The Blob Robot

iRobots new silicone based Blob robot known as a chem-bot uses an innovative new concept called Jamming. The Blobrobot is comprised of several cellular chambers that are filled with a jamming fluid. Each of the cellular chambers can be jammed and unjammed an then inflated with air. This causes the Blob to take on a multiple of shapes an sizes.

Researchers in the iRobot development team have found ways to control each cellular chamber an have basically created a new type of movement for robots by changing its shape, size an viscosity. The silicone Blob robot is still in it’s infant stages of development.

DARPA has been funding iRobots Blob robot project giving them an estimated 3 million to develop a robot that can get through the smallest of places an detect chemicals. but the Blob robot appears to have many more uses then it was originally designed for.

With this new technology great possibilities are opened up to the Scientific Community.  Just imagine a giant Blob robot rolling around on the surface of mars collecting data or floating in space changing its shape to create movement. With an endless configuration of chambers the Blob robot can be programed to take on just about any shape or size an fit in places much smaller then itself making it a valuable tool that can be used in all aspects of survallience.

Just like the cell phone, there is no doubt that the Blob robot will get smaller an smaller. With the ability to take on a soild or liquid form this silicone based robot, will be able to detect anything an go anywere. Researchers are even working on connecting the Blobs togather.

In the future these robots will offer the first line of defense in a war. I can imagine these little bots being dropped from a reaper drone, onto an enemy location. All of them equipped with cameras an sensors that detect movement and see enemy positions. The Blob robots will set up an invisible wireless network of survallience, that will allow are troops to take down the enemy without causing collateral damage.

This neat robot could change the way we fight terrorists. The biggest problem we have is finding them! If we were to drop hundreds of these Blob robots in the remote regions of Afganistans mountains or a suspected terrorist hidout. We Could set up an invisible network something like a ground radar, mixed with video cameras and coupled with facial recogniton. We could locate top targets send in robotic drones and eliminate them, all without putting a single troop in harms way.