Microbots For Planet Exploration

[Mr. Anderson]

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/051228_microbots.html

Why at first I think this is quite cool, it just seems a bit scary....almost as if the researchers went looking in the scifi/horror archives to come up with a new technology for planetary exploration.

You could just imagine a whole swarm of these things popping out of the mothership and go off to take over the planet.

D

 

[super_kev]

That's pretty cool, and yes, does raise some privacy concerns. But I've always thought it would be fun to work for those companies who make those tiny spy r/c airplanes and other high-tech government gizmos.

 

[thedude110]

Is it the concept that creates angst, or the language of the article?

I think human beings, by and large, don't like anything that "swarms."

How would we get these things OFF of Mars? Will they biodegrade? I see the start of an argument for Mars as trash dump ...

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I see the start of an argument for Mars as trash dump ...

There is already some concern over that - but for now as long as its just robots, it won't be that bad. As soon as humans get there, it will be a whole different pile of crap.

D

 

[After G]

You could just shoot all the space junk into the Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up if going fast enough ....

But I don't think robots will do it. Especially at the snail's pace they seem to be destined to move (1 meter/hr ... SLOW!) And bouncing? What if they end up upside down, or in some position where they can't move?