just give my body to some scientists and quit worrying. I could be a cool robot with no worries.

Neutral

Deluxe @ Feb 14th 2006 7:36PM

It may be an "Ugly Walking Coffe Table", but I challenge you to invent a coffee table with such wide-scoping conversational possibilities.

Neutral

Homofictus @ Feb 14th 2006 7:50PM

Hollar, sentient robots are here to stay!

Neutral

steve @ Feb 14th 2006 11:02PM

Coffee table? How small are you guys?

Neutral

siliconcenturion @ Feb 15th 2006 12:20AM

A slime approaches...

Neutral

Davros @ Feb 16th 2006 2:08PM

Ahhh yes.... The Mark I Travel Machine..... For the future of the Kaled people!

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