Columbia's Truss Link robots can grow, fix themselves on the go
Columbia University has unveiled Truss Link robots—modular bots that can literally grow, fix themselves, and even swap parts with each other.
Built from magnetic modules that snap together at different angles, these robots can stretch or shrink to form all sorts of shapes.
It's a big step toward machines that look after themselves.
Robots that can adapt and repair themselves
Truss Links follow a "robot metabolism" rule: they use their own or matching modules to build new shapes or repair damage on their own.
In tests, six Truss Links transformed from flat 2D pieces into a 3D tetrahedron.
Adding an extra module as a walking stick made the robot move downhill over 66% faster.
Each piece can shrink or stretch for flexible movement.
These bots could be game changers for space missions
Self-sustaining robots like these could make life easier wherever machines are used—think factories or space missions—since they'd need less human help for repairs and upgrades.
With the ability to adapt and bounce back on their own, these bots might just change how we think about robotics in the real world.