Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/08/07/robots-powered-by-popcorn.html
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“Popcorn kernels are a natural, edible, and inexpensive material that has the potential to rapidly expand with high force upon application of heat.”
“Although this transition is irreversible, it carries potential for several robotic applications.”
“As kernels can change from regular to (larger) irregular shapes, we examine the change in inter-granular friction and propose their use as granular fluids in jamming actuators, without the need for a vacuum pump. Furthermore, as a proof-of-concept, we also demonstrate the use of popcorn-driven actuation in soft, compliant, and rigidlink grippers”.
JiffyBot is born. Praise Jesus Corn!
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If this becomes popular, I get the feeling that third point will change. I’ll live in a future where a robot helps me around the house, and regularly provides a delicious salty snack. Win-win!
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“Edible devices could be ingested for medical procedures.”
That could really be something.
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This is like the least impressive science project ever. If these were my middle schoolers they just barely pass, for having displayed a little imagination. But every kid who sees this is instantly going to think, what happens when they’re all done popping? What happens at the end of the extension cord? What happens when it rains? These robots couldn’t threaten a slug - and they’re loaded with salt!
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I think that title belongs to the rollback spindle (or oat box) that is side-heavy enough to flip itself on end before rolling ‘back’ a loose handful of directions, or the ‘hovercar’ of 4 lifters and n/4k subtlety which is not tuned.
Bngr> - and they’re loaded with salt!
If California would just accept that growing salted pistachios is as good, the atmospheric rivers of moisture would flow in and they’d forget all about having to deal with climate change. --Squatch, the Jack Links Secretary of the Interior (Oct. 2018)
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