'Robot metabolism' concept could help them grow by consuming each other

Researchers at Columbia University have introduced the concept of "robot metabolism," a novel approach enabling robots to physically grow, heal, and improve themselves by absorbing and reusing parts from their environment or other robots. This idea draws inspiration from biological systems, where organisms adapt and sustain themselves through modular components like amino acids. The research team demonstrated this concept using "Truss Links," magnetic building blocks that can self-assemble into complex structures and integrate new parts to enhance functionality, such as a tetrahedron robot that developed a walking stick to increase its speed downhill by 66.5%. This advancement aims to overcome the current limitations of rigid robotic bodies that depend heavily on human intervention for repairs and upgrades. By mimicking nature’s modular and adaptive processes, robot metabolism could lead to truly autonomous machines capable of self-maintenance and physical evolution. Potential applications include disaster recovery, where robots could self-repair in unpredictable environments, and space exploration, where robots might build and adapt without human resupply. Published in Science Advances,