Bush robot

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Bush robots, as envisioned by Hans Moravec, are the ultimate in dexterity and reconfigurability. They earn their nickname from their appearance: bush robots repeatedly branch in a fractal way into trillions of nanoscale fingers. According to the author, it will be half a century before we have the required technology to build them.

Bush robots are also referenced as very recent technology in the Transhuman Space roleplaying game. They are also featured in some novels, such as Rocheworld by author and physicist Robert L. Forward, Iron Sunrise by author Charles Stross, and The Adventures of Lando Calrissian, by author L. Neil Smith.

Bush robots play an important role in Ken Macleod's The Cassini Division, part of his science-fiction series The Fall Revolution.

[edit] References

  • Moravec, Hans. (1988). Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Chpt. 4 in particular. ISBN 0-674-57618-7
  • Moravec, Hans; Easudes, Jesse; and Dellaert, Frank. (1996). Fractal branching ultra-dexterous robots (Bush robots). [1])NASA Advanced Concepts Research Project.


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