Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!sdd.hp.com!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!netcomsv!netcom.com!nagle
From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle)
Subject: Re: Shape Changing Robotics
Message-ID: <nagleCqMMoF.KBt@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <770291894snz@stellar.demon.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 30 May 1994 17:45:50 GMT
Lines: 22

Joe@stellar.demon.co.uk (Joseph Michael) writes:
>There is going to be an exhibition at the Birmingham National Exhibition
>Centre (NEC) called Electrotech 94 (20-24 June) which is all about electric
>power generation. 

>I hope to be exhibiting mock models of new and ultra advanced
>shape changing robotics technology that could be used to cap a catastrophically
>damaged nuclear reactor in hours saving billions and lives. The shape changing
>robot can squeeze through narrow entrances by changing shape and take large
>quantities of equipment with it to erect lead walls, ceiling supports, new
>floors, lights and cameras etc. 

>A patent has been filed on this shape changing robotics technology with
>confirmation from the preliminary patent search that the product is unique.

     See Mark Yin's new cellular shape-changing robots developed
at Stanford and described in the proceeding of the recent IEEE Robotics
and Automation conference in San Diego.  The conference video shows
these machines in action.  They're little deformable cubes, about 2" cubed,
that attach together to form larger machines.

					John Nagle
