Robots Making Robots?
Until recently, scientists believed that only living things could reproduce themselves. For example, birds lay eggs, adult animals give birth to baby animals, and plants can produce more plants. But can a single robot create a second or third robot? You'll be surprised to know that such a robot exists today. In 2005, a group of scientists at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, succeeded in creating a robot that can reproduce. It can build a copy of than three minutes. Each robot is actually made up of four small units. Each unit contains a computer which rammed with building instructions These instructions enable do things like sense and move around them. They can also remember the sequence in which they were built. At this point, the robots can do little reproduce. However, researchers say it won't be more functions later on, such as a camera or special arms. This would allow them to do many different things. such robots would be very useful in the field of space travel. Scientists already send robots into space to replace humans on difficult or dangerous jobs. Now, for instance, they to send extra building materials on these trips. If a robot broke down, for example, other robots could repair it. They may even be able to build more robots as needed while up in space. Many see these new robots as a sign of the future