Are Shape Shifting Robots on the Horizon?

Last week, Computerworld featured a piece on shape shifting robots that are getting ever closer to reality.

According to the article, researchers at both Intel and Carnegie Mellon University are utilizing large swarms of millimeter size robots and -- through the application of electromagnetic forces -- are enabling them to form up into various shapes and sizes.

As described in the article:

"the programmable matter is called claytronics and the tiny robots are called catoms. Each catom will have its own processor. Think of each catom as a tiny robot or computer that has computational power, memory and the ability to store and share power."

The technology marks a continuation of Seth Goldstein's research to create "programmable matter." Goldstein, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has been working with a team of scientists at Intel and the U.S. Air Force Research Lab on just such a feat for over two years.