I wouldn’t really call that a robot. It’s more like a little bitty magnet being moved by other magnets. Kinda like I used to do on the kitchen table, just smaller.

Posted at 1:58 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by barry99705

I agree with barry, nanorobotics will need to work on microscale actuators before really calling it robotics.

Posted at 2:05 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by MisterCharlie

is it just me or can that thing not move on a diagonal?

Posted at 2:39 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by twistedsymphony

That video really brings new meaning to the old phrase “turns on a dime”

it does turn very abruptly, on the dime or off.

Posted at 2:43 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by Nick

Yeah I agree. I’m pretty sure there’s a reason they don’t show any of what is actually controlling it.

Posted at 5:20 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by DigitalMind

I have to agree, nanorobotics is a new field, but when I look at that it looks like a little chuck of magnetic material being manipulated by an external force. Now that doesn’t mean it can’t do something useful, like moving delicate parts into place or manipulate tissue in medical procedures. Its just when I think of a robot (autonomous or not) I think of a self controlled device capable of its own locomotion.

It is amazing how they can control it though, I wonder how acuratley they can place that “robot”.

Posted at 5:45 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by w00t0t

Not to belittle this achievement, but this isn’t a robot by any stretch of the imagination; no more than if I dragged a metal box down the street on a rope.

Posted at 7:27 pm on Jun 13th, 2008 by Tom

Videos should be before the jump please.

Posted at 2:36 am on Jun 14th, 2008 by Dax