Ant-inspired robots assemble bridges and stretchers outdoors

Researchers at Dartmouth College have developed modular, cube-shaped robots inspired by ants that can assemble into various structures and navigate complex outdoor environments. These robots combine rigid rods with adjustable soft strings to change shape and connect with one another, enabling them to crawl under logs, squeeze through narrow spaces, form bridges across gaps, and create scaffolds for temporary shelters. Assisted by drones, the robots can also build taller, three-dimensional structures and perform tasks such as locating and rescuing disabled modules. Although the robots successfully supported a human dummy on a stretcher formed by connected blocks, they are not yet capable of carrying people. Each robotic block contains a battery and Wi-Fi module for untethered communication and can operate for over three hours on a single charge. Motors adjust string tension to deform the blocks, and latches allow them to connect, with small individual movements combining to produce significant aggregate motion. The use of drones enhances the robots’ ability to assemble complex vertical structures, likened to a form of 3D