This is article on Wired.com is very interesting and the video is absolutely amazing.
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Harvard University engineers have come up with a production technique inspired by pop-up books and origami, that allows clones of tiny robots to be mass-produced in sheets.
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/02/robotic-bee/?utm_source=Contextly&utm_medium=RelatedLinks&utm_campaign=MoreRecently
That's very cool. I've seen videos of self assembling robots like chairs etc but the flat-packed printing of these is very promising :)
Fascinating.... and yet terrifying at the same time. At least they haven't designed them with a stinger..... yet.
QuoteAt least they haven't designed them with a stinger..... yet.
Think of the military applications ... ;D Hehe I can just see a swarm of these beasties chasing the Taliban ...
TALIBAN NERD: Look at this thing, it's so cool! See how it works like a pop-up?
TALIBAN ENFORCER: The infidel commits blasphemy by imitating nature. He must be destroyed!
TALIBAN NERD: We say that about everything the infidel does. But seriously, check this out! Even the stinger pops-up!
TALIBAN ENFORCER: A jihad upon those.....er.....
TALIBAN NERD: Microbiotic engineers?
TALIBAN ENFORCER: No. Those infidels!
TALIBAN NERD: Hey look, more of them! See how they swarm, just like in nature? Fascinating....
TALIBAN ENFORCER: God is most displeased at this incursion into His domain. I relish the seventy virgins I will win in heaven through my martyrdom in a holy-war against this ungodly pop-uppery!
TALIBAN NERD: Hmmmm. They seem to be massing around us. I'm just going to-
**HYSTERICAL SCREAMING SOUNDS**
TALIBAN ENFORCER: No! The virgins are useless to me now!!!! Arrrrrgghghghghghh!!111!!!!!!
-END TRANSMISSION-