Miniature robot leaps 27 times its body size

Great Idea, but biggest problem I see with building robots that perform terrestrial searches remote environments by memicing insect behavior is that animals in the wild will mistake these devices for insects. Birds, mice, skunks, and even common house cats are just a few of the animals that prey on Grasshoppers and other jumping insects. All of these animals can do massive damage to a delicate robot.

If a swarm of robots are created big enought to mitigate the impact of animal attacks, then this may have the unintended effect of training the natural predators of locusts and grasshopers to be afraid of them. Leaving their population unchecked and possibly causing more frequent locust plauges.

Hasan Long

- October 5, 2009 @ 01:10 am