The robot child, superclone

 

 

Cornell researchers have built a robot that works out its own model of itself and can revise the model to adapt to injury. First of all, it teaches itself to walk. Then, when damaged, it teaches itself to limp. Although the test robot is a simple four-legged device, researchers say the underlying algorithm could be used to build more complex robots that can deal with uncertain situations, like space exploration, and may help in understanding human and animal behaviour.