Newsgroups: comp.robotics,alt.manufacturing.misc,alt.sci.physics.new-theories,alt.technology.misc,eunet.misc,midlands.general,uk.misc
From: Joe@stellar.demon.co.uk (Joseph Michael)
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!news.sprintlink.net!peernews.demon.co.uk!stellar.demon.co.uk!Joe
Subject: Re: SHAPE CHANGING ROBOTS - Info Release...
References: <794004772snz@stellar.demon.co.uk>
Organization: Stellar Drive
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Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 04:25:27 +0000
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In article <794004772snz@stellar.demon.co.uk>
           joe@stellar.demon.co.uk "Joseph Michael" writes:

                         ANNOUNCEMENT
                         ------------
Complete Design & Construction Overview - Documentation
-------------------------------------------------------
New file uploaded to ftp.demon.co.uk in directory
/pub/ibmpc/graphics/pm file name pm5.zip.

The document is a Microsoft Word 2 format document (other versions are
*not* going to be available in the conceivable future). Please observe
copyright notice in the document. Its about 35 pages with lots of diagrams.

There is enough information to allow you to build a shape changing robot
and hopefully justify all the claims being made for it!
(Appologies if anything is missing - shout loudly if anything is :-) -
but do bear in mind detailed articles on many of the briefly touched
on subjects will be posted over a period of time.)

Interesting topics:-

	Ice Robots & Wax Robots
	-----------------------
Shape changing robots can be built to be substantially hollow for the bulk
of its mass to be cast on the spot to erect vast temporary structures in
ice and wax (such as dams, hangars etc). Ice robots can be sent into fires
to for fire fighting also where melting only produces a desirable side effect!

	New methods for IC chip manufacture
        -----------------------------------
Shape changing robots can be used to weld together < 0.1 micron sized plates
which then form the masks for direct exposure using molecular beam. It has
possibilities for mass production of very large masks without requiring
$1m optical steppers.

	Method for stabilizing sinking ships
	------------------------------------
Even in this modern day & age there is no way to stop a ship from sinking
once it has started taking on water. Shape changing robots can help
by erecting floating structures around the ship and sealing off / minimising
intake of water. Ideal for super tankers and large ferries as the system
is relatively compact.

	Nuclear disaster recovery
	-------------------------
Shape changing robots can be used to erect lead walls, new ceilings, floors
pipe supports etc in minutes. It can deform through narrow entraces to
obtain access to inaccessible areas; it can minimise the production
of contaminated hardware; and it may become illegal in the future
to operate an atom plant without such robots for safety reasons.
If you are in the nuclear power production business, you probably
want to read all about this!

	Fractal Operating System
	------------------------
A brand new fractal operating system is under specification. You get a
glimpse of what it might look like..

	Agricultural Robots
	-------------------
Shape changing robots are true multi-terrain vehicles - a point which
allows it to climb trees, walk in forests etc. Robots have
have failed misearbly in general purpose agriculture not because your
vision system cannot see or your end effectors coult not cut down the
fruit but because they could not get to their harvest due either to
the terrain or the sheer difficulty of reaching for example a fruit
inside a tree..


And finally, please note, shape changing robots of the type described
here could have been built several decades ago. Its hard work putting
all this IPR stuff together - please don't violate the rules for it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Joseph Michael              |    E.C.C. Ltd                       |
|  joe@stellar.demon.co.uk     |    23 Portland Rise, London N4 2PT  |
|  Tel 0836 703945             |    Tel/Fax 0181-800 9914            |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
