http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight/

The incidental mention of the use of this technology in search and rescue got my attention. What will they think of next?

So long as the Robo-bee doesn't sound like a bee.

In which case, it could have a short life if it sneaks up on me.

It's getting harder for Hollywood to keep ahead of reality, in terms of technology these days -- much amazing stuff is being built for real.


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There was an article couple of years back (1999?) in Mechanical Engineering Magazine on excess degree of freedom robots (robots that could reconfigure themselves in situ) being used, among other things, for urban SAR.

At the time, the limits of computer power forced a hybrid design with reconfigurable modules on a fixed configuration "worm" or "spider" architecture. The current crop of 'bots are classified as "self reconfiguring modular robots".

There was a book I read that had that technology in play. I thing it was "Deception Point" by Dan Brown, if I recall correctly. Good read.