Development of "termite robot" that judges and acts on its own is underway at Harvard University

It is also an annoying creature for man, such as devouring the pillar of the houseTermitesEven if the body is small, much gatheringUnimaginable ultra-huge structure nestBuilding in the ground, we have the ability to imagine from the appearance. The application of such termites' habits to control multiple robots and trying to realize advanced operation is being studied at Harvard University "TERMES"is.

Robots to the rescue | Harvard Gazette
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/02/robots-to-the-rescue-2/

TERMES of "termite robot" is an autonomous robot equipped with four special tires and multiple sensors. It is a mechanism that places a square tile that appears white on the back of the car body and carries it to the destination, manipulates the arm to lower the tile and installs it as "a small construction machine". You can check the scenery that actually works and stacks tiles from the following movie.

Designing Collective Behavior in a Termite-Inspired Robotic Construction Team - YouTube


There is not much to see in Japan, but in the termites seen overseas there are times when the herds make ali mounds that reach the height of about 5 meters with power together. However, in the work, it is not that there is an ant of the leader who gives instructions as the center, but instead of using an indirect method of communicating, each will move while judging the situationStig MerseyIt is based on a process called.


The model was applied to robot "TERMES" developed by researcher team of engineering and applied chemistry school of Harvard University. TERMES is equipped with special tires and has a high ability to pass through steps, even with the materials carried on the shoulder.


To TERMES, it is not detailed work instructions corresponding to individual individuals, but only data of the complete completion drawing. When you reach the destination point, first check the current situation, recognize the necessary work, and repeat the work of installing the material in the necessary place. Thanks to special tires, it is also possible to build structures with height.


It is characterized by not necessarily going through the same process until reaching the desired shape because it only directs the whole picture. In the following movies, you can confirm that the stacking order is different.


It is possible to respond to changes in situations without causing an error even if a person moves a tile that was intentionally set on the way.


The research team is also able to apply this technology to make it active in the field of space development such as stacking the soil at the time of a disaster such as a flood or building a base on Mars. Normally, in the case of performing robot control, it is rare that a system of "central command type" that grasps the whole from a macroscopic point of view and gives instructions is used, but "termite type" that can perform autonomous operation It is thought that it will be possible to operate in the scale of tens to thousands of vehicles if it is.


Radhika Nagpal, the core member of the research team, said, "The ultimate goal is to have both" central command type "and" termite type "combined, but now one It is a stage where we are pursuing the ultimate state and it can be said that we are doing well so far from the termite perspective, "he says about the future prospects.

Self-organizing Systems Research Group
http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/ssr/projects/cons/termes.html