Robotic Swarm As A Construction Crew

Harvard engineers recently demonstrated a new concept in building structures using an autonomous swarm of robots. Inspired by the way termites construct complex, functional architectures complete with ventilation and humidity control, they worked to emulate a similar collaborative effort using machines.

The key was to accomplish the task without the need for centralized control (e.g. a supervisor) or individual understanding of the overall plan. By combining swarm intelligence with programmable self-assembly, algorithms were created to incorporate a concept called “stigmergy” in which the communication between robots, and their subsequent action, is based on observation of changes in the environment. In this way, the robotic platform can be kept simpler.

The robots (known as TERMES) are designed to build structures out of foam bricks. In addition to carrying, placing and attaching the blocks, they can build stairs to reach the next level of construction and adapt if an individual robot breaks down. This concept of collective construction could be used to build containment structures in disaster areas, construct defenses in dangerous or remote situations, or even assemble habitats on another planet.