I-Swarm Robot Update

I-Swarm_Micro_Robot_On_Thumb

Back in October we reported on the I-Swarm robotics project. [Travis] sent us some more information. These tiny robots are programmed optically and are able to respond to programming commands via an infrared signal. Locomotion is facilitated with piezoelectric actuators and the power to the units provided through a solar cell. It is not clear that this project is still ongoing as the I-Swarm web page lists a project termination date of 6/31/2008. That being said, the video embedded after the break was posted two days ago showing swarm movement and detailing the programming, testing, and hardware specifics. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zul0y5yPOKM]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ9n3UmSdg4]

[via Hizook]

9 thoughts on “I-Swarm Robot Update

  1. The lines in the first video are probably power, maybe a little communication too. It looks like two strands of really thin magnet wire, and they’re slack the whole time.

    I like the noise that the piezo actuators make. For a split second I thought the bot in the video was going to play “somewhere in my memory”. It’d be great to see a few dozen of these dancing/playing complex music.

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