Termite inspired robots | Machines Like Us

Inspired by termites and their building activities, the TERMES project is working toward developing a swarm construction system in which robots cooperate to build 3D structures much larger than themselves. The current system consists of simple but autonomous mobile robots and specialized passive blocks; the robot is able to manipulate blocks to build tall structures, as well as maneuver over and around the structures it creates. A multi-robot control would allow many simultaneously active robots to cooperate in building structures.

via Termite inspired robots | Machines Like Us.

Little robots given simple rules, designed to result in the construction of complex structures.  I wonder if a good name for this would be ‘planned emergence’.

Your thoughts?