Kilobots are tiny autonomous swarming robots, that cost about
$14 a piece to build (Photo: Harvard University) Autonomous
robotic devices are certainly capable of some impressive feats,
but as is the case with people, sometimes large groups can
accomplish what an individual or a small group can’t. Research
projects such as BAE Systems’ MAST program recognize this
potential, and are investigating ways in which entire swarms of
small robots could work together. The problem is, given how much
time and money goes into the creation of a typical autonomous
robot, it’s difficult to find a swarm of them to experiment upon
– researchers often have to use computer simulations, or do
their tests with a small group of robots, then scale up the
results. That’s where Harvard University’s Kilobot project comes
into play. It incorporates tiny swarming robots that take just
five minutes to build, and that are worth about US$14 each.