Originally published at: Researchers reanimate dead spiders as robot grippers in "necrobotics" breakthrough | Boing Boing
…
8 Likes
Zombie. Cyborg. Spiders. I did not have that in my apocalypse pool.
23 Likes
“We’re science: we’re all about coulda, not shoulda.” – P. Oswalt
5 Likes
kudos for innovative functional gross-osity, but how is this likely to become a profitable endeavor over some reproducibility made hydraulic polymer pick-ups?
(“There’s another jam in the dead spider chute! send in the cat”)
8 Likes
Good question. I would guess evolution has developed intricately articulated grippy limbs that may be easier to grow than to construct? I have read that some cricket shipments come with free spiders, so some kinds are easy to rear.
ETA: Also, it’s how to be an arachnolologist and get some DOD money or tech investment.
3 Likes
Four words which should not be in a sentence together: spiders, undead, zombie, and robots.
However, the term “Necrobotics” is absolutely excellent, a wonderful portmanteau. Well done, scientists. Now stop mucking about with dead spider zombie robots!
8 Likes
8 Likes
5 Likes
If your science sounds like a Warhammer 40K faction, you should think twice about it…
4 Likes
So. Spiders “fail safe” when they go caput. The opposite of a dead-man switch.
2 Likes
They can come to my house if they need some more spiders (dead or still alive).
3 Likes
Creepy. Literally.
5 Likes
5 Likes
Do you want Replicators?
Because this is how you get Replicators.
6 Likes
Yep. And sort of disrespectful [to the spider].
1 Like
2 Likes
6 Likes
Trying to burnish that evil scientist image, I see.
