Robot Security Guard

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Hum,
i`d buy that for a dollar...

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Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves.
Each robot consists of several 10-cm cubes which have identical machinery, electromagnets to attach and detach to each other and a computer program for replication. The robots can bend and pick up and stack the cubes.


"Although the machines we have created are still simple compared with biological self-reproduction, they demonstrate that mechanical self-reproduction is possible and not unique to biology. The four-module robot was able to construct a replica in 2.5 minutes by lifting and assembling cubes from the feeding locations."  - Hod Lipson.
 
He and his team believe the design principle could be used to make long term, self-repairing robots that could mend themselves and be used in hazardous situations and on space flights.
The experimental robots, which don't do anything else except make copies of themselves, are powered through contacts on the surface of the table and transfer data through their faces. They self-replicate by using additional modules placed in special "feeding locations."

The machines duplicate themselves by bending over and putting their top cube on the table. Then they bend again, pick up another cube, put it on top of the first and repeat the entire process. As the new robot begins to take shape it helps to build itself.

Eventually, it is hoped that they will take over the world.

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Hum,
not quite as exciting,
but world domination by cybernetic organisms moved a step closer to reality on Wednesday when robots nicknamed "Sister Mary" and "Doctor Robbie" started work at a London hospital.
The pair allows doctors to visually examine and communicate with patients, whether they are in another part of the hospital or even another part of the world.
"This is a revolutionary concept which opens new avenues in telemedicine research and integrates technology with healthcare." -  Professor Sir Ara Darzi.


Darzi, head of surgery, anaesthetics and intensive care at London's prestigious Imperial College is also a practising surgeon at St Mary's hospital in Paddington, west London.
The 1.5m robots are controlled remotely by a doctor via a joystick.
Doctors can look at patients thanks to a camera mounted on top of the robot while patients can see their doctors via a screen on the robots' "face".
Patients can be asked questions and medical records - such as X-rays and test results - can be read.
As part of a pilot study, patients will be assessed as to how they respond to the robots' metallic ministrations.

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