Robot inspired by self-construction termite

Engineers at Harvard University's lab are developing teams of robots inspired by termites that can build their own buildings without human control. Users only need to enter the mathematical models of the architecture they want to build and the robot team will take care of the rest. The technology promises to be able to help people build buildings in extreme conditions even in space.

>>>Video: Construction robots inspired by termites

The robot is about the size of a shoe, shaped like a Volkswagen Beetle and made with 3D printing being developed at a Harvard University laboratory. Robot wheels are designed like 3 hooks so they can easily stick, climb on many different terrains.

In the video it can be seen, termite robots carry porous pieces on their backs and move themselves to the position needed to arrange each layer to form the desired architecture. It is quite interesting that the robot team absolutely does not need human control to identify the surrounding environment conditions and build the entire architecture. As in the video, the robot team is building a tower from stacked sponges.

"If you want to build an underwater structure or even a research station on Mars, this is," said Engineer at the Institute of Biotechnology-inspired Science at Harvard University, Justin Werfel. It is difficult, expensive, and dangerous to send people there, but you can use robots to build buildings in harsh living environments, this is the long-term vision. of project".

In order for the robot team to operate, Werfel tells them the mathematical models of the building structure, such as a pyramid. Each member of the robot team will use the mathematical model to calculate where the sponge will be placed on its back. If the location has been completed by another robot, it will move to another necessary position during the construction process.

In order to understand the progress of the work, the robot is not only equipped with ultrasonic and infrared wave sensors, but also integrates the accelerometer inside to determine how many blocks have been installed and where. need to continue installation. In the first stage, the robot team can build structures such as pyramids, castles or towers. But in the future, the research team will continue to develop so that more complex structures can be built.