Robotic Materials Will Distribute Intelligence All Over a Robot's Body

The classical view of a robot as a mechanical body with a central "brain" that controls its behavior could soon be on its way out. The authors of a recent article in Science Robotics argue that future robots will have intelligence distributed throughout their bodies. The concept, and the emerging discipline behind it, are variously referred to as "material robotics" or "robotic materials" and are essentially a synthesis of ideas from robotics and materials science. Proponents say advances in both fields are making it possible to create composite materials capable of combining sensing, actuation, computation, and communication and operating independently of a central processing unit. Much of the inspiration for the field comes from nature, with practitioners pointing to the adaptive camouflage of the cuttlefish's skin, the ability of bird wings to morph in response to different maneuvers, or the banyan tree's ability to grow roots above ground to support new branches.