Festo's Bionic Ant
A German engineering company, Festo, has created a new robot. These robots are giant android ants. You can, apparently, print these giant insects with the 3D printer.
Of course, I know from browsing the web, that everyone has a 3D printer. I don’t, but I always thought everyone else did. I didn’t buy one because I thought I couldn’t afford it. But, now, I know a second reason to avoid getting a 3D printer. I don’t want it printing giant ant robots that will wander through my home when I’m not around messing with my stuff.
But, like it or not, giant robotic android ants are here and are probably here to stay. People who go on giant picnics are no longer safe.
These amazing robots are about the size of a human hand. They have impressive capabilities including stereo camera “eyes” that would allow them to visually estimate distance along with wireless networking to communicate with each other. This networking would allow them to work together as a group, spontaneously, “in the field,” without the need for specific instructions from a central network. So, like “Skynet” of the Terminator series, they could devise and execute a plan to take over the world without our even knowing it.
In spite of their bad picnic reputation, ants were chosen as a model because, working together, they can do so many impressive things. Festo will be presenting these “bionic” ants as their latest development later this month, April 13-17, at the biggest industrial trade show in the world, Hannover Messe.
The robot ants follow Festo’s earlier presentations, a robotic kangaroo and robotic penguin. I'm not sure I even want to see what those two robotic creatures look like. What am I saying? Yes, I do!
This is Festo’s Kangaroo Robot:
This is Festo’s “Air” Penguin. I wasn’t expecting the “air” part.
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