Kilobots are small robots that sit on a circuit board about the size of a quarter. They cost just $15 apiece to make, but you'd want to make a lot of them, because their strength is in swarming, cooperative behaviors.
(Kilobots explained)
Kilobots can communicate with each other using light; they can move in curves or in straight lines. Take a look at this next video to see examples of different simulated 'natural' group behaviors.
(Kilobot swarming behaviors video)
What possible good are tiny swarming robots? One of the earliest descriptions of this idea is found in the 1941 short story The Mechanical Mice by Maurice Hugi (a pseudonym of Eric Frank Russell's).
This idea was developed later by writers like Ray Bradbury and Greg Bear, who created robot mice and forensic dustmice, respectively.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!)
is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for
the Invention Category that interests
you, the Glossary, the Invention
Timeline, or see what's New.
Gaia - Why Stop With Just The Earth?
'But the stars are only atoms in larger space, and in that larger space the star-atoms could combine to form living matter, thinking matter, couldn't they?'
Microsoft VASA-1 Creates Personal Video From A Photo
'...to build up a video picture would require, say, ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even think about it. But you aren't that fast.'